When he heard the first whimpering cries of a baby, Austin immediately shifted to human form. His father brought him a pair of pants, and they patiently waited for the door to open. Reno returned the medallion that he’d left at the campsite, and Austin placed the necklace around his neck, gripping the round pendant and praying for strength.
But the minutes kept ticking by. Izzy assured him there was no need to worry—that women needed to take care of a few things after childbirth, and it was completely normal. But the silence sickened him because this was no ordinary delivery. He took a seat on the wood floor, his back to the wall, knees drawn up, and a small stuffed wolf in his hands. The custom-made toy wound up with a key and played “Landslide” by Fleetwood Mac. It was supposed to be a surprise for Lexi, but he had never found the right time to give it to her since she’d been hiding all the baby gifts downstairs.
He traced his finger around the small key.
When his mother emerged from the room, her face was ashen, eyes red, and her mouth turned down. His heart almost shattered when she knelt before him and rested her hands on his knees, unable to look him in the eye. Strands of hair had pulled free from her bun, and her blue eyes looked sunken in beneath wet lashes.
“Austin, she’s gravely injured. The Relic had to revive her twice. Do you understand what I’m telling you?”
Maizy rushed for the door, and Katharine quickly got up to block her from entering. “I have to see my sister!”
Denver appeared and gripped Maizy’s shoulders from behind, letting her fall against him, grief overtaking her.
Katharine swept a gentle caress across Maizy’s cheek. “She knows how much you love her, but right now she needs her mate.”
Maizy broke down, her body limp and tears streaming. Denver turned her around and cradled her in his arms.
Austin couldn’t look. He pressed the furry black toy against his forehead and squeezed his eyes shut, as if he could make all this go away and travel back in time to when they first fell in love. Why did he have to push kids on her? Why didn’t he give it more time? Why did that goddamn bullet have to rip right through his chest and into hers?
He should have been strong enough to stop that bullet—strong enough to protect her.
Austin rose to his feet as if pulled by invisible strings.
Katharine brushed her hand across the medallion. “Lynn’s on her way, and I’ll bring her up to speed as soon as she gets here.” His mother clenched her fist and held it in front of her face, fighting back tears. “She might not even make it that long.”
Austin weaved around her and opened the door, uncertain of what he might discover.
Edward was hunched over, stuffing bloody towels into a trash bag. When he caught sight of Austin, he crossed the room and blocked his view.
“I’m not going to dress up the situation. Her condition is grave, and I’ve done all I can do. When I lost her the second time, I didn’t think I’d be able to bring her back. I got a pulse, and she shifted, but I can’t get her to shift back. She’s unconscious and unresponsive. If you can somehow pull her out of whatever darkness she’s hiding in, then it might be enough to get her to shift once more. I can’t assess her internal injuries without medical tests, and the longer we wait, the slower they’ll heal—if at all.”
Austin’s gaze dragged to the right side of the dark room. “And the baby?”
Edward gave him a doleful smile. “She gave you a son. A strong alpha, like his mother.”
Austin’s heart splintered, and a tear rolled down the bridge of his nose. Edward stepped aside, lowering his eyes and allowing Austin to soak in the scene, which was more of an aftermath.
Lexi’s silver wolf was lying on the bed, unmoving. She’d never looked so small and vulnerable. A dim lamp lit up the left side of the room, stopping at the bed as if it could go no farther. Austin crawled across the mattress and eased beside her, resting his head so he could look her in the eyes. He placed his hand on her shoulder, feeling her labored breaths, which were infrequent.
“I wanted to wait to give you this, but I guess now’s as good a time as any.”
He placed the black wolf between them and wound up the key in the back. In the silence of the room, a gentle song began to play in bright, cheerful notes.
Their song.
Austin leaned forward and whispered in her ear. “I’m here, Lexi. I told you I’d never leave you again, and I meant it.” He petted her ears, her face unresponsive. “But… if you have to leave me—if for some reason you can’t hang on, but you’re too scared to let go, then I’m here, baby. I’m right here with you. I won’t let you go into the dark alone.”
He nuzzled close with his arm around her, sensing her energy dimming. Even his alpha power couldn’t force a shift unless she was conscious, and he didn’t know how much time they had left together. Every second was precious.