He lay there restlessly as he heard movement about the cottage. Ramon had returned with a report, so it must have been almost dawn. He couldn’t tell, with the heavy sun-blocking drapes. Alek overheard the Lord Protector tell Mac and Farica that the rebels were still being questioned, but they didn’t know where Alessandro and the rest of his officials had run to. No one had confessed as to where the mutineers were going to strike next, or even what Alessandro’s contingency plan was. Alek ran his fingers through Bell’s long white streak of hair, then leaned in and kissed his smooth forehead.
“Maybe you know, sweetheart. Did you hear anything when you were down there? We need you to wake up and tell us where that fucker is headed so we can catch him and burn him alive,” Alek whispered. “Wrath has promised you vengeance, baby, and I know he will deliver it. I can feel it. I can feel all of them inside me and they’re so worried about you.” Alek almost choked on a sob as he fought to hold back his emotions when he was flooded by the others’ wishes, meshing with his own.
Alek closed his eyes and homed in on those specific feelings, wanting Bell to know how much he was adored. “Wolf wants to see you walk in the morning sun again. Free and uninhibited in the woods. Hair blowing in the wind, your eyes wide while you marvel at any and everything around you. Even a squirrel.” Alek swallowed as his chest warmed, a longing, humorless bark of laughter escaping him. “And Wrath wants to fight with you some more. He says he likes that about you.”
Alek kissed Bell’s cheek, then slid his arm from under him, using the pillow to elevate his head. Alek fed Bell from his wrist again, making sure enough went down his throat before cleaning up the drops with the tail end of the sheet. “There you go. If you won’t come to me, then I’ll come to you.”
The Lord Protector approaches. He’s upset about something; his smell is robust. Wolf told Alek.
He covered Bell, even though he wasn’t going to allow him or anyone else into the room. Wolf wasn’t for it and neither was Wrath. After a few seconds, Alek heard the faint footsteps of a vampire who knew how to be stealthy, then the quiet rap of knuckles on the door.
“Alpha Alek. I come to inquire about my Lord,” Ramon said, in his strong accent. “Has he woken? The king is quite concerned.”
Alek stood and pulled the quilt from the end of the bed, and wrapped it around his waist. He wasn’t delicate about nakedness, but he only wanted Bell’s eyes on his skin. He went to the door and cracked it open a fraction, sniffing the air around the tall vampire. Wolf didn’t go on the defensive, but again said the same thing that Ramon was radiating some intense fumes. But Alek assumed Ramon was worried for his commander and the now mountainous responsibility he had of maintaining the guards in Bell’s absence. Alek tried to be reasonable and ease the man’s concerns, trying to do what Bell would’ve wanted him to do.
“No. He’s not awake. But, I’m giving him my blood and he’s recovering, slowly.” Alek didn’t like anyone else having such a deep interest and connection with his mate before he did. But, that wasn’t Ramon’s fault, and Alek knew Bell would want him to treat his comrades with respect.
“How are you giving him blood?” Ramon swallowed audibly. “If he’s not awake.”
“Don’t worry about it.” Alek stared hard at the Protector, his mouth in a tight line, trying not to say what he really wanted to say.
For a long moment Ramon didn’t speak, nor move, just watched him. Alek hoped he wasn’t challenging him. He held the man’s eye contact when he asked. “Are you sure he’s responding? How familiar are you with our anatomy, Alpha?”
He wasn’t about to be interrogated. He knew full well what he was doing and exactly what would make Belleron well. “You’ll have to take my word for it.”
“My apologies, but I cannot.”
Alek frowned, keeping one hand on the door and the other propped against the frame, creating a barricade. Well, tough shit.
“It’s almost daylight. I want to bring one of our physicians back with me tonight if Bell is still not awake,” Ramon insisted.
Alek fumed. Did this man presume to tell him that he knew what was best for Bell and not him? Wrath sizzled his way closer to the surface, sensing Alek’s frustration and his anger.
Is there a problem here? Wrath asked slowly in that dark, deadly voice that Alek was starting to like very much. He liked the way it made him feel when Wrath stood beside him—invincible.