Finding Home

Chapter Fifty-Nathan

"I know, that was a lot. You did you good. I'm so proud of you." He stroked her hair and she fell asleep.

"Is she asleep?" Lennette asked.

"Yeah, first shifts are always exhausting." Nathan replied. "Uh, Lennette do you mind giving her your coat?" He gestured at Paige, she was naked after shifting back.

"Oh yeah." She handed her purse to Thomas, who had turned his back to them, knowing mated males can get possessive over who sees their mates body.

"She can have mine." He said as she started to shrug his off.

"Thanks, but I'd prefer it if my mate didn't smell like another male." Nathan said.

"I'll take it!" Lennette said as she handed Nathan her coat. "It's freezing out here. Practically summer and you still need a jacket. What type of backwards country is this?" As she spoke her Aussie accent came out even stronger than normal. They chuckled at her commentary on the weather.

The medics and clean up team arrived. Nathan and Paige were taken to the supernatural hospital, which Nathan marveled at. When he asked about it Thomas told Nathan that it's mostly used by werewolves and witches, and that it takes a lot of interspecies cooperation. It serves as regular care for unpacked wolves and treatment for wasting sickness.

"You have a treatment for wasting sickness?" Nathan asked in disbelief. Nathan knew to many wolves that had been lost to that disease, including his own mother.

"It's in the early stages but it's been promising. At the very least it lessens the effects of it and improves quality of life. My sister runs the research."

"If I had someone who needed treatment, would she be willing to help?"

"Someone close to you?"

"My gamma's mate."

"I'll talk to her."

Nathan was checked out by doctors and was told that the amount of wolfsbane he ingested shouldn't kill his wolf entirely, just make him weaker for a few days. His arm would heal as a humans would until his wolf reawakened to help. Paige slept for thirty-six hours. Nathan stayed with her the entire time. The doctors at the hospital had spoken with Doctor Lawrence and decided that it was best if she stayed in the hospital. Normally, a wolf would sleep off their first shift at home, but since Paige was so late and the manner of her first shift was cloaked in violence they wanted to play it safe.

While Paige was asleep, Nathan made calls. First to Allen and his mate. He told them of the potential treatment for wasting sickness. Allen started crying on the phone. Nathan knew his mates illness was hard on him. It's basically like waiting for someone to die. He also spoke with Thomas's sister and put her in touch with Dr. Lawrence.

Nathan spoke to the supernatural council in London and explained what happened. They said that since Paige was defending her mate and that Anton was laying claim to something he didn't have a right to she wouldn't face any charges for killing Anton and the other vampire. Apparently the other vampires that had attacked them had been told by Anton that she wanted to be with him and was being held captive by Nathan. He spoke to Paige's advisor and confirmed that she would still be able to do her defense on Friday.

He had taken up a seat on the couch in her room to try and get some rest of his own when he heard her croak his name. He was by her side as soon as she spoke.

"Hey, how are you feeling?"

"Um," She tried to speak again but coughed. He got her some water. She looked around as she drank. After finishing it she looked back at him. "We've got to stop meeting like this." She joked and Nathan let out a surprised laugh, his tension leaking away at her words.

"What day is it?"

"It's Wednesday. Of this week." He added when she started to ask again. "Don't worry. the doctors say you should be fine by Friday. You'll probably be able to leave today actually, they just wanted to keep you because of the circumstances around your shift."

"Oh my gods! I shifted!" She looked at him with a mixture of shock and joy. He chuckled at the look on her face. He loved seeing that joy on her face.

"You did. You and your wolf saved me."

"You saw my wolf?"

"I did. She is beautiful. Has she told you her name?"

"How do I talk to her?"

"It's different for everyone. I think about it like when you have an imaginary argument in you head, except the other person doesn't follow the script."

"Okay." Paige scrunched up her face in concentration. It was the cutest thing Nathan had ever seen. Her eyebrows pushed together forming a little ridge between them. Nathan wanted to lift up his hand and smooth it out. Paige's face morphed into one of surprise.

"Her name's Odette," she said softly, a look of awe filling her face. "Nathan I have a wolf. I actually have a wolf." Tears started streaming down her face. He gathered her into a hug. There was no way for him to understand everything she was going through. He always knew he was going to have a wolf. It was a given for him. But not knowing if you would get one and then being an outcast because you didn't. So much so, that you run away for ten years to avoid it, only to come home and have someone to tell you that you really do have one. He couldn't imagine it. It must be completely overwhelming so he just held her.

Once she stopped crying he asked her, "Uh, Paige? Can you ask Odette something for me?"

Paige looked at him questioningly, but before he could say what he wanted she said, "Odette says that Malcom's still there. He's just sleeping and doesn't want to talk to you." She chuckled and Nathan's shoulders sagged in relief. It was one thing for the doctors to tell him he'll be fine, it was another thing to hear it from someone who can sense and talk to him. "How does she know that?" Paige asked.

"Mated wolves can talk to each other without their human counterparts. For chosen mates it requires marking but fated mates can do it from the get go. She should be able to tell you that we really are mates too."

Paige smiled at him, it was one of those ones where he thought his heart would stop. "She did. She also said there is no way we're not claiming our pack so any plans for future travel will have to wait until we retire."

"Like I said, as long as I'm with you. I don't care where we are. I will follow you to the moon if I have to. Malcolm and I are just happy to be with you."

He leaned down and gently kissed her lips, meaning every single one of his words.