“Look me in the eye and say that,” Ro shot back at Axel. “Alfie is in bed, ahospitalbed,” He made sure to emphasise that hospital part. “So, look me in the eye and tell me everything's alright.”
Axel released a sigh, and without looking behind him, his brother’s body slumped.
That was when Rowan noticed Malek, Axel’s fiancé, had moved and was now at Axel’s back. He’d only met the man the one time when he’d brought Axel back to Manchester to pick up his things from home.
Rowan watched as Malek wrapped his arms around both Axel and the baby his brother carried. Axel drew in a deep breath, and before his eyes, his brother’s posture straightened and he lifted his head to meet Rowan’s gaze.
The only way Ro could think to describe it was that it looked like Axel had physically drawn strength from Malek.
“I promise you, we’re fine. Alfie and I are...” Axel paused like he was searching for a word. He wasn’t sure what his brother was thinking about because a wide smile spread across his face before he added, “Trust me, Ro. We’re amazing.”
“That’s not what I asked, Ax,” Rowan said brow raised, “And correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure the dictionary definition of ‘fine’ doesn’t involve a hospital bed.”
Alfie chuckled, and Ro’s eyes left Axel as he faced Alfie. Maybe he should go at the brother in the hospital bed.
“Alfie”—he pushed back the hair that had flopped into Alfie’s face—“you know you can tell me what’s going on, right?”
“I’m fine, Ro,” Alfie said. His baby brother managed to lift a hand to cover the one Ro used to cup his cheek.
“I am beginning to loathe that word. ‘Fine’ is not an emotion, and it’s barely a state of wellbeing.” He knew his voice was increasing in volume, but he couldn’t help it.
“What the hell, Ax? First you, now Alfie… I had to make sure you’d not joined some sort of cult.”
Rowan could tell they were keeping something from him, yet they insisted on lying.
“Trust me, Ro. You wouldn’t believe us if we told you.” Alfie started laughing after dropping that line. He laughed so hard, he began coughing.
Ro’s training kicked in, and he grabbed a cup of water on the side table and gently lifted Alfie’s head and got him to sip.
“Please, tell me you’re fine again.” Rowan rolled his eyes at Alfie.
When he pulled back the cup, Alfie gave him a small smile. “I’m good, Wowo. I promise.”
His baby brother calling him by the name he used when he was younger and couldn’t quite say “Rowan” managed to get a smile out of him, but it wasn’t enough to distract him.
“Okay, well, if you’re good, what are you doing in a hospital bed? Oh, and while we're at it, why is there a hospital suite in a GP clinic, not to mention a fully-stocked surgical suite?”
Alfie’s eyes sought Axel. It hadn’t escaped his notice that Axel had stayed quiet all this time, but he would deal with him later.
“I think we should tell him,” Alfie said. He tried sitting up in bed and winced letting out a pained gasp.
Before Ro could move, another tall man—this one looking a lot like Malek, but a little leaner—was at his brother's side, and he had to step back and give him space, although Ro had a feeling the man would have lifted him off the ground and moved him to get to Alfie.
“Careful, love. You don’t want to hurt your stitches.” The man... Malachi he assumed. Yeah, that was what Alfie had said his new boyfriend... well, fiancé now, apparently, was called. Actually, it might have been Axel who shared that.
Malachi helped Alfie sit up in bed, and he didn’t miss the gentle care that he took with Alfie, but then Rowan realised what he’d said.
“Stitches? What stitches?” He shot Axel a look that saidtalk now or you’ll get it,before looking Alfie over to see if he could tell what had been done to him.
“I had a baby,” Alfie said, his eyes on Rowan like he was watching to see how he would react.
Rowan stared at his brother like he’d spoken Swahili or some other language he didn’t understand.
“Did I mention you wouldn’t believe it if I told you?” Alfie added, his gaze still laser-focused on Ro.
From somewhere behind him, he heard a voice say, “Someone be ready to catch him in case he passes out.”
That snapped him out of his surprise. Ro studied Malek, then Malachi, and it all clicked into place. “So that would mean they are shifters.”
