"Last night and into the early morning, Sulis and the other warriors procured hospital supplies that were desperately needed to treat the ill and built the hospital you saw when you came in. They were able to get the donated hospital beds, linens, and monitoring machines from the hospital where I used to work; otherwise, we might still be waiting on beds. The vampire who helped with our request for supplies knew my grandmother and me, and she expedited things so that we could get the children moved to actual beds. We were about to start moving the children over to the hospital when we had the first fatality, Clara Garcia."
Ellie took a deep breath and continued. "Her death actually provided us with our first breakthrough. Because her body's healing abilities were overtaxed trying to heal the virus, it wasn't able to compensate for a birth defect that affected her heart. I was able to see the virus for the first time this morning.
"It was during an emergency meeting on Level One that Meryn suggested bringing you in, and that's pretty much where we are." Ellie sat down, feeling a bit dazed. So much had happened in the past few days, it felt like a lifetime.
"All of this happened in three days?" Anne asked.
Grant shook his head. "Feels like years."
"I was just thinking the same thing," Ellie agreed.
"I don't know how you coped with no supplies and with the children on cots." Rheia shook her head.
"It's a vampire city. Although they recently added an infirmary, it was stocked more for injuries than illness, which makes sense because neither shifters nor vampires get sick...usually," Ellie added, feeling like she had to explain why they had so little.
Rheia gave her a soft smile. "No judging here. Just admiration. I wouldn't have had enough beds to treat this back home either. The clinic isn't set up to be a hospital. It's more like your infirmary, meant to treat injuries." She jotted a note down on the fresh legal pad on the table in front of her. "Though I may have Adam start petitioning to expand, given the current situation. I'd rather have the facilities and not need them, than need them and not have them."
"May I ask why Kendrick Ashwood isn't present? It was my understanding he is one of the few witches who has studied human medicine and has successfully merged aspects of it with magic," Tarragon asked.
Ellie exchanged glances with Rheia who gave a slight shake of her head. Ellie understood, anything to do with the royal family needed to stay on Level One. "He's working on another issue at the moment, but Elizabeth and Broderick Monroe will be getting him up to speed for us," Ellie answered.
"When Aiden mentioned a virus, I made sure to pack what few antivirals we had. That should get us started. We need more though," Rheia added.
Ellie looked at her grandmother and Kari. They both nodded. "We'll get some here as soon as possible," Marjoram promised.
"I'm concerned with how quickly it seems to be spreading with no clear contamination path," Rheia said.
"It's rate is nearly exponential. In less than a week, if this keeps up, it could affect the entire city," Anne guessed.
Everyone looked at each other in horror. Anne gulped. "I didn't mean to jinx us."
"We need to work in shifts. If we get more patients, we can't spread ourselves too thin. For the past three days, we've all been going at one hundred percent, but that cannot be maintained in the long run," Ellie said, voicing her biggest fear.
"Ellie, if I may?" Kari asked, standing. Ellie nodded. Kari picked up her clipboard. "I have taken the liberty of dividing you into two working shifts. Day and night. We can alter this as needed, but I thought it would be a good jumping off point for now. Ellie, you, Grant, Marjoram, and Tarragon can take the day shift. The night shift will be Rheia, Anne, and Dr. St. John. Given Kendrick's unique dual abilities, I kept him free to float and work with Broderick in the lab. I tried to keep the groups split evenly to a doctor, a nurse, and a witch." She turned to Ellie. "Will that work?"
"I kinda love you right now." Ellie smiled. There was something about her friend that made you feel like everything was taken care of.
"I know." Kari grinned in return.
Ellie looked out at the group. "That's what we'll start with. Let's head up to Level Six and introduce you to the children."
Anne and Rheia nodded. As they filed out, Ellie grabbed Kari into a big hug. "Thank you."
Kari smiled. "It is the very least I can do. I will keep you organized so you can focus all of that amazing brain of yours on the children."
"Deal." Ellie looped her arm through Kari's, and they made their way to Level Six.
*****
By the time Ellie had introduced Rheia and Anne to the children and parents, gone over the city's layout, and explained the current political undercurrents, it was time to get ready for dinner. Kendrick showed up to escort Rheia and Anne down to Level One.
Grant held out his hand, and she took it gratefully. There was so much strength and gentleness to his touch; the simple gesture filled her with a calm contentment that made the day seem less bleak.
They were walking up to their front door on Level Six when they heard someone calling out to her. They turned to see Stefan jogging after them.
"The children?" she asked fearfully.
He shook his head. "No, but I wanted to catch you before dinner. Can we go inside?"
"Sure," Ellie opened the door, and they headed to the small family room. Once seated, Stefan fidgeted nervously.
"Whatever it is, just spit it out. We won't judge you for not sounding like an Alpha," Grant said.
Stefan collapsed back in the chair. "Thank the gods. I feel like I have reached my Alpha limit for the day."
"It's been a very long day," Ellie said gently.
Stefan sighed. "Yes, it has." When he looked up, Ellie could tell that even though he was relaxed, he was back in Alpha mode.
"As you know, Susan and Tobias left Noctem Falls today. Neither could stay surrounded by reminders of their daughter, not with the other children still sick. If they remained here and we lost another child--" Stefan shook his head. "They went to stay with her parents' pack in Boston. Before they left, they met with me to let me know that they could no longer foster Benji."
Ellie gasped. "Where is Benji?"
Stefan smiled. "He's with my mother. Though your reaction only confirms what's been discussed. Susan and Tobias put your names forward to be Benji's new foster parents."
"No," Grant said, shaking his head.
Ellie turned to him, tears in her eyes. "Why not? You love that little boy, and don't try to tell me you don't." Grant opened his mouth to respond, but she kept going. "And if you're going to say that he wouldn't be safe around you, you're wrong." Ellie stood up and began to pace between the two men.
"Ellie..." Stefan leaned forward.
She whipped around. "Hush!" Stefan sat back in his chair, looking a bit shocked.
She whirled back to her mate. "We would be wonderful foster parents for him. I know we have a lot going on right now being newly mated..."
"Ellie..." Grant held up a hand, but she ignored him.
"I won't be here much because of working at the hospital, but you can be." She paused. "Oh. You may have to do patrols. Maybe a papoose..."
"Ellie..."
She stuck her finger in his face. "I won't let you give him up, not when I know you already love him so much!"
"Ellie!" Grant shouted.
She stepped back. "You don't have to yell."
Grant scrubbed his hands over his face. "What I was going to say was I don't want to be his foster father; I want to be his actual father."
"Oh." Ellie stared at the floor, twisting her hands. She peeked over her shoulder at Stefan. "Sorry."
Stefan's eyes were sad though he smiled at their joy. "I know that the deep grief from losing Clara is the only thing that prevented Susan and Tobias from moving forward with the adoption. It will be a long time before Susan recovers from her daughter's death. But I want you to know the pack, along with my parents and I, agree with Gr
ant. Benji is yours if you want him. We couldn't think of anyone else who would give him more love."
Ellie looked at Grant, her eyes filling. "Really?"
He stood and pulled her into his arms before turning them to face Stefan. "We'd be honored to be Benji's parents."
"Wonderful. I'll let Mother know. She'll bring him by later tonight; you both have a dinner to go to." Stefan stood. "I know it probably won't be said nearly enough, but thank you both for everything you're doing to help my pack." He stretched. "Now, if you'll excuse me. I have a date with a bathtub and some junk food." He let himself out, leaving them standing in the middle of their borrowed family room.
"We're parents," she whispered then broke down in tears. "I always wanted to be a momma." She covered her face with her hands and cried.
He pulled her close, resting his chin on the top of her head. "Someone needs a hot shower and some tea."
"I'm g-g-gonna be a good mom!" she wailed.
"I know, love," he said, steering her up the stairs.
"I'm okay," she sobbed, unable to hold on to any one emotion. Everything she had experienced today seemed to be hitting her all at once.
"Of course you are." He gently stripped her of her clothes and walked her to the bathroom. Once she was seated on the toilet, he quickly undressed and started the shower.
"I love you," she sniffled.
"I love you too."
"I'm usually better than this at handling things."
He looked down at her, an amused look on his face. "If you handled things any better, you wouldn't be alive, you'd be a robot."
Ellie clutched at her chest. "We don't have anything for him!"
Grant shrugged. "All he needs are diapers, food, and us."
"We need clothes and pacifiers and blankets and toys and those reader book thingies."
"He's one."
"But they learn so fast."
"Get in, the water is warm."
"What are we going to do?" Ellie exclaimed, climbing into the shower.
"We let our relatives worry about it. Your gram is going to lose her mind when she finds out about Benji. We have a built-in babysitter for life. And Declan can start earning his keep as Benji's favorite uncle." He smiled smugly. "I didn't even have to wait for our son to be born. I get to play with him right away."
"Do you think Meryn would babysit?" she asked as he began to shampoo her hair.
His hands stilled. "Maybe she wouldn't be the best choice."
"Why? She's sweet and very protective."
"She's a bit nuts."
Ellie giggled. "I know. It's what I like about her."
Grant sighed and continued washing her hair. "Fine. At least I know Ryuu will be with her." He cleared his throat. "I would like to ask Adriel to be Benji's athair."
"Aren't you closer to Declan?" She let out a happy sigh as his strong fingers massaged her scalp.
"Yes, but the four of us in the Eta Unit decided a long time ago that if we were ever blessed with children, we would ask our leader to be athair. We vowed to each other to be the best uncles our children could ask for, but Adriel lived so long apart from us to distance us from the city's politics that we figured it would be the best way to show him we considered him our brother."
"I think he is a perfect choice."
"I'm going to be the best father any child could ask for, Ellie. I promise," Grant whispered and kissed her shoulder.
"And I will try to be the best mother." She closed her eyes and swallowed hard. She'd had so many wishes come true lately she was afraid this was all a dream and that when she woke, she'd be alone in her bed overdue for another shift at the hospital. Smiling, she let the shower wash away her happy tears. She would hold fast to her dreams and newfound happiness with both hands. She was mated to the most perfect man and she was finally a mother. She wouldn't let anyone take Grant or Benji away from her; they were hers to love and protect, and she would never let them go.
*****
Grant had to practically drag her away from the hospital to keep her from checking on Benji. They were already late for dinner due to their long shower.
"We'll see him after dinner," Grant said, tapping on her lower lip; she had been chewing on it again.
After they arrived at the prince's home, Sebastian escorted them to the dining room. When they walked in, the men stood and sat when she did. Even though she'd worked with other paranormals, she'd lived amongst humans so she had never experienced the courtly manners of the pillar cities. She loved being an independent woman, but there was something special about seeing so many handsome men stand when she entered the room; it did wonders for her self-esteem.
When she sat, Grant remained standing. She ducked her head to hide her smile; she knew what was coming.
"Adriel, I would like to ask a favor if I may?" Grant asked.
Adriel looked over at them, confusion on his face. "Of course, anything I can do, I will."
Grant looked down at her and winked. She smiled up at him. Grant turned to face his unit leader, his normal scowl in place. "I, as Benji's father, humbly request that you accept the role as his athair."
Adriel's mouth dropped open, and Elizabeth clapped her hands together excitedly. Eva, Adriel's mate, leaned in and whispered something to the proper unit leader. His eyes filled with tears, and he stood. "It would be my honor--" Adriel cleared his throat when his voice cracked. "It would be my honor to become Benji's athair." Around the table, everyone applauded.
Gavriel was smiling softly. "So many new entries to be made in the family's book."
Adriel was pulled back down into his chair by his mate, still looking a bit stunned. She chuckled at his expression and kissed his neck.
Grant sat down beside Ellie before turning to Gavriel. "What do you mean?"
Gavriel's smile was slightly smug. "As you know Adriel is an Ambrosios." Grant nodded, and Gavriel continued. "As he has been asked to become athair by both yourself and Declan, your children's names will be added to the Ambrosios Book of Life. My family is growing." He looked very pleased at the prospect of adding new names. Ellie felt like she could relate to the mysterious vampire for the first time. Even though she had her gram, their family consisted of just the two of them, so she also knew what it was like to be alone. She couldn't imagine how long the vampire in front of her had to make his way in the world before he found his mate.
She blinked. "Ambrosios? Isn't that the name of one of the lost royal bloodlines?"
Adriel winced. "Yes. I am keeping my last name to avoid drawing attention. I would appreciate your discretion on the matter."
"Of course," she huffed. "I can't have my son's athair bothered by those small minded vindictive...." She struggled to find an apt insult for the bigoted Founding Family members.
"Douchebags. The word you are looking for is douchebag," Meryn suggested.
Ellie nodded. "Right. Douchebags." When she looked over at Adriel, he was smiling.
"Thank you," he said. "We have enough problems to worry about, without this leaking out."
"I'm glad Benji found his way to you. I know that must have been a hard decision for Susan." Eva's eyes were red, and Ellie remembered that Eva, despite being a tiger, was part of the Wolftown pack. She felt the blood drain from her face. "We must seem so heartless to you. Here we are celebrating becoming parents, but at what cost?" Ellie couldn't look Eva in the eye.
"No! Don't feel that way. I've known Susan and Tobias their entire lives, and they wouldn't want you to feel bad for loving Benji. I know it will be a great relief to them to know he is being cared for. Don't ever feel bad for adopting Benji," Eva protested.
"Bad stuff doesn't negate good stuff. It's not like there's a tally board and someone's keeping score," Meryn spoke up. "Be happy, because that's what gets you through the bad times."
"Well said, Meryn," Magnus complimented. Meryn held up her hand, flashing Magnus Spock's live long and prosper sign. Magnus chuckled. Ellie noticed he looked a lot better than h
e had earlier. Resting had done him a lot of good, though his eyes still looked tired. He looked around the table. "We may have a new complication."
"Complication!?" Kari exclaimed, looking livid. Beside her, Declan was rubbing her back, trying to keep her calm.
"What's happened?" Ellie asked.
Kari turned to her. "The Régis Founding Family head stepped forward today and enacted an ancient law that allows Founding and Noble Family members to challenge Magnus over decisions that affect the city."
"Like to a debate?" Ellie wondered.
Kari shook her head. "No. To an actual duel. It is called 'Rule by Combat'. It is like Trial by Combat in that the idea is that Fate will favor the righteous. There is no limit to the number of duels that can be demanded. Magnus could literally spend his days fighting for the next couple weeks. We do not need this right now," she fumed.
Gavriel chuckled. "Enact the 'Frère de le Sang'. It will allow Magnus to designate warriors to fight in his stead."
Kari blinked. "Is that part of the law?"
Gavriel nodded. "It was added in later when a certain vampire brought up the fact that this law would result in the strong overpowering the weak and not necessarily help in protecting the city."
Kari picked up her clipboard and unclipped a file. "Are you certain? These laws were written thousands of years ago." She turned page after page. "I do not see any mention of this law in the scanned pages that Régis submitted with the declaration."
Gavriel gave her a droll stare. "I am quite sure."
Kari blinked. "Oh. Right."
Gavriel winked at her. "Check the later volume in the series dedicated to the council. I believe the law was added by them to circumvent the acting Prince from striking it down." He looked at Magnus. "You can issue a blanket statement that all unit warriors can fight on your behalf. That should keep challenges to a minimum."