Slate's Mistake (21 page)

“Doc!”
Slate
sounded frantic, but she didn’t know why. She was just fine.

“Over there on the examination bed. Let’s have a look,
shall we?” Seamus’s voice was soothing. “You have glass everywhere, keep those
eyes closed. Slate, take her in the shower and wash the glass and blood out.
Careful not to scrub or you could…”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah, I got it.” Slate’s urgency was
evident in his voice as she felt him carry her again. The sound of water
hissing from the showerhead and splattering on the tile floor of the shower in
the apartment bathroom was a comforting sound, until she was dunked under it
and felt that it hadn’t heated up yet. She let out a line of curses and was
about to tell her mate off when the water stopped hitting her and his soothing
voice rumbled in her ear.

“I’m sorry, Baby-Kate, I wasn’t thinking. I’m so upset
with myself for allowing this to happen to you. I’m so worried about you. I
love you so much. Please be all right.”

She could hear the grief in his voice, and even if he
wasn’t crying, she knew his heart probably was. Her anger started to dissipate,
and the feel of his gentle hands over her skin and in her hair, further calmed
her. “You didn’t let this happen. I’m sorry. I really should have known better.
I really just wanted out of the house, and I was maybe a bit too excited about
checking out a house for my dad. So am I never allowed to go anywhere without
an escort?”

She heard his heavy sigh as he removed her clothes.
“At least until this threat passes. I’m sorry, baby.”

Katie didn’t dare say anything more. She was so
frustrated, and yet at the same time, her mate’s tender care and concern for
her warred with her frustration. After the third time Slate had washed her hair
and body, she had to stop him. “Slate, I’m sure all the glass is gone now.” But
she could still see heavy worry pulling at his handsome features. He was
overprotective, sure, but she started to get the feeling something else was
adding to his worry.

Reading her face, Slate answered the question she
conveyed through her eyes. “It’s the blood, Baby-Kate. I can smell your blood.
My lion is going nuts that you were hurt enough to draw blood.”

“My blood?
Oh. But the cuts are superficial at worst.” Now being able to see again, she
saw Seamus had put a hospital gown in the bathroom while they were in the
shower. Slate carefully helped to dry her off.

“It’s more than enough. And it’s something else.”

Katie tried to ask him what the “something else” was,
but he just silently put on a pair of sweats Seamus had supplied for him and
refused to even let her go after he put them on. He carried her to the exam
table behind a room divider and hovered closely as Seamus did another
examination. She had only minor cuts that weren’t even bleeding any more.

Alphy asked for permission to come in. He gave her a
serious look that made her sick in the stomach and angry at the same time.
What’s with all the emotions?
Vexed with
it all, she kept her eyes on the empty medical tray nearby as he drilled her
about the rules.

“I realize you are used to doing things yourself.”
Alphy stood straight with his legs slightly apart and his hands behind his
back. “And I know you weren’t around a pack or herd much to understand our
ways. My mate is human, so I do understand some of your frustration. So let me
appeal to your nursing side. In any hospital, and doctor’s office, there are
rules and regulations that are there for both the patient and the medical
staff’s safety. Am I right?”

Katie saw his point, but she hated being the one in
the wrong. It stung to hear him lecture her, and continue to do so even after
she conceded. She nodded briskly and continued to listen to the proverbial salt
being rubbed into the wound.

“Add to that, that you have a mate. You are no longer
just thinking for yourself, but whatever decisions you make, no matter how
minor, will have an impact on him. Add further to that, that your mate holds a
position in this pack, and the choices you make can have a serious impact on
everyone in the pack. True mates come first. It’s hardwired into us so if
there’s an emergency in the pack, but your mate is worried about you, then it
can have serious negative consequences.”

Katie inwardly cringed as that thought struck her.
There was no doubt in her mind that Slate would let others be put at risk if he
thought something was happening to her and she needed him. He would do anything
for her. She nodded again, letting the alpha know she was listening.

Alphy’s voice turned to one of concern. “Are you going
to be ok?”

Before she could answer, Slate interjected. “I need to
speak to the doctor about some concerns.”

“All right, I’ll head back into the house. When you’re
done here, we’re going to need to have a security meeting. We have too many
threats against us to allow a slip like this.” With that, Alphy left.

“Doc, can you run more tests on her?
She
has another scent. It isn’t the same as the first one, but I’m worried.” Slate
wasted no time waiting for Alphy to fully disappear before asking.

“You are concerned about something?” Seamus asked,
almost with a smirk.

Slate was rubbing her back when he talked to the
doctor. She wasn’t surprised with how protective and concerned for her that he
was, but hearing this caused her more emotions, worry and fear. Did her cancer
come back?
Or another form of it?

Seamus chuckled. Katie would have been upset if he was
any other doctor, but she had confidence that he probably knew what the smell
was and wasn’t worried. “I was going to ask to run tests, if you wouldn’t mind,
Katie. But I can assure you it isn’t cancer.”

She would have thought Slate would have relaxed, but
instead, he was getting angry. “What’s so fucking funny?” he snapped. “If you
know, damn it, tell me! What’s wrong with her?”

Chapter Fourteen

Slate felt Katie’s delicate hand rubbing his chest and
her warm soft lips pressed against his cheek trying to calm him. He wrapped his
arms around her and buried his nose in her neck, breathing in her scent,
further calming himself. He had smelt the unusual scent briefly this morning
but was going to finish up his meeting before talking with the doctor. His
emotions were flared and near out of control with worry, and then the attack
happened. He was proud of himself for not going lion on anyone’s ass.

“Katie doesn’t have any disease, Slate. If I am
correct, she’s pregnant,” Seamus stated very matter-of-factly.

Both their heads whipped up, facing the doctor.
“What?” A flutter spirited through his belly.

“Yeah, what?”
Katie reiterated her mate’s response.

Seamus chuckled again. “I would like to run some tests
though, just
to
positively confirm and to make sure
it’s going to be healthy.”

Slate let out a celebratory whoop. Laughing out loud,
he lifted her up and swung her around in a circle. Katie squeaked, and her arms
gripped around him. He smashed his lips against hers. Then pulling back, he
carefully placed her back on the exam bed.

Katie looked at the doctor, confused. “How can you
already tell? We have only been together for a week.”

Seamus answered her while gathering some items to
collect blood samples. “Paranormals gestate much faster than humans. About five
months. It’s rather remarkable really, that you two have become pregnant so
soon. Because of the long lives we paranormals live, it is harder for us to
create offspring. However, when we do, they develop quite fast until after
puberty, when our aging slows dramatically.”

After far more tests than Slate thought were necessary
were completed, they were done. He was overprotective, sure, but he quietly
questioned why so many tests had to be run.
Perhaps
Sea suspects something is wrong
. He was lost in thought, and worry, when
they were leaving the garage, so he was slightly startled when Katie squealed
with obvious excitement. He looked up as a car and truck pulled up. Inside them
were her dad and sister. She raced around the car and twirled her sister
around, then ran to her dad, and
he
twirled her around.

“I thought you would be longer.” Her voice was muffled
in her dad’s collar.

“Your friend you gave your apartment to orchestrated a
huge group to help pack us up as a thank you, and things were going smoothly so
we were sent on our way.” Henry gave her a curious look. Slate guessed he was
reacting to her new scent.

Katie’s sister took on a look of concern. “Uh, Katie,
what’s going on? Alphy said you were better, but you smell different.”

Katie beamed at them and nodded vigorously. “I
am
better.”

Sara’s face scrunched in confusion. “I don’t
understand. What
am I smelling
?”

“Katie, are you pregnant?” Henry asked.

Several other pack members started making their way
out onto the deck to see who had driven in and what the commotion was. Slate
walked up behind his mate and stood behind her for support as she excitedly
told them the news.

“Yes!
I’m pregnant. We just found out.”

Those who were nearby heard her. Everyone gave a
hearty congratulated exclamation of one kind or other as they trotted forward
and surrounded them. Slate didn’t feel at all threatened like he was before. He
stood back and watched with benevolence as she excitedly shared their news.
Pats on the back and handshakes were what kept him busy for the next several
minutes. He had made sure to gather his mate and tuck her in his arm before she
was swept away by the cackling females. He didn’t want her to disappear with
them just yet.

Alphy made his way down to him, giving him an opened
mouthed grin while Gale was already hugging Katie. “Congratulations, man! I’m
happy for you. So I guess this is what the unusual scent was that you wanted
checked out?”

Slate gave him a sheepish grin. “Yeah, well, after
that cancer scare, and then the attack today, I just overreacted I guess.”

“I would have done the same thing.” Alphy gave his
shoulder a squeeze.

 
Slate
appreciated his alpha’s understanding. He looked around the gathered crowed and
noticed Katie’s dad, Henry, with a peculiar look on his face. His eyes followed
the direction he was looking and saw his mother slowly making her way towards
them. “Fuck!” he mumbled.

Alphy was still near and turned to give him a questioning
look. He nodded towards Henry. Slate didn’t even need to finish the explanation.
The look on Henry’s face pretty much said it all. He saw Henry start toward
Beverly with a purposeful stride, but Alphy stepped forward, and Slate went
with him. With the direction of the wind, he was sure Beverly hadn’t smelt him
yet.

Alphy spoke barely audibly. “That look on your face, I
must ask, is she your mate?”

Slate could see the barely contained rage at being kept
from his mate. Oh how Slate could relate! “Yes!” Henry said through clenched
teeth.

 
“That’s Slate’s
mother.” Alphy didn’t need to say more. Henry knew all about what had happened
and to whom. Alphy told Slate that he had informed Henry in detail what had
happened that caused him to return back to the pack so soon.

Slate saw him grow pale. He wanted to help ease his
worries. “She’s going to make a full recovery, and she’s going to be ok.”

Henry let out a relieved breath and relaxed a bit. “Is
there any other reason you’re keeping me from her?”

When Alphy shook his head, he and Slate stepped aside
and watched Henry approach his destiny.

Slate was curious how his mother would handle it,
whether she would be happy, especially with the horror she had just experienced,
or whether she would react badly, for the same reason. He was also curious how
his mate and sister would handle it. He, himself, was ecstatic for his mother. He
felt she needed this and hoped that she took it well.

Slate knew when his mother scented Henry. Her spine
stiffened, and her eyes got big. He held his breath, unsure what she would do.
Everyone around them must have scented something, because everyone grew silent
and turned to stare. Some even backed away, and that worried him. What did they
smell?

Nothing happened at first. She just stood there
looking at Henry, and he seemed to not to want to push her, but Slate saw his
lips moving. Henry was talking too quietly to be heard from where he stood. His
mother’s chest heaved, and after tense moments, she threw her arms around Henry.
Henry didn’t hesitate. His arms wrapped securely around her, and Slate took in
a deep breath of relief. He would have thought it would have been weird to see
his mother with another man, but the sight only gave him a sense of rightness.

Katie walked over and wrapped her arms around him and
looked up at him.
“Your mom and my dad, who
woulda
thunk
it?”

Chuckling, he led his mate into the house.