The Alpha's Guardian

"When can you break out of here?" Ali asks, standing.

"I can go now."

"Hah! When did the healer say you can leave?" she asks clearly not believing me. "Honestly. He said I was good to go before you came in." I try to convince her. "Prove it." She says hiking her chin up like she somehow triumphantly beat me.

"Fine!" I toss the blankets aside and swing my legs over. The moment my bare feet hit the cool linoleum floor and a shiver runs up my spine. Suddenly I want to crawl back into bed. I gently lift myself to standing, half expecting my leg to give out, but it doesn't. I stand tall with victory written all over my face. That is until the doctor walks in and scowls at me. I drop back down slowly and pull the sheets back over my lower body.

"Alpha Wade," he says, still maintaining his scowl.

"Alpha Wade was just saying you released him and he can leave when he likes," Ali says, smirking.

"Traitor" I mumble, but that only turns her smirk into a breathtaking smile.

"Well, I'm thinking he probably can be released, but I want to check his dressings first. And I also want to make sure your wounds are healing as well."

Ali's smile falters at the mention of her injuries and I stick my tongue out at her like an eight-year-old boy. Rolling her eyes she turns back to the healer. "What's the damage report then?" I ask.

"Well. If you were a human you would have been dead three times over. But since you're a werewolf and an Alpha at that, you will be fine. Your cut to your abdomen was our greatest concern but." He pauses as he moves to look at my cut. He cuts off the gauze wrapped around my waist.

"Yes, it looks like it's healing faster now that your Luna is present. I did have to put stitches in to speed the healing. It takes much longer and leaves scarring if your skin has to pull itself together. You have some broken ribs, but I doubt you will be doing much moving with a gash like that across your stomach. But just in case you are as obstinate as Alpha Nick. Please, no strenuous activity until your injury is pink and raised." he warns.

The mention of Alpha Nick brings me back to the reality that we were just battling to death yesterday. Cutting the doctor off, I look right at Ali.

"How is Franc-" I start to ask.

-We will talk about him and everyone else after the doctor leaves- Ali's voice says, ringing through my head.

My eyes widen and my hand flies up to find my mate mark.

-I forgot we could mind link after we mark each other- I say.

-We had other things on our mind at the moment, like impending doom- She smirks

-I had other things on my mind for sure, maybe not impending doom...but other things- I joke.

Her cheeks flash a pretty pink.

-Pay attention- she urges me. After a quick eye roll, I tune back into the one-sided conversation with the healer.

"You also have a fascinating injury on your thigh." He says applying a new bandage over my stitches.

"Were you able to fix it?" I ask hopefully.

The healer gives me an incredulous look.

"No one will be able to fix that, I fear. But I was able to extract some of the wolf's bane that was embedded in the wound. I do think that there are treatment options you can try to help aid in pain tolerance." "Like what?"

"Well for starters, blood transfusion. We might be able to rig the transfusion machine to withdraw wolfsbane from your blood system. It won't heal the wound but it would make it much more tolerable." "How often would I have to do that?"

"I would say once a month"

"For how long?"

"Well, until you die, or they invent something that can fix it completely." He shrugs.

I look at Ali feeling shocked. There is a way to maintain the pain, without needing her healing hand. This is great considering her healing hand was taken from her when her oath was burned.

"Is there anything else we need to discuss?"

"I think that is about everything," He says. "You are free to head to the Packhouse when you like. Alpha Nick has your quarters there, for the time being, We also have scrub pants and a t-shirt for you to wear out." He nods and walks out the door. "That's a lot to process," Ali says. "Yeah." I clear my throat. "Now tell me about Francis."

"Francis is doing ok. He sustained some brain damage and internal bleeding, they think he will survive. Sammy arrived around four this morning and has been sitting by his side."

I move from the bed, standing fast, and move for the pants and shirt laid out for me. I falter a little and Ali is by my side within a second. She moves behind me and unties the ties of my gown. It falls to the ground with a gust of air and I move quickly pulling my pants on. She grabs the shirt and turns me to face her.

Gently she slides the shirt over my head, helping me get my arms through and gingerly pulling it down to my waist. She stands with her arms around my lower back, her body so close to mine but still too far away. I wrap my arms around her and try to pull her into a hug.

"Unh uh. Your whole stomach area is injured." She reminds me.

"I don't care," I whisper trying to pull her close again. She resists me.

"I care." she removes her hands from my back and reaches up stroking my cheek. Then with a quick peck on the lips, she backs away. "Now let's go check on Francis."

Anxiety comes flying at me full force when we arrive at his room. All I can see are his eyes trying to defy my life-saving order for him to run. I know Francis well enough to know he is mad at me. I made him a promise when he became my Beta that I would never use my Alpha voice with him. I know he swore to lay his life down for me, and that it is an honor to die protecting your alpha, but I wouldn't be able to live with that, not with knowing that Sammy would need him now more than ever.

"He won't be mad at you for long." Ali encourages me. I look at her confused, and she rolls her eyes. "I was in your head long enough to know where your train of thought goes, Wade. He is your best friend. And you saved his life. He will forgive you. I promise." She leads me by hand into his room. It looks similar to mine, with pale green walls adorned with generic art and medical equipment attached to the wall behind the bed. In the bed sits a frowning Francis who is staring right at me. Sammy jumps up and flings herself into Ali's arms, with a squeal of excitement and tears on her cheek.

"I hear congratulations are in order, Luna" she winks. Ali chuckles and hugs her back.

"Thanks!" Ali slides me a loving look and I can't help but feel like my heart is melting.

"How are you doing Sammy?" I ask keeping my distance to avoid a hug that I know would be painful.Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

"I'm ok," she says, smiling softly. "Our baby is doing perfectly, so I couldn't be happier." Her hand gently rubs the now noticeable bump sticking out of her orange shirt. She looks over at Francis who smiles at her sweetly. Then turns his gaze to me with a scowl. "Listen," I say zeroing in on his attitude. "He would have killed you."

"He could have killed you."

"Liam wouldn't have killed me."I scoff. "He still cares about Ali. Killing me would have killed her too. He doesn't want her dead."

"What? How do you figure that?"

"We are second chance mates"

"Wait... so Liam was telling the truth?"

"Yep." I clip out. I am realizing just how much I hate the idea of Liam being her first mate.

"Well damn." Francis breathes out.

"And Samuel?"

"Ali killed him," I say shrugging.

"You're mate is a bada*ss" Francis smirks.

I turn to look at her as she chats happily with Sammy on the couch in the corner.

"She sure is." I smile.