Sweet Caroline
Chapter 21

Andrew sat down next to Caroline on the bed and took her hand in his. Kissing the back of it, he silently cried. He could hear her heartbeat, and it beat slowly. He could hear her breathing, and even with oxygen, it was ragged as if she struggled.

With his head bowed, Andrew brokenly whispered, “I’m losing her. I can’t lose her.”

When Andrew felt a hand on his shoulder, he tilted his head up. It was Caroline’s father looking as broken as he felt.

“Mr. Barlow, exactly what do you know about us, and how?” The Alpha questioned.

Caroline’s father took a deep breath. “Let me tell you about my friend. He’s the Alpha of the Black Paw Pack, and his name is Reilly Delgado...” Mr. Barlow began, then finished with, “…and you sir almost ooze with power, just like he does.”

The Alpha nodded, “I actually know him, and yes, I suppose we do since we’re both Alphas. It’s in our DNA. Speaking of DNA…” The Alpha turned from Mr. Barlow to look at Andrew, who had seemingly tuned them out and concentrated on his mate. “Andrew.”

“Sir,” Andrew said, turning his head.

“I think giving her a bit of blood will heal her,” the Alpha stated.

Andrew looked up, giving his Alpha a hopeful look. “I’ll give her some then—”

“No, you’re already weak from being away from her and from feeling her pain. No, I’ll give her, and you, a bit of mine. The blood of an Alpha will be stronger and work faster, which I think she needs just by listening to her heart,” the Alpha explained.

Andrew’s eyes widened. “Are you sure?”

“Andrew!”

Everyone turned to the door to replace Andrew’s parents standing there.

“Mom, Dad,” Andrew whispered.

“Oh, Andrew, what happened?” his mom asked as she walked over to hug him.

“Mom, someone poisoned Caroline,” Andrew whispered as he held his mom tight.

His mom gasped as she asked, “Who would do such a thing?”

“We don’t know. But it won’t be pretty when I replace out,” Andrew growled.

“There will be time for that later, Andrew. Right now, let’s concentrate on making her get better,” the Alpha said.

Andrew nodded.

“Andrew, I want you to lay down with her and breathe deeply and calmly. When I give her blood, it will intensify her hearing a bit. So, I want you to pull her head onto your chest, and let’s see if we can get her heart to synchronize with yours. This will strengthen your bond, which will in turn speed up the healing process,” the Alpha added.

Andrew once more nodded as he lay down and pulled his mate close.

The Alpha pulled a pocketknife from his pocket. “I’ll give you some first, Andrew, to give you a bit of strength, then her.”

Andrew nodded.

Alpha sliced the palm of his hand and squeezed it, causing the blood to run as Andrew held his mouth open.

When the wound quickly healed, the blood stopped flowing, and Andrew swallowed.

“Better?” The Alpha asked after a couple of minutes.

“Yes, sir. I don’t feel as tired or groggy anymore, thank you,” Andrew said.

“Alright. Let’s give some to Caroline now and see if we can get her to…” the Alpha began.

A feminine scream of anger interrupted him.

Everyone turned to gaze at the door and the girl who stood there.

“No!” The girl angrily screamed again. “He should be mine! Do you hear me? Andrew is mine! She needs to die so he can be with me!”

After speaking, the girl ran with a crazed look on her face and her eyes. She held a syringe in one hand, high in the air as she raced toward Caroline, who lay unsuspecting of the events happening.

With a snarl, Andrew was up, flying over his mate, who lay on the bed as he snatched at the girl. He caught her around the neck and sent them both to the ground. Then he stayed crouched over her and snarling.

The girl lay on the floor, not moving.

“Andrew! Stand down,” the Alpha commanded.

“Sir, a doctor, has heard the commotion and is on his way here along with a nurse,” Andrew’s father said after glancing out the door.

The Alpha snarled. This is why he hated being in a human place, so hard to take care of werewolf business with humans around.

“What do you want us to do, sir?” Andrew’s father asked.

“Quickly, take the girl out. If she lives, place her in a cell. If not, take her to the pack doctor until we get this sorted,” the Alpha answered just as Darryl walked in.

“I gave the sample to the lab tech. Dad, what’s going on?” Darryl questioned as he walked in the door. Glancing down, he frowned. “What happened to Reva?”

The Alpha grabbed ahold of Andrew and pulled him up.

Andrew continued to glare at the girl as he growled and snarled. His eyes were glowing gold, his claws out, a sure sign his wolf had taken over.

“Darryl, you need to get him out of here. He’s losing control of his wolf. Get two guards; we need to get the girl out of here also. We need to take her back to the pack doctor before….”

“Alpha, no! You need to give Caroline blood now because her heart is beating too slow. She’s dying!” Andrew’s wolf cried out in a gruff voice as he struggled against the Alpha’s hold.

“Andrew, we have to get Caroline out of here. There will be too many questions asked now because of all the yelling,” the Alpha growled back. “And you are not in control. They will take one look at you and call security.”

Darryl took hold of Andrew. “Come on, bud, I promise we’ll get your mate better, and you’ll be together soon. We need to go now, so keep your head down and your hands in your pocket until you can control yourself.”

“But…”

“No buts, Andrew, don’t make me go all Alpha on you,” Darryl threatened.

Andrew sighed and stood, getting one last look at his mate.

“What’s going on in there?” The doctor questioned as he rushed in.

“Sorry. This is a friend of the girl. She was so upset when she saw Caroline that she freaked out and fainted. I’m going to take her for some air,” Andrew’s dad lied. He quickly walked away before the doctor could look too closely at the girl or ask questions.

The doctor turned to Darryl and raised an eyebrow. Darryl shrugged in a clueless teenager manner as he quickly hurried Andrew out the door.

The doctor walked further into the room to replace everything else seemingly in order.

“Doctor, I’m going to take my daughter home now. I’ll have my doctor come and help her. I worry that if I leave her here, something else could happen to her,” Caroline’s dad said.

“I wouldn’t recommend moving Miss Barlow, sir…” the doctor began.

“I know, but this is what I want.” Caroline’s dad said before nodding to the Alpha.

The Alpha quickly picked her up and headed for the door.

“Wait!” The doctor almost yelled, but the Alpha kept walking.

“Just give me the paperwork to sign, and I’ll get out of your way,” Caroline’s dad stated.

The doctor gave a defeated sigh and led the way to the nurse’s station.

Andrew paced his room as he waited. Darryl said his dad was going to bring Caroline here. When he heard the door downstairs open and close, he started for the door.

Darryl stopped him, stating, “They’ll be up in a minute.”

Andrew wanted to growl but refrained from it.

The Alpha appeared in the doorway with Caroline. After he lay her down on Andrew’s bed, he said, “Lay down with her and do as I ask you to do earlier.”

Andrew did as he was told, laying down and pulling his mate close. Then he gently pulled her mouth open so the Alpha could get blood into it. He rolled her onto his chest when the process was over, and the others left the room.

“I love you so much, Caroline, and I won’t survive if I lose you,” Andrew murmured as he kissed the top of her head. Then he let the sleep he’d been fighting carry him away.