you she had a high fever.” She glared as he held his hand up.
“Please advise on the location of the alpha,” he said.
“I’ve heard enough. You can shoot me but this baby is innocent and she needs medical care. She could die. A fever is to be taken seriously.” Even with her heart pounding and Daphne’s screams in her ear putting her on edge, she made the decision and started to walk to the car.
“I suggest you stop or I will shoot you.”
“I pose you no harm. You’re going to have to rethink that.” She took another step and another. The gun went off.
Still no pain.
“The next one will be in your head.”
“I’m holding a defenseless baby,” she said, screaming over the noise.
To add insult to injury, it started to rain.
“I will count down from five, and you will stop.”
She didn’t stop, opening the car door, and she cursed as she didn’t see a car seat.
No problem, she would just have to hold her in her arms.
“Three!”
She was going to die tonight, protecting another person. She didn’t care. This was the right thing to do.
“One!”
No bullet came.
“I suggest you put your weapons down, gentlemen,” Rocko said. “Leave, now.”
Winter turned to see Rocko. The light from the house cast him in a very imposing light. He was tall, but she didn’t need to look at him to know how deadly he could be. He wasn’t alone either. One of the men she recognized from her days of being in the prison camp was there, watching her.
She jumped up into the truck to find no keys.
Rocko was there at the door. “What are you doing?”
“She’s sick, Rocko. I’ve got to get her to the hospital, or do you have a doctor here who will treat your daughter?”
“Your daughter?” the other man asked.
“If she needs a specialist’s care, I understand. She has a dangerously high temperature and she hasn’t been right all day.”
“Move over,” Rocko said. “I’ll take you to the hospital. Lucas, get in the back. No questions.”
Shuffling across the seats, she held Daphne, even as her whimpers never ceased. Her head pounded and she felt sick to her stomach, but as they pulled out of the driveway and were headed toward the hospital, she took a deep breath. They were doing the right thing.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. We’re going to find out what is wrong with you, and then we’re going to make it all better.”
Another scream.
“I know. I know.” She bent down and kissed her head. “I’ve got you, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”
Lucas and Rocko didn’t talk. They didn’t even look at each other. Their silence filled the air and she knew there was a tension she didn’t understand.
Why were they so surprised at the thought of him having a child? What was she missing? Unless he couldn’t have a child, or there was some kind of error in what he’d told her.
Pushing all of her questions out of her mind, she focused on the journey, keeping Daphne safe in her arms and waiting for whatever he decided to do with her for disobeying his instructions. He could kill her. He hadn’t made it a secret he’d killed many humans.
She’d be one in a long line of them.
Did she want to die?
No, there were a lot of things she wanted to experience in life. Being happy, falling in love, sex, having a family. All of them were ideals she wanted.
Again, she focused on the baby in her arms. This was her only future right now. Taking care of this little one and making sure she lived this through to become a toddler.
Arriving at the hospital, she didn’t hesitate. She jumped out of the truck and rushed into the hospital, going to the main reception.
“I need a doctor. She’s sick, really sick.”
A couple of nurses who’d been at the main desk came forward. “What seems to be the problem?”
She told them of the day, of her being upset and nothing seeming to soothe her, followed by the fever, and the last temperature check.
“We’ll take care of your baby. We’re going to need to have a look at her.”
She hated as they took her from her arms, as another doctor, a female one, came toward her. “Any history we need to know about?”
It all went by in a blur, especially as Rocko put a hand on her shoulder. “Nothing. She’s been perfectly healthy. Please, just fix her.”
He didn’t mention being a wolf or anything else. Was Daphne really his child?
Tears filled her eyes.