That was all I could tell her, though.
“Then where is he?”
“He’s in surgery.”
She swallowed, hard, her already white skin going very pale. “Why? I mean, what’s the surgery for?”
I didn’t really want to recall all the injuries my Alpha had sustained.
“Ah… dislocated shoulder, knife wound to the belly, burned face, cut off ear…”
Tears slid down Celeste’s face.
“Burned face… knife… oh my God.”
I grabbed her hand and squeezed it.
“I suppose we have to be grateful the bears were taking their time killing him, or we may have arrived too late.”
“I don’t know what to say. Is he going to be okay?”
“I don’t know.”
She began to cry as she rocked the baby.
“Dane, I didn’t want this to happen. Not like this. I mean, I was so angry at him, but now…”
I stroked her head and kissed her hair. “I know. It puts it all in perspective, doesn’t it?”
She nodded. “Yes, it does.”
The baby came off Celeste’s nipple, her eyes closed and her mouth still open.
Milk dribbled down the side of her face.
“Do you want to hold her?”
I glanced down at her.
“I’d love to, but I’m not very clean.”
I gestured down to my clothes that were some of the spares we kept in the car in case of emergencies.
“The doctors asked why Tayte was naked when we brought him in, but we didn’t have much of an explanation.”
Celeste put the baby over her shoulder and gently rubbed her back.
“So, what’s going to happen? Do you know?”
I shook my head. “I have no idea. Wolf shifters have abnormal healing powers, which probably is one of the reasons the baby is doing better than they all expected. We’re strong and fit and healthy, but Tayte’s injuries were… extensive.”
I swallowed hard against the lump in my throat.
“We can only wait, I suppose. Sam’s sitting in the waiting room now.”
Celeste nodded, then sobbed softly.
“I can’t believe this all happened. Actually, I can. I always knew my baggage would haunt us, follow me. But I never thought… I hoped it would all be okay.”