67. Chapter 67

Chapter 67

W as Layla completely human? Her pulse was weak, and she felt like a furnace, even against Jax's naturally higher body temperature. But she was shivering as if she was stuck in the snow naked in winter.

He pulled the blankets higher and tucked them under her chin even though she would likely start sweating again, and he'd have to take them off. She hadn't even stirred since she'd fallen, even though the trailer was shaking and the storm was still raging outside.

Was the Hunters' poison still in her system? Was it killing her? He shoved that thought out of his mind the moment it popped into his head. There was no room in his head for thoughts that would break him.

He pushed a strand of her fiery red hair out of her face and put his hand under the covers to hold on to one of hers.

"This isn't how things were supposed to go tonight," he whispered. "Wake up, Layla."

The door opened, and Gerald walked in with another bowl of water and a battery-operated camping light. He placed the things on a small table beside the bed and then sat on the other bed.

"They said the weather's too bad for the ambulance to come out here. I doubt they would have come even if it wasn't," Gerald said. "They said to keep on top of the fever until it breaks."

"Her temperature is too high! We don't know what made her pass out. What if..."

He let his words trail off. If he said his fears out loud, it would tempt Fate.

"I'll take her there myself," he decided.

He started to pull the covers off her again when Gerald put his hand on his arm. The room was so small that Layla's father didn't need to reach far.

"Did you drive here?" Gerald asked.

"No."

"Then the only transport we have is Layla's old car, which hasn't started in years. It's the most unreliable piece of shit in Wolfdale, and it's sitting in water."

"Then I'll carry her."

"A tree trunk just hit the trailer. There's a foot of rain outside, and it's still going higher. Carrying her out in that will only make her worse. Let's see if the medicine we gave her will help her first before we do anything drastic."

Wait? How was he supposed to wait while he watched Layla suffer?

"Let's give it an hour," Gerald urged.

He let out a frustrated breath as he put the covers back over Layla's shivering body and sat on the floor beside her bed.

"She's never been sick before," Gerald mused. "She was always taking care of me, not the other way round. Now I have to wonder if that was because she's..."

He looked back at Gerald when he stopped talking.

"I told you never to speak of that."

The older man swallowed and looked away. His uneasiness had been evident the second he walked into the trailer, but now a hint of fear coloured the air. Gerald didn't even see the worst of it but he was scared.

"Why did you come back when I told you I would tell you when it's safe enough for you to do so?"

If the other Hunters came for their revenge, he couldn't spare anyone to watch him. Gerald shrugged and then looked at his daughter.

"I found a nice motel and spent a day watching movies and getting drunk," Gerald said. "And then, when I sobered up the next day, I had this sudden fear that that would be my life. I didn't want that."

"So you came back even though you know there's nothing you can do?"

"I came back because I realised I was safe away from this city while my girls were in danger. What sort of father does that?"

"The sort that was never a good father to start with."

Gerald looked away.

"I deserve that," he said. "But I'm the only father they have. And whatever she is... Well, I'm still her father. I have to get my girls back."

After Layla's reaction when she saw him drunk at the hotel, he was sure that was something he was not supposed to get in the middle of. Whether Layla accepted him back into her life would be her decision.

He sighed and took Layla's hand again. She had stopped shivering, which meant she would be sweating very soon and he'd have to take the blankets off.

"One hour. If her temperature gets higher, I'm carrying her out of here," he said.

It took over an hour and several bowls of cool water, but Layla finally settled. When he covered her up again, she looked like she was merely sleeping, and her heartbeat picked up a little. He adjusted his legs for the millionth time in the cramped room and rested his head against her pillow next to her head.

She was pale. Her lips were dry even though he'd been giving her a little water. The love of his life was sick, and there was nothing he could do about it. He'd never felt more helpless in his life.

Layla was human now. If he hadn't wanted to believe it before, he believed it now. Wolves didn't get sick like that unless someone poisoned them with silver or wolfsbane. It was something he would have to get used to. She was more vulnerable than she had been before her wolf manifested. He'd have to learn to be gentle. To take his time with everything so he wouldn't hurt her.

Cain would have to back off so she would be safe.

The beast whined in his head but there were no objections. Cain hadn't spoken except to show his eagerness to take her back with him, but his emotions were clear. They were both struggling with the loss of Layla's wolf.

Nia. What a beautiful name. A beautiful wolf.

A sound outside had him on his feet and ready to defend Layla in seconds, but when he looked around, he realised he must have slept. The storm had passed, and people were talking outside.

He stretched and then checked on Layla. Her colouring was a little better but she still didn't look like herself. If the damn ambulance had...

He closed his eyes and swore under his breath. He had something better than what the human hospitals could have given her. He'd been too panicked to remember. One vial of Diedre's potion would get Layla back on her feet in no time.

He leaned over and kissed her forehead before he tucked the covers back around her. Gerald was in the small kitchen, stirring something in a pot that made his stomach grumble. But there was no time to eat.

"I need something to wear," he said.

Gerald was smaller than him, but his clothes would have to do. When he walked out in the tight sweatpants and an old t-shirt, he looked around at the damage around the trailer park. Gerald's neighbours were outside, wading through their flood ground and picking debris up. The storm smashed some windows and blew unsecured furniture around.

He looked back at Gerald's trailer and saw the big dent the tree made. He'd have to fix that for them. If Layla insisted on staying, he would make sure she was safe.

He slipped behind the trailer and wadded barefoot into the forest. The moment he was far enough from the humans, he ripped the tight t-shirt off and shucked the sweats before he shifted.

There were many trees down in the woods that he jumped over, Many obstacles that made him realise that Gerald had been right. It would have been too dangerous to carry Layla to the hospital in the town.

By the time he ran through his gates, the sun was shining as if nothing had happened, and every inch of his fur was wet and muddy. He shifted at the gates and grabbed a pair of sweats from the gatehouse before he jogged up the driveway.

There were many people out in the fields. He slowed down and realised most of them were the wolves they had rescued. They seemed to have recovered well, though it would take a bit longer for them to gain their weight back.

"Did you find her?"

He looked away from the rescued wolves and approached Chase and Ryker, sitting on the front steps with beers in their hands.

"Yes," he answered.

He hadn't told anyone where he was going but they'd have to be idiots not to figure it out.

"Then where is she?" Ryker asked.

"She'll be home soon."

She had to be.

"What's going on? Why's everyone outside?" he asked.

"Most of them didn't want to be stuck inside with the doors closed," Chase answered.

He looked back at the people walking in the fields. He could only imagine what being in the silver cages did to their heads. They would have to bring Diedre back as soon as it was safe, so she could start helping them.

"We've sent some scouts to check out a few Hunter bases," Chase said. "We'll be going after them as soon as we have a concrete plan. Will you join us?"

And leave Layla like that? His chest tightened at the thought. But he was still the King. He had other responsibilities.

"Tell me when you have a plan," he said before walking past them to the front door.

He'd only taken a few steps into the house when he stopped. Rebecca stood in the middle of the hallway. Unlike Layla, her eyes didn't lose their sparkle and looked as healthy as ever.

"Why did you cast my daughter out?"

What?

"I didn't—"

Rebecca moved too fast. He was on his back with her claws around his neck before he realised what was happening.

"She gave up everything for you," Rebecca hissed, "and this is how you repay her? Sending her out by herself when she's still in danger?"

"I didn't—"

"If you don't bring Layla back here, I will kill you myself," Rebecca growled.

He didn't doubt that. Rebecca had been shielding herself, but with her threat, he felt the full force of her anger. And her pain.

"I will bring her back, Rebecca. But first, I will destroy the Hunters so Layla never has to be afraid again. She'll come back where she belongs."

Rebecca's snarl left her face, and she looked into his eyes as if she sensed the truth in his words.

"You're okay with that? You're okay with the fact that her wolf is dead?" Rebecca asked.

He was about to answer when he sensed something in the air. Shock? Rebecca must have felt it, too, because she got off him and looked behind her.

Dylan and Brax stood with several other wolves in the doorway leading to the offices. The expressions on their faces confirmed they heard everything. The front door opened, and Chase and Ryker walked in with the same expressions.

"Did you just say her wolf is dead?" Brax asked. "Our Queen is dead?"

Shit.