34

~Lou Wilson~

My hand in his warm, I sat next to the hospital bed.

Having survived the surgery, he was now struggling with silver poisoning that was preventing his wound from healing properly.

When the doctors told me this and also that he still hadn't made it over the mountain, yesterday I almost burst into tears again. His mother, Luna Aurelia, had also been close to tears at that moment.

I used my thumb to draw soothing circles on the back of his hand. His skin has gotten warmer, which I think is a good sign. I didn't even want to think about the ice cold hands he had in the forest. He looked more dead than alive.

My thoughtful gaze dropped to his hands. Dark veins, more prominent than usual, ran all over his arms. These were signs of his silver poisoning. The silver spear had landed so close to his heart that it quickly poisoned his entire bloodstream.

Luckily he was sleeping. I didn't even want to imagine the pain he must be in when he was awake.

My lips gently touched his hot skin. If only I could take his pain away. I still wondered why I hadn't triggered the trap earlier. After all, I was the first to go there. All of this should have happened to me.

With a soft knock and a cautious "Hey," Anna, the beta female, stepped into the room. Her gaze briefly swept over the vulnerable alpha before settling on me.

"How are you?" she asked sympathetically.

"Under the circumstances." I shrugged, then looked back down at my sleeping mate.

"I just wanted to bring you something to eat. The news that our pack is expecting an alpha successor has spread like wildfire." She explained and stepped closer to me. Only then did I see the container in her hand. "I hope you like chocolate muffins?"

Did she say chocolate muffins?

"Definitely." Like a pregnant woman, I pounced on the delicious pastries and started munching like I was in the ballroom. But hey, I'm pregnant after all.

Mmm that was delicious.

Anna giggled while watching my binge eating. I couldn't even think about food right now, but now that it was right in front of me, I just had to grab it.

"I'm glad you like it. I wanted to inform you as Luna that my husband has sent a unit to find and disarm more of these hunter traps. He also takes care of all other pack matters as long as Arian is not fit. So you don't have to worry about it."

I smiled at her gratefully. Actually, it goes without saying that the beta will take over the pack when the alpha can't, but I was grateful that she kept me posted.

"Oh and before I forget... Alpha Lucian and Luna Felia of the Darkforest pack are on their way here."

That made me sit up and take notice. I haven't seen Lucian in the ballroom since that day. I had almost completely forgotten that he was there when I disappeared from the scene again. Apparently I was really good at suddenly disappearing and not being found.

"O-okay," I said before Anna left the room.

Lucian was alpha now and I hadn't been at the handover. What a bad sister I am now...

I didn't even think about the fact that he was going to be alpha soon.

"Lou..." A low, faint whisper made me look at my mate, startled. "Lou..."

He kept whispering those words, but his eyes were closed. As if he were talking in his sleep.

I got up and stood right next to his head, which I took between my hands.

"I'm here, Arian, I'm here, do you hear?" I coaxed him, but he still didn't open his eyes.

"Lou... Where are you?" he whispered again, and I couldn't tell how profusely he was sweating.

His forehead was wet with sweat and his eyes were squeezed shut in agony.

"Lou... Lou... Lou..." He kept repeating my name.

"I am here. Ariane wake up. I'm here." I coaxed him, regardless of whether he heard me or not. As my hand traveled from his cheek to the back of his neck, I realized how high his temperature was. He must have a fever.

"Linous! I think Arian has a fever." I informed the doctor immediately, hoping that he could help him.

"On the way." He answered immediately. Not a second later he entered the patient's room together with a nurse.

He immediately moved to the other side of the bed and started examining Arian.

"Lou... I love you." Again, Arian said something in his sleep. "I love you, Lou. Where are you?"

Linus glanced up at me and raised an eyebrow in surprise.

"Looks like he's having fever dreams."

"PLEASE LOU! LOU! I LOVE YOU. DON'T LEAVE ME!" Arian suddenly started yelling louder and thrashing around, making me dodge his arm.

"It's okay, I'm here. I love you too." A single tear rolled down my cheek as I saw my mate's desperation. I wanted so badly to help him.

Linus took a syringe handed to him by the dark blonde nurse and injected it into Arian's arm catheter. Moments later, Arian calmed down again.

"What was in there?" I asked. Although I'd been working here for a little while, my training was far from over. Also, you hardly ever saw sick wolves.

"A remedy for fever reduction and calming. He should go back to sleep for a while now." He explained.

I looked into Arian's face with worried eyes. His eyes were still twitching restlessly.

"My little angel," he whispered before becoming completely still again.

“You should lie down too, Lou. All this fuss is not good for you and the puppy." Linus turned his gaze to me.

"I know, but I can't sleep without him either." I sighed and sat down next to him on the bed again.

"Then just sleep here. It certainly won't hurt him if you lay down next to him." He nodded his head towards the bed. "The main thing is that you finally get some rest."

I nodded. Yes, sleep sounded really tempting.

After Linus and the other sisters left the room, I did what Linus told me. Careful, careful not to hurt Arian, I scrambled between all the cables and snuggled into my mate's side. This breathed calmly again and slept.

"I love you," he said one last time before I fell asleep by his side.