The Alpha

Chapter Nineteen

Theo

Josephine's been out for four days. I check on her repeatedly and have constant updates but nothing seems to change besides her fever. Some days it goes way down and she doesn't look as pale but other days her fever skyrockets and I've never seen someone in so much pain. And I can feel her pain. Maybe not all of it, but I am very well aware of how much pain she is going through even though it hurts me to know.

"Her fever is down today, Alpha." Marilyn says. "But she's not responding to anything. We're all afraid she's not going to make it." I nod at her and she leaves to go back to Josephine and check her vitals since Marilyn is a nurse.

This is bad. Really, really bad. They told me yesterday it wasn't getting any better but the thought of losing her is sending my wolf on a rampage.

I need to go down there and talk to Connor, our pack doctor, and then check on my poor Josephine. I stand up to leave just as my office door flies open again and a group of men burst in.

With a glare, I sit back down. Josephine needs me. Why can't the world stop and let me do my part as her mate? I just need a break from my other alpha duties so I can care for Josephine.

"Alpha, we're killing the rogues, but it's like they're multiplying. We kill one and two more appear. My men can't handle this much longer." Max pants out and I frown at them all. They're all the squad leaders. Even Jason is in here looking exhausted. I sigh.

"Jason, I want to talk to their leader."

"But they're rogues. They don't have a leader." He argues.

"So they're coming together in masses without a makeshift Alpha?" I question know full well that isn't true. He thinks about what I'm saying and then shakes his head.

"I'll go ask for you to speak with him." And then they all leave.

I breathe in deeply before heading out of my office and towards our room where she lies on our bed. I had her transferred so then I could still sleep next to her. Apparently my wolf doesn't rest easy know our mate is vulnerable to anything without her by our side. Being away from her all day is enough to make him want to bite my head off.

When I sit down in the chair next to our bed, I grab her hand. It's cold as ice. I frown and rub it between my own hands. At least it's not hot. This could be worse.

"Theo?" I murmurs in her sleep and I softly smile at her.

My poor mate has gone through so much pain over the last few days and it's all because of me. I should have pulled away when I knew the marking was complete but I couldn't.

I needed her to be mine so no one else could touch her or have the chance to find out how amazing she is. I just needed to go deeper to make sure she belonged to me no matter what. Now she's on her death bed and I'm getting sick too just because I could control myself.

"I'm right here, baby girl. Just keep fighting for me, okay? I need you here." I kiss each of her knuckles and she shivers. "I know it hurts and you want to quit, but you have to keep fighting for me. I'll make it up to you, I promise. I'll spoil you rotten and you will never leave my side again. I can't lose you, baby. Please."

I kiss her cheeks and all around her jaw and right on the nose before I grace her lips with mine. He lets out a breathy sigh and squirms a little. There we go. A response was what I was looking for. I hear her heart monitor spike and I chuckle softly.

"Hmm. Miss me?" I ask smugly as I kiss her again. She makes a strange sound against my mouth and I pull back. Whoa. What's happening?

Her heart monitor spikes again and I push the call nurse button. Marilyn rushes in seconds later and looks over Josephine's vitals. I clutch Josephine's tiny hand in mine and wait for Marilyn to say something.

"I'm sorry, Alpha, but I'm going to have to ask you to step away from Josephine." Marilyn says in a calm voice as Connor comes in the room, looking panicked. I stand up and walk to the other side of the bed while he checks her pulse. I watch the heart monitor as it spikes again.

"I need the other nurses in here now!" Connor urges Marilyn and she flies out of the room. What in the actual fuck? I can't decipher is this is good or bad.

Her heart monitor grabs my attention as it spikes once again and then the line goes flat. I stare at for a few seconds and then look over at Connor who's pushing something into her through a needle. I watch desperately as the nurses all rush in and surround Josephine. The room is filled with noise but I watch in silence. She won't leave me. There's no way in hell she would ever leave me.

"Alpha, I'm so sorry." One of the nurses sets a hand on my arm and I flinch. Nope. There's no way she's gone.

Connor turns to me with this look on his face that snaps me back to reality. Someone in the room is crying and most of the nurses are looking at me in pity. I look at Josephine's limp body and my nostrils flair. How dare she leave me? We had made so much progress. She was beginning to not see me as a monster anymore. She actually let me mark her. And now she's just.....gone? No.

"Josephine?" I ask quietly and one of the nurses leaves sobbing. I walk over to he body and rest my fingers on her wrist. No pulse. I suck in a sharp breath. Fuck.

Suddenly, she bursts upright, gasping for air, and everyone in the room stares at her in shock. She blinks a few times once she has her heart rate back to normal and I listen to the monitors now steady beeping.

"Theo!" She exclaims and wraps her arms around me. I tense when she touches me. She was just dead. My mate just died and now she's up and alive hugging me. What the fuck is even happening?

"S-she was having a s-seizure, Alpha. She was d-dead." Marilyn stutters and I glare at her, gathering Josephine up in my arms.

"I don't understand." Connor mumbles to himself. "She had no pulse for a good minute or two. She was gone. Completely gone. Yet here she is, breathing like nothing happened."

"Out!" I bark and they all look at me startled. "I want everyone out!" Josephine curls into my arms and I press her tightly to my chest as they all exit out room. Connor shuts the door behind him. I quickly lay down and cover her face with kisses. She giggles and I squeeze her tightly.

"Yeah, Theo, I did miss you." She smiles and I kiss her softly. That smile was almost gone from the world. My beautiful girl had died but now she's breathing like any other living creature. Death tried to take her away from me. I don't even want an explanation for this miracle.

I'm just glad I get to keep what rightfully belongs to me.