“Call the hell prince,” Koios gasped.
Ben straightened and stared into his eyes. “Are you sure?”
Koios blinked again, the effort of those few words clear in his weary expression.
Ben slid the oxygen mask back into place. “I’ll call him. Do you want to see anyone? Your family is in the waiting room and so is the pack. We’re bursting at the seams out there.”
Ben ran his thumb over Koios’s hair, unable to resist the urge. He leaned closer as Koios whispered again. “After he gets here.”
“Understood.”
Ben straightened and moved to the door of the room. He closed it to give them at least a modicum of privacy, then took out his phone. He called his Uncle Solomon, who answered on the first ring.
“Ben? Everything okay?”
“We’re fine, Uncle Sol, but I need a favor.”
“What’s up?”
Ben glanced at Koios again, pausing before asking the question. Koios nodded, and Ben continued. “Koios would like to speak to Ozias. He went into cardiac arrest today, so we’re at the clinic.”
Ben looked into Koios’s eyes as he spoke, seeing the fear and frustration in them. But underneath it all, determination. Ben needed to see that determination, more than he cared to admit.
Solomon remained silent for a moment. “I’ll get him there.”
“Thanks, Uncle Sol.”
Ben ended the call, then opened the door. Logan stood at the end of the hallway. With a subtle movement of his head, Ben gestured for Logan to come to Koios’s room. He held the door for the alpha, then closed it behind him.
Koios blinked in confusion.
Ben moved back to his side. “Remember that discussion we had about how packs are involved? Well, it’s not a good idea to make plans without involving the alpha.”
“What’s going on?” Logan asked.
Koios pulled at the mask again. Ben moved it to the side to allow Koios to speak.
“I asked to see the hell prince,” Koios whispered. “It’s time for a little magic.”
9
KOIOS
The last time Koios woke up at the Jerricks’ clinic, he immediately knew why. Every moment of the manticore’s attack was etched into his memory. It happened over and over again in slow motion.
This time? Nothing. A complete blank. He remembered his conversation with Ben, the shy smile Ben gave him from the door…then…waking up to Ben’s voice.
“Are you sure about this?” Logan asked. He leaned over the bed and stared into Koios’s eyes. “We do nothing unless you’re sure.”
Koios glanced at Ben. How could he explain his sudden change of heart? Did he have to? His heart had stopped. It seemed obvious. The stakes had gone up.
“We need to know if magic is causing his medical condition,” Ben said. “Just because we’re asking Ozias to take a look doesn’t mean we’re asking him to take action. We need answers, and Ozias is the logical place to start.”
Koios wondered who needed the reassurance of Ben’s words more. Ben seemed to need them as much as Koios did. He’d run out of time, though. He may not like the option, but the Jerricks hadn’t been wrong when they’d tried to convince him early on to give Ozias a chance to help.
No, he didn’t care to have anyone connected to the gods and goddess’s tinkering with him. But he didn’t want to die. And the terrified look on Ben’s face let him know more than anything else just how close he’d come.
Logan nodded and leaned into Koios’s field of vision. “As long as you understand that you don’t need to change to have a place in our pack. We can protect you whether or not your wings retract, and with Ben’s help, we can get you stronger.”
