Page 47 of The Night Wolf
Sean peered down. His skin was shiny, almost translucent. He ran a hand over it, surprised by how smooth and warm it was. “I’m not sure.”
Gareth was to his side in an instant, reaching out and touching, stroking. “Does it hurt?”
“No.”
“Get dressed. We’re going to see Frank now.”
“But—” Sean stopped when he saw the set of Gareth’s jaw. “Yes, Alpha.”
He threw on the clothes he’d worn last night while Gareth put on some sweats and a T-shirt. God, that shirt hugged him in all the right places. He was about to comment on how lucky the shirt was when Gareth scooped him up in his arms.
“Put me down!” He struggled but didn’t really want Gareth to set him back on the floor. He never felt as safe as when he was wrapped in Gareth’s embrace.
“Stay still. I don’t know what’s wrong, but I’m not taking any chances.” Gareth yanked open the door. “Dani! Call Frank. I want him at the clinic now.”
From below, Dani’s voice rang out. “Yes, Alpha. Is everything okay?”
He didn’t answer, just strode to the door and got Sean to the SUV. How he managed to hold Sean, open doors, and do it without dropping Sean was a mystery. Once he settled Sean in the seat, Gareth buckled the seat belt, then slammed the door before racing to the other side. He got in, started the engine, then sped off down the road, his knuckles white from the tense grip on the wheel.
When they got to the clinic, Gareth reversed the process, pulling Sean out and carrying him inside. Dr. Franklin was there waiting, a bemused smile on his face.
“Seems like you’re my most frequent visitor lately, Sean. What seems to be the problem?”
Gareth put Sean down and yanked the hem of his shirt up.
Frank’s eyes went wide. “What in the world?” He grabbed a pair of gloves and slipped them on. “Does it hurt?”
“No, it’s warm and feels good.”
Frank probed the area gently. “If it hurts, let me know.”
But it didn’t. In fact, Frank’s touch was soothing. Sean closed his eyes, smiling when Gareth put his arms around Sean’s shoulders.
“What’s wrong with him?”
Frank huffed out an exasperated breath. “This isn’t Star Trek, Alpha. I can’t just wave a tricorder over his abdomen and tell you what’s going on within sixty seconds. I need to do some tests.”
It was interesting to see Gareth fret so much. He always seemed polished and in control, but this Gareth was nervous and twitchy.
“You’re welcome to sit down while I do my thing.” Dr. Franklin gestured to a chair in the corner. “Just so you know, it’s going to be a while.”
Without a word, Gareth started for the chair, but Sean called to him.
“Why don’t you go ahead and work? It’s not like you don’t know where I’m going to be, and Dr. Franklin can call you if something needs to be—”
“I’m going nowhere.”
The timbre of his voice told Sean that Gareth would brook no argument. He took the seat and sat ramrod straight, his gaze never leaving Sean. For the next two hours, Dr. Franklin drew blood, palpated the area several times, had Sean pee in a cup, did a lot of humming and muttering “fascinating” under his breath, and went through a ton of gloves. He moved quickly, checking test results, running them again and again. Finally he stood and directed his attention to Gareth.
“I’m… I’m sorry, Alpha. My tests are… I can’t even….”
“Spit it out, Frank. What’s wrong with Sean?”
Frank swallowed hard and wiped a hand over his brow. “The skin on his stomach isn’t as thin as it was when you brought him in. In fact, it’s become like a layer of fat between his epidermis and the, for lack of a better word, pouch. His body is undergoing some incredible metamorphosis as it prepares for….” He blew out a breath. “As it prepares for Sean to give birth.”
You could have heard a pin drop.
After several long seconds, Gareth stood, walked across the room, and came to a stop in front of Franklin. “I’m sorry. What did you say?”
