Slate's Mistake (19 page)

“Uh, Slate, stay with us.” Kace’s voice had him
looking up and around the room. His mate giggled in his arms.

“It’s gone!” he burst out. He moved around a bit and
sniffed some more, causing his mate to squirm and giggle more. Apparently she
was ticklish.

“What’s gone?” Kace asked.

Slate looked around as he thought how to mention it.
Perhaps he would wait until later? Well, he would have, but Tyler insisted. .
“Would you mind sharing with everyone?”

He looked into the happy face of his mate. She must
have known what he was talking about. Looking back around the room again, he
explained. “My mate had an unnatural scent mingled with her natural scent. We
had tests run, and I was told she had cancer.”

Slate heard Seamus’s voice come through the dropped phone.
“I remember the smell. You’re saying it’s gone?”

“Yes!” Slate couldn’t hide his excitement. With everything
he has been forced to endure these past several days, he felt overjoyed that
the one person who mattered most to him would be all right.

Kace came forward as did Pierce, and both modestly
leaned in and sniffed her. Kace was the first to comment, but he was also more
familiar with her scent from before their mating. “He’s right, Sea man. That odd
scent is gone.”

“I do not smell anything odd. I can sense her blood is
very healthy.” Pierce stepped back. Slate knew that even though shifters had a
slightly better sense of smell than vampires, vampires had a kind of sixth
sense, used with their noses, about blood. Slate felt happier still. Even if he
might have missed a more subtle scent, the vampire’s judgment about her blood
was confirmation his mate was well again.

“Congratulations, Katie,” Seamus replied. “I’ll be
sure to inform Henry.”

“Katie, I’m happy to hear your health has improved. I
know Gale will be relieved. I need to get us back on the matter at hand.” Alphy
reminded them. “I’ll see if I can get Frank and his mate to take over
organizing the rest of the herd’s moving details and we’ll head home tonight.”

It was Tyler who responded. “We’ll head out as soon as
possible and meet you back home.
Raymond, thank you for the
use of your lovely plane and all your support.”

“It has benefited us. Our coven will be delighted to
hear of Dex finding his beloved. Even for a coven of our size, it is not a
common blessing.”

After further good-byes, the group hung up the cells
and planned their next move led by Tyler. “Dex, perhaps you and two of your
friends can help Elise to pack while the rest of us pack for Beverly. We’ll
leave her to sleep until we take off. Elise, could you tell us of anything you
know of that your mother would want to bring?”

They worked through the night, filling the SUVs as
full as they could get them. They were able to get everything in them they
wanted to keep, using the limousine to carry everyone but the drivers. Just
before dawn, as they were heading out, Slate noticed they were being followed, and
he also noticed one of Tyler’s guards was missing.

He kept his sights on the suspicious vehicle when
suddenly the dark grey van started to rapidly gain on them. Just before he was
about to ram into the first SUV, the van’s engine burst into flames and the van
veered off the road into a ditch. The group continued safely on to the airport.
He looked over at Tyler, who gave him a pointed look and shrugged. It seemed
Tyler was just as dangerous to underestimate as Alphy was. Slate didn’t know
whether to be grateful he was on his side or concerned for what that meant. He
chose not to think about it.

Chapter Thirteen

The flight didn’t take long, but Katie took the time
to sleep. With everything that had been happening the last few days, she wanted
to sleep for a week, so the three hours in the air felt terribly lacking, and
the four hour drive from Toronto back to Bancroft wasn’t that rewarding in the
rest department either. It didn’t help that the Toronto side of that trip was
during rush hour.

In spite of her fatigue, she was a trained nurse, and
she had a patient who needed her care. Through the whole trip, she was
constantly checking on Beverly. Katie had no doubt that if the woman had been
human, she would have been dead long ago. The fact that she was still moving
was amazing.

As soon as they reached the long dirt driveway, Kace,
who was driving, looked at her through the rearview mirror. “Don’t worry, Miss
Katie, I’ll go slowly. I don’t think any man would ever forget your threat. My
balls are still crying.”

She huffed. “If that’s what you call being a smart-ass,
then your ass needs to go back to school.”

Slate burst out laughing as Kace grumbled through the
burn. She smirked at him through the mirror before releasing a chuckle.
However, true to his word, he drove slowly. As they pulled up to the house,
Katie had the warm and cozy feeling of coming home wash over her. She hadn’t
spent more than a few hours here, and already she was hooked. She let out a
relieved and contented sigh.

They were greeted by an earnest Seamus. He introduced
himself as he directed Pierce and Fabian to help Beverly to the apartment above
the garage. Slate followed with Dex and Elise right behind.

“Hi, Beverly, I’m Doctor Seamus Rossi. Let’s get you
situated and then I’ll check you over, if that’s all right with you. How was
the flight?”

Beverly’s voice sounded tired and slightly strained.
“All right I guess. I couldn’t tell you.”

The doctor looked back at Katie for an explanation.
“She was out for the entire flight. Her nausea is better though.”

Nodding in reply, Seamus helped ease the woman onto an
actual hospital bed he had set up in the bedroom of the apartment. Without even
looking up at the full room, he spoke to everyone while he situated his
stethoscope. “All right, I would like everyone to wait out in the other room
please. Katie, would you hand me that blood pressure cup, please.”

During the exam, Katie gave a full report to him. When
the exam was done, Beverly was out again. Katie followed the doctor out to the
other room where many more had gathered, including the alpha.

Slate winced as he stood along with the others as they
greeted them. “How is she, Sea?”

“I believe she’ll make a full recovery.” The entire
room let out a collective sigh. “I would also like to take a look at your
sister.” He took a quick look around the room, spotting the only other
unfamiliar woman in the room. “Elise, is it?” The girl nodded, and Seamus
turned his look to Slate. “And I would also like to check you over as well.”

“All right, everyone, let’s head back down to the
house and give them some space,” the alpha ordered.

Seamus worked fast. After everyone was reported on satisfactorily,
he dismissed her to go get more res, an order she didn’t argue with.

They didn’t get to sleep too long before they were up
and downstairs eating supper, joined by Kace’s friends. They talked shop while
the girls gathered around the mate of one, Lois, who was expecting.

“Do you know what it is yet?” Gale asked.

“Uh, no.
We haven’t had any access to a doctor,” she answered shyly.

Katie was horrified. “Wow, you’ve gone the whole
pregnancy without a doctor?”

The short, petite woman blushed and looked down and sadly
rubbed her partly extended belly. “Pack doctors are only for those in a pack.
We haven’t had a pack since we mated.”

“Is it because you guys keep moving for Rushod’s
work?” Katie felt her heart ache just a little for Lois.

Betty answered for her. “It’s because most alphas
don’t want a mixed mating in their folds. Rushod’s a wolf, and Lois is a coyote.”

“That’s stupid,” Katie exclaimed.

Gale wrapped an arm around Lois’s shoulder. “We had an
alpha who wanted my brother dead because he’s gay. It’s their loss, Lois, and
our gain.”

Lois smiled at them. “Thank you. When Kace called and
told us about the pack, I didn’t know what to expect. But I like it here.”

“So I take it you haven’t seen Seamus yet?” Katie
asked seriously.

Gale and Betty laughed. Lois chuckled. “I was hoping
to, but he isn’t that bad, is he?”

Looking around the room, Katie realized how it sounded
and laughed out loud. “No, that wasn’t what I meant.”

“Sure you didn’t,” Gale teased and laughed again.

Katie shrugged. “Seriously though, you should have him
take a look at you. I know shifters don’t usually get sick, but being pregnant
is a challenge for anyone, even shifters. I’m sure he wouldn’t mind checking
you over right now. Come on, I’ll take you.”

“Oo, can’t I come too?” Gale asked excitedly. Katie
snickered at Gale’s excitement when Lois shrugged and said, “
sure
.”

“Gale,” Betty called. Everyone stopped and turned to
look at Betty. “I’ve got packing to do. Tyler and I are leaving in the morning.
Your mother will be in charge with meals here while I’m away.
Just a heads-up.”

“Wow, he’s not wasting any time giving you a
honeymoon, is he?” Gale teased and giggled as Betty disappeared down the hall.

Three of the visiting vampires took rooms in town, but
Dex stayed at the pack house with his mate so she could stay closer to her mom
and brother.

Over the next week, Katie watched as the pack took on
an abundant amount of work. Arrangements were scheduled for other residences
several families from the herd, and Kace started working with his four partners
from his construction business.

 
Katie’s dad and
sister were apparently staying behind to help organize and assist everyone, so
they were going to be one of the very last to arrive.

****

A few days after their return from Texas, Katie was in
the doctor’s apartment teaching Reese how to assist in the office and how to be
a nurse’s assistant. During the past few days, she’d discovered the kid soaked
up the knowledge he was taught like a sponge, and he seemed to genuinely enjoy
it. He was certainly a natural with people, so she asked Lois to help her by
being a patient. This gave the added supervision over her pregnancy Seamus
wanted.

Reese trotted up and greeted her.
“Hi,
Lois.
You’re looking radiant. Katie and I got an exam room set up for
you right behind those room dividers. Let me show you.” He led her around the
tall white panels. On the other side, in the bends of the panels, were shelves.
Some had things on them like cotton swabs, but one had magazines. There was
also an exam bed with drawers underneath.

 
“Oh, this is
really nice. This wasn’t here a few days ago.”

Katie stood back and observed Reese as he helped Lois
sit. “Seamus had the equipment but hadn’t been able to set it up yet. He
focused what time he had on converting the bedroom into a hospital room.”

Reese grabbed a pressure cup and put his new
stethoscope into his ears.

“Reese, you forgot a step.” Katie raised her brow to
see if he would remember.

Reese looked up and thought for a second. She knew
when he remembered by the recognition on his face. “Oh that’s right. Sorry, Lois.
We need to weigh you first.”

After she was sat back down, the two girls talked
while Reese took Lois’s vitals.

“How are you settling in?” Katie asked.

“
Rushod
won’t let me do
much. He’s so protective of me. Not that I mind. I love him for it. He’ll make
a great father.”

“So what have you been doing?”

“I’ve been looking for houses. There’s a little three
bedroom in town I wanted to look at. I set up an appointment for us to go see
it tonight after he gets off work. It’s a bungalow, and if it’s anything like
the pictures, it’s perfect. It has a little bit of a forest right behind the
house, too.”

“Huh, sounds really nice. I should try to find a house
for my dad and sister. Do you have the number of your agent with you?”

“Sure, I’ll give it to you after.”

They were interrupted when Reese handed Katie the
information. She briefly looked it over.
“Looks good.
Good job Reese. Now log onto the computer and add this information.”

After he disappeared around the corner, Lois said, “I
bet Seamus appreciates you around.”

“Yes, and not only him, but Slate’s ecstatic I can
work around here instead of running into town.”

Lois giggled. “How’s he doing?”

Katie scrunched her nose. “He’s really happy to have
his mother and sister around. He’s in a meeting with the inner circle right
now. He’s been working hard on some projects pertaining to security. He’s been
working long hours. He and the other inner circle have been running themselves
ragged on patrols added to their day-to-day business.”

“How is his mother? Where is she?” Lois looked around
and back at Katie.

Katie leaned her shoulder against the wall. “She’s
getting better. She’s with Dex and Elise exploring the
walipini
.”