CHAPTER FIFTEEN

Three days later…

Brian paced around his room.

"I seem to do this a lot nowadays," he muttered to himself. "I would probably wear a path into the floor if I continue this way."

Brian gave a short laughter at his joke, but his face immediately because grave again. One more failed attempt at cheering up himself.

Ever since the day he returned from Blood Depth pack, he had not been at ease. He felt as if all the problems the goddess has ever created was resting on his head.

He had abandoned his beta, something a werewolf should never do (not that he was one, but the point remains), he was too slow to save his mate, his illness was becoming worse, and now, Vivian was making him feel more and more committed to her.

Yet, he couldn't stop her from the mission. He needed to find her before Loki did, or it would be over for him and his pack, lycan or not.

After a few more rounds of pacing, Brian decided to go visit the clinic again. It was night already, and h had already gone during the day, but it didn't matter.

Estella's peaceful face as she slept peacefully in coma was about the only thing that calmed him down nowadays.

The first thing he noticed when he entered the room she was in, however, was that she looked a lot cleaner than she was.

Her hair didn't look as messy as it had been. Her face seemed fresher too. He closed the distance to the bed in a few quick strides and picked her hands.

He was right. They did not smell quite as sweaty as they did, if they even had any smell. Just her scent, pure and sweet.

Brian's face clouded as he considered a possibility.

"Shelby!" Brian yelled.

The doctor answered from an inner room. A moment later, he came out in a nightgown, looking groggy.

"She's neat!" Brian growled.

Shelby nodded. "Yes, she is," he said. Then he realised what the alpha meant and added, "I bathed her."

The possibility was confirmed. Brian's face clouded over in rage. Anger and disbelief radiated from him.

Shelby smelt danger. But before he could dodge, the lycan had already gripped him by the neck. In another moment, he was pinned against the wall. His flimsy nightgown almost tore as Brian raised him up, dragging his back against the wall.

"You touched my mate?" Brian growled.

"She's your mate?" Shelby gasped out, struggling to breathe.

"Of course, she is, you idiot! Why else did you think I came here all the time?" Brian gritted out, tightening his hold unconsciously.

Shelby struggled to loosen the vice-like grip. He couldn't talk at this point. Brian noticed and loosened his fingers just enough to let him talk.

"Now tell me, you touched her?"

"N..no!" Shelby gasped out, "I didn't even go near the important parts. Just her limbs and face."

Breathing heavily, Brian let him fall to the ground.

"You better not be lying." Brian said in a cold voice. "Get me a sponge and scented soap. I'm scrubbing out every scent of you on her."

Shelby scurried away. Moments later, he handed the items to the lycan. After this, he removed the drips and disconnected some machines from her body.

He pointed in the general direction of the bathroom, then promptly vanished into the inner room once more.

Barely exerting any strength, Brian lefyed Estella's limp body and carried her to the bathroom.

The rage on his face was gone now, to be replaced by a kind of painful-to-watch tenderness.

He gently placed Estella against the wall and stripped her dress. He stared at her naked body. He didn't grope, and there was no leer or lust in his stare.

Just plain admiration for the beautiful body before him. He gently placed her in the bathtub before turning on the tap.

As the water filled up, he ran his fingers around the white skin where one of the drips had been connected and massaged her joints carefully. She was probably stiff from lying for too long.

A few minutes later, Brian turned off the tap and commenced scrubbing Estella. Though he had mentioned scrubbing out Shelby's scent, he was actually more of rubbing it away.

As worked from the shoulders downwards, he hesitated when he reached her lower stomach.

He felt like he was taking advantage of her since she was not conscious. But he knew if he doesn't do it, Dr. Shelby would most likely do it. It was his job, after all, no matter the threats.

Sighing, he steeled his mind and the sponge went lower. He had just moved her legs apart when he heard a sigh.

He froze, his hands still between her legs. To his horror, he saw Estella opened her eyes.

Their gazes met, and held for a moment. Then hers descended and saw the hands between her legs. Her eyes widened and her breath caught. She attempted to scream, but it seemed the air got stuck in her throat. Her eyes rolled back. h

Her head fell back, hit the tube and they closed.

Brian stared in shock, wondering what the hell just happened.

"Fuck!" He cursed, clenching his fists so tight his claws cut into his palms.

"Dr. Shelby!"

The poor man rushed into the room, his heart beating wildly.

___

She struggled against the darkness still.

There was no time. Only her will to get out of the darkness. And her wait for each time that comforting love would envelop her again, pleading for her to wake up.

She so badly wanted to hold the man that gave her so much love and attention, and share the love with him.

Already, she could feel the darkness getting less and less pressing. She was no more floating.

Then she felt it. Like ants, crawling all over her body. Moving lower, and lower, to her crotch area.

Panic. Struggle.

Then…

Light! Her eyes were opened now. She had defeated the darkness.

The first thing that met her gaze was a face. It was looking at her in fear, and guilt. Then she realized there was something between her legs.

It was a man's palm.

Will I never be free of you?? She thought in panic, a moment before she slipped back into the darkness again.

She felt someone carry her. He had the same warmth she had been fighting the darkness for.

Then she realized the face wasn't that of Dexter. And remembered she had actually not been at the Blood Depth pack for a long time.

She struggled against the darkness once more. Fiercer than she had ever struggled.

___

In the clinic room…

Dr. Shelby was almost panicking. Scratch that. He was panicking, full time.

"What's happened?" He threw to Brian over his shoulder, adjusting some machines and taking readings at the same time.

Brian rubbed his head in distress. How would he even start explaining?

"She woke up, saw my hands in between her legs, and ….that was it." He finally settled for 'keep it short and simple'.

"Status?" Brian asked.

"All her vitals are dropping. Her heartbeat is slowing." Dr. Shelby said without turning.

"She may need defibrillation. CPR before that."

Brian sucked in a breast. What devil had made him decide to bathe her?

A minute later, Dr. Shelby had fixed an oxygen mask on Estella's face. Another minute, he had the defibrillators ready.

The next second, Estell gave a huge gasp and shot up from the bed. She stayed up, half sitting, half lying.

Then she saw Brian.

"You're Brian" she said, "and you're my mate. I felt the bond."