CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE – The Fever

Andrew’s POV

“She smells like you,” Logan mumbled.

“She does,” I smiled, running my fingers through her hair.

“I don’t like it,” he frowned. “But I would have her smell like you forever if it meant she would live.”

“She will,” I said quietly. “She is not dying.”

I caressed her cheek and kissed her hand.

“The doctor says you can hear us, Emma,” I said. “I need you to know how sorry I am. I was a complete idiot. I didn’t believe you, and you were telling me the truth. It is my fault this happened to you. I hope you can forgive me. You are all I have in this world, and I don’t know what I would do if you left me. I love you, Em. Please don’t leave me.”

I never moved my gaze away from her face. Oh, Goddess, how I wished that she would open her eyes. But there was nothing. She was completely still.

I placed her hand on my cheek, needing to feel her touch.

“I was a terrible mate,” Logan sighed. “I rejected you without giving you a chance. And I was wrong, Emma. I was so wrong. I can’t begin to explain how sorry I am. I should have stopped her. I should have protected you. But I am not going anywhere, my love. I will not leave you again. You are mine, and I hope you can forgive me. I hope you will let me be the mate you deserve.”

Logan closed his eyes and took a deep breath.

“I, Logan Carter, Alpha of the Crescent Moon Pack, accept you, Emma Parker of the Crescent Moon Pack as my mate and Luna,” Logan said as he opened his eyes.

The machine that was monitoring her heart beeped. Her heart rate increased slightly.

“She heard you,” I mumbled quietly, staring at the monitor.

A huge smile spread across Logan’s face. “You heard me, love?”

My gaze went back to Emma. Nothing on her face showed that she had heard him, but I knew that she had.

“Goddess, Emma,” I said and leaned closer to her. “You can hear us, can’t you? Please come back. Fight. Don’t leave us. We need you.”

We continued talking to her, telling her how sorry we were and begging her to come back to us.

After a while, both of us were exhausted and ready for bed. We hadn’t been sleeping or eating properly since Emma went missing. I hoped to sleep a little bit better now that she was here with me.

The nurses brought dinner for us, and we went to sleep after we ate. Logan got to sleep on the bed, and I slept on the couch.

I woke up in the middle of the night. I looked around the room, confused. Why the hell did I wake up? The room had a soft orange glow. It was coming from the bedside lamp next to Emma’s bed.

I looked at my sister and saw that nothing had changed. I slowly got up and walked over to her bed. I took her hand in mine and gasped.

She was so hot.

My hand immediately went to her forehead, and I froze.

“Nurse!” I shouted and ran toward the door.

I heard Logan growling behind me. “What the fuck?!”

Nurse Rose came running into the room.

“She is burning up!” I said as soon as she walked inside.

Logan jumped out of bed and took Emma’s hand in his. He gasped loudly.

“What is wrong with her?” he asked frantically.

“I don’t know, Alpha,” the nurse said as she took her temperature. “Probably an infection.”

My heart started beating painfully. An infection?

“105,” the nurse muttered to herself.

Fuck.

“I will get the doctor,” she said and ran out of the room.

I ran toward Emma and took her hand in mine. Her cheeks were pink from the temperature, and there were a few little beads of sweat on her forehead. I used my hand to wipe them away.

Logan was kissing her hand and looking at her. I saw fear in his eyes.

The doctor came running inside.

“Alpha, Beta,” he said. “Can you please move so I can examine her?”

Logan and I growled but moved out of the way.

The doctor started examining her, checking her vitals, and retaking her temperature.

“What’s wrong, doc?” Logan asked, his voice trembling.

He turned to look at us and sighed. “I don’t know. An infection, probably. She has been lying on the dirty floor with open wounds. We will have to test her blood to know for sure. In the meantime, I will give her a broad-spectrum antibiotic. We have to get her fever to drop.”

Nurse Rose approached Emma to take her blood. As soon as she pierced the needle into Emma’s skin, Logan growled.

“We need to do this, Alpha,” the doctor said.

“I know,” Logan sighed and ran his hand through his hair. “I am sorry.”

“It’s okay,” nurse Rose said as she finished. “It is normal for mates to behave like this. I see it all the time.”

Logan gave her a small smile, and she walked out of the room.

“We will have the results by morning,” the doctor said and walked toward the door. “I will go get the medicine for her.”

Logan and I nodded and walked back to hold Emma’s hands.

The doctor came back quickly and gave Emma the medicine.

“Try to get some sleep,” he said as he walked out. “I will wake you up when we get the results.”

Logan and I nodded, not taking our eyes off her.

“You can sleep in the bed,” Logan mumbled.

I raised my eyebrows. “What about you?”

“I am sleeping with her,” he said and started moving wires and tubes away.

I grabbed his hand, stopping him. “I don’t think that is a good idea. What if you mess something up?”

“I won’t,” he said. “I will be perfectly still, and you will help me with the wires. I need to hold her. And the mate bond will help her heal.”

I sighed and let go of his hand. He was right.

We carefully moved the tubes and wires attached to her so Logan could lie down beside her.

He carefully climbed into bed beside her, and I sat on the other bed.

“Wake me up if something happens,” I said as I laid down.

“Mmm,” he mumbled, nuzzling his nose into her neck.

I sighed and looked away. I knew being close to Logan would help her, but I didn’t have to watch him touch my sister.