Surrogate for My Brother-in-law - Chapter 62: Chapter 62

I ended up spending the night in the hospital, sleeping on a spare bed the nurses pushed into Sable’s treatment room. I just couldn’t bear to leave her alone.
I think Ethan guessed there was more to it than a healer’s devotion to the most fragile patient. He didn’t push me for answers, though. He just made sure I was comfortable and brought me dinner, home cooked by Eli.
Dr. Lee worked with me to select the best formula recipe for Sable’s needs. I held her close and tried to get her to suckle. She turned her tiny head away and whimpered.
“I don’t understand,” I whispered. “You must be hungry.”
“She’s confused,” Dr. Lee said. Then, after making certain we were alone, added, “She finally has her mother, but she’s been passed around among strangers too much to trust you aren’t going to vanish again.”
I nodded. Dr. Lee was observant, and she knew my baby had been taken by Eva. It didn’t take much to work out that Alpha Leo’s fading infant and my stolen baby were one and the same.
“Just hold her, and keep trying. She’ll get it.” Dr. Lee paused. “Try singing to her. Or just talking. She knows yoru voice and scent best of anyone’s, they’ll soothe her.”
Dr. Lee was right. I sang, and Sable’s eyes focused on my face. The next time I nudged the bottle against her lips, she suckled. I sang until my throat cracked, and she finished half the bottle.
Sable fell asleep in my arms after I burped her. I reluctantly placed her back in the bassinet. It felt so good to finally have a chance to bond with my baby.
I knew it was only temporary. Leo would take her back once she was healthy again. She would be raised as his heir. His and Eva’s.
But I would take every moment I could have, and burn them into my memory. I would cherish every second. It was all I could do.
Losing her a second time might kill me, but I couldn’t have refused to save her any more than I could give up on my mother or refuse to heal an injured wolf. I just couldn’t do it.
I was surprised to see a message from Eva on my desk the next morning. At first I assumed she wanted to be sure I would treat the baby. After all, if Leo's pup died, she'd lose her best way to control him. Or maybe she wanted to threaten me, to remind me to keep her secrets.
The message didn’t even mention the pup, though. It was a request for a medical consultation with Dr. Angel, not a threat to Tessa.
Why would Eva want to see Dr. Angel, though? She had her own healers and medics at her beck and call. Why would she risk a strange healer examining her, when she had to hide the fact that she had not recently given birth? What could she possibly want?
I looked at the message for several minutes, trying to guess what my sister’s latest scheme might be. And then I decided that I just didn’t care. Whatever she wanted, I wanted nothing to do with it.
I sent back a reply. It was a blunt refusal, with no explanation. When the receptionist, who had taken and delivered the message, asked about it, I did offer a believable reason.
“I can’t afford to be wasteful with my abilities,” I said, “If I waste my strength on someone who isn’t critical, I won’t have any left if there’s an emergency. And I have the alpha’s baby to care for.”
The receptionist nodded. “You’re absolutely correct, Healer. I’ll find a way to phrase it so she understands. She’s a new Luna who thinks the world revolves around her.”
“Thanks,” I said.
Dr. Lee found me pacing in Sable’s treatment room. I wasn’t holding the baby; I was worried she’d sense how upset I was.
“I heard about the request from Luna Eva,” Dr. Lee said. “You okay?”
“Yeah,” I said. “I’m angry. She isn’t injured or ill or anything. She just heard the rumors, that I make wolves stronger and she wants more power. I know her. I know how she thinks.”
Dr. Lee nodded. “And you don’t want to waste your power to help the woman who stole your baby.”
I nodded. “That, too.”
“You’re right not to help her. She doesn’t need you.” Lee paused. “Honestly, Tess, I wouldn't really blame you if you refused her if she was hurt.”
“I don’t know if I could do that,” I said, “I really don’t know what I’d do in that situation. But it did feel good to refuse her. I never could before.”
“She knew you were a healer?” Dr. Lee asked, “As Tessa?
“No, but she was Alpha Daughter and then Luna of my former pack,” I explained. “And she’s always been a bully with leverage over me.” I shrugged. “She doesn’t have any leverage over Dr. Angel, though. So it was finally safe to tell her no.”
“I bet that felt good,” Dr. Lee said.
“So good,” I admitted.
“Hey, she hurt you,” Dr. Lee said, “In one of the worst ways you can hurt another person. She took your baby. I don’t blame you for wanting to hurt her back.”
“Thanks,” I said. “For understanding. I was worried I was being petty.”
“Hardly,” Dr. Lee said. “On the subject of the baby, we had to take blood samples to rule out any pathogens or genetic issues.”
I nodded, pensive.
“I could take a blood sample from you,” she said. “So we have a record, a way to prove who’s baby this really is. If you ever think it’s safe to do so.”
I looked down at Sable. I knew Eva would never stand for me reclaiming her. She’d kill my mother. She’d manipulate Leo into starting a war with Ethan. She’d destroy both packs to have her way.
But I wanted that proof. Just to know I had it. So I nodded, and extended my arm. Dr. Lee took the sample, gave me a hug, and left me alone with my daughter.
Leo visited his daughter soon afterwards. The nurses in the pediatric ward knew to warn me if he approached, so I had plenty of time to put my shirt and my mask on. I still held the baby when he stepped into the room. I hated to put her down.
“Does holding her help?” he asked.
“It’s easier to heal with physical contact,” I said. “And it’s better for her.”
Leo nodded, and hesitantly stepped closer. “May I hold her? Or will it interfere with her treatment?”
“You’re her father, bonding with you can only help.” I paused, and decided I might as well have a bit of fun. “The best way is skin to skin contact. Take off your shirt.”
Leo blushed but obeyed, and I helped arrange Sable and her monitors and IV in his arms. He held her like she was the most precious thing in the entire world, and my heart broke a little.
I arranged a blanket over them both. It wasn’t much fun to ogle the shirtless alpha when he looked so vulnerable. I realized, then, that I’d miss switching out with Eva at night. I’d been terrified to be caught, but it had been good to be in his arms.
Well, that was over, and all that was left was to save his baby. Because I could tell that he would not survive losing her.