34
KNIGHT
It had been four fucking hours. Nirvana had received a prophylactic drug, and she should have improved, at least woke up, but she remained the same.
“Maybe you should go home and get some rest.” Kailin and McKaye arrived earlier. “I’ll stay with her, I promise.”
“No.” I shook my head stubbornly as I watched Nirvana lying unconscious in bed. She had oxygen through her nose, and although her breathing had improved, her heart rate remained low. “I won’t leave her again. I won’t let her out of my sight ever again.”
“You need to nap, cuz. You have to trust me if I say I’ll always be with her.”
“Stop it, Kailin. I’m not going anywhere. I’m staying by her side.”
“I know you’re blaming yourself for what happened, but your property is safe.”
“None of this should happen if I’m more very careful. Suppose she’s bitten by a wolf. At least we know how to treat her. I just let her walk out of the door. Who else should be blamed if not me?” My chest was in constant pain, and it was hard to breathe when I knew it was my fault. I could have avoided all this if I was not too lenient with her.
“You should call Case.” Nirvana’s grandfather’s name felt like a stab in my chest. My heart nearly stopped. I forgot about everything. My focus remained on Nirvana getting better, and it looked like it was not happening anytime soon.
“Fuck,” I cursed under my breath. “Earlier, while waiting for Nirvana to come back, I called Case and promised him I would take care of his granddaughter. Look what happened, Kailin. I failed to protect her. I failed everyone, and I couldn’t even protect my own mate. What good I am to all of you as an alpha?”
“Hey. We don’t know this is going to happen, cuz.” She gripped my shoulder. “Blaming yourself doesn’t help her. Just be strong for her. She needs that.”
“I could have prevented this from happening, but I lost focus.”
“No, you didn’t.”
“Thanks for being here, but be honest with me, cousin. I want you to slap me hard with the truth. I can handle it, but not watching my mate and being helpless to make her better.”
“What the doctor said?”
“They’ve given her treatment, and it should have improved, but they’re also puzzled because they are one hundred percent sure it’s scorpion sting, a scorpion only in Arabian and African deserts.”
“Then how did it end in your own backyard?”
“Good question. Did they find anything?” I asked the guys to check around the area where Zander found Nirvana.
“No. Not even a faint scent. Maybe she isn’t targeted. Maybe she’s just stung by a scorpion.”
“I just threatened Cadogan and his man. If they did this, I swear I will kill them one by one, even if it’s against the Werewolf Council.”
“I hope they didn’t. I will fight with you. I will kill for both of you, Knight, but let’s not jump to conclusions here. And we can’t let our emotions cloud our judgment. And you know you’re not alone at this moment. The whole pack is with you.”
The door suddenly opened. The nurse and the doctor walked inside.
“Any updates?”
“Maybe you should call her relatives,” the doctor said.
“Why?” I would have almost lost my balance if Kailin hadn’t been beside me.
“You need to inform her relatives regarding her condition. We’ve never encountered anything like this before. A patient should not fall into a coma from a scorpion sting, even without antivenom. A Deathstalker scorpion is not lethal to an adult person.”
“You mean to say she’s dying?” Kailin raised her voice in anger. “She can’t die. Do something, for God’s sake!”
“I’ve asked for a second opinion from the specialist, and he had the same opinion. We just hope she wakes up soon.”
“Thank you.” I felt Kailin’s sorrow as she helped me sit back on the chair.
When the doctor and the nurse left the room, Kailin called someone. “We should have done this hours ago. I’m calling Grandpa Case.”
“I can’t talk to him.”
“You have to do and face this, Knight. You’re her mate and our alpha.”
Case answered the call. “Kailin?”
“Grandpa, maybe you should come here to California. I don’t want to give this terrible news, but-”
“Give it to me.”
Kailin gave me the phone. “Case, I failed. I failed to protect her. She was stung by a scorpion in my backyard while she was strolling. Blame me however you want, but you have to come. She received treatment, but she hasn’t woken up.”
“This can’t be happening.” I felt a deep sorrow and worry in his voice, and soon, when he met me, he would throw blame at me for failing to protect his granddaughter, and I would be willing to take however he wanted to end my life because, without my mate, I was as good as dead.
“I’m so sorry. When she recovers, I’m sending her back to you.”
“I can’t protect her here. That’s why I trusted you would take care of my granddaughter, Alpha Knight, and you would do everything to heal her.”
“Heal…Shit. I’ll call you back.” I hung up the call.
“Did you just hang up on Grandpa?”
“Not now.” I dialed Zarah. “Come on, come on.”
Hopes rose in my chest as I saw the call answer. “I need your help and Shadow.”
“What’s wrong?”
“I’m sure you can sense it, Zarah. I’m in the hospital. Nirvana is stung by a scorpion. Even with treatment, she hasn’t woke up.”
“It’s not just an ordinary scorpion.”
“I got the feeling, yes.”
“I’ll call Shadow, but it’s best if you take her out of the hospital.”
“I can’t do that. She’s in a coma, Zarah. The doctor won’t let me.”
“Go home against medical advice. Is Case there with you?”
“I just informed him.”
“Then I’m sending him to your house. Let your people take him to the hospital. Hurry before it’s too late. I know someone capable of doing such a thing. My worst nightmare just came true, Knight, and you should have called me the moment she’s stung.”
“I’m sorry. It happened so fast, and I’m not thinking straight.”
“Stop talking and inform your people.”
“Right away. Thank you.”
“Don’t thank me yet.” She ended the call, and I quickly dialed Luka.
“Alpha, how’s she?”NôvelDrama.Org holds this content.
“Not getting better. Are you still at the house?”
“Yes. We didn’t find anything.”
“It’s fine. Zarah will send Case to my house. Don’t ask how. He’s Nirvana’s grandfather. Send him here at the hospital. Fast.”
“Right away.”
I blew a shaky breath as I put the phone back in my pocket.
“Why can’t she treat her here?”
“A lot of people died in this hospital, sick people, and negative energy. I’m not sure, but sometimes, witches need a non-contaminated area to do their magic.”
“That makes sense.” Kailin hugged me from behind. “She’s gonna be okay, cousin.”
“Why are you hugging him?”