The White Tiger

Chapter 43

Alec sat on the bed, wrapped in Vicky's arms. Jay had gotten back with Kiera, Jeff, and the doctor not long ago. While Doctor Stephens examined Alec, Kiera was lightly scolding him.

 "You can be really dumb sometimes. You know that, brother?"

 "Yea, yea. No need to remind me, sis." Alec mumbled.

 "Well, we tried to talk you into coming with us! We may be vampires but we aren't immune to illness. It was cold yesterday for goodness' sake! You could've stayed with Vicky, but no!~"

 "Will you just stop, Kiera?! I know! Ok?! I'm sorry I'm not used to this!" Alec snapped, his eyes flashing from red to black. Kiera's eyes went wide momentarily but she quickly calmed down. Jeff took her in his arms protectively. Vicky looked startled, but maintained her hold on him. The doctor stepped back in shock.

 "What was that?" Kiera's Australian mate asked. 

 "Sometimes when we get sick, it gets difficult to control our vampire side." Kiera explained. "I'm sorry, Alec. I shouldn't have reacted like that."

 "It's fine..." Alec said quietly. He looked at Vicky. "I'm sorry I scared you..."

 "You could never scare me, Alec." Vicky replied. She smiled at him and he gave her a small smile back. Doctor Stephens seemed to calm down a bit and went back to examining him. 

 "You say you were outside overnight last night?" he asked, frowning. Alec nodded slowly. "And you slept on the cold, hard ground?" Again, he nodded. He looked like he just wanted to curl up with Vicky and go to sleep. Doctor Stephens shook his head. 

 "Is he alright?" Vicky asked.

 "Yes, miss. He'll be just fine. He just needs rest and the proper care." Doctor Stephens replied. Kiera frowned but remained silent. 

 "I'll take good care of him." Vicky promised. I smiled, knowing that she would do exactly that.

 "Good. I'll check back in a few days to see how he's making out. If anything happens or he seems to be getting worse, call me." 

 "Yes, sir. Thank you." Jay nodded.

 The doctor smiled, nodding. "I'll see myself out now. Hope you feel better soon, kid." he said before walking away. 

 Jay and I looked at each other before looking at Kiera. "Do you agree with what he said?" Jay asked.

 "Well...To an extent. It's difficult though. A vampire's abilities are hard to control sometimes when they are ill. And a sick vampire doesn't happen all that often, trust me. Alec is going to need careful care and rest. He needs to try not to use his abilities. It'll be hard, but if he wants to get better, that's what he's gonna have to do." Kiera responded.

 We nodded. "Well then, I guess we'll just have to keep an eye on him."

 Alec did not seem thrilled to hear this. "I don't need anyone to keep an eye on me. I am not a child who can't control his abilities. I am nineteen years old! I can control my abilities just fine!" Alec's eyes were shifting colors, as well as his hair. His teeth were pointy and his skin was pale-gray. He looked down and groaned at the sight of his skin. "I'm shifting to my true form....Aren't I?"

 "Yes, dear brother. You are." Kiera remarked. Jeff, Kallie, and Robert looked a little freaked out at Alec's form. Vicky looked surprised, but she didn't look scared at all. 

 Alec look away and sighed. He closed his eyes and his form went back to normal. "I'm sorry..."

 "You don't have to apologize, Alec...It's ok...Really," Vicky said softly, gently bringing his head to rest on her shoulder. "We're all here for you and we're gonna take care of you."

 "Yea. As long as you don't go drinking our blood, mate." Jeff remarked.

 "We don't do that, Jeff. Not Alec and I. Our father was half-human. We can eat normal foods. Normally, meat is what we eat." Kiera said softly.

 Jeff nodded in understanding. "I was wondering why you never seemed to wanna drink blood or anything."

 Kiera giggled a little. "Well, maybe sometimes we do. Not often though. And usually only animal's blood." Jeff nodded slowly, seeming to understand her.

 Vicky smiled a little as Alec lay on her shoulder. "He fell asleep.." 

 "He tends to sleep a lot when he doesn't feel well, if I remember correctly." Kiera chuckled. "Thanks, Vicky, for caring about my little brother so much. He means a lot to me. We've both been through a lot." 

 Vicky shook her head, smiling. "You don't have to thank me, Kiera...It's an honor and a blessing for me. Getting to love and care for him." 

 Kiera smiled at her. "Well, we'll leave you alone now so he can rest a while." She took Jeff's hand and left the room, Kallie and Robert following behind them.

 Jay and I held back. "Call us if you need us." Jay stated before taking my hand and leaving. I smiled at him. I looked back to see Vicky looking at us with a smile before smiling at her mate. 

 "You could sing a little. He might like it. And you always did have a great voice." I suggested. 

 Vicky looked at me and nodded. "Thanks, Elena."

 "No problem." I smiled at her before shutting the door quietly and looking up at my mate. 

 "Do you think he'll be ok?" Jay asked me. 

 I smiled at him, putting my arms around him in a hug. "I think so. He has a lot of people here to help him and take care of him. Me, you, Kallie, Robert, Jeff...And especially Vicky and Kiera. And I am very sure the others will want to help take care of him too. I don't think Alec realizes just how many people care about him or how much they care. He's spent so much time alone being pushed away by everyone but his sister he never thought he'd ever have someone who cares..."

 "Yea..." Jay mumbled into my hair, taking in my sent. "It makes me wonder though...It was the same way for Kiera. She was in the same situation. Why was it harder for Alec but easier for her?"

 "Alec gave up hope on ever having someone who cared. But Kiera never did. Some people don't give up hope, Jay. Others do...I'm just glad that Alec is slowly seeing that he does have people that care about him. Who aren't afraid of him." I answered, looking up at him.

 He nodded slowly in agreement. "I am too, beauty...I am too..." We smiled and held each other close. What a crazy start to the day....