From Here to Ecstasy

Dedicated to oddball, PenumbraMINE, Wild Spice, and N.Y.O.B. All I can say is thanks and it would never be enough.

Recap

“D-dad, she’s my m-mate. How?” He asked, shocking me into staring at both of them in shock.

I cleared my throat. “Uh, how about we talk about this later. I need to see how your mom is, okay?” I wasn’t sure what I could say. His mother would have answered his question, easing his fears. Me, not so much.

“Okay, Dad. Can I talk to her while you are seeing mom?” He asked me as he continued to stare at Serenity.

I cleared my throat again. “Trace, I need you to watch both of our backs, that means you need to pay attention, and right now you aren’t.”

He pulled his eyes away from Serenity and nodded his head. “I’ll watch out for both of you. I promise on my life.” And, there it was, a promise which couldn’t be broken.

I nodded and laid my head down on the bed, making sure I held Summer’s hand. I was drowsy to start with, so going to sleep wasn’t going to be too hard.

Zane’s POV

I nodded my head and closed my eyes, laying my head on Summers’s leg. I tried to fall asleep, but my mind was all over the place. It was as if I was chasing sleep and sleep wasn’t winning. I counted sheep. I sang nursery rhymes. I even tried to loosen up every bone in my body, but nothing was working. I was about to ask Trace to knock me out.

I sat up and sighed as I looked around the room, noticing Autumn and Winter sitting lifeless next to our mom, their mate standing at their backs. “What’s wrong with them?” I asked as I pointed to my oldest daughters.

“They can heal from the inside out. It’s one of their powers, but they are going to need to be hooked up to glucose very soon, do you think you can call your doctor?” Micah asked me as I shook my head at my daughter’s cool new power, calling the doctor and nurses to the room, letting them know what I needed.

Asher showed up about the same time the doctor and nurses did. “We got everything on the list. They are fixing it now, but I want to watch them, okay?” He asked me as I nodded yes.

“Asher, take Serenity with you, she knows everything about this drug.” I turned to Serenity. “Is this okay with you?”

“Yes, Alpha. I am very happy to help in any way I can,” she answered, bowing her head to me.

I nodded and looked at Asher. He grabbed her hand, Trace letting out a growl until he saw the look on my face. Asher teleported her out of the room quickly as I let Trace know his brother wouldn’t hurt his mate, nor anyone else. I knew he had already spelled her against harm, just like I knew Asher had already checked out her mind.

I watched as the nurses started glucose on both of my daughters as they became paler and paler. Trace immediately stood up when he noticed his sisters were using too much energy. I wasn’t sure what he did but they came back into their bodies as they slumped over the bed. I made sure to teleport them some energy bars and cokes, knowing they would help.

“Well?” I asked impatiently, knowing it wasn’t their fault but not being able to help myself.

“Well, our siblings are protecting mom as much as possible, making sure she's protected.” Winter looked at me and let out a little laugh. “Mom’s going to be so mad at you when she comes.”

“I know, it’s why I’m running when Blaine gets here, just kidding.” I cracked a smile, clearing my throat a couple of times “Is she holding her own right now?”

“Yeah, we repaired the damage around where the bullet was. There were some small bleeders. We checked out the rest of her organs, but our siblings are repairing any damage as fast as it hits any of her organs. Those little boogers are strong. Very strong,” Autumn informed me, her eyes wide.

“Uh, okay. Well, shit. I will never be able to punish my children when they misbehave. What am I saying? I couldn’t even punish any of you kids.” I shook my head and laid down across Summer’s legs again. “I’m going to attempt to dream-walk again. Hopefully, I can succeed this time. Can you watch our backs?”

As soon as the girls nodded I closed my eyes and fell asleep quickly. I felt as if I was trudging through black tar. It was thick and I couldn’t see anything. After a couple of minutes, I could see an area lit up and I went towards it hoping it wasn’t the light at the end of the tunnel. If so I was screwed six ways to Sunday.

I sat down next to her, looking at her as she looked at me. “We are doing everything we can to get you back, Summer. You have a lot of people waiting for you to come back to us. They shot you with a poison we have never seen, but we are working on the antidote.”

She laid her head on my shoulder. “So, what’s this I hear about being pregnant? Again.”

“Uh, congratulations you’re going to be a mom. Again.” I smiled at her as I hugged her. “Worry about getting better and coming back to us. Our children are protecting you right now, okay?”

“What? Children? As in multiple?” She paused as I nodded. “Well, shit! I thought I was done being able to get pregnant, but I’m not upset. I’ve lost almost half of my children to mates.”

“Uh.” I cleared my throat twice as Summer gave me a look that said ‘get on with it’. “Trace just met his mate. Yay!” I sarcastically said as I watched her eyes widen and her mouth drop open.

“Trace met his mate? What about Chase? Wait! They are only children-”

“-yeah, like our other two, the Royal King and Beta? Chase hasn’t met her yet and she’s helping you to get better. She came to us and wanted to help heal you. Her sister was the one who made the drug. She watched so she could help anyone who had been shot by the poisonous bullet. Don’t worry, she’s been checked and checked. You worry about getting better and we will do our part, okay?”

“Okay, but I want to meet her as soon as I’m up. What was my mom smoking when she paired up children with a woman?” She asked as I laughed at her words and kissed her.

I heard a loud crash and woke up immediately, mad about someone making a noise. “Watch it, Zane,” Truth, my wolf, warned me.

I turned in time to grab whoever was behind me, seeing Windy slam her on the ground and showing Sonny, Kat, and ten Royal Warriors. “Nuh-uh, bitch! It’s not nice sneaking up on people, is it?”

“Who are you,” the witch gasped out as she tried to get her breath back.

“Asher, bring Serenity with you to your mom's room. Now!” I ordered as they both showed up beside me, letting me know Asher was reading my mind.

“I’m the Royal Beta,” I heard Windy tell her as the witch laughed at her.

“She’s my cousin, Nina, and she’s bad news, aren’t you?” I heard Serenity ask her. “She was with my sister and the rest of my coven.”

Yeah, very bad news

Windy went invisible again, the witch looking everywhere for her as she reached in her pocket.

“Looking for this?” I heard Sonny ask Nina, causing our heads to whip in his direction. He was holding a gun with what I could assume had the same nasty bullet Summer had been shot with.

“Really? You were going to shoot me? How dumb can you be?” I asked Nina. “Nevermind, I know how dumb you are.” I looked up at Sonny. “Got any more rooms at the inn?”

Sonny laughed. “Of course.” He nodded his head and Windy, the witch, and one of the Warriors were gone.

I knew Sonny was checking out Serenity’s mind, Ares helping. I wasn’t sure how I knew but I did. He nodded his head to me, letting me know she was clean. I took a deep breath and nodded at Asher, letting him know to take Serenity back to the lab.

“How’s mom doing?”

“Well, she’s pregnant again-”

“-she is so going to kill you,” Windy commented quickly as she smirked at me. “But, maybe not. Did I hear you tell Trace he could talk to his mate later?”

“Can you not curb your mind-reading skills? Damn it! My kids are driving me crazy,” I mused as I shook my head and crossed my arms. I always loved being laughed at and it was exactly what all my kids were doing.

Blaine walked into the room and was stopped by the Royal Warriors. “Move before I move you,” he said calmly, almost too calmly.

Sonny nodded his head once. “This is my dad, Blaine, he gets through every time. Everyone in this room gets through, okay?” The Warriors nodded and stepped back.

Blaine walked over and held Summer’s hand. “I heard what’s been happening with Summer, but I needed to make sure our people were okay.”

“Yeah, cause Marylyn and a whole bunch of hybrids took the fight to the skinwalkers and witches at the castle. What a sight to see,” Sonny sarcastically told us.

I jerked in my seat, Blaine following my example. “What?” We both yelled.