by Maggie Walsh
“When?” Jesse interrupted him.
Lexi ran his hands down his face and sighed heavily. “The day after Micah was drugged. He didn’t want to worry you. You were already going through enough. The doctor sent him for an MRI the next day, and then he had to go for other tests and blood work. He took a cab every time, and he was glad that we were all busy so that no one would know what was going on.”
Micah sat down on a stool and picked Jesse up onto his lap and wrapped his arms around him. Gabriel had his arms wrapped around his stomach, his face pale. Bass moved next to him, he knew what was coming. Everyone else just stood there staring at Lexi, listening quietly. “Then that morning when he came down in the small, tight outfit, the day he locked himself in Micah’s office. He got a call from the doctor before he came down, he gave him his test results.” Lexi stopped talking and looked down.” He took a deep breath. He let it out slowly and then lifted his head and looked at Jesse. The sadness in his eyes brought Jesse to his knees. He gasped and started to shake.
“No,” Jesse said in shock. “No…No!” Jesse jumped off Micah’s lap and ran over to Lexi and started hitting him. Lexi just stood there taking it. “No! Don’t you dare say it! No! You’re lying!” Lexi gently grabbed Jesse’s arms and stilled him, looking into his eyes. Jesse stopped fighting and slumped against Lexi crying. Lexi held him as the tears started rolling down his face again. Micah walked up behind Jesse and gently rubbed his back, as he tried to hold in his own tears. Lexi released Jesse and he turned into Micah’s arms. Micah held him tight as Jesse sobbed against his chest. Lexi looked up at the rest of the men and there wasn’t a dry eye in the place. He looked to Gabriel. He just stared at Lexi, looking through him. His face was pale but otherwise unreadable.
“Gabe?” Lexi whispered.
“Say it,” Gabriel answered robotically.
“I’ve tried everything, Gabe,” Lexi pleaded.
“Say…it!” Gabriel repeated with a growl. “Tell us exactly what you’re trying to say.”
Lexi swallowed and looked at Jesse who was now looking at him again. He looked back at Gabriel. “He has a brain tumor in his frontal lobe that the doc says is the cause of the headaches. Doc can’t do anything for him and the human doctor is going over options with Taylor, but because he waited so long to seek medical attention, it doesn’t look good. We don’t know what to do. The oncologist wants to do a biopsy and then go from there. Maybe chemo and radiation. He can’t tell us until he does the biopsy.”
“Oncologist? What is that?” Crew asked quietly.
“It’s a doctor that specializes in cancer,” Micah explained as he kept holding Jesse and rubbing his back.
“When is the biopsy?” Jesse whispered. Lexi looked away.
“Lexi? When is the biopsy?” Jesse asked again, but more forceful.
“He…he won’t go for one,” Lexi finally said.
“What? Why the hell not?” Gabriel growled.
“He’s given up. He only accepted the meds the human doctor gave him for pain, but he says that’s all he’s doing. He refuses to do anymore tests or try any treatments.”
“But why?” Jesse asked in shock.
Lexi looked at him, then at Gabriel and then down at the floor but he didn’t answer them.
“Why, Lexi? Why won’t he go for help?” Gabriel asked, his voice full of confusion and pain.
Lexi looked up at them again, then shook his head and looked back down.
“He doesn’t want to live anymore,” Bass said. “He feels like he’s not wanted by anyone, and that he’s become a burden to the only person it seems does want him in anymore, Lexi. He feels alone and scared,” Bass explained as he looked at Lexi. Lexi looked up at Bass when he finished and nodded his head.
Everyone just stood there quietly, letting all of the information sink in. Then a gut-wrenching howl echoed through the room as Gabriel shifted into his wolf and crashed through the door to get outside. Micah and the rest of the guys all shifted into their wolves and took off after him.
* * * *
“Let’s just see what the doctor says, Taylor,” Lexi pleaded. He was pacing in Taylor’s bedroom waiting for his friend to come out of the bathroom. “Do you even hear me in there?” Then Lexi heard it, Taylor was vomiting. He cringed but then went to the door and opened it. He found Taylor on his knees in front of the toilet. “Oh damn, let me help you,” Lexi said as he went to Taylor and stood beside him. He held Taylor’s hair back from his face. Taylor vomited again, then sat back on his heels. Lexi grabbed a washcloth and wet it with cold water and wiped Taylor’s face. He turned and rinsed the cloth. He laid the cool cloth on Taylor’s neck.
“Thanks, Lex. I’m sorry,” Taylor said in a raspy whisper.
“You’re welcome, sweet baby,” Gabriel said and Taylor jumped, trying to spin around on his knees, but the action made his stomach twist again and he quickly turned back to the toilet and vomited again. “It’s okay, I’ve got you,” Gabriel said and held Taylor’s hair back with one hand while wrapping his other arm in front of Taylor to hold him up.
When Taylor finished, he was exhausted. He slouched back on his heels and Gabriel pulled him against his chest as he wiped Taylor’s mouth with the cloth. “How did you? Why are you here?” he quietly asked Gabriel.
“We’ll get to all questions and answers later. Right now let’s take care of you first. Is that it, or is there more?”
“That’s it,” Taylor answered hoarsely, his body shaking.
“Okay, let’s get you into bed to rest.” Gabriel picked him up tenderly and carried him back into the bedroom. Lexi, Bass, Micah, and Jesse were there. Jesse pulled the covers back and Gabriel laid Taylor down. Jesse covered him up and smoothed the hair out of his face.
Taylor looked at all of them through his heavy lids. “What are you all doing here?” he said in an exhausted whisper.
“Where else would we be when our amazing Taylor needs us?” Jesse said with a smile. His eyes were wet with unshed tears.
“But how did you?” His eyes swung to Lexi and he gave him a cold look. “I trusted you.”
“I’m sorry, little buddy,” Lexi said with tears in his eyes. “I can’t do this alone anymore. You need help and I can’t sit by and watch you die. Please, Taylor,” Lexi said pleadingly.
“I trusted you. You betrayed,” Taylor said, then looked away from him. Lexi closed his eyes in pain then turned and headed out of the room. Bass followed him.
“Don’t be angry with Lexi. He’s so upset over all of this. He only wants to help you, to protect you,” Jesse pleaded.
“I don’t need anyone’s help. I’m fine. It’s just a bug,” Taylor said and tried to roll over but Jesse stopped him.
“We know everything, Taylor, so don’t try to bullshit me. You need help and we’re here to give it to you. We love you and we won’t give up on you,” Jesse stated confidently.
“I’ve been doing fine on my own since we came here, I can…” Taylor started but Gabriel cut him off.
“No, you haven’t. Now stop being so stubborn,” Gabriel said and sat on the bed next to him.
“How the hell would you know? You’re never around, you do everything to avoid me. You don’t want me. You don’t give a rat’s ass about me. Just go away,” Taylor said and rolled over, giving Gabriel his back.
“No!” Gabriel said with force and Taylor looked back over his shoulder at him in surprise. “I do want you, damn it. I know I have been a huge asshole and I am so sorry. More sorry than you’ll ever know. I am not going anywhere. Do you hear me? I’m done with running. I’m done with letting that motherfucker control my life. You are my mate, and I have disrespected you horribly and I will do everything in my power to make it up to you.”
“Yeah, right. I’ve heard that before,” Taylor said and turned away from him again.
“Taylor, just give Gabriel a chance,” Jesse said.
“No, Jesse. It’s okay. Taylor has given me plenty of time and chances and I
fucked up. He has every right to not trust anything I say. But I will do everything in my power to save you, sweet baby. You deserve to live, and even if you still don’t want me, it will kill me, but it will be my own fault. I will do whatever I have to do to save your life.”
“I’m really tired right now. Would you all mind leaving so I can get some sleep?” Taylor sobbed, still not looking at anyone.
“You can sleep all you need, Taylor, but we’re not leaving,” Jesse said.
“Fine, suit yourselves,” Taylor said then closed his eyes.
* * * *
“So what do you think, Doc?” Micah asked.
“I just don’t know, Alpha. I don’t usually treat humans. And diseases, I know even less about. When I mix Gabriel’s blood with Taylor’s blood there is a reaction, but honestly, I’m not even sure what it is,” Doc Evans said as he scratched his head.
“So what do we do know?” Jesse asked as he sat on the bed next to Taylor holding his sleeping friends hand.
“I do have one idea, but it won’t be easy,” Doc said.
“What’s that?” Micah asked.
“I have heard of a shifter doctor who went to human medical school. He’s supposed to be really good, but I personally don’t know,” Doc started to explain.
“So what’s the problem? Call him, get him here,” Jesse said excitedly.
“He won’t come. He lives across the country in Napa Valley. He works at a hospital there. His life is there and he won’t come. I already called him. He said no,” Doc explained.
“What’s his name?” Micah asked.
“Aaron Collins. He’s an arrogant little prick. Thinks he’s too good for the paranormal world,” the doc huffed.
“He must belong to a pack. Who’s out in Napa?” Micah asked.
“He belongs to a pride, not a pack,” Doc answered.
“Shit,” Micah huffed out in frustration.
“A pride? What does that mean?” Jesse asked.
“That means he’s a cat shifter. If he belonged to a pack, I could call the Alpha and make a deal to send him out here. But a pride, I don’t know if I can get anywhere with their leader. Feline and wolf shifters don’t exactly get along,” Micah explained as he ran his hands through his hair.
“Are you telling me that Taylor’s best hope for survival can’t happen because dogs and cats don’t like each other?” Jesse huffed.
The doc’s eyes went wide at Jesse’s words, but Micah just smiled at his mate. “Baby, we don’t like being called dogs.” Jesse blushed. “And no, I won’t let Taylor die because of a centuries-old, old wives’ tale. Let me go make a few calls, see if I can find his leader and call him. The worst he can say is no.”
“But what if he does say no, Alpha?” Doc asked.
“Then I’ll send some of my best men out there to kidnap the little fucker,” Micah said with a smirk and walked out of the room.
Jesse raised his brows as he stared after his mate. “He’s joking, right?”
“No, no, he’s not. You’re his mate. He will do anything for you,” the doc said to Jesse with soft eyes.
* * * *
“Why are you sending Bass and not Raith?” Jesse asked Micah. They were sitting in Taylor’s room, and Jesse was still holding Taylor’s hand as he slept.
“Raith is already out on another assignment, and I think with Bass’s ability, he would be the right one. He can look inside the cats and see the truth,” Micah explained.
“So what did you have to promise the pride leader to get this doctor out here?” Jesse asked.
“Not much. He seems like a good guy. He says the reason the doctor won’t come is that he’s afraid to fly. Not many felines do like to fly. He said the guy is a pain in the ass and he would be glad to order him to come, if only to mess with the guy’s head a little.” Micah laughed.
“So he’s sending him here to fuck with him and you didn’t have to give him anything?” Gabriel asked in surprise.
“I didn’t say that. He’s having a bad time with rogue vampires out his way and asked if I knew any way to help, or if we could send some people to help fight the beasts. I told him I would call Dante and see what I could do. He was impressed that I knew the prince,” Micah answered.
“So what is Dante going to do? Will he help us?” Jesse asked.
“Of course he’ll help us, baby. He’s one of my best friends. He’s sending out three of his top guys to fly out with Bass, so they can watch each other’s backs while they travel. Then when they get there, the pride Alpha will host the vamps, and Bass will bring the doc back here.”
“Will Dante’s men be okay out there on their own?” Jesse asked, worried.
Micah smiled at his compassionate mate. “Yes, baby they will. I have a feeling about this guy out in Napa. I think we just gained a new ally. And Dante didn’t get to be his age by being stupid. He’s sending a few more guys out, secretly, to keep an eye on things.” Micah smiled.
“What things?” a raspy voice asked. Micah, Gabriel and Jesse looked down at Taylor. His eyes were half-open as he looked at them in confusion.
“Hey, sweet baby. You’re awake,” Gabriel said with a smile.
“Why am I back here in my old room at the pack house?” Taylor whispered in a raspy voice.
Jesse grabbed a cup from the nightstand and held it in front of Taylor’s mouth. He put the straw to his lips. “Just take a small sip, Tay, not too much.” Taylor sipped from the straw then screwed up his face in disgust.
“What is that ick?” Taylor asked.
“Sorry, I know you don’t like ginger ale but the doc said it would be easy on your stomach,” Jesse answered.
“So why am I back here?” Taylor took another sip, then screwed up his face in disgust again.
“So we can keep an eye on you, and help you heal,” Jesse answered.
“Just stop okay. There is nothing that can be done for me. I don’t want any of the options the Oncologist told me about. I just want to be left in peace,” Taylor said and closed his eyes.
“No! You mean you just want to be left alone to die in peace! Well, hell no and fuck you Taylor O’ Leary! I will not just sit here and watch you die! I will not sit here and watch you give up! I won’t let you! So suck it up, buttercup, because your path to getting better has just started! Whether you like it or not, we are saving you. I will not lose you. Got it?” Jesse yelled.
“Has anyone ever told you you’re a bossy little bitch? Or that you’re sexy as hell when you’re mad?” Taylor said with a smirk. Jesse’s mouth dropped open as his eyes went wide. Micah and Gabriel were both trying to hold in the laughs.
Jesse narrowed his eyes at Taylor. “Don’t even think about it, Taylor. Your jokes and teasing will not sidetrack me. Got it?”
“Got it, hot stuff. Yell at me again, I think I got a little hard. Let’s go for full torpedoes.” Taylor smirked, holding back his laugh.
“You’re too much, you know that?” Jesse laughed at him.
“But you love me anyway…right?” Taylor asked cautiously.
“Of course I love you. You know I love you. I could beat the shit out of you for ever doubting that. Don’t ever do it again,” Jesse said adamantly.
Taylor looked down and whispered as tears filled his eyes. “I’m sorry, Jess.”
“It’s okay, Taylor. But soon, you and I are going to have a long conversation about all of this.” Jesse hugged him. Taylor nodded his head in acceptance. Jesse pulled back and looked him in the eyes, “But first there’s someone else you need to talk to. And seeing as you’re trapped in this bed, I couldn’t think of a better time.” Jesse smiled at him mischievously. Jesse stood up and grabbed Micah’s hand and pulled him toward the door. Taylor looked to Gabriel nervously, then back to Jesse.
“Wait, where are you going?” Taylor asked nervously.
“To get a guest room ready for the new doctor that’s coming to see you. Now both of you play nice and talk. For real, or I won’t let either of you
out of here until you do.” Jesse held up a door key.
“You wouldn’t?” Taylor said with eyes narrowed at his best friend.
“I would, and I am. Talk.” Jesse and Micah left, locking the door from the outside. Locking them in.
Chapter 6
Taylor just lay there looking down at the blankets, avoiding looking at Gabriel. He twisted his hands in the sheets nervously as he bit his lip. Gabriel just stood there watching him for a moment, and then he finally sat down on the bed facing Taylor. He swallowed, then cleared his throat. “It’s not you, Taylor. It’s me,” Gabriel said quietly.
“So it’s that old cliché, huh?” Taylor asked in exasperation.
“But in this case it actually is true,” Gabriel whispered. “It is me. My whole life I’ve always been a loser.”
Taylor’s shoulders slouched as the anger and fight went out of him. He was too tired for this and the defeated sound of Gabriel’s voice killed him. “You’re not a loser, Gabriel. You just…” Taylor sighed.
“See, loser.” Gabriel put his head in his hands, covering his face.
“No.” Taylor reached over and touched Gabriel’s knee in comfort. He reached up to pull Gabriel’s hands from his face. He waited until Gabriel looked at him. “You are not a loser. I just didn’t know what to say because we really don’t know each other,” Taylor said quietly. Gabriel’s eyes were locked onto Taylor’s as a buzz of electricity went through him from Taylor holding his hand. “Say something, Gabriel.” Taylor tried to keep his voice calm. There was another long pause, and Taylor sighed and started to pull away.