Austin’s chest constricted. “What the hell does that mean?”
The Relic rubbed his chin, eyes downcast. “It means there’s no more medical care I can provide. The bullet is out, the external wounds are closed, and her vitals are stable. I don’t have reason to believe she has internal bleeding, but I can transport her to my clinic for further tests. To be honest, I’d prefer to keep her still. If you can get her to shift once more, then I’m confident any remaining internal wounds will heal. Her breathing has improved, and I’ve removed the chest tube, but her body is weak. She lost too much blood, and then there was the trauma of childbirth. The shifting has helped her blood replenish, and Mr. Church’s medicine might have some properties that will aid the healing process.”
Austin glanced at Lexi. “So what exactly are you telling me?”
“I want you to understand the gravity of the situation, Mr. Cole. She died twice, but she has a strong heart, and something is keeping her here. She requires absolute rest, but…”
Austin met his gaze and held it. “But what?”
“I can’t promise that she’ll wake up. Her fate is no longer in my hands.”
A light knock sounded at the door, accompanied by crying.
When it cracked open, Reno peered in. “He won’t stop fussing. Izzy told me to burp him, but…” Reno shrugged, softly patting the baby’s back. “He threw up on me.”
Austin took his son and cradled him in his left arm. “I got you, little man.” He put some alpha power in that voice, and the baby instantly responded, yawning and then closing his eyes.
Edward rocked on his heels. “If you want my advice, keep the baby close to your mate. Her wolf will scent him, and she seemed responsive earlier to his cries. Are you ready to take this on? Caring for a baby alone, I mean.”
Austin stroked the soft hair on his son’s head. “I’ve been ready to care for this baby since I was born. As for caring for him alone, why don’t you poke your head in the hallway and you’ll find out how alone I am.”
Chapter 33
It had been two days since the war ended and Austin’s son was born. Lexi still hadn’t woken up. The Relic never used the word coma, but that was the word lurking behind every conversation. Edward offered to cancel his appointments and stay for a few days, which was more than generous for someone they hadn’t known very long. Everyone took turns sitting with her wolf, but not so much with the baby.
Not for lack of wanting. Austin had bonded with his son and found it difficult to pass him over to someone else for extended periods of time. The only exception was when he needed sleep, and even then, he’d sleep beside Lexi with the baby nestled between them.
The packs had each sustained massive hits, but they would recover. Even Prince had gained control of his territory in the end.
“Still haven’t given the little bean a name?” Denver asked from the kitchen table, munching on a bowl of cereal.
Sunlight glittered through the windows, and tiny rainbows danced on the table and floor from a prism affixed to one of the glass panes.
“Why don’t you put on some clothes instead of wandering around the house looking like a bum?” Austin suggested.
Denver glanced down at his bare chest and grey sweats. “Are we having a party? I didn’t get the memo.”
“You should make an effort when we have guests.”
Denver crunched another spoonful and flipped the box around to read the other side. “Eddie’s not really a guest anymore. Once someone drops a deuce in your bathroom, they’ve graduated from guest to company.”
“He doesn’t like it when you call him that.”
A grin slid up Denver’s face. “True that. But those British guys are fun to rile up. Bloody this, bugger that.”
Naya slinked into the room, and Austin could tell by her frumpy attire that she was still brooding about Spartacus not coming home. She leaned against the counter and played with the drawstrings on the sweatpants, which were too big on her because they belonged to Wheeler.
“No sign of him yet?” Austin asked.
She pouted. “I searched both sides of the creek where we last saw him. I even searched the traps, thinking he might have fallen in by accident.”
Austin took a long sip of water and then frowned. “I told you I don’t want you going out there alone. The war’s over, but there might be a few rogues we haven’t rounded up.”
She glided across the room toward the windows and stared up at the blue sky. “I won’t go out there alone again. I promise.”
“Damn right you won’t,” Wheeler barked from the hall. He reached up and held on to the frame of the entranceway, muscles flexing against the ink on his arms.
She whirled around. “You don’t have to be so butch about it.”
He winked. “After it gets cooler, we’ll both go out and look.”