Chapter 56 Reaper 33

Chapter 56 Reaper 33
Reaper’s roar rattled the windows.

It was nothing short of a battle cry, and then everything happened at once.

One minute everything had been going fine, his daughter was waking finally, and then he had raised his face to flash a triumphant smile at his mate, and froze.

Bethany’s face was whiter than a sheet, tear stained. He watched her as she took a stumbling step forward, mumbling something that none of them could hear over the commotion, and the next she went down; and only Byron’s quick reflexes stopped her from hitting the floor.

Then he had lost his cool altogether. The sight of Byron with his mate in his arms. The fact that yet again he wasn’t there to help her when she needed it the most.

He tore through the visiting Pod like they were butter. Nothing mattered but getting Bethany out of the other wolf's arms. Nothing else mattered. Not even the startled cry from the bed.

“Get your hands off my mate!” His hands closed about Byron’s throat, squeezing. Yet it didn’t seem like his hand. It was like he was watching from afar.

“Easy, easy.” Roman was there, a hand firmly on his chest, as he fought to diffuse the situation that was rapidly growing out of control. Like some kind of wildfire.

Byron didn’t flinch, he stood. Bethany’s limp body firm in his hands, and let Reaper squeeze.

“Easy.” Roman shoulder bumped Bryon back a step, bodily coming between them. Reaper didn’t loosen his hand, but was forced to loosen his grip slightly as they were forced apart. “Give Bethany to me,” Roman’s voice was soft, unthreatening. “Easy, Reaper.” He shifted his attention to the murderous man at his back, blue eyes darting. “Easy brother, I'm just taking her from him. No one is going to harm her, okay?”

“I’m going to rip his throat out!” Reaper was lost to the anger that had commanded his younger self. “I told him not to touch her.”

“I caught her; you were all too busy.” Byron spat out between clenched teeth.

Reaper roared again.

“You aren’t helping Byron,” Roman shifted his weight and Bethany slipped easily into his arms. “Shut up.”

“Do not ever touch her again.”

“Then protect her like you are meant to.” Byron seemed to pull himself up to his full height, no longer submissive now the unconscious Bethany wasn’t in his arms. 

Reaper roared again.

“Out.” The voice was quiet, barely heard above the hum of people talking and shouting but every single one of them froze, eyes drawn to the door.

“Out. Now.” Requiem's voice bordered on murderous as he strode towards the bed and it was only then that Reaper finally heard the small sound that had been niggling at the back of his brain.

Crying.

The sound of a small child crying.

Olivia.

“Reaper, put Byron down” Requiem was already pushing the mass of people around Olivia’s bed away, a small smile breaking out on his face as he settled his bulk on the edge of the bed. “It’s okay princess, it’s okay.” His voice was soothing as the small figure in the hospital gown hid her face into his chest. “Get out.” He said it again. “She doesn’t know any of you, and you are scaring her. Go.”

There was a moment where it looked like several people were going to argue with him, but none of them were brave enough.

“If you weren’t a dragon…” Someone muttered as they swept past the bed.

“Well I am, now out.” Requiem's voice was steady. “You too Byron, when Reaper has come back to his senses, then I am sure you will be getting an apology.” He levelled his bird eyes at Reaper, who seemed frozen to the spot.

Then he tossed Byron away like he was a piece of garbage. “Go.”

“Bring…”

Requiem was cut off. “Reaper?” Bethany’s voice was small, groggy as she came out of her faint.

“I’m here my love, I’m here.” He took her gently from Roman’s arms, arms shaking as the adrenaline left him. “I’m here.”

He looked down at her blinking eyes. Still red with tears.

“My love I am so sorry, so sorry.”

“Where’s Liv?” Her arms went around his neck as she nestled into his chest with her eyes closed.

Had she imagined hearing her daughter's voice before the blackness overtook her?

“She’s right here,” he kissed the top of her head softly. “She’s fine, she’s awake.”

“Let me see her.” She struggled to get down, but he only tightened his arms about her.  Laying her down next to her daughter, who instantly scooted away from Requiem and into her mother’s side.

“Mum?”

“Hey princess.” Bethany was crying anew, happy tears this time as she smoothed the hair back from her daughter’s heart-shaped face. “How are you feeling?”

“Sleepy Mummy, and my tummy hurts.”

“I know sweetie, you can sleep now if you like.” She rained kisses down on the small face. “It’s ok to rest now, you have worked really hard.”

“Where’s Reaper?”

“I’m here Liv.” Reaper slipped into the space Requiem vacated, and reached for her hand. Happy when the chubby fingers curled around him.

“I heard you calling me, you and lots of other people like me.”

“You did sweetheart, we were calling your Siren awake so she could make you better.”

“And Mr. Roman as well, his voice was strongest. He sounded angry.” Her voice faltered. “Have I done something to make Mr. Roman angry with me?”

“No sweetheart, Roman isn’t angry at you,” Reaper smiled down at her. How could he explain Roman’s power to a child who didn’t really understand her own power?

“I would never be angry at you Olivia,” Roman’s voice was soft from the foot of the bed. “I just had to make your Siren listen to me, that's all. So, she could wake you up.”

“I thought I was being ripped apart.”

“I am sorry little one.” Roman’s voice broke, “I didn’t mean to hurt you.”

“It’s okay,” Olivia’s eyes fluttered closed, in seconds her breathing had deepened, and she was asleep nestled in Bethany’s arms.

“What the hell just happened?”

Requiem had shut the door, giving them some semblance of privacy, “I leave you all alone and all hell breaks loose!”

“Reaper…” Roman trailed off as Reaper shot him a death stare. “Reaper got a little protective when Bethany ended up in Byron’s arms, that’s all.”

Requiem raised an eyebrow, his lips curving. “And why did Bethany end up in Byron’s arms?” He shook his head. “You two really do need to keep your mates away from him, you know. That’s both of your women now.” He meant it as a joke but Roman growled.

“I had a panic attack,” Bethany said from the bed. “And fainted; Byron caught me before I hit the floor.”

“I didn’t know…” Reaper trailed off. “I never realised.”

“It’s something I suffered from a lot when Liv was younger.” Bethany looked embarrassed. “I guess seeing them all here just triggered something. I’ve spent so many years running from them.”

Reaper hung his head in shame. “Bethany I should have…”

“Sssh my love, you weren’t to know, and they did what we wanted. Liv is awake.” She reached across the bed and touched the stubble on his cheek. “You weren’t to know.”

“I’m going to send them away, far away. I will never let you feel like that again Bethany, I promise.”

“No, I don’t want you to send them away. You are right, they deserve to know her. I can be brave.” She smiled sadly.

“I can and will protect you, always Bethany.”

Her lips curved into a sad smile. “You can’t protect me from my own brain.” She whispered sadly