Everything else seems to happen in a blur. We pack and climb into Markus’s truck. He takes us all to the pack house. It is about an hour drive. Not too far, but far enough that I didn’t have to worry about the pack at all. I can feel it when we cross back into pack territory. That means the Alpha knows that I am here.
As soon as we pull in front of the pack house I see the Alpha and Luna standing there. They look sad. I am ready for them to yell at me or something. When I climb out of the truck I see that they aren’t mad. They both engulf me in a hug. “We didn’t know sweety. I am so sorry.” The Luna hugs me the tightest. She seems to be crying into my shoulder.
“He said that I couldn’t say anything.” They both hug me tighter. “Where is he?”
Alpha pulls back. “He’s in his room. We didn’t tell him that you were coming. He doesn’t leave that room. Not for anything.”
“What about his treatments?”
“The pack doctor comes here, he’s been taking the medicine, but the doctor really thinks that the surgery is the best option. He said that he won’t do it without you.” The Alpha looks sad. This is his son we are talking about. No matter what he did, he is still their son.
I sigh. “I’m going to go see him.” I turn to Markus. “Can you make sure Ashley gets settled until her mate gets here?”
“Yeah. Come see me when you are done.”
“I will.” I give him a soft smile. I am sure he doesn’t like that I am here for Darius.
I leave them all on the porch and head up the stairs to our room. That is always how it has been and that is probably all it will ever be. I feel like I am standing outside the room for a very long time, just trying to get the courage to enter that room. I finally manage to crack open the door. I can see Darius huddled on his bed. His figure stirs a little when I come in.
“I don’t want to talk right now mom.” He sounds soft and gravely.
“Well, I can always come back later.” As soon as he heard my voice he clambered out of the bed. He looks like crap. Thinner than when I last saw him. His face looks a little sunken in. Dark rings around his eyes. Darius doesn’t even look strong enough to hurt a fly at this point. “Have you been eating?”
He stands in front of me. “Not really.”
“Are you even actually taking your medications?”
“Yeah, my mom watches to make sure I take them.”
“You understand that you have to live right?”
He fidgets for a minute. “Are you really here? Or is this just my brain playing tricks on me again?”
I walk into his arms. “I am really here. I couldn’t let you die. No matter what you did to me. I couldn’t just stand aside and let you do that to yourself.”
His arms tighten on me and I can hear sobs coming from him. “You’re really here.”
“Yes, I am really here. Now will you please eat something and schedule the surgery. I don’t need the father of my child dying before it is even born.”
“I can’t believe you are here. I’ll do anything. Surgery if that is what I need to do to get you to stay. I’ll do it all.” He holds me close. He isn’t letting me go.
“Lay in bed. I am going to go get you some food. I am also telling your dad to bring the pack doctor. I want to know exactly where everything is at.”
“You aren’t going to leave are you?”
“Last time I left you, you put me in the hospital for three days. Not really looking forward to repeating that.”
“No, no, no. I am such a fuck up.”
He starts hitting the side of his face. I grab his hands. “Stop that. Now get in that damn bed now. If you would have just listened to me that day none of this would have happened.” He climbs back in the bed and I cover him up. “I will be back in no time. Just stay right here.”
As I am turning to leave he catches my hand. “Thank you for coming back to me.”
“Just get better.” I don’t want to say I am here for him, but we both know I am.
As soon as I step into the hall I see the Alpha. “I want to see the pack doctor. He isn’t doing well. I also want some food brought up for him. He doesn’t look like he has hardly eaten at all.” Boy things have changed, here I am giving orders to the Alpha.