Althena Book 2

28. A Little Warm

Saray doesn't show up for the girls' club that night. But we need her. We're planning an amusement park trip for this weekend.

"She probably forgot to get a ride. Let's go get her." Lila stands up.

Fay nods. "She's the one who wanted the amusement park. We can't plan it without her."

"Me and Lila will go in the helicopter. We'll be back fast." I grab Lila and we hurry.

Kayote yells as we run out, "She's in building E. Apartment 4."

We land in the parking lot and Lila runs for it. I see the guards' helicopter, but they're not on the ground yet. I shrug my shoulders and run after her. We need to hurry.

The helicopter landed right in front of E. I run in and hear Lila scream. My adrenaline releases and I run as fast as I can to her. The door of apartment 4 is open. Some man has Lila by her throat. He shoves her onto a table. He looks at me and says something, but my brain isn't processing words.

-Poof- I'm a wolf.

I leap from the door to the man and grab him by the throat with my fangs. I feel my fangs rip it apart. My claws come out, and I shred his body at the same time.

I land in a pool of blood with more raining down on top of me.

Lila turns and stares at me. Her eyes are huge.

I realize what happened and try to get out of the blood. I slip and slide my way out. Then I sit and stare at it.

"Where are the guards?"

I try to get blood off my feet. Then I lay down and give up. I can't get away from it.

"The boys are coming. Try to relax." She slides down the wall beside me and lands on her ass. "I called Clayton."

The guards run in and I close my eyes. I just need a minute.

"Babygirl." I open my eyes and Mike is squatted down in front of me. "You're alright. We'll get you out of here now."

Conner runs in. "Is she hurt?"

Lila stands up. "No. It's his blood."

"You have marks on you. Let's get you checked out." Drogon helps her through the disaster.

I try to stand up but I'm shaking. I give Mike sad eyes. He puts his arm under my chest and picks me up. He doesn't care about blood. He carries me outside and right into the helicopter.

I close my eyes again.

When we get home, he puts me in the shower and gets in with me. He washes the blood off us. Then I switch to human and he washes me again. Then we dress in night clothes and sit in the living room. I cuddle his side as much as I can.

Then Conner comes in and sits on my other side. I put my legs on him and lay my head on Mike's lap. I love my boys.

Drogon kneels in front of me. I rub his head and relax.

"He grabbed Lila."

"I know, baby. You were protecting her. He was on some kind of drug. They don't know yet."

"Who was he?"

"Their neighbor. Saray's mom asked him to watch her son while she was at work and Saray was at the meeting. He had just moved in. I don't think anyone knew his name."

"Is Saray Ok?"

"They found her in her room. She was locked in and mad, but completely fine. The boy was in a playpen. He was on the floor and the playpen was upside down on him. There was a TV on top of it. The boy was perfectly fine. He shouldn't have been caged like that, but he wasn't injured."

Mike rubs my hair. "You did good, babygirl."

I sit up on my knees and stretch. "I remembered what Monte told me. And how I would attack the dummies coming out of the tunnel."

Conner chuckles. "The hallway was like a tunnel."

I plop against him. "He was the dummy."

They laugh as granny runs in. "WHERE IS SHE?"

"Right here." Conner pushes me up.

Granny hugs me. "Are you ok? Clayton said you girls were attacked."

"He grabbed Lila. But we're ok."

Drogon stands up. "The hallway was like a tunnel and the bad guy was the dummy."

Monte chuckles. "Play park for the win."

Granny hugs me again. "You should train more with Monte. It helps."

Cyrus comes in. "Lila's home with her parents. She seems fine. The doctor said the bruises will heal in a few days. The police want to talk to Thena. They got the statement from Lila already. You'll have to finish with them tomorrow."

Drogon nods. "We'll go in early. Conner, you'll have to come in early too."

Conner tickles me. "What are you gonna do, woman?"

"She can go to school." Mike side eyes him.

"No. I need a day off. I can go scuba diving with Monte."

"You need a day off for scuba diving?"

"Yes. I have to give a statement anyway."

Drogon kisses my head. "You can give the statement. Then someone can stay with you. A day off would be good after what happened today."

I stick my tongue out at Mike and he tickles me. "Ornery butt."

I laugh and wrap around Conner. "You sleeping with me tonight?"

"Yes."

"Ugh." Drogon looks at the ceiling. "Then go to bed now."

"Don't have to tell me twice." Conner carries me to bed. "You need sleep, babygirl."

"I know. I'm tired. I want cuddles."

"I'll give you all the cuddles you need."

I snuggle in with him and go right to sleep, but I keep having nightmares. All night long, that guy keeps looking at me. Conner ends up carrying me to Mike's bed. I sleep between them.

They get me up in the morning and my belly hurts. Mike gives me a shower and gets me dressed. Then I talk to the police in the fancy sitting room. Monte shows up about the time they leave.

Mike kisses my head. "Monte is going to take you scuba diving."

"My belly hurts."

"You didn't get much sleep, babygirl. Rest this morning and take a nap. Everything will be fine. Relax today and enjoy scuba diving."

"I love you." I wrap my arms around him.

"I love you too." He hugs me and kisses my head. "She'll need a nap."

"I see that." Monte reaches for me.

I climb him and wrap around him. It shocks them both. Mike tries to pull me off. I plop my head on Monte's shoulder and cry.

"Clean this up, Mike. I got her. She'll be fine." He waits for a second, then carries me out the front door.

He straps me into the helicopter and calls the resort. By the time we land, we have a room. He carries me to the couch and lays me on his chest. I feel his fingertips on my back. I yawn and feel sleep take me.

A couple of hours later, I stretch and get up. Monte is sitting in the chair with a laptop and phone.

He hangs up. "You ready for lunch? It's late."

"My belly hurts."

He kisses my head. "You are a little warm. You try to eat some broth and crackers. Then I'll lie with you."

We sit at the table and I drink my broth. I dip the crackers in it. It's good. Then he lays on the couch with me again. I fall asleep with him almost immediately. He's so comfortable and warm.

"YOU KNOW BETTER THAN..." Cyrus pulls me up to my feet. I puke down the front of him.

"You're ok, babygirl." Mike tries to hug me and I puke on him too.

Then I start sobbing. "My belly hurts."

Monte picks me up. "You're idiots. She's sick. Send something for her stomach after you clean this up." He lays down with me on his chest in the TV room. "Let's sleep some more."

I wake up with Mike rubbing my back. "You need to get up and try to eat, baby."

I shake my head and Monte rubs my hair. "Will you try some broth again? That was good. Just a little?"

"Ok."

Mike picks me up slowly. I lay my head on his shoulder and snuggle him.

Monte jumps up and runs out. "Need to piss. I'll be there in a minute."

Mike puts me in a dining room chair and kisses my head. "The doctor will be here any minute. We'll see what he has to say too."

Cyrus smiles at me. "Poor baby. I can tell you're sick just by your eyes. I'm sorry for pulling you up like that."

Monte sits down. "I really had to piss. Did you order?"

"Yea, I got the dinner specials and added on broth for her."

"She ate most of it earlier with crackers. She did like it."

I nod and someone knocks on the door. Mike comes back with the resort girl and doctor. The doctor has a respirator on. The girl sits the food down and leaves. Mike pulls the lid off and Monte jumps up. He runs towards the bedrooms.

I turn to see where he's going and the smell of the food hits me. I dry heave and can't stop.

"This is the stomach flu. It's going around and very easily spread from one person to another. It's hitting a few of the schools hard. She goes to East Bridge?"

"Green Valley."

"Green Valley has had an outbreak. It needs to run its course. Once her body produces the antibody for it, she'll be fine. Has she been able to keep anything down?"

"No."

"I'll give her an IV. Dehydration is the most dangerous side effect. Are either of you showing symptoms yet?"

"No. We're good."

"Don't let anyone else in this room. This spreads easily and quickly. I'll give them both an IV. For right now, it's better if you stay in a completely different room than them. That way, if you don't have it, you won't get it."

Mike smirks. "I'm staying here. Cyrus can stay in another room. I'll tell Drogon and Conner to stay away."

"That will have to work."

Cyrus crosses his arms. "I've already been puked on. I'm not going anywhere."

"You're going to get puked on again unless you get rid of this food."

Mike picks me up. "Let's get you to bed, baby. I'll rub your belly. Cyrus can put this in the kitchen while..."

I put my hand on my mouth.

"In the office?" I shake my head. "He'll get rid of it while the doctor sets up your IV. Give me a second and I'll get her in pajamas."

"I'll check on Monte while you do that." The doctor steps out.

Mike carries me into a bedroom. Then strips me and puts his T-shirt on me. The doctor comes in when he opens the door again.

"Monte is not moving from the bed. He's found the TV remote and that's his life now. I was able to get an IV in him. Now for this one." I stick my arm out of the blanket. "We want it to stay in, but if it comes out in the middle of the night, shut it off. I'll check it in the morning."

"Thank you."

He gets the IV in and tapes it down. "I only wish I could do more. These viruses hit schools and the kids drop so fast. And with all of them being together, there's no hope to stop the spread of it. The IV should lessen the symptoms. Over the counter medicine can help, if they can keep it down. I'll give you prescriptions for anti-nausea medication."

I close my eyes and Mike walks him out.