Bloodlines: Fated Mates (Book 6 Of The Regal Eclipse Pack Series)

Chapter 38

'Ian.'

Ian didn't want to leave the peaceful darkness. At least not yet.

'You have to soon.'

It was calm. Peaceful. And he ignored the voice and drifted back off into unconsciousness.

***

"Have you ever heard of someone not surviving?" Daniel asked his father late that morning. They were both standing in the clinic, keeping an eye on Ian and Aria.

"No. Never. I asked my father about it more than once."  Caleb glanced at his son. He was proud of him. Daniel was a good King, probably better than himself. He hadn't inherited his stubbornness. Instead he was patient like his mother.

Daniel nodded. He was still concerned. Ian really hadn't changed even after being given blood twice. At least he was still alive.

Aria was still snuggled up against him though she was sleeping now. She'd been up for hours, and had finally drifted off about an hour ago.

The clinic door opened and both men looked over to see Ragnar walk in. He smiled at both of them and they frowned back. He walked over to them and stopped.

"What's got you all happy," Daniel asked him.

"Ian's recovery," Ragnar said, giving them both an odd look.

"He's still kind of in limbo." Daniel looked back at Ian.

"He's changing," Ragnar said with a smirk. "It's faint but it's there. I picked up on it the moment I walked in."

Both men breathed out a small sigh of relief.

"You're sure," Daniel asked him.

"Positive. He will be fine."

"Okay. I have to head back upstairs. If anything changes let me know." Daniel glanced at Caleb who nodded.

"I'm coming with you," Ragnar said."I just came down to see what was going on."

Caleb walked over and sat down on the couch, his eyes on his granddaughter. He's been worried about how this would affect her if Ian had died.

His first mate had died. He had been bringing her home with him and they had been set upon by highwaymen. She'd taken a bullet right through the heart killing her almost instantly. It had practically destroyed him.

He had disappeared for six months straight after that, wandering through the woods as his wolf, Storm. He'd had no desire to live, but duty called and eventually his wolf had forced him back.

For five years he's been a miserable wreck, until Charlotte came into his life giving him new purpose. He hadn't been the best mate to her. Not by a long shot. He was stubborn and afraid of losing her and he'd refused to complete the bond with her. He hadn't even told her she was his mate. Until he almost lost her anyway. And she had lost his child. It was his biggest regret.

He didn't want that kind of suffering for Aria. She was a kind soul like her grandmother and Caleb was afraid that she might not recover from it. Losing your mate made you suicidal. He's been there. He watched Talia, Ragnar's mate, go through the same thing when she lost her first mate. Even having a newborn son hadn't deterred her from being suicidal and he could fully understand that.

The scent of werewolf was becoming stronger now and Caleb breathed it in deeply. Ian was still technically a member of Columbia pack but everything was ready for him to become a member of Regal Eclipse.

It wouldn't be much longer now until he'd be awake and ready to shift. Then he'd come back and sleep longer. Aria would hopefully rest with him as she was mentally exhausted from the stress of almost losing her mate.