The beast inside him claimed the mother, and in turn claimed the babe.
Damn, Amber was too small.
He'd thought that the first time he'd seen her in the hospital, just after her birth. She'd been so small, underweight and yet feisty as hell. She'd screamed in rage each time the nurses had taken her from her mother, demanding with everything inside her tiny body that they return her to the safety and security of her mother's arms.
Unless Jonas had arrived.
How many times had he gone to the nursery and sworn the nurses to silence as he held her? Too many times for him to count.
Unlike adults, children's emotions were an open book. He'd connected with the babe while she had still rested safely in her mother's womb. The beast that was so much a part of him had bonded with the child. That animal sense reaching out on a plane that was mostly reserved for mother and child alone.
He had known the moment he'd seen Rachel Broen that she was his mate. The second he'd sensed she was with child, he had staked that claim as well. A solitary claim that he'd had no intention of informing Rachel of. And a claim he'd no intention of doing anything about.
What the hell was he supposed to do now?
"Blood pressure and heart rate are normal." Elizabeth's gaze went between the monitors and the incubator, one hand propped on her hip. A frown marred her brow as she turned to watch Ely, who worked silently on the samples of blood and saliva that had been taken.
"Initial blood readings are normal, as is saliva. There are no hormonal abnormalities thus far." Ely turned back to Elizabeth, avoiding Jonas's gaze before returning her attention to the tests results. "Everything is in range of the readings taken at birth."
Jonas's jaw tightened as he watched Rachel straighten, alert, rising slowly from the chair she had just sat in.
"What readings were taken at her birth?" Accusing eyes turned on Jonas.
"It's normal, Ms. Broen." Elizabeth's smile was comforting as she moved to Rachel to lay a hand against her arm. "You work within the Breed society; that makes you a part of our world as a whole, as it does your daughter. It was simply a precaution as well as a courtesy. You have the best doctors in the world overseeing your baby."
That was such complete BS Jonas almost snorted. He had ordered those tests. He had fought the Breed ruling cabinet for them to ensure that this baby had the best start in life, health-wise, as possible.
Rachel was less than convinced. She watched Elizabeth and Ely suspiciously, while all her senses were held captive by Amber.
"Jonas, Callan needs to speak with you." Kane stepped inside the lab, his icy blue gaze filled with a warning, a silent message.
Jonas turned back to the babe and mother, torn between staying to protect what belonged to him, and accepting that they were safe while he took care of the business waiting on the other side of the door.
He could smell that business. Dr. Jeffrey Amburg had a particular scent, was tinged with blood and Breed. How the hell the man had managed to become infused with Breed scent without Breed DNA, Jonas hadn't yet figured out.
He turned and stared at Ely, waiting until he caught her eye before glancing at Rachel. He was leaving his mate in Ely's care, none other.
Ely's gaze shifted with uncertainty before she gave a short, quick nod, allowing him to stride quickly from the room to the small glass-walled meeting area that looked into the lab.
Amburg waited. He stood still and silent as he stared into the lab, a frown on his face, his arms crossed over his chest as he seemed to glare at the mother and child.
Jonas stepped into the room, closed the door behind him and waited.
"I'll need fresh blood, saliva and urine samples," Amburg stated. "You'll want to ensure that the child stays here at Sanctuary for a while, and under close observation."
"What was in the syringe?"
Jonas would kill Brandenmore for this night, he swore it. He would never have the chance to harm another child.
"I don't know, Wyatt." Amburg shook his head as he breathed out wearily. "Initial tests are showing sedative qualities, but I know Brandenmore. He's a f**king genius when it comes to developing new drugs, and whatever he's been working on where the Breeds are concerned has been going on for a while. You can't trust him, you can't trust that it was no more than a sedative. That would be foolish."
"What was he working on?" Jonas had asked Amburg the same question for months.
"I wasn't told what he was working on." It was the same answer he had always given. No matter how Jonas tortured him, no matter the threats he made, Amburg always gave the same answer. And Jonas had smelled the lie on him each time.
Jonas stared into the lab; the two-way glass gave him the opportunity to watch Rachel where she was unaware of his presence.
"Then she's safe? There's nothing to worry about?" Jonas asked.