Running from Vampires

Chapter Fifteen

"Yes, but I was needed by the King. My family understands." Declan responded and I stood up again, Hunter in my arms. My eyes lifted and connected with his.

Declan's eyes grew wide, then they narrowed and his jaw clenched. Chills raced down my spine and goosebumps appeared all over my arms. I shivered and Hunter gripped onto me tighter. Suddenly Declan wasn't across the room, but was right before me. I stumbled back only to be trapped by a wall.

"You're my beloved, and you already have a son?" His voice was dangerously low and my eyes flew wide. Beloved? I have a beloved? No, I can't! I cradled Hunter to my chest and looked down at him as he watched Declan.

"He- he's not mine. Hunter was adopted after-" I took a deep breath and squeezed my eyes shut, "after the fight. There was a note from his mother, asking for me specifically to take care of him."

Declan said nothing and I cleared my throat, then walked around him. I used my free hand to wipe off the few tears that had escaped my eyes. Damn my memory for reminding me of how Camdyn had stood by me, proud of me, during and after the fight. Placing Hunter on the ground, I told him to be good, then ran out to the back yard.

I slammed my fist into the first tree I came across and then kicked another, beating it with the palms of my hands. Eventually I collapsed, my hands raw from the bark of the trees and my face achy from gritting my teeth for so long. I curled into a ball and shifted into my white wolf, feeling better like that. Then I realized that my wolf felt safer because she felt more connected to her mate in that form and I howled loudly. My wolf hurled herself against a tree and whimpered as she remembered Camdyn's words.

My body felt empty and I collapsed onto the ground, again. But this time, I knew I wouldn't be getting up. Not without help. I was panting and felt numb, even though I was drowning in layers of pain, I didn't pay any attention to it.

"Daughter?" A shake on my shoulder. "Someone alert the medic!" Hands sliding under my wolf's body and then I was lifted.

"Mommy!" A wail from my baby. I wanted to reach out and take him into my arms, tell him that everything's okay, but I couldn't move.

"No!"

Declan.

There was a slight pinch on my thigh, then my body shifted back to human. I was set on a bed an blankets were thrown over me for modesty's sake, I suppose. My eyes peeled open and I saw too many faces swimming in my vision over me, all blurred out and unrecognizable.

"Everyone except family, get out!"

"I'm her beloved, does that mean I can stay?"

A pause. "I suppose. But the rest, get out!"

A cool hand slipped into mine and I relaxed as calmness spread through me. I was wrapped up in peacefulness, worlds away from the pain that the medic caused by resetting bones and stitching me back together. Great, now I sound like Frankenstein.

"Is she okay?" Declan's voice asked and I felt a small body trembling against my left side. Oh, my poor baby!

"She just needs rest. You are permitted to stay as long as you want my King. You too Mr. Caverly."

A door opened and shut, leaving me alone with my baby, my beloved, and my father. I felt lips brush over my forehead, then the swish of robes as my father left, too. The slight snoring to my left told me that my baby was sound asleep.

"Little wolf?" Declan whispered. I wanted to laugh at the nickname. He swept his fingers over my cheeks softly and sighed. "I'm so sorry for assuming that he was yours. I didn't mean to get mad, but I couldn't stand the thought of you sleeping with anyone else besides me."