Aristotle (The Strong Pack Book 2)

by Crystal Dawn

  I made her lay down while I put Joey in his crib. He had been fed and burped so he went back to sleep. I went and started a load of laundry and cleaned up the living room. I felt horribly selfish for letting my little sister get into such a mess while I worried about a mating that didn’t look like it would work out well anyway. What was I even doing trying to get a happily ever after? I just wasn’t the Cinderella type and now that was kicking me in the teeth. I worked on cleaning up the house and putting up the clean dishes. I started a camper’s style stew since they had an odd assortment of food choices. I added groceries to my growing list of what was needed to get my sis on track.

  I spent my time divided between laundry and cleaning until T.J. woke to feed Joe. She looked much better and seemed happy that I’d cleaned up. We sat and talked some more until Jericho came home looking upset.

  “We’ve been looking everywhere for you.” He accused as if I’d been hiding.

  I felt a shot of pain in my stomach because the look on his face boded ill. “What’s the matter?” I asked squeezing my hands into tight fists and digging my short nails painfully into my palms. Please don’t be bad news about Ari!

  “My dad’s in medical and it looks bad.” He said with tears forming in his eyes.

  I felt as if I’d been punched in the stomach but I forced my frozen limbs to move. I had to get to him and be at his side. I ran to the door pulling it open and sprinted to the back of the pack house. He couldn’t be taken from me, not now when I’d just found him. All thoughts of anything he’d done wrong fled as my worry ratcheted up. I opened the door running into the waiting room filled with pack members. A few looked at me with disapproval and unasked questions on their faces. The nurse kept her face cool and professional. She opened the door and escorted me to his side.

  “The doctor will be in soon to see you.” She droned without emotion as she turned and left.

  I slipped into a chair at his bedside examining him for any indication of how he might be doing. Except for the grimace on his face and the pallor of his complexion, he could be sleeping. I reached for his hand and squeezed it lightly.

  I kissed his cheek and moved my mouth to his ear whispering, “I’m right here Honey. Don’t you dare leave me now!”

  He made a low growling sound, the only indication that he was aware I was here. I waited a few minutes before the doctor came in. It was the same one that had delivered Joe. I didn’t remember his name and he didn’t remind me. His eyes didn’t meet mine, a sign of really bad news or disapproval.

  “He’s in bad shape. He was shot and stabbed and for some reason the wounds aren’t healing as well as they should. He’s healing, but not fast enough and it’s draining his energy. I just don’t know what more I can do. I’ve gone over everything I’ve ever heard of.” He growled in frustration.

  I remembered something Ariel had said about white wolves having some healing powers. Could I have them even though I’d not made the change? I remembered she’d said Mandi had slept with Mac holding him and his healing had increased ten fold. She hadn’t been changed yet either. She’d said skin on skin was best. I pulled back the sheet slightly, yes that was lots of skin. The doctor shot me a questioning glance.

  “My cousin Ariel said some of the other white wolves have a healing presence. I don’t know if I do, but I must do something. I can’t just allow him to suffer.” I insisted.

  “What do you need?” He asked curiously.

  “Just privacy because I need to hold him next to me. She told me skin on skin works best.” I explained.

  “Give it a try. I’m out of possibilities and he needs any advantage he can get.”

  I nodded and waited for him to leave. Once he did I quickly stripped out of my clothes and climbed in with him. I stretched out and wrapped myself around him to give us as much contact as possible. My change must be nearing completion because I could not only smell my mate, I could smell the poison on him and in him. Maybe sweating it out was an option. I got up and added two blankets from the closet before I got back under the covers. Once I was wrapped around him it felt so warm. I was sure my worried mind wouldn’t allow me to sleep, but I was wrong.

  I woke up hot, but I felt my mate in my arms and the steady movement of his chest going up and down with his breath. He had made it for however long we had slept and the doctor had said that the longer he hung on, the greater his chance of survival. I examined his beloved face. It was no longer clenched in a grimace and the slightest signs of a flush had appeared taking away some of the pallor. I couldn’t celebrate yet, but the icy fear that had wrapped around my heart eased just a tiny bit. I took a deep breath and I noticed some of the poison had shifted into the blankets with his sweat. I sent a thank you to his goddess for the white wolf genes that were helping to heal him. I slipped back in under the covers and wrapped myself around him again.

  The next time I woke his color was normal and his face relaxed in a deep healing sleep. There was a soft knock on the door and I made sure we were both covered for modesty’s sake. The door opened and the doctor came in.

  “How is he?” He asked looking as if he hoped for the best while prepared for the worst. He moved closer and examined Ari and a smile came to his face. “I don’t know how this is even possible but I can see marked improvement. Maybe your white wolf blood can truly heal like magic!”

  “I’m not sure how much that helped, but I could smell the poison in his body and added extra blankets that helped sweat it out. I can smell it on the blankets now.”

  The doctor stepped closer and picked up the top blanket. I saw it on his face when the sour smell hit his nose and he understood what had happened. “I should have realized. You’re not even wolf yet you could smell it.” He hung his head and I saw he was embarrassed and ashamed.

  “It may not have smelled until it started working out of his system. Let’s just be thankful he’s recovering.”

  “You are very forgiving. I’m not sure I would be under these circumstances. Jericho and his mate wish to come in. I’m glad I have good news for everyone.” He hurried out to send them in.

  The door opened slowly, almost as if someone was afraid of what they’d see on the other side. Jericho’s head slid around the side to get a look. He seemed satisfied that everything was as it should be and he led T.J. around the corner. She carried Joe and she looked only a little better than she had when I had first seen her as she opened her door to me. She probably had stayed up trying to comfort Jer but she needed to get her rest. She hadn’t recovered from having a baby and she was trying to look out for everyone else.

  “The Doc said you did something to save him. He’s not sure what but thanks Sherona.” Jer said as he pulled me into a hug.

  “How could I not? He’s my mate.” Even as I said it the words didn’t really hit home for me. Maybe it was because humans often had a ceremony in front of family and friends with rings to seal the deal. I wasn’t sure why, but it didn’t feel real to me.

  Jer nodded and pulled T.J. back into the circle of his arms. They were a perfect little family and I was glad we wouldn’t have to mourn at a time when we should be celebrating. I honestly couldn’t say that I’d ever recover if my mate had died. I heard a raspy noise beside me and saw Ari was awake.

  He’d tried to talk but his dry throat couldn’t get a word out, only rough sounds.

  “Losss you.” He said.

  “What? I don’t understand.” I explained.

  “He was conscious when we brought him back. He wanted to speak to you but we couldn’t find you. We didn’t even think to look where T.J. was. He thought you’d left him.”

  “I just didn’t know where he’d gone so I went to ask T.J. if she knew.”

  “You never asked.” She objected.

  “You looked terrible when you answered the door. I decided my worries were nothing compared to yours. You have to take care of yourself first or you’ll end up in the hospital.” T.J. flushed but she didn’t object any more. She knew
I was right, she wasn’t recovered enough to do everything by herself.

  While we were talking Ari just fell back to sleep. I guess he needed even more rest and I was okay with that as long as he was alright. I watched him as he slept and I just knew he would now heal and be there for me to love.

  Jer and T.J. looked at him too with relief in their eyes. Jer was close to his father, he loved, respected and adored him.

  T.J. had developed the relationship of a daughter with him even in the short months she had been living here. He was a man that was easy to grow attached to as I could attest to myself.

  “So do you care to tell me what happened?” I asked Jer.

  “It’s his place to tell. He wouldn’t thank me for doing it.” Jer said gesturing to his father.

  “You’re right about that.” Ari rumbled. His voice was not yet as it had been.

  I hoped it was just dry and tired.

  “Dad you’re awake. We’d thought we’d lost you.” Jer said unashamedly wiping the tears from his eyes.

  “Mate.” He said as he motioned me to sit back down next to him on the bed.

  I moved to him and sat where he wanted me. His hand moved to claim mine and he grasped it tightly.

  “I am here and feeling much better so rest at ease. Take your mate and babe home so they can rest. I will be out of here soon I think.” He directed Jer. He had immediately noticed T.J.’s exhaustion just as I had. It wasn’t as if they could do anything but wait around here.

  “I’ll be with him Jericho and I’ll let you know if anything changes.” I promised him.

  He nodded, leaned in to hug his dad and escorted T.J. and Joe out the door.

  We were alone now and I turned to face my mate. My desire to scream and make accusations was no longer with me. I had realized I loved the wolf more than was good for me. That I was willing to give him a pass for something he had done that had disappointed me so much, was huge. It showed he was more important to me than my freedom and equality. We just looked at each other for a few moments in perfect silence. I think he was waiting for me to explode with anger, but I chose to stay silent and let him explain himself to me.

  “I think I would prefer your anger to you allowing me to explain myself. I lay there next to you watching you sleep and thinking you were the most beautiful, precious gift the goddess could have given me.” He explained with a smile that choked me up. “I knew I should wake you, I knew you expected it, but I thought of the risk of this particular confrontation and I feared the whole thing might be a trap for you.”

  “That’s not possible. We are mated and fully bonded making me worth nothing to another male.” I insisted.

  “Not entirely true. T.J. knew so I would have thought you would as well. The mating can be undone although it is risky and painful.”

  “I didn’t keep up with the white wolf gossip like T.J. did. Truthfully I never intended to join this world of yours. I thought if I kept my distance, I couldn’t be drawn in to it.”

  “Do you regret it?” He asked and I would swear he held his breath waiting for my answer.

  “No, I love you too much to regret anything that brought us together. I didn’t realize how much until I thought I might lose you forever. I felt a pain so great that I can’t find anything bad enough to compare it to.”

  He pulled me into his arms and kissed me. It was a giving, loving kiss that asked for nothing in return.

  “I’m so sorry I put you through that. I promise I’ll make it up to you.” He swore.

  “You already have. I would have gone crazy if you weren’t alright. Now tell me what happened and stop stalling.”

  “Okay. I decided to leave without you because I just couldn’t bear the thought of risking you. I knew you would be upset, but I hoped you’d forgive me. I was worried about the meeting because there were so many things that could go wrong.” He paused to catch his breath and took a sip of water.

  “And some of them did go wrong.” I added.

  “Yes. He called and wanted to meet at the buildings Deeds had been living at. The ones that we had burned down so they couldn’t be used that way anymore. It was an odd place to meet but the ground was clear and the tree line was at least thirty feet away.”

  “Who did you take with you?”

  “Edward and Jasper rode with me along with four young hunters. Another SUV with pack guards followed ten minutes after we left and we had groups of wolves spread out around the area waiting for a call.”

  “It was probably the best you could do without knowing where to go in advance.”

  “It was. We actually had two groups of six nearby and four more groups a little farther out.”

  “Sounds like you had things covered.” I said, but I was confused. “So how could you get hurt so badly?”

  “We pulled up to the meeting place and he wasn’t anywhere to be seen, at least not at first. We got out, which wasn’t the smartest move. We stood there waiting for him and I felt the first shot hit. My men spotted the sniper and took him and another one out with no trouble. I felt odd even though the hit wasn’t life threatening. The sniper had known what he was doing. He shot right below the bullet proof vest.”

  “How did you get stabbed?”

  “Once everything calmed down, the rogue showed up. He claimed he was Sam Deeds and in charge of a pure blood power group. I’d never heard of them before. He had the females and said he’d turn them over to us if I would talk to him alone.”

  “Of course you agreed.”

  “What choice did I have?”

  “I guess you didn’t have one.”

  “He led me away from my wolves while some of his wolves let the females go and all eyes were on them. He started to rant about how he was going to take over control of our council and how pure blooders knew what they were talking about. He said I was the kind of pack alpha that was bringing our people to ruin. He was ranting and raving while I was making sure the girls got to safety. I wasn’t watching him and he got really close to me. I felt the sharp biting sensation and realized he’d stabbed me below my vest. Again, it wasn’t life threatening. He started to run thinking he’d get away, but Jasper shot him on the head.”

  “The trap was for me, but also for you. They almost killed you.”

  “If they had gotten you, it would have killed me.”

  “How do you think I would have felt if you’d died?” I ask blinking back tears. He pulled me back into his warm embrace. I felt comforted just like he’d planned. “You must promise not to take those kind of chanced anymore.”

  He smiled. “I promise.” He vowed as he held me tight.

  “So tell me the rest. I know there’s more.”

  “He did tell me the pure blooders are stronger than we suspect and they have people on the council.”

  “I thought the council just got cleaned up?”

  “It’s an ongoing effort. I will be talking to Damon about what we discovered. I’ll keep you safe no matter what happens. You believe me, don’t you?”

  I pulled back to look into his eyes. “My safety isn’t my biggest concern. Have you thought about T.J. and Joe?”

  “Yes, I didn’t want to worry any of you but I put guards on them. They aren’t in the pack house so they are more vulnerable.”

  “I agree. That baby is so precious it boggles the mind that anyone would want to hurt him but there are haters in the world and the risk is there.” I was glad I wouldn’t have to worry about my sister and her family. I would just have to worry about my mate who seemed to think he was bulletproof even though he’d just been shown he wasn’t. It must be an alpha male thing.

  There was a knock and the doctor came in. After talking to Ari for a few minutes the doctor told him that it would be ok to leave if he got plenty of rest, food and liquids.

  Ari agreed, but I knew he’d agree to anything to get out of medical. I had to admit I’d be glad to leave too.

  I helped him up and even though he was a bit unsteady, he seemed to re
cover fast. I helped him dress and held the door while he went through. There were several people, including Jasper and Edward waiting to see with their own eyes that he was alright. I didn’t blame them when I remembered how rough he had looked when I had been brought to him.

  Edward insisted Aristotle take a few days off if not to recover then to consider it a honeymoon of sorts. I could see the idea appealed to Ari and I certainly wouldn’t deny its appeal. He got Ari to agree with a little verbal arm twisting. Jasper moved over to Ari whispering so quietly I was sure even those with their full wolf powers, their incredible hearing being the main one, couldn’t hear either. I was certain he was bringing him up to speed on what was going on. It was Ari’s nature that if they didn’t tell him, he would find out for himself.

  He finally worked his way through all his advisors and pack members who had come to see him and he grabbed my arm to drag me away. “Let’s go before someone else comes to see how I’m doing.” He said with a shiver. I was ready to go to so I could get him alone for a little while. I wouldn’t believe he was really taking two days off until I actually saw him do it.

  We made it back to his room and we were only stopped twice. We got inside and closed the door.

  “I think we should start by getting cleaned up.” I suggested. The thought of a hot shower with my naked mate appealed to me more then I could say. I started shucking clothes with no concern of where they landed. I noticed he wasn’t worried about it either. When he was naked I examined him closely and saw the small red puckered place where he’d been shot and a longer, wider spot where he’d been stabbed.

  “I thought you’d be healed by now. It looks like they might even scar.” I worried.

  “Whatever they did to me, effected my ability to heal. The doc still doesn’t know what they used to poison me. It may leave scars, would that bother you?”

  “I don’t want you to scar because I don’t want any reminders of what happened and how close I came to losing you.”

  Chapter 7

  Pure Blooders