Liam’s POV
A searing heat consumed me, dragging me from the depths of sleep into a state of confusion. My body felt like it was on fire, but why? Still groggy, I struggled to make sense of the unbearable sensation. As my vision adjusted to the dim room, I looked down to find my angel curled against me, her body draped over mine. Then, the realization hit me like a bolt of lightning.
She was burning up.
Panic surged through me as I jolted fully awake.
“Logan!” I shouted, my voice thick with urgency.
“What? What’s going on?” he mumbled, jerking upright in bed.
“It’s Lia-she’s burning up! Her fever’s spiked.” I didn’t give him time to process it. “Link someone to bring a tub of ice and start a cold bath. I’ll contact the doctor. We need to act fast.”
Logan, now wide awake, nodded sharply and rushed to the bathroom. The sound of running water filled the room as he turned on the faucet.
I reached out through the pack link, my mind calling for Dr. Hawthorne.
“Doc? Doc, are you there?”
“Alpha? What’s wrong?” she responded instantly, her tone alert.
“It’s Lia. Her fever’s out of control-it feels like she’s burning alive,” I admitted, unable to hide the fear tightening my chest. “We’re putting her in an ice bath now.”
Before she could reply, Bastian burst through the door, hauling a massive tub of ice. I gestured toward the bathroom, momentarily breaking the link before reconnecting.
Dr. Hawthorne’s voice returned, calm but firm. “I was afraid this might happen. Fevers like this often escalate before breaking. You’re doing the right thing. Keep her in the ice bath for no more than fifteen minutes. Once she’s out, dry her thoroughly and get her back in bed with ice packs under her arms and behind her neck. And stay close to her. I’ll be there soon.”
I absorbed every word, nodding to myself as I relayed her instructions to Logan. He didn’t wait-he scooped Lia into his arms and carried her to the bath without hesitation, desperate to cool her down.
“Thanks, Doc,” I said before closing the link.
“Wait, Alpha.” Her voice cut in just as I was about to sever the connection. “I know it’s terrifying, but this could actually be a good sign. It might mean her wolf is trying to reconnect. She’ll get through this-you just need to hold on.”
Then, she was gone.
I hurried into the bathroom just in time to hear Logan let out a strangled yelp.
“Son of a-! Fuck, that’s cold!” He was in the tub with Lia, holding her against his chest, his teeth clenched against the icy shock. “This better work because it’s absolute torture. We can’t be putting her through this for nothing.”
I crouched beside them, watching Lia’s face for any change. “Dr. Hawthorne said we’re doing the right thing. And she thinks this might mean her wolf is fighting to come back.”
Logan’s expression flickered with hope. “Seriously?”
Before I could answer, Lia let out a faint groan. Both of us froze, eyes locked on her face, but she remained still.
When the fifteen minutes were up, Logan carefully lifted her from the water while I dried her off. He quickly changed into dry clothes while I carried her back to bed.
By the time he returned, Dr. Hawthorne was with him. I instinctively moved to stand, expecting her to order us out like before, but she stopped me.
“Stay put, Alpha,” she instructed. “I can do what I need to with you here, and honestly, there’s not much left that you haven’t already seen. If her wolf is truly reconnecting, your presence is even more important.”
I settled back, nodding, while Logan took a seat at the end of the bed, his hand moving in soothing strokes along Lia’s leg. Dr. Hawthorne worked in silence, assessing her carefully. The seconds stretched unbearably, each one an eternity. Then, finally, she spoke.
“I want to try something. You’re not going to like it, but it could give me vital information. I need you both to hold her tightly.”
Logan and I exchanged a glance before nodding. We would do whatever it took.
“Good,” she said approvingly. “I’m going to attempt to trigger a reaction from her wolf using a mild pain stimulus. Nothing extreme,” she added quickly when she saw us tense. “Just enough to see if her wolf is present. If she reacts, we’ll know she’s still in there.”
I tightened my hold, my brother doing the same as we braced for whatever she was about to do.
Dr. Hawthorne filled a syringe with a clear liquid, then gently pried one of Lia’s eyes open before swiftly injecting the needle into her thigh. It happened in an instant, a flicker so fast I almost doubted my own eyes-but I had seen it.
Her eye had turned black for the briefest second.
My breath caught. “Does that mean-?” I couldn’t finish the question, afraid to hope. Teague, my wolf, was practically howling in my head, his excitement mirroring my own.
Dr. Hawthorne smiled. “Yes, Alpha. Her wolf is there. Whatever you two are doing, keep it up. She’s drawing strength from you, and that means she should be able to heal now.”
Relief crashed over me like a tidal wave.
“How long?” Logan asked, his voice raw with emotion.
“I can’t say for certain,” she admitted. “But it’s just a matter of time now.”
Without warning, Logan lunged forward and wrapped Dr. Hawthorne in a crushing hug, a strangled sob escaping him. She let out a small laugh, patting his back awkwardly until he finally let go. The second he released her, he was back at Lia’s side, pulling her against him.
I growled lowly in protest but didn’t stop him. His wolf needed the comfort, the reassurance that she was still with us.
Dr. Hawthorne smiled knowingly as she headed for the door. “You’re welcome,” she said simply before stepping into the hallway. I heard her updating Bastian on her way out. A moment later, our Beta poked his head in.
“You guys need anything?” he asked.
“No,” Logan and I answered in unison.
Bastian smirked. “Figured. Try not to stress yourselves out,” he said before shutting the door behind him.
I shifted closer, pulling Lia’s legs over mine so she lay across both of us. It was still early, and despite getting the best rest I’d had in a long time with my mate beside me, exhaustion tugged at my limbs. Emotionally drained, I knew Logan felt the same. Now that we were certain she’d recover, a new worry crept in-what would happen when she woke up?
Logan must have been thinking the same thing.
“You know, a near-death experience can really shift someone’s perspective,” I murmured.
He side-eyed me. “What’s your point?”
I hesitated, then said what was on my mind. “Maybe… after everything, she’ll be willing to give us another chance.”
He was quiet for a moment. Then, finally, he said, “Maybe.”
We said nothing more after that, just lay there in silence, feeling the comforting warmth of our mate between us. The steady rise and fall of her breathing, the faint tingling sensation of our bond-it was enough.
Eventually, we both drifted into sleep, clinging to the hope that when she woke, she would choose us.