The Bear's Mate (15 page)

“
It’s
okay honey, you’ve been in and out of things for a few
hours, so you’re probably disoriented. Your friend Ginny phoned 911, and you’re
in the hospital.”

“I
have the flu?”

“The
doctor will be in to see you soon.”

Charlotte
knew that meant she didn’t have the flu and that it was probably something more
serious.

“Just
relax and I’ll got get Dr. Markson.”

Charlotte
put her hand on her head. Beads of perspiration sat upon it. Her dad, he’d
wonder why she wasn’t going to the rehab center to see him. She needed to make
a call. She tried to sit up but felt woozy again.

A
dark haired man that she assumed was Dr. Markson walked into the room.

“Hi
Charlotte, I’m Dr. Markson. I won’t ask how you’re feeling because judging by
your temperature I’m sure it’s not that great.”

“When
I got up I thought it was the flu. And as you probably know I’m a doctor so I
can take whatever it is you have to tell me.”

He
pulled up a chair. “At first we thought it might be meningitis but we gave you
a spinal tap, and that was negative. All your blood work didn’t show anything
unusual, no elevated white blood cells. Have you been out of the country in the
last few months?”

Charlotte
shook her head.

“How
about dealt with any patients from out of the country?”

“No, not that I know of.”

He
scribbled some notes.

“Been
in contact with anything unusual?”

Charlotte
closed her eyes. Aiden, Jenny, David and the twins.

She
bit her lip she could hardly tell him that.

“Until
we know what this is I think you might like to call any patients you’ve been
around in the last week or even month.”

****

“I
still say you’re being stubborn.”

“That’s
what we bears are,” said Aiden.

“Now,
I haven’t invited you along for a run in the woods to be lectured again.”

“Okay,
I’ll race you to the lake. Last bear there gets to buy the other one a beer and
a burger at the BBQ place on Highway 93.”

“Hope
you’ve got your wallet with you,” said Aiden.

He
took off, leaving Christopher in the dust. He hoped the run, and the cold air
in his face would shake off the depression he’d been in for the last few days.

He
hadn’t seen Charlotte for three days, and it felt more like three months.
Christopher slammed him as he went by. Aiden ran faster and caught up until
they were running side by side.

“We
should get the whole group out doing this every week,” said Christopher.

“What
have I always warned you about being obvious? You ever seen bears, wolves,
cougars etc. all running together without tearing each other’s limbs apart?”

The
lake was getting closer and Aiden took off leaving Christopher in the dust.

“Can
you lend me some money to buy the burger and beers,” said Christopher.

“I
could, but I’m not that hungry.”

“You
miss her, and you’re too damn arrogant to fight for your woman.”

Christopher
rubbed his back up against one of the nearby trees and then they headed back to
where they’d left their clothes safely hidden behind some bushes.

Aiden
was the first to go back into his human form, and as Christopher was doing the
same, Aiden cell phone rang.

“Hello,
Aiden Renner speaking.”

“Hi
Aiden,
it’s
Mike Delaney, Charlotte’s dad.”

His
heart beat faster just hearing someone say her name.

“Yes,
how are you doing?”

“I’m
fine, but I thought you should know about Charlotte.”

“Is
something wrong with her?”

Aiden
saw Christopher look up at him as he sat pulling on his socks.

“Yes,
she was taken to the hospital three days ago. They can’t figure out what’s
wrong with her. She’s running a fever and…”

“Mike, and what, what’s wrong with her?”

“I
thought you might like to come and see her. She went into a coma this morning,
and the doctors don’t expect her to live.”

Aiden
slumped down. “I’ll be right there.”

Christopher
ran over to him and put his arms around him as he began to cry.

“What’s
happened?”

“Charlotte’s
dying.”

“What?”

“I
have to get to the hospital. Can you drive me there?”

“Sure,
come on, hurry.”

Chapter Fourteen

Charlotte
wasn’t sure where her head and body were. She seemed to be floating around. And
Aiden, she was sure she could hear his voice out there.
And then
his touch.
She’d recognize it anywhere.
The soft and
gentle hand on hers.
And then he touched her face. She put her hand in
the direction and then she smelled his scent.
Musky, strong,
sexy.

He
kissed her. She kissed him back.

He
kissed each of her fingers one by one, so sweet. He was so sweet.

He
told her that he loved her.

She
couldn’t respond.
Not that she didn’t want to declare her
love for him,
but the words wouldn’t come out.

Beep,
beep, beep.

Heart machine.

Drip, drip, drip…IV line.

Her dad’s voice.
Aiden’s voice.

She
was tired. She wanted to sleep now.

****

“Charlotte,
stay with me, please don’t leave me. I know what’s wrong with you. It’s a virus
that you’re not immune to. You caught it when you delivered the twins, but I
can give you my blood.”

Aiden
kissed her again. He was risking everyone finding out about them, but he didn’t
care. Saving Charlotte was his top priority. Sure the group might hate him,
kill him maybe, but without Charlotte he didn’t have a life.

He
got up and went outside to find Christopher.

“How’s
she doing?” he asked.

“Not
good and we need to give her some of our blood.”

“We
can’t.”

“I
know we can’t get a doctor involved in this, so we’re going to have to sneak
her out. Tonight you’ll stand guard outside and I’ll carry her out, and
hopefully this will work.”

****

It
was the strangest thing. A bear was carrying her along a corridor. She reached
up touching his face. Aiden had been right about them really being just like
teddy bears.

Aiden…this
bear reminded her of Aiden.
Those brown eyes.

“It’s
you,” she barely managed to say.

“I’m
going to make you better.”

She
felt sleepy and then cold air hit her face. He was taking her into the woods.
Isn’t that what bears did?

He
was big and strong just like Aiden. She stroked his face again, feeling the fur
so soft and thick beneath her fingers.

Aiden
sat her down on the ground. She felt something cold going into the IV in her
arm.

“What
are you doing?”

“Saving your life because I love you.”

“But
you’re a bear.”

“I’m
a bear shifter.”

“Will
this make me one too?”

“We’ll
have to wait and see.”

****

Aiden
couldn’t help but laugh as he waited beside Charlotte’s bed. A wear bear she’d
called him. Would she become a bear shifter now? She’d be one sexy shifter if
that were the case. He could envision the two of them running around Flathead
Lake, hand in hand.
Jumping in the water.
He smiled
when the nurse came in to check the IV lines. He’d left no evidence of the
blood he’d given her. It was still their little secret.

“Well,
wouldn’t you know it? I think she’s coming out of the coma,” said the nurse.
“Wait there and I’ll get Dr. Markson.”

****

Charlotte
opened her eyes. Her fever had gone. The headache had gone. Her eyes didn’t
hurt from the light anymore.

Maybe
she’d died, and this was heaven.
Freedom from pain and
suffering.

If
that was the case, heaven looked a lot like a hospital room. Aiden was sitting
in a chair by her bed.

Yeah, definitely heaven.

“Hello
sleepyhead,” he said, grabbing her hand.

“Where
am I?”

“The
hospital, but you’re going to be okay. Your dad’s just gone for some coffee and
some breakfast. I made him take a rest.”

“What
day is it?”

“Friday.”

“So
I’ve only been in here a day?”

“Nope,
it’s Friday the following week.”

He
rubbed the side of her face as the doctor walked in.

“I
heard that you’re awake, so I wanted to check on you.”

“I’m
feeling a lot better. What did you do to me?”

“Nothing
because we couldn’t figure out what it was, but it’s obviously run its course.”

Aiden
squeezed her hand.

“I’ll
let you two
visit
for a bit, and then I’ll stop back.”

Aiden
stood and sat on the bed beside Charlotte, taking her hand into his.

“You
caught a virus from the twins when you held them.”

“None
of this was a dream, was it? I mean you carrying me outside and giving me
blood?
Your blood.”

“You’re
feeling better that’s the main thing.”

“Aiden,
I saw you and…”

“And what?”

“I
don’t know.”

He
squeezed her hand. Her parents had always taught her that if you loved someone,
truly loved them, and then you’d overlook their faults and their differences.
Being a bear was one hell of a difference.

“Will
you overlook mine?”

Shit,
he could read her mind. She’d been right all along.

****

Aiden
looked at Charlotte as his bear side emerged.

“You
want to go jogging?” he asked.

“I
guess I’ll be perfectly safe from other bears and predators.”

“That you will be my lady.”

They
began running side by side.

“So
you feeling fully recovered now?” asked Aiden.

“I
am, in fact, better than ever.”

“I’m
glad to hear that. Hey you want to go and sit over there? I love to watch the
moon reflected off Flathead.”

They
strolled over to a clearing in the woods and sat down on a fallen log. Aiden
closed his eyes. She’d seen enough of the bear, now it was time to experience
the man side of him again.

“You
do know that you’re naked right?” asked Charlotte.

“Bear
naked, yeah. And all the better to make love to your under the moonlight.”

They
fell to the ground laughing before he put his lips on her.

“You
think you might consider being a doctor for the shifters?”

“I
guess I can’t say no seeing how one saved my life.”

“And
I was thinking that maybe you and I could be a forever couple.”

“You
mean as a bear’s mate?”

He
nodded.

Yes,
she might kind of like that.

The
End

www.vanessadevereaux.com

Other Books by
Vanessa
Devereaux
:

www.evernightpublishing.com/vanessa-devereaux

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