The Alpha's Scarlet Heart

Chapter Twenty Four

I look at Mr. Paine. What am I suppose to tell him? I obviously can't tell him the truth. I rack my brain for a lie I could tell him that would raise too many questions. Mr. Paine look over at me.
"Cole, what happened?" Mr. Paine asks in a softer tone. I sigh and run my hand through my hair.
"I'll give you a moment." Jackson says and walks out. Mr. Paine sits in Jackson's seat. He looks sadly at his daughter.
"Cole..." He says. I sigh.
"Scarlet was kidnapped." I say. Mr. Paine gasps.
"What do you mean kidnapped? Who would want to kidnap Scarlet?" He asks. I sigh. This was going to happen eventually, all the questions, the suspicions. There's no other choice.
"Mr. Paine, I promise I'll tell you the truth, the whole truth but I can't here, not right now." I say. Mr. Paine searches my face. He sighs.
"Okay. What did the doctor say?" He asks. I look away from him and to Scarlet. I close my eyes and take a deep breath.
"The doctor said she's in a coma...and that she might not wake up." I say. I hear Mr. Paine gasp. I open my eyes. I see him looking at Scarlet, tears in his eyes.
"This can't be happening. She's my baby girl, I'm not suppose to out live her. What am I going to do?" He says, a few tears falling from his eyes. I can't imagine what he's going through. I feel sadness and despair but to see your child, your only girl, laying in a bed and attached to wires, perhaps never going to wake up again is a whole new world of pain. I sigh and squeeze Scarlet's hand. I wish so desperately that she would wake up. I can't take it, the waiting. I either wait for her to wake up or wait for her to slowly die. I wish so desperately that I could go back and change everything, protect her better, love her better, show her how much I truly care for her. I wish I could change who I was before we met, I wish I could have been a better mate to my angel. I wish I could have protected her from all harm. I was so focused on figuring out what to do that I didn't notice the signs that she was leaving. Now that I have thought about it there were a few signs, she kissed me like her life depended on it, she looked sad when I left, and she asked to stay at her house instead of go with me to the pack house. I'm wish I had seen it.
"I should have protected you better, I should have saved you. I'm so sorry." I whisper aloud. I kiss her hand softly.
"You love her." Mr. Paine says. My head snaps up in surprise. I see Mr. Paine staring at me intently.
"You love my daughter." He says. I look down at Scarlet, even pale and bruises on her face, she is still beautiful.
"I do. I love her with every single fiber of my being." I whisper, looking at Scarlet's pale face. Silence fills the room.
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Silence is all I hear. Sadness is all I feel. Mr. Paine went back home, he had to take care of Mark. He made me promise to call him the moment something happens with Scarlet. I told Jackson I was staying with Scarlet no matter how long it takes. He went back home and got me clothes then he went back to take care of the pack while I'm gone. He didn't want to go but as Beta is the only one strong enough to protect the back when I'm gone. My mom called and reminded me to eat and told me to tell we when Scarlet wakes up. I stand up and kiss Scarlet's forehead.
"I'll be right back Angel." I say. My stomach has been rumbling for a while, I'm just going to grab something to eat.
"Did you see the hot guy in room 104?" Someone whispers. I ignore it. Sometimes I really don't like having advanced hearing.
"Yeah! He's visiting his girlfriend, she's in a coma." Another voice whispers. I keep walking.
"Maybe you can go help him get over it, if you know what I mean." The first voice laughs. I growl. How dare they?! I would never cheat on Scarlet, even if she's in a coma for the rest of her life. I look over at them, they look like they are visiting a patient.
"You shouldn't talk that way, it makes you seem desperate. Shouldn't you be finding your own boyfriend instead of stealing someone else's?" I ask angrily. They both look shocked then ashamed. I growl and walk to the hospital cafeteria. How could they be so inconsiderate?! I grab a ham sandwich and chips. I pay for them and walk back to Scarlet's room. I sit back down and sigh. She's the same as usual, still and pale. They put in a feeding tube so she could eat last night and then again this morning. It hurt so much to see them stick that tube down her throat. It's been a few days since Scarlet went into a coma. A doctor came in last night and tried to get me to leave but I refused. A nurse came in shortly after and gave me a blanket, she also told me that some people can hear when they are in a coma. She said talking to Scarlet might help her.
"I miss you, so much. It's not the same without you, you brighten my whole world. The world seems so dark and lonely without you." I say. I sigh and take a bite of my sandwich.
"I just wish I could have protected you." I say. I sigh and finish my lunch. I stand and go to find the doctor. I want to ask him something. I walk up to the nurses station and ask them to page Dr. Phillips. I wait a few minutes then see him walking towards me.
"Is there something I can help you with?" He asks. I look around but don't see anyone paying attention.
"Can I give blood to Scarlet?" I ask. Dr. Phillips is a werewolf too. He knows that my blood had properties that will help Scarlet heal faster. Dr. Phillips thinks about it.
"I'm not sure Alpha. She is low on blood, we were just about to give her another blood transfusion but we aren't sure if your blood type will match." Dr. Phillips says.
"I have the same blood type as Scarlet, O positive." I say. Dr. Phillips opens his mouth to speak but his pager beeps. He looks down at it and gasps. He rushed off in the direction of Scarlet's room. Oh no. I run after him. I can hear a shrill sound coming from Scarlet's heart monitor. Her heart stopped. I gasp and growl. I try to push my way through the door but a male nurse hold me back. I watch as they grab the crash cart and take out the paddles. The move Scarlet's gown down, exposing her bra and chest. I growl louder. James and I are furious that Scarlet is dying and other males are seeing her without her shirt on. I can't let her die! I try pushing through again but more guys come to hold me back. I feel James pushing through, wanting to come out. I let him, knowing this is the only way to get in the room. James pushes the men away and walks into the room, on the other side of Scarlet.
"Clear!" Dr. Phillips yells, slamming the paddles on Scarlets chest, making her body jolt forward. I look to the heart monitor to see the line is still flat.
"Don't die on me Angel. I need you, please." I plead. Dr. Phillips presses the paddles together then lowers them towards Scarlet.
"Clear!" He yells, pressing the paddles to Scarlet's chest again. She jumps up, making my heart drop. I close my eyes, not able to look at Scarlet dying anymore.
"Clear!" He yells. I shut my eyes tighter, I know if I open them I will shift from the pain and anger. I hear Dr. Phillips sigh.
"Time of death-" I growl loudly. No! No! No! I open my eyes and rush to Scarlet, I hold her hand.
"No, you can't do this to me. You can't take away my mate!" I yell, as if taking to the Moon Goddess herself. Tears fall down my face until I'm sobbing like a baby. Beep. Beep. I look up at the sound, to see Scarlet's heart monitor. She's breathing again! She's alive.
"Yes! Thank you! Thank you!" I yell. I kiss Scarlet lightly on the lips. I wipe away my tears off her face. That was so close. I almost lost her. Everyone leaves the room, leaving me alone with my mate. In this moment I don't care that some humans heard me call Scarlet my mate, all I care about is that she didn't die. I sigh and kiss her hand. I can't believe she almost died, I almost lost my Angel! I swear to the goddess that if Scarlet lives I will treat her better, treat her the way my beautiful angel deserves to be treated. I kiss her cheek, feeling the coldness against my lips, she's so cold, so pale. At least she's alive. Dr. Phillips walks through the door. He looks at me sadly.
"We can try to give her your blood, maybe it will help." Dr. Phillips says. I nod.
"Come with me." He says. I kiss Scarlet's forehead and leave with him. I didn't want to leave Scarlet but I have to do this, it could save her. Dr. Phillips leads me to a room where they will take my blood. I sit down and a nurse comes over and start to take my blood. Giving blood is easy for me, the blood will be back in my body probably by the end of the day. They took two pints from me and wrapped up my arm. I felt a little dizzy but I'll be fine. I stand up and walk with the nurse to Scarlet's room. She puts a needle in Scarlet's arm and gives her my blood. Hopefully my werewolf blood will help her. I wait for her to leave then growl. Scarlet almost died, really died. My heart aches. James retreated back in my mind, whimpering. I hear someone walk into the room. I look up to see Mr. Paine and Mark. He looks at Scarlet, sadness in his eyes.
"They called me saying that her heart stopped, that she almost died." Mr. Paine says sadly. I nod, not able to speak. Mr. Paine sits down and so does Mark.
"What is going on? What happened to her?" Mark asks. I sigh. I might as well tell them now. They need to understand but I refuse to leave her so I guess here is where I have to tell them. I stand up and close Scarlet's hospital room door. I sit back down to see Mark and Mr. Paine looks at me confused.
"What I am about to tell you is a huge secret, you can't tell anyone." I say.
'Are you really going to tell them? Here?' James asks.
'Yes, they need to know and I refuse to leave her again.' I say. James keeps quiet and retreats back into the deepest part of my mind.
"The people that attacked and kidnapped Scarlet, they were werewolves." I say. I look up just in time to see Mark roll his eyes.
"Yeah right. What really happened?" Mark asks. I sigh.
"It's true. Evil werewolves kidnapped Scarlet and did this to her." I say. Mr. Paine narrows his eyes at me, disbelief in his eyes.
"Prove it." Mark says, determination in his eyes. I let go of Scarlet's hand. I close my eyes and concentrate. I obviously can't shift in the middle of the hospital so I'll have to do something else. I focus on my hand and I feel my claws elongating. It happens whenever I am angry, usual right before I shift. I open my eyes to see my claws out. Mark and Mr. Paine gasps.
"W-what? How is this possible?!" Mr. Paine exclaims. I focus and retreat my claws.
"Werewolves have been around as long as humans, we just were kept a secret. More people are werewolves than you know. We usually don't tell humans about us unless they are connected to us in some way." I say. Mr. Paine looks at me.
"How are we connected?" He asks. I sigh and explain to him what mates are.
"So Scarlet's your mate?" Mark asks. I nod. His eyes still held disbelief.
"Wow." Mark says. Mr. Paine looks down at Scarlet.
"So what you're telling me is that evil werewolves stole Scarlet and injured her to the point of her almost dying because she's your mate?" He asks, his voice angry. I nod, not able to speak. It's true. None of this would have happened to Scarlet if she wasn't my mate.
"This is amazing!" Mark exclaims. I look over at him, surprised by his actions.
"I'm going to a have a brother! We can play football together, you can teach me stuff, we can drive go carts, we can-" Mark lists off but his dad cuts him off.
"What are you talking about Mark?" He asks confused.
"Well if they were made for each other, doesn't that mean one day they'll get married?" Marks says. Mark looks over at me.
"Do werewolves get married?" Mark asks, curiously. I smile at him.
"Yeah. We can get married but not all werewolves do." I say. He smiles widely and jumps in his seat.
"When Scarlet gets better can we see the other werewolves?" He asks. I nod, smiling slightly at his enthusiasm.
"No. No, I forbid it." Mr. Paine says. Mark looks over at him.
"What are you talking about Dad?" Mark asks. Mr. Paine looks at me.
"You're the reason Scarlet's hurt. I liked you, I trusted you with my only daughter and you got her hurt. I won't let you be with her, not after all you've put her through." Mr. Paine says. I growl at him fiercely.
'He threatens to take our mate away?! He can't keep us from her! We need each other!' James growls furiously. I feel James trying to take over and shift. I close my eyes tightly and breath. I can't shift in the middle of the hospital.
'James, calm down. I'm angry too but if you shift we will have to leave Scarlet. I don't want to leave her and I know you don't either.' I tell him. James growls lower then stop trying to take control. I open my eyes and look at Mr. Paine.
"Trust me when I say that I hate myself for not protecting her better. I should have made her stay with me in the pack house but she refused. Mr. Paine what you don't know is that Scarlet gave herself up to the rogues." I say, knowing he deserves the truth. Mr. Paine's eyes widen.
"What do you mean?" He asks.
"The rogues kidnapped my best friend and Beta Jackson. The rogues said they would give Jackson back if Scarlet gave herself up. When she was alone, she ran away and gave herself up to the rogues, she did it to save Jackson." I say, looking at Scarlet with fondness. Her selflessness is so inspiring, she gave herself up to save a member of our pack.
"Why would she do that?" Mark asks, confused. I look over at him.
"Scarlet is caring and selfless. She knew what it would mean if she gave herself up yet she did it anyway to save her friend." I say. Mr. Paine looks at his daughter with pride in his eyes.
"You raised an amazing woman Mr. Paine." I say. He looks up at me, tears brimming in his eyes.
"Call me David." He says. I smile slightly, knowing that means he's okay with me being Scarlet's mate. I look down at Scarlet, desperately wishing she would wake up. Some color has returned to her face and her heartbeat is steady. I'm hoping that my blood is helping her. Mark looks over at me.
"You love her, don't you?" He asks.
"More than anything." I say. He smiles at me.
"Good. After everything that has happened in her life, she deserves someone who will be there for her, no matter what." He says. What does he mean? I look down at my beautiful Angel and I realize I don't know much about her. I never really asked her about her life before us, about her mom. Sure I had wondered about where her mom is but I never got around to asking. I was so focused on trying to get her to accept me, to like me, to trust me that I forgot to get to know her on a deeper level. I am the worst mate. I can't believe I let this happen. All of this.
"Mark, can you go get us something to eat please?" David asks, handing Mark money. Mark nods and walks out. David turns to me.
"Did you catch the people that did this to her?" David asks. I nod.
"Every one of them." I say. He nods. He looks over to his daughter with sorrow in his eyes.
"Good. I can't believe this is happening. All I want is for her to get better, to be able to see my baby girl smile at me. I don't know what I am going to do if she never comes out of this." He says, putting his head in his hands. I watch as a strong grown man cries at the thought of his only daughter never waking up. I'm not the only one who is pleading for fate to be kind and make my mate live.
"Excuse me." David says, standing up and leaving the room. I stare down at Scarlet and wrap my hand around hers.
"I don't know if you can hear me Angel but if you can, I want you to fight. We all want to see you better Angel. I love you so much and nothing will change that. I will love you forever. Not even will death separate us. Till death and beyond, I will love you. I can't live without you." I whisper. Scarlet is my better half, she everything, if she dies so does my spirit. I will never be the same again. I close my eyes tightly and send that thought away. She's going to make it...she has to. I freeze when I feel something. My eyes open widely, just in time to see Scarlet's finger twitch. I gasp, thinking my eyes are playing tricks on me. I watch her hand intently to see it move again. She's moving?! She's moving!
"Scarlet? Angel?" I ask. She doesn't respond but her hand twitches again. I press the call button several times. A nurse rushes in and checks Scarlet's heart monitor. The nurse looks over at me.
"She's awake."