Chapter 68

CHAPTER 68

“ B e sure, Noah,” Ephraim said while Logan watched the human through silver eyes as his hand went still on Jill’s flat belly.

“I’m sure,” Noah murmured as his gaze flickered to Shane. “What happened to him?”

“I’m fine,” Shane said, even as he grabbed hold of the pillow and buried his face against it.

“He forced himself to shift back during his first shift. His body isn’t handling it well, but he should be fine after he gets some food in him,” Kale explained as he made his way across the room and grabbed two IV kits.

“I’m not going anywhere,” Shane managed to get out on a groan as Logan leaned down and kissed Jill’s forehead.

“You need to eat,” Logan said, gently caressing her belly as he glanced up to make sure that Caleb and Emma were safe only to find a pair of red eyes watching his every move.

Not that he could blame him, Logan thought as his gaze flickered to Emma to find her crying in Marc’s arms before he met Marc’s terrified gaze and-

“I’m not leaving her again,” Shane said, drawing his attention to find his son glaring at him through silver eyes.

“I can make him something to eat after I give her blood,” Ashley offered.

“I don’t think we’re going to need your blood this time,” Noah said as he took the IV kits from Kale.

“Are you sure?” Ashley asked after a slight hesitation.

“Positive,” Noah said, gesturing for Chris to step back as he tossed the kits on the bed and began searching for a vein in Jill’s arm.

“Go eat something,” Logan said, only to add, “They could probably use some food, too,” when Shane opened his mouth to argue. He watched Shane’s silver eyes flicker to Emma and Caleb before he reluctantly nodded and forced himself to sit up.

“Are you hungry?” Ashley asked with a warm smile for Emma and Caleb as she carefully climbed off the stretcher with the help of what he was guessing was her brother based on the matching honey-blonde hair and the glare that he was sending her way when she refused to take it slow.

“I wanna stay with Mommy and Daddy,” Caleb mumbled sadly while the human made quick work of putting an IV in Jill’s arm.

“Go with your Aunt Ashley and Uncle Kale,” Logan said with a pointed look at Kale, knowing the shifter would do whatever it took to keep them safe.

With a firm nod, Kale grabbed Shane and carefully tossed him over his shoulder while Ashley’s brother took Caleb from Ephraim. They made their way into the foyer with Ashley and Marc and-

“Dad?” Shane said, putting everything into that one word as he raised his head and met Logan’s gaze.

“I promise,” Logan said, answering the unspoken question that had his son swallowing hard as he was carried away.

“They’re marked,” Ephraim said as soon as they were gone.

“Which is why I know that you’re going to do everything within your power to keep them safe after you hand me over to the Sentinels,” Logan said, meeting the Pyte’s curious gaze as he rolled up his sleeve so that the human could put an IV in his arm.

“And you still came knowing what was about to happen?” Ephraim drawled.

“Yes,” Logan said without hesitation because he would do whatever it took to keep his family safe.

“Tell me something,” Ephraim said, his gaze shifting to Jill as he moved closer so that he could take her hand in his before he looked back up and met Logan’s gaze. “What makes you think you’re leaving this house alive?”

“If you’re going to do it, then do it now while the connection is destroyed so that she doesn’t have to feel it, otherwise, let me save my mate and child,” Logan said, holding the Pyte’s glare as he held his arm out for the human.

Slowly nodding, Ephraim said, “The pump will be faster,” as he kept his gaze locked with Logan’s.

“Then, do it,” Logan said as the man that he was assuming was a doctor made quick work of inserting an IV into his arm. “Where’s Madison?”

“Asleep,” Ephraim said as he stood there, considering him for a moment.

“Maybe we should get her,” Chris said, taking Jill’s hand in his again.

“Not yet,” Ephraim said, his curious gaze never leaving Logan.

“You might want to lay down for this,” Noah said, gesturing to the stretcher behind him.

“I’m fine right where I am,” Logan said, keeping his eyes locked with Ephraim’s as he leaned down and kissed Jill’s forehead while the human attached a tube to Jill’s IV.

“Did he tell you why he kept her away from us?” Ephraim asked Chris, absently caressing the back of Jill’s hand with his thumb as he kept watching him.

“I believe there was mention that he was an asshole,” Chris said, making his father’s lips twitch.

“You’re not handing her over to the Sentinels again,” Logan bit out as a tube was attached to his IV seconds before the pump was started and his blood began filling the clear tube leading to the pump.

“No, we’re not,” Ephraim murmured in agreement while he considered him. “What is my daughter to you?”

“Everything,” Logan said as his gaze shifted to the clear tube running from the pump to Jill’s IV as it quickly filled with his blood. Praying that this worked, Logan leaned down and kissed her forehead again, needing the comforting gesture to pull him through this.

“I need you to drink this,” Noah said, holding a bag of blood in front of him.

“What’s this?” Logan asked, taking the bag.

“A theory,” Noah said, gesturing for him to get on with it. “You mentioned that she needed your blood to heal, but that she wasn’t able to consume it after she was stabbed. Ashley’s blood should have completely healed her within a few minutes, which leads me to believe that your blood is the catalyst.”

“This is Ashley’s blood?” Logan asked, examining the unmarked bag of blood in his hand.

“We keep some on hand for emergencies,” Noah explained as he double-checked the settings on the pump.

“I take it that you’re keeping her blood’s healing abilities a secret from the Sentinels,” Logan guessed as he allowed his fangs to slide down.

“You could say that,” Ephraim murmured as Logan bit through the plastic bag and nearly fucking groaned when Ashley’s blood hit his tongue. It was delicious, but it was nothing like his angel’s blood. With every sip that he took, the aches and exhaustion that were threatening to knock him on his ass quickly disappeared and was replaced by a surge of energy tearing through his body and-

Angel.

His gaze shot from the pump pushing his blood into Jill’s arm to her face when he felt a slight fluttering in his chest. Releasing a shaky breath, he quickly finished off the blood while he silently pleaded with her to give him another sign that she was coming back to him and-

“Fuck!”

-felt like acid was being poured into his fucking heart.

“What’s wrong?” Noah asked, moving to turn the pump off only to pull his hand away when Logan bit out, “Don’t stop.”

“Her wound’s starting to close,” Chris said, quickly crossing the room and grabbed a bottle of saline out of one of the supply cabinets and tossed it to Ephraim.

“You can feel her?” Ephraim asked, his gaze flickering to him as he carefully poured the saline over Jill’s chest and washed away the blood.

Releasing a shaky breath, Logan dropped his head forward as his grip tightened around the stretcher and bit out, “Make it go faster,” desperate to have his angel back in his arms.

After a slight hesitation, Logan heard the swish of the pump speed up, forcing the sensation of acid being shot through his heart to move faster. When it felt like his heart was being shredded by crushed glass, Logan was forced to drop to his knees as a pained roar was torn from his lips and-

“You forgot about the third option,” Ephraim said, reaching for him just as everything went black.