Accidental Surrogate

Sinclair

I roar as I stumble through the doors of the hospital, my bleeding mate clutched in my arms.

Everyone in the emergency room freezes – doctors, nurses, patients. Everyone. The noise that comes from me is unending, a demand, a plea, a threat. I am halfway between states now – my eyes filled with the wolf’s flame, my hands ending in razor-sharp claws.

She breathes against my chest, barely. Blood drips from her.

The bond – I can barely feel it, between she and I –

And my child –

I take a breath, then, glaring around the room, and open my mouth to shout again. “DOCTOR,” I cry. “Get me a doctor! NOW!”

The room collectively jumps at this, patients clearing away from the desk and heading towards the sides of the room, the nurses leaping to their feet. A doctor strides forward – one I don’t recognize – but he’s here, damn it, he’d better be good –

“Come,” he commands, stopping a few feet from us and then gesturing backwards towards the door to the treatment rooms. He doesn’t need to look any closer to know that she needs immediate care. “This way, fast.”

I stride after him as he shouts out commands on his way. In my arms, Ella is deathly pale, passed out, hardly breathing. I glance down at her, at her beautiful face, her rose-gold hair falling across it.

She’s strong – I know she’s strong –

But she’s given so much. I grit my teeth, growling, livid with the universe for asking this much of her. I will not lose her to this.

gather around us as we move down the hall, the doctor who first met us at the entrance taking lead and giving commands left and right. They move quickly, efficiently, bringing forward machines and tools as we approach a bed at the back of

as I

days, but frankly I

“Too

survive,” I growl, grabbing the man by his coat and bringing his face close to mine. “And she as well. You will do everything – you will move mountains,

to his credit, does

eyes

keeping his eyes on mine. “I will move mountains for her, sir,” he bites out, his voice still low. “I will do everything I can to help her survive. We owe you that. But it will not be helped by you

back from my teeth in a snarl as I close the distance between us. “You dare take that tone with me?” I ask, my voice low with warning.

meeting, glaring up into my eyes. “You may be our King, sir, but I am the Alpha in this surgery. And

growl rip from my throat then, but I turn my head to look at her. So small – so fragile, in that bed

and stepping to the head of her

IV’s and tanks of oxygen. They work quickly. Almost before I can comprehend it, Ella has a mask over her face to help her breathe, wires and tubes plugged into her arms. The nurses cut the clothes

but I know that her life is in their hands, not mine. And it kills me to realize that, to

a heartbeat on the screen. My stomach drops and I hear a moan.

commands, stripping off his bloody gloves and turning to me. “Her uterus is torn, leaking

growl, focusing my eyes on

at her, and then quickly nods. “There’s a heartbeat,” he says, turning back to me. His voice is apologetic as he utters his next words. “It’s not

instinctual steps forward. “You will save them both,” I