Page 60 of The Wolf's Pregnant Rejected Mate

Chapter 33 - Tess

The rain had turned to a misty drizzle by the time Ryder, Tess, and Elin got back to town. They had to move slowly, with Ryder having to lie down several times to regain his strength. Tess licked his face and ears every time he yipped to call for a rest. His sides heaved, and his fur was matted with blood and water. The beating he’d endured and then the constant exertion since had done a real number on him.

When they returned to town, they were confronted by seven snarling wolves. Hayden stood at the forefront of the special ops. He lifted his head and let out a bark. The command was clear: drop. Tess and Elin immediately dropped to their bellies. Ryder was a little slower, not out of defiance but in pain.

Hayden swished his tail and glanced at the reddish-brown wolf next to him. Finn studied the three of them for a long moment before he shook his head and snorted. The team relaxed, and Hayden trotted over, nosing each one of them.

Tess gratefully staggered to her feet. She might have escaped terrible injuries, but her body ached all over. Mostly, she was worried that the stress of the fighting would weaken her baby.

Hayden jerked his head for them to follow him. He led them to the clinic while the rest of the team dispersed again. Rachel was at the clinic, though Christine was nowhere to be seen. She handed the three of them hospital gowns, and they shifted back to human form.

“I’m not injured,” Elin said, holding her gown with one hand, not bothering to cover herself. “Where’s Mica and Christine? I can help with the wounded.”

“Town hall,” Hayden said. He grabbed Ryder’s elbow as Ryder swayed. “Easy. Elin, tell Christine that she’s needed back here quickly.”

Elin turned to go, but Tess stopped her. She embraced her roommate tightly. “Thank you, Elin. You were very brave in following us. I don’t know what would have happened if you hadn’t been there, too.”

“Thanks,” Elin mumbled, sounding both embarrassed and pleased. “I hope one day that I can feel brave, too.”

“You won't,” Tess said with certainty. She released Elin and smiled at her. “The bravest of us never feel like we’re brave inside and out. We just do what we need to do despite being afraid. That is…” She snuck a glance at Ryder and Hayden. “That’s what it’s like for me.”

Elin hugged her one last time before leaving.

“Let’s get you into an examination room,” Hayden grunted, still steadying Ryder. “You have a lot of explaining to do.”

Rachel chewed her lip. “I can start dressing those wounds.”

Ryder waved a hand. “I need to report on what happened. See to Tess first.”

“I can wait,” Tess protested, eying the wounds intermingled with the bruises.

“No,” Ryder said, so firmly she couldn’t argue.

Hayden helped Ryder into one of the examination rooms while Rachel went with Tess. It was a relief to finally get off her feet, to have someone else taking care of her. Rachel methodically cleaned out her injuries. Most of them were so shallow that they’d already scarred over. The cut on her abdomen was the deepest. It had a thick scab over it that Rachel carefully examined for any sign of infection.

Christine arrived shortly after Rachel was done. Her expression was twisted with concentration mingled with exhaustion as she quickly prepped an ultrasound. Tess didn’t even have to ask her about the baby; she just got right to it.

“Everything looks okay,” the doctor said, squinting at the ultrasound image. “We’ve got a nice steady heartbeat, and there isn’t any damage to your uterus that I can see.”

Relief washed through Tess. “Guess this is the one time I can be happy to have extra padding, huh? My stomach must have absorbed the impact of everything.”

Christine gave her a vague smile. “I want you to stay on bed rest for the next couple of days anyway to keep your physical stress down. I won’t be able to check you very often with all my other patients.”

Tess winced. “There were a lot of injuries, then?”

“You don’t know?”

Cold washed through her. “Know what?”

“The demons all left their hosts. It was like they’d all been knocked unconscious, and when they woke, they were back to themselves. Those who did wake up,” she amended, her shoulders slumping. “We lost most of them.”

Tess reached for the doctor’s hand. “There was nothing any of us could do.”

“I have to check on the Beta,” Christine said, carefully pulling away. “You’re free to go home. Bedrest, Tess. It’s what will be best for you and your baby.”

***

Tess lay in bed, absently stroking her belly as she watched the raindrops roll down her window. The weather had taken a turn for the worse again, but the chill in the air only made her blankets feel more cozy. A knock came on the door.

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