The Lycan King’s Gamma
Chapter 67

Gamma Kailen Steele

An excessive beeping pulled me out of dreamland. My head was pounding, and I just wanted the beeping noise to stop taunting me. What the hell was beeping? Whatever it was, I was going to kill it. Smash it into a million pieces for waking me from such a peaceful sleep. But why was I sleeping? I was trying to remember how I even got into bed. I remember running a bath and then everything is blank. Did Hunter carry me to bed? But if we are in our room, where is he? I couldn't feel the warmth of his body. And what the hell is beeping?

I could hear Aurora snoring and I didn't want to wake her to answer all of my questions. It must have taken so much out of her to command so many people. I figured I'd go replace Hunter and he could answer all of my questions. I heard my tummy growl. And he can feed me and his babies.

I let out a groan as I opened my eyes. The room was bright, with the sunlight shining into the room from the open window. The room being in all white only made the room brighter. I tried to lift my left arm but found that I couldn't move it far and I cried out in pain as I tried to move it further.

"Kailen, don't move." I heard Hunter say. I tried to speak but my throat was so dry, I couldn't get a word out. The room was so bright I couldn't open my eyes.

"Take a drink, baby." I heard Hunter and felt a straw placed between my lips. I drank the cool water until I could no longer get anymore water from the straw. The water felt amazing on my dry throat. "Better?" Hunter asked, pulling the straw from my lips. I just nodded.

"Can you open your eyes, baby?" He pleaded.

"Bright." I choked out. I heard him curse. And a moment later, the room was darker. I could tell, looking through my eyelids.

"Okay, it's darker, baby. Now can you try?" He asked, sitting beside me on the bed. His palm touched my cheek, and I leaned into his touch.

My eyes fluttered, and I blinked a few times until my eyes opened to see my mate's handsome face. Hunter was gently caressing my cheek with his thumb as he stared down at me with a smile. "Where are we?" I whispered, my voice still scratchy.

"We are at the pack hospital in Ivory Moon." He said, and I tried to sit up, but hissed at the movement. Looking down, I found my left arm in a sling and my right had a thick bandage around my forearm.

Panic settled in as I tried to remember what could have happened. When did we get back to Ivory Moon? I can see why I'm in the hospital, but why? What happened? My mind kept racing, even when Hunter grabbed my cheeks in his hands. "Kailen, breathe baby. Me and our pups need you to breathe." He whispered, and I gasped.

"The babies,"

"Kailen, the pups are okay, and you are okay. I'll explain everything. Just please breathe." He pleaded, and I could see his worry.

"Water please?" I whispered, replaceing my throat hurt again. He nodded and when he came back with more water, I had calmed down.

Hunter held the glass while I drank it with a straw. My head was still pounding, but I'd calmed down enough to focus on the moment. Our pups are safe and I am. But what happened? I was searching my memories for answers but came up with none. "Do you remember what happened?" He asked, placing the glass on the table beside the bed.

"I remember going to have a bath and then nothing. What happened?" I whispered.

"Your memory loss is because of a concussion you suffered." He sighed.

"A concussion? When did I hit my head?" I asked him.

"Someone attacked you in the bathroom. I was standing at the door, talking with a warrior. We found a secret passage just on the other side of the bathroom door," he said.

"What was behind the door?" I asked him and he looked away with misty eyes.

"It was a room where Andrew held his victims." He whispered, and I gasped.

"The person hid in that room until he was able to attack you. He smashed your head against the tile wall. You protected our pups, and when he slashed your arm, they covered the blade in wolfsbane. The bleeding helped flush the wound and the poison from your system," he explained.

"And my shoulder?" I asked him. He squeezed the hand he was holding.

"He did that before I could break his neck. Kailen, I'm so sorry for all of this." Hunter rushed out.

"How long have I been out?" I asked him, changing the subject.

"Three days now. After Dr. Connors had you stabilized, we flew you back here." He answered.

"The pups are okay?" I whispered. Wolfsbane and wolf pregnancy are no joke. My pups should be dead right now.

Hunter surprised me by moving the blanket that was over my body and pushing his ear into my lower belly, looking up at me. A smile spread across his lips as he listened.

"Both are going strong. But you can also ask Aurora." He said, not moving from my belly.

"She's sleeping. I thought it was the commanding, but it must have been fighting the effects of the wolfsbane," I told him.

"Goddess, I'm so sorry, Kailen. We never should have gone back to that room." He said, moving to sit up.

"Hold me, please?" Without saying a word, Hunter moved to the other side of the bed. I tried to move over to give him more room on the bed.

He laid down, his head rested on my unwounded shoulder. Hunter pulled the guard rail up and it smashed him between me and the guardrail. He rested his arm over my waist and let out a sigh.

"That can't be comfortable." I said, turning my head to kiss his forehead.

"I'm just so thankful you and our pups are alive." He whispered, kissing my shoulder.

"Hunter, please stop feeling guilty. It happened and there's nothing we can do to change any of it. I can't even remember the attack. You were there to help protect me. And our family is okay." I told him, rubbing my cheek against his forehead. Hunter squeezed my waist as I looked around the room. I was so focused on Hunter, I didn't notice that my room looked like a flower shop.

"What's with all the flowers?" I asked Hunter.

"The enormous bouquet of red and white roses is mine." He said, pointing to the table beside me.

"Of course. Yours is always the biggest," I said with a smirk.

"And don't you forget it. And the others are from your students, alphas and betas. Everyone knows you took a huge risk to save them." He said, and my stomach churned with guilt.

"I was trying to save you, Hunter. I don't deserve these," I said, and he squeezed me again, kissing my shoulder.

"You risked so much, baby. And they know you were saving your mate, their future king. But you saved everyone else in the process of saving me." He said, and I sighed.

"I don't feel like a hero." I shrugged, hissing in pain after. Stupid shoulder stab wound.

"Baby, you are my hero. You saved me and our pups. And I'll spend the rest of my life making up for it. Proving to you, I was worth saving." I turned to look at him and he was sitting up on his elbow, watching me. I could see the unshed tears.

"I love you so much." I told him, tears in my eyes. I wish I could move so I could snuggle into him. Leaning in, he pressed his lips to mine.

"Not as much as I love you." He said, nudging my nose with his. My tummy growled loudly, and he chuckled.

"You can get me and your babies some food." I said, nudging him.

"My pleasure, baby. I'll get the nurse and Dr. Connors. And while they are checking you over, I'll get you some food." He said, kissing my nose.

"But first I have to figure out how to get this rail down." He huffed, rattling the rail. I couldn't help but giggle. My poor hulk of a man was stuck between me and the rail, and I couldn't do anything to help him.

"Should I call the nurse to help you?" I teased. Something made a popping sound.

"Nope, got it." He said proudly.

He swung himself off the bed and hit the nurse's call button before taking a seat in the chair beside my bed. He leaned forward, taking my free hand in his.

"I'm so glad you're awake, baby." He said, kissing my hand.

"I'm glad that I got to wake up to you." I smiled. Hunter warmed my heart. And he didn't need the mate bond to make me feel loved and wanted.

He has always wanted me, and always found ways to make me feel special and loved. So very loved. After everything I had been through, this man made it all worth it. I never would have met him if it wasn't for being kidnapped and sold. And yes, it was hell, but I couldn't imagine being mated to Owen. He never made me feel the way Hunter does.

"Thank the goddess, Kailen. You're finally awake." Dr. Connors said as she entered the room, pulling my thoughts away from my mate.

"How are you feeling?" She asked when she was standing beside me.

"I'm okay. Sore but okay." I answered her.

"That's good to hear. You are healing. Can you hear your wolf?" She asked me.

"Yes, she's snoring." I answered, and she chuckled.

"She is one badass wolf. She kept the wolfsbane away from the twins and also helped you not to bleed out. She deserves her rest." Dr. Connors chuckled. Hunter squeezed my hand. It must be hard to hear that I should have died. "But everything is good with the babies?" I asked her, worried.

"Kailen, they are growing strong. And you were right. Her brother was hiding behind his sister. Their heartbeats were even in sync. And your belly should pop out any day now as they grow bigger. There are two of them." "Thank you, Dr. Connors. I don't know if I could ever repay you for saving our babies. And me." I told her.

"I helped, but your wolf did most of the work. Now let's get you checked out and maybe you can even go home tomorrow."