Unwanted Mates

Chapter 15

Ben was waiting for Olivia, Tyson, Darla, Everly, and Dr. Robert Stone at the main hospital entrance. His Aunt Olivia had mind linked him before they left the airfield, saying she would like him to join them and help Dr. Stone if needed.

He considered it an honor to work closely with Dr. Stone. Ben had been researching, hoping to find a way to help Willa. Everything he found was somehow linked to Dr. Stone. There was no question. Dr. Stone was the best in the world regarding ailments involving vampires.

Ben straightened when the doors opened, and Tyson and Olivia walked in. He knew when Darla walked in, his wolf would become excited. That would lead to him prancing and talking in an effort to convince Ben to tell Darla they were mates. He wanted to yell it from the rooftops and tell everyone, but he didn’t feel that would be fair to Darla. Ben did not want her to feel pressured.

Olivia hugged him and said, “Thank you for helping Robert while he is here. You have no idea how much we all appreciate this.”

“It’s my pleasure. Dr. Stone is the best in this field. I’m sure I will learn a lot from him,” Ben said as he smiled at the doctor.

Tyson smiled at his nephew and said, “Ben, I would like to introduce you to Dr. Robert Stone. Robert, this is my nephew, Ben. I’m sure you will learn a lot from each other.”

“It is a pleasure to meet you, Ben,” Robert said as they shook hands. “Please, call me Robert or Rob.”

“I will,” Ben smiled and nodded to Everly and Darla. “If you will come with me, I will take you to Willa. Mom is in Willa’s room. Lia and Will are holding it together for now, but not as well as they want everyone to believe. Dr. Clark is also there. He has not given Willa any additional sedatives but has them ready if it is needed.”

“Do you know when she was last given the medication?” Rob asked as they walked down the hallway.

“Around midnight. Willa should be waking on her own soon,” Ben replied as they reached the room.

Robert looked at the group and asked, " Are you all going in?”

“We need to see Amelia and Willa,” Everly told him.

Robert opened his mouth to say something only to be cut off by Olivia.

“It is a werewolf thing. We need to see Amelia and be with her to help her stay calm and comfort her,” Olivia explained.

“I understand,” Robert said with a nod. “Do what you need to do for her.”

Ben gave him a nod before pushing the door open and entering the hospital room. Amelia was lying on the bed beside Willa, who was sleeping. Will was sitting at the end of the sofa against the room, with Rebecca on the other end. Dr. Clark was sitting in the recliner beside the bed, ready to give Willa the sedative if needed.

Olivia hugged Will as Tyson asked, “How are our girls doing?”

“Willa is fine as long as she stays sedated on some level. Lia is doing her best to put on a brave face and acts like everything is fine, but is not doing a good job of it,” Will quietly replied.

“I can hear you,” Amelia grumbled from the bed as she kissed Willa’s head.

“We know you can,” Olivia smiled at her daughter. “That is also why we are here. You need us the same way Willa needs you and Will. Right now, Willa needs Robert, who has something important to say to you. Don’t you, Robert?”

“Yes, I do,” Robert said before he stepped to the bed to address Amelia. “I want to apologize to you. The one time we met, I treated you abhorrently. I said things that were demeaning not only to you but to your children, my nieces, and all werewolves. I let my annoyance and hatred for one man act out against you, which was not only inappropriate but inexcusable. That is why I am not trying to make an excuse. I was wrong, and I am sorry. I would like to make it up to you by helping Willa and getting to know you, your daughters, and your family.”

Amelia’s eyes welled with tears. She could feel the regret and sincerity pouring out of the vampire as he stood beside her daughter’s hospital bed. Robert was sorry and wanted to help her family, his family, and he wanted to know them.

“Thank you. I accept your apology,” Amelia said as she sat up before carefully leaving the bed so she would not disturb Willa.

Olivia was waiting with open arms to embrace her daughter. As soon as Amelia hugged her mother, Everly and Darla joined them in hugging their sister. Rebecca patted the sofa beside her and smiled. William grinned at the woman and stood from his place so all five could cuddle together on the couch.

Robert smiled at them before he turned his attention to Willa. He quickly assessed the child. Everything about the child seemed completely normal. Her heart rate, respiration, and blood pressure were typical for a child her age. Robert lifted her eyelid to check her eyes and was surprised to see the flecks of color in her eyes individually pulsing from their usual blue and green to red.

As he focused on her eyes and the mesmerizing changes in the color, Willa awoke with a start. Her fangs elongated with lightning speed, and she bit down on his forearm, sinking her teeth into the bone. Robert tensed but did not pull away or struggle with the girl. He calmly stood as she held him.

“I have the sedative ready,” Dr. Clark said beside Robert.

Robert had been so focused on Willa that he had not been aware of the doctor moving to stand beside him. He nodded to Dr. Clark to give Willa the medication. Dr. Clark put the medication in the catheter in Willa’s hand, and within seconds, the little girl felt the effects. She retracted her fangs and fell asleep when her head hit the pillow.

“Well, that was a good demonstration of what is happening with Willa. I think this one event might have told me more about the severity of her condition than all the examinations I could give. Now I need to figure out why it is happening,” Robert said as Ben wrapped a towel around his arm to stanch the bleeding.

Ben said, “Let’s go to the emergency room so I can clean and dress that wound. It is deep enough that it will take you a while to heal, even with your accelerated abilities.”

“That’s a good idea. I felt Willa’s fangs scrape the bone. It will take at least a few hours to close,” Robert agreed.

Tyson stood watching the events unfold before him. He was horrified at what his granddaughter had done but also thankful that Robert had seen it for himself and understood the dire need for his help. He was trying to remain calm as Kevin’s voice sounded in his head.

“Sorry, man, but we have a fire on the north side of the territory west of the north lake,” Kevin said.

Tyson sighed and replied, “Is it where we can let it burn out, or do we need to intervene?”

“We need to put it out. That is the same area where we have that one guy out hiking and camping, remember?” Kevin grumbled. “He knows we are dragons, so it won’t be a problem if he sees us.”

Tyson glanced at the sofa to see the woman looking at him. He sighed and asked, “Do you need Everly?”

“If she is up to it. She breathes water. I shouldn’t need to tell you what a time saver that is when putting out a wildfire. It is close enough to the lake and river that it should be easy for her to recharge when she needs it.”

“Alright. I will tell her. She might enjoy the distraction.

“Thanks, Ty,” Kevin said before cutting the link.

Tyson sighed, “Everly, are you up to help with a wildfire west of the north lake? We would let it burn out, but we have a guest hiking and camping in that area, so it must be put out as quickly as possible.”

“Yeah. I could use some time alone in the air. It will give me the chance to focus on something besides Willa,” Everly said as she untangled herself from the group on the couch.

William smiled and said, “Robert, on your way to the emergency room, why don’t you and Ben walk Everly outside so she can shift and leave immediately? You will not want to miss seeing what her dragon looks like.”

“I will walk with you,” Tyson said.

Tyson put his arm around Everly’s shoulders and quickly went outside to the open area in front of the hospital emergency department. The area was cleared and designed for dragons to land. Several times a year, they would need to airlift someone from a remote location in the clan and deliver them to the hospital by dragon. Tyson hugged Everly one last time before she walked to the center of the circle to shift.

“Watch this,” Ben said to Robert as he grinned from ear to ear with pride at what his little cousin was about to do.

Robert gazed at Everly as she shifted and transformed into her dragon. She was enormous, rivaling Tyson’s in size. The dragon was a shimmering iridescent teal that shifted to royal blue and emerald green as she moved. The glimmering shifted under her skin as if water was flowing and ebbing under her hide. She winked at her father and laughed as she took flight with a single flap of her mammoth wings.

“I have never seen anything like her before,” Robert said as he stood watching her soar out of sight.

“That is what happens when the daughter of a Dragon Lord has active fairy magic before she gets her dragon,” Tyson beamed with pride. “Come on. Let’s get you inside and taken care of so you can begin working on finding a way to treat Willa.