Chapter 77

Cara’s POV

Somehow there were enough people present in the hospital on this night to witness this completely out-of-nowhere proposal.

The sound of applause and “Awww”’s fills my ears.

“How romantic!” someone shouts.

Is this really happening. Hapeening when my daughter’s life and humanity is possibly at stake...

And I barely even know this man!

“Mr. Bedford, please…” I say to him, keeping my voice in a hushed tone.

“If I have anything to do with it, you’ll be Mrs. Bedford before too long, my sweet!” Matthew Bedford says cheerfully.

More Awww’s echo through the halls around me.

“Mr. Bedford,” I say again, this time my voice is a bit more stern. I want to underscore that our relationship is not friendly, I would barely consider him an acquaintance.

“Mr. Bedford,” I repeat when he doesn’t move, “Please, get up.” I urge him, shooting glances around us.

I move a hand to Matthew Bedford’s elbow, further encouraging him to stand on his feet and move from that ridiculous proposal position.

Unfortunately, he misinterprets my movement and grabs my hand.

“My sweet, you are like a beautiful flower, so lovely and….” He plants a kiss on the back of my hand, and I feel the sticky wetness on my skin. “Delicious,” he finishes, winking at me.

I’m staring down at Matthew Bedford in shock, completely transfixed and filled with a mixture of confusion, embarrassment and, if I’m completely honest, disgust.

And that’s the exact moment I hear him.

“What is going on here?!”

A familiar voice.

I close my eyes and let out a deep breath.

The doctor just contacted him and his beta. So of course he would show up here. Of course he would appear now.

The alpha king with black hair and blue eyes stands behind me, wearing a black shirt and suit, his presence radiating a magnetic, effortlessly handsome aura. He clearly arrives in a hurry.

Alaric looks quite angry. When he stands next to Matthew, the nurses squeal quietly and shyly.

He was the most popular man in all of DarkWood — far surpassing Bedford.

It is indeed a very pleasing sight to behold. Two handsome men stand in the hospital corridor at the same time, not seeing eye to eye with each other.

“Bedford, on your feet!” Alaric orders the man on one knee before me. When Bedford doesn’t move, he adds, “NOW!”

But it’s clear that Alaric is the more handsome one. Matthew appears immature and somewhat frivolous in comparison to him.

Matthew Bedford looks at me for a moment longer, seeming to mull over his options of openly defying a direct order of his Alpha King or continuing his act of bullying me into accepting his proposal.

“...Alright！My King.”

Finally, the man rises, ultimately deciding it better not to tempt an angry Alpha on the night of the full moon, even though the light shining through the window shows morning has just barely started to arrive.

“Weren’t you ordered to help guard the Pack House tonight?” Alaric eyes Matthew Bedford darkly, Alaric’s blue eyes piercing and cold.

“I… Well, yes…. But, they had it handled, and I just thought….” Bedford stammers dumbly.

“Oh, you thought they ‘had it handled,’ did you?” Alaric is angry now. “And who are you to make that assessment? Were you relieved of duty by one of your superiors?”

“Well, no… but… I—” Matthew starts to say.

“Enough.” The irritation rolling off of Alaric is palpable.

A bead of sweat rolls down Bedford’s forehead. The smooth talking man clearly hadn’t been expecting a run-in with his Alpha King.

“Get out of my sight. Leave us!” Alaric orders the nearly quivering Matthew Bedford.

Bedford looks at me quickly before deciding to follow Alaric’s command. “I’ll… I’ll see you later, Cara.” He says quickly before scampering off as quickly as his feet will carry him.

Leaving only the roses, still in their place.

I merely stare at him as he walks away, not bothering to respond.

“Thank you,” I say quietly to Alaric. “He was quite… insistent…” I say.

Alaric cocks an eyebrow at me. He opens his mouth to speak, but is interrupted by Dr. Marlow, who sticks her head out of Mia’s treatment room.

“Oh, Alpha King, you’re here!” the doctor says, laying eyes on Alaric. “Thank you for responding so quickly, granting my request for the patient’s medicine.”

Alaric nods his head at her, and extends his arm toward the doctor, a small brown box in his hand. “I wanted to deliver it personally. I hope this helps,” he’s looking at the doctor with a gentle smile.

A gentle smile?

That doesn’t sound like Alaric at all…

“May I join you?” he asks me softly, gesturing his hand towards the now open door to Mia’s room.

My mouth is agape, surprised that he’s so eager to witness Mia’s treatment. I nod my head and quickly dart into the room. I want to watch what happens as they deliver the medicine to my daughter.

I say a silent prayer to the Goddess, hoping it works.

Dr. Marlow pushes a syringe of the rare medicine into the tubes connected to Mia’s arm. I watch as the liquid enters Mia’s hind leg.

Mia’s whimpering and quivering stops almost instantaneously.

I breathe out a sigh of relief. At least it’s helping, whatever this medicine is.

“How is she?”

“Is she still in wolf form?”

“We came as quickly as we could.”

The room is suddenly filled with words and questions as my family arrives. One after another, my brothers Colin, Ryan, and Aidan filter in. My best friend Ruby follows just behind them.

“Is she going to be alright?” Colin asks me worriedly.

“Is the compound working?” Ruby asks Dr. Marlow.

By way of an answer, a shimmer appears around Mia. Before our very eyes, the little bright red wolf transforms, shifting into the young girl we know and love.

It’s Mia.

Back in human form.

Aidan whoops in joyous praise to the medical team.

I see a smile of obvious relief tug at the corners of Alaric’s mouth as I turn to see him still standing behind me.

Mia’s green eyes flutter open, the motion slow and deliberate. She smiles brightly at us before closing her eyes once again, laying her head back against the pillow.

“Alright, alright. Please give her some space. The patient needs to rest!” Dr. Marlow says to the crowd of us gathered in the room.

Everyone takes another look at Mia before filing back out of the room one-by-one. Just before Alaric leaves, he gently strokes Mia’s little hand with a supportive pet.

I’m taken aback by the tenderness of the gesture.

Finally, it’s just me and my daughter alone in the room. I lean down and bring her into a warm hug, relishing the feeling of her very human form beneath me.

“You came back to me,” I whisper in her ear. “My strong and brave little girl,” I say wistfully.

“Mommy…” Mia whisper back to me weakly. Her eyes remain closed, like she’s too weak to open them.

“What is it Mia? What can I get for you? What do you need?” I ask, brushing a strand of her bright red hair back behind her ear.

“I want…” She says, her voice strained and thick with exhaustion.

“Yes, my darling?” I ask again.

Whatever it is, I’ll get it for her. She’s such a fighter. I’ll do whatever I can to make her more comfortable.

Mia’s eyes flutter open again, and it looks like it takes immense strength for her to keep them open.

“I want…. a daddy,” she finally finishes.