Dimitris hesitated. In truth he had been over sixty years old, but that would sound insane to Cate’s human ears. “About eight,” he lied.
“You’re eight years older than Alek!” She couldn’t hide her shock. “You look like you might be two, three years older tops.”
“Like I said, good genetics.” He winked again. Cate was beginning to get used to his brand of ostentatious flirting.
“Anyway, a few years ago some of my family and I thought that we might expand and come to America. So here I am.” Dimitris waved his hands near his torso, a modern-dayPrice is Rightguy showing off the goods.
“And your parents and older brother,” she asked swallowing a mouthful of ham and bread.
“They are still in Scotland. My mom is the one that gave me the stroganoff recipe. She was very excited when I told her about you.” He leaned in and wiped a crumb from her mouth, then he kissed her. She was a little embarrassed to know that he had spoken to his mother about her. They had known one another for five days, and had gone on one date, if this could even be called a date.He wanted to marry you within two hours, Cate. Telling his mom is not that big of a deal in the scheme of things.
She opened her mouth to ask him more, but her question was cut off when her phone began to ring. The screen identified the number as Coyen Elementary School. Cate answered. “Hello? Yes this is she.” She held her finger up, signaling for him to stay quiet. “So he just has a fever? No vomiting?” Dimitris strained to hear the voice on the other side of the phone. “Yes, I can come pick him up right away. I’ll be there in fifteen minutes.”
She punched the button to end the call. “I have to go. That was Peter’s school. He’s not feeling well. They said he has a rather high fever.” She had thrown back the cover and was searching for her panties and bra. Dimitris found the latter and handed it across the bed to her.
“Let me drive you,” he suggested. “That way you can take care of him in the car.” He watched as she hooked her bra and pulled her tee shirt over her head.
“No, it will be fine. Kids get sick sometimes. I’m sure he’ll be back to normal tomorrow morning.” Dimitris’ face fell. Cate felt momentary guilt. “But thank you for the offer,” she amended. “I’ll call you tomorrow if that’s okay.”
He wanted to rage that it was not okay. As her fated mate, he should be there to take care of Cate and her sick child. Soon to be their child, he corrected. But she was strong willed. He knew that pushing her to accept his offer would only make her step back from him. Although it pained him to let her go alone, he did it.
In less than five minutes, Cate was in her car waving to him as she raced down the drive. Dimitris phoned Mylo. Her guard would begin tailing her at the estate’s gate.
seven
Dimitris threw open the doors to the emergency room entrance. The room was busy, filled with people of all ages. One man sat in a corner, coughing into a handkerchief. A young boy sat near his mother, holding his forearm. Broken, he surmised. Mylo had called him less than twenty minutes ago to tell him that Peter was very ill and Cate had taken him to the hospital. He was initially furious that Mylo had waited to call him, but soon panic had taken over. He had to see them, had to know that both were safe.
Mylo had sent a text that the two were in a private room near the back of the emergency hall. The shifter guard had used his power of compulsion to persuade the doctors and nurses to give Peter fast attention. All shifters have some ability to sway human actions, but only if the person has weak will. Thankfully, the nurses and doctor responsible for Peter were in that category. Dimitris stepped through the door to his left and saw Mylo standing at the end of a wide hall. Gurneys lined the right side and nurses darted from room to room.
“She’s in there,” Mylo said, pointing to the room across from him. “I think the kid is pretty sick.”
“Have you been in?” he asked.
“No. My power to compel is not strong. I would never be able to convince your alpha mate that I needed to see Peter. I decided to wait for you.”
He patted Mylo’s shoulder. “Thank you for watching over them. I cannot repay you.” Turning to the door, he raised his hands and knocked.
Cate looked at the door, reluctant to leave her son’s side. “Come in,” she said. The door opened and Dimitris stepped inside the small room. Suddenly the sounds of the room overwhelmed her. Peter’s labored breathing, the beeping of the oxygen reader taped to his finger, the mechanical click of the clock on the wall – it was all too much for her. She laid her head on the bed near Peter’s hand and began to cry silently.
As she knew he would, Dimitris knelt at her side. “It’s okay, my Cate. I’m here. Nothing will hurt your child, I promise.” He rubbed her back in slow, reassuring circles.
“His fever is really high and his neck hurts,” she said between sobs. “They have to do some test to confirm, but they think he has bacterial meningitis. I couldn’t get his fever to break. It just kept climbing higher and higher no matter what I did. Finally I threw him in the car and rushed him here. They saw us right away.”
Dimitris sniffed the air. He could smell the child’s disease. He was not familiar with the smell of meningitis, but he knew the putrid smell of death. His wolf senses told him that Peter would be dead in less than three days if something were not done quickly. He could not allow that to happen, not to this child and not to his mate. It only took one look at Cate to know the devastation this would cause her. The devastation that it would cause him. He loved Peter simply because she was Cate’s. The solution was simple, he thought, he had to save the child.
“Cate, he’s going to be fine. I will not let anything happen to Peter.” He stood and walked to the door. Quietly he opened it and told Mylo that he was to keep everyone from the room until further notice. He turned back to his mate, her head still lay on the bed next to Peter’s small hand. “Cate, I need you to remain strong for Peter. Do not panic.” Her head never lifted from the child’s bed. He watched her maintain her prayer pose as he undressed. “Cate,” he said again. “Cate, I need you to look at me.” She lifted her head.
“Dimitris? What are you doing?” she hissed in confusion. “This is a child’s hospital room.”
“I need you to promise you will not panic. I’m going to help Peter get better.” Cate watched in stunned silence as Dimitris’ body began to transform. In a matter of seconds his skin split down his back while his frame contorted from his human form into something animal. Instinct told Cate not to fear this, yet she did not understand it. She blinked her eyes. A large black wolf with golden eyes stood in the place where Dimitris had been only seconds ago. The animal lowered its head to her once then slowly crept forward. Cate’s body stood of its own accord and backed away from the bed.
The canine approached Peter’s still body and sniffed him from shoulder to hip. It turned and gave her one last look with his tawny eyes, then it bit Peter’s hand. Cate stood horrified. She remained silent as she watched the wolf shift and Dimitris’ familiar form return. He dressed in silence, glancing at her between movements, waiting for her to speak. He hoped for a thank you but expected a scolding. He had acted without her knowledge, after all. Instead he got her silence, which worried him more than her anger ever had.
“Did you heal him, or is he now whatever it is that you are?” Her voice was low and surprisingly steady.
Dimitris hesitated, giving himself time to craft a reply. “Both,” he finally answered. “Peter is healed. Even now he should be feeling better because of the bite. His temperature is already dropping.”
“And the other part,” she prodded, quietly. Dimitris wished she would scream at him. The quiet anger worried him. “What about the wolf?”
