Chapter Nineteen

Dakota

For once it was me who woke up in the bed alone come first light. I sniffed, squinting to make out the empty bedroom. Cardian hadn't been gone long. His scent was still fresh enough. I listened for the blender. All the others in the house started their days with bloodshakes. No blender ran in the kitchen.

"Alpha?" I called out softly, hoping I didn't wake up Scott.

When no one answered, I dressed and tiptoed out into the kitchen. Terrick sat at the table looking like he hadn't slept at all. The coffee percolator on the counter behind him.

"Rough night?" I yawned.

"Scott tossed and turned all night and I can't even be mad at him."

"He's getting closer and closer," I nodded. "Do you know where Cardian headed off to so early?"

"I can't tell you," he yawned.

"Why not?" I arched a brow.

"Because," Terrick laughed.

"But because why?" I asked.

"Dude, I'm too tired for this game. Drink some coffee or something."

"Do you want me to make you a bloodshake?" I offered.

"That would be nice. I think I came out here to do that and got distracted by starting the coffee pot," he said, laying his cheek against the table.

"Are you going to be okay?" I asked him.

"Tired. Just tired," he yawned.

"Do you want me to call Dara?" I asked him.

"Because I'm tired?" he muttered.

"No, to check on Scott and see how close he is. Restlessness can be a sign of him getting close. I know he still has two and half weeks-ish, but babies don't always listen, and multiples come early and ---"

"Oh, fangs," he rubbed his temples. "Don't ramble, please."

"Poor guy," my wolf chimed into my thoughts, "sleep deprived before the babies even come."

In the end, I did call Dara to come and check on Scott while Terrick had a breakfast table nap. Cardian still wasn't back by the time he arrived, but I put that worry aside as I showed Dara into Scott and Terrick's bedroom. Despite his mate's exhaustion, Scott looked better rested. Dara looked him over and did a quick ultrasound. All four puppies were in the downward position but they weren't traveling yet.

"Terrick needs to either drink more blood or give less to Scott," Dara announced in a whisper in the hallway.

"But doesn't Scott need blood?" I asked.

"Yes, as much as any vampire," the doctor nodded, "only there are other ways to get blood that does not come from Terrick. I had worried about this in the beginning, but most mates level it out on their own."

"Level what out on their own?" Cardian asked, appearing at the other end of the hallway.

"The blood drinking. Dara thinks Terrick is exhausted and having trouble sleeping because he's giving too much blood to Scott without replenishing his own supply," I explained.

"Dara, you're the doctor, right?" Cardian asked.

"I am," Dara nodded uncertainly.

"Can we have a minute, doc?"

"Certainly. I'll see if I can rouse Terrick," Dara nodded and left the hallway.

"Usually, I fix things without thinking about it," Cardian said, leaning one hand against the wall, "only now it's not just me I have to worry about anymore. I can whisk you away right now to what I've been working on or I can fix this, take a name, and do the whisking away later."

"You have to help them, if you can," I said, taking his hand in mine.

"Last night—" he started and I shook my head.

"I know. I do. I'm not saying I want to wait. I just think we have to help them if we can."

"I didn't want you to think I was avoiding you again," he said.

"Go save the day. Anemic brothers are different than dead birds," I rose up on my tiptoes and kissed him on the cheek.

I couldn't help myself. The situation was serious, but I grinned like a fool as Cardian walked away and my wolf's tail wagged inside his inner sanctum. Cardian had gotten up early to set something up for us.