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I nod my head, then quickly stop and shake it. “No, I don’t mind.”
Igid… Igid… I remember Volethos mentioning her name.My eyes snap wide, and I remember, “You were both saved by Jarain.”
Her eyes widen in surprise, and she nods at me. Her long fingers gently cup her baby’s head, softly petting its dark hair as her lips curl into a smirk. “So, you’re the reason he ran off.”
I have no idea what she’s talking about, but then she points to my neck. “And mated too?” she chuffs.
My hand goes to the silvery scar of my claiming bite, and I nod.
“Besides being my oldest friend, he saved my mate,” she tells me. “I owe him so much. If either of you need anything, all you have to do is ask.”
Tears are stinging the backs of my eyes again, and I nod my thanks, not trusting my voice.
A moment later, Anna steps up beside me. “My mate is Vesen too.”
When I look over at her, she’s grinning and pulls her shirt away to show me she also has a silvery bite mark.
“Look, Shae,” Bela says quietly, drawing my attention to her. “I know the last time we talked, I said some pretty… harsh things about Volethos. I still stand by what I said, but obviously things have changed, and he may not be the male I thought he was. Do you still want me to wait with you?”
I nod. “Yes, of course. In fact, I’d welcome the distraction.”
“You’re sure? You’re not mad at me?” she asks.
“Of course not,” I assure her. “Knowing him,really knowing him,I totally understand why you felt the way you did. And I appreciate that you can trust me and see beyond his past.”
Even though it’s been months since I last saw them, I still feel a kinship with these women. Through our shared experiences, enduring things no one else ever has, we share a bond or whatever you want to call it. I’m glad to have them with me now. We all settle into the chairs that line the walls of the small room.
“Can you tell me what happened?” Igid drops into the chair next to me. Her large blue eyes are filled with worry. The baby strapped to her chest stretches and lets out a big yawn. His hair is dark and skin is a light blue, like his mother’s, but when his eyes blink open for a moment, they are a surprising green. “His grandmother’s eyes,” Igid mentions when she notices me looking. “The only thing he got from his father.”
I grin, then quickly fill her in on everything that led up to this moment. By the time I’m finished, she’s worrying her lower lip with her teeth.
“He’ll be fine,” Igid tells me with a sharp nod. “Pissed, but fine. He’s lucky to have you for a mate.”
I sure hope he sees it that way.
Suddenly the door opens, and Dr. Voirn steps in. He’s still wearing the alien version of scrubs, but at least he’s removed anything that might have had blood on it.
His eyes grow wide when he sees the full room, and it takes a moment of scanning before he finds me. Then he strides over to kneel in front of me. When he reaches out and takes hold of my hands, my heart stutters in my chest.
“Shae,” his voice is somber. “The surgery was as successful as it could have been.” He nods, then bends his head as his hands tighten around mine. “Volethos’s leg could not be saved. His knee was completely destroyed. However, I was successful in rebuilding an artificial knee and saving some of his lower leg. That will make adjusting to a prosthetic much easier for him.”
The air in my lungs releases in a whoosh. “He’ll be okay?”
Voirn nods, and the corners of his eyes crinkle when he smiles. “I suspect he’ll be quite angry when he wakes, but, yes, he’ll make a full recovery and be just as strong as he was before.”
Before I realize I’m doing it, I lean forward and wrap my arms around his neck. “Thank you.”
“You are welcome,” he says, patting my back awkwardly.
“When can I see him?” I ask when I let him go and lean back.
“They are moving him into a room right now. I’ll send someone to show you back as soon as he’s settled. I suspect he’ll want you there when he wakes.” He gives my knee a gentle pat and then nods to the rest of the room before hurrying away.
As soon as he’s gone, the room erupts into cheers, and I slump back in my chair with relief.
What feels like an eternity later, a small pink woman pokes her head inside the door. “Shae? I’m here to take you to your mate.”
I’m out of my chair and through the door before she even finishes the sentence.
