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.

doctors 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

months?” The doctor asks, looking closely at Ella’s face as I lay her down on the

I could tell him the exact number of days, but frankly I don’t

me. “Too soon for an

mine. “And she as well. You will do everything – you will move mountains, if I command it

his

at me, his eyes angry as he grabs my offending

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

us. “You dare take that tone with me?” I ask, my voice low with warning. “I am your King

up into my eyes. “You may be our King, sir, but I am the

growl rip from my throat then, but I turn my head to look at her.

arms across my chest and stepping to the head of her bed. The doctor holds my gaze for a moment more and then does as I say, getting down to the business

plugged into her arms. The nurses cut the clothes from her poor fragile body, strip her naked so that I can see the blood thickly coating her thighs. I almost flinch away at the sight, but I refuse myself that indulgence.

murmur to each other as they work, speaking in a medical language I can’t comprehend. It’s almost more than I can do to stand still, helpless. I have basic medic experience, of course, but I know that her life is in their hands, not mine. And it kills me to realize that, to stand here and watch her fight knowing that there’s nothing I can do. As I watch, a nurse comes forward with an ultrasound machine, plugging it in as another quickly spreads clear jelly on Ella’s stomach. Then, they turn towards a screen, murmuring as

on the screen. My stomach drops and I hear a moan. A moment later, I

need to take her in,” The doctor commands, stripping off his bloody gloves and turning to me. “Her uterus is torn, leaking blood at the cervix, and her organs

focusing my eyes

a heartbeat,” he says, turning back to me. His voice is apologetic as he utters his next words. “It’s not good, Sir. If it were anyone

snarl at him, taking two instinctual steps forward. “You will save them both,” I demand,