But I snapped back and remembered Phelan had been going to fight me. Asshat. I’d get my revenge when I’d recovered.
Mrs. Ardilla was counting under her breath which was annoying. I’d never paid her much attention previously, but now I actively disliked her. Jack was weeping and was standing beside Phelan, echoing his pleas.
My blood was still running through the tube. Why? The guy was dead with no heartbeat. He was gone, passed, whatever, but he wasn’t coming back.
“Come on.” Phelan’s broken voice sent a chill through me, and I experienced a smidgen of sympathy as he stared at his mate’s unmoving chest.
Phelan barked, “Get out of the way.” He shoved the professor who, despite being a shifter, over-balanced and almost crashed into a cart.
Raising his fist in the air, Phelan slammed it down over Rawling’s heart. All my friend’s despair and rage was contained in his clenched fist. I cringed as the latent’s ribs broke. Rawling’s body jolted and nothing happened, the monitor was still making the same soulless sound until it spluttered, and fuck, there was a beep, and another and another. The line on the screen jumped.
Rawling made a gross sound, and the room erupted in cheers. The crowd outside did the same. The professor stared at the monitor like he couldn’t believe what Phelan had done. Who needed a doctor when they had Phelan? Damn him, bringing his mate back to life.
My friend’s tears fell on Rawling’s face as he told his mate to stay with him.
“Can someone pay attention to me? I think I’m going to faint.” I needed to be tucked up in bed and have someone feed me soup. Maybe I could be given blood to replenish what I’d donated to Rawling.
I closed my eyes because the room was swirling around, and the lights were so bright. There was a pounding in my head, or was that the storm outside? I’d forgotten about the rain.
But there was a groan to my left, and Phelan was leaning over his mate. I hated that the pair were mated, but I couldn’t undo it, even if I got Phelan kicked out of shifter society.
“Rawling, I’m here.”
Ewww, I didn’t want to be here for this, but I couldn’t move. I was still attached to Rawling by that damned tube.
“Hey, you’re awake.”
Rawling made a ghastly sound, and I almost puked. Gross.
“The… the… b-baby?”
“She’s here.”
Jack swanned past me with a bundle in her arms, but the pounding in my head was getting louder. There were people moving about in my vision, and I rubbed my face, trying to get rid of them. My parents were there and they were holding me. Was I dying?
Memories slammed into me. Oh shit. That couldn’t be right. I was hallucinating. “Get that away from me.” Not him, of all people.
Mrs. Ardilla was at my side and wrapped a cuff around my arm. “Blood pressure is low. Normally I wouldn’t be worried, but your wolf got banged up pretty bad.”
“Make it stop. That’s not right. No.”
“Phelan, Phelan. Help me.” That wasn’t me asking for help. It was Rawling. He was babbling, but I didn’t give a damn about him. “Who is that? I’m dreaming or hallucinating. I can see babies. Babies, Phelan.”
“That can’t be. No! Oh gods, no!” I glanced at Rawling, and he stared back at me. Was he seeing the same thing I was? I refused to believe it. What were my parents doing? And how was that possible?
“What’s happening to him?” Phelan was looking at the professor.
But Rawling pulled his mate close and whispered in his ear.
“No, that’s not possible.” Phelan glanced from his mate to me. “You’re not?—”
“Shut up, everyone. It’s a lie. Rawling’s making it up. He can’t be?—”
“Okay, can everyone share the secret with me?” Jack was still holding the baby, and I expected the kid to start crying with everyone yelling.
Phelan and Jack put their heads together, and Jack burst out laughing. “Are you kidding me?”
“That’s what Rawling says, and based on Atticus’s reaction, I’d say it’s true.”
