As shaken up as Sean was, he followed the medics to the ambulance. The medics got her in and when one of them gestured for Sean to climb in, he did without hesitation. When Mark tried to follow, his dad held him back and told them coolly. "No. I'll drive us. This is his job." Sean didn't even piece that together. He was just worried about Isabelle and didn't want her to be alone. The ambulance siren flared and started to race through the rain, while the medics kept checking her vitals and pumped air down her throat. Sean could only watch and listen to them. On occasion, he answered questions that he knew about her to help them keep from giving her medication that could kill her. Having babysat her a few times, he knew quite a bit since her mother always made him recite it before leaving him with her. Reaching the hospital, they hopped out and raced her to the emergency room. Sean followed them until they stopped him. Escorting him to a viewing room, he watched through a soundproof glass as the doctors took over. He paced the room like a caged animal. Waiting to see how the surgery would play out. Had they gotten to her in time?

One of the nurses slipped into the room with him, asking gently. "Are you alright?" Sean stopped long enough for him to point at his soaking wet appearance. Looking down at his white robe, he saw why he was concerned. The front of his robe and hands were stained in her blood. Swallowing, he stammered out. "I'm... I'm ok. It's not mine." The nurse moved closer to him, and Sean realized who he was talking to. The nurse was Matthew. Matthew set a medic bag on a chair, inching closer as he asked cautiously. "Mind if I check?" Sean shook his head, holding out his arms for him to see. Matthew looked over his arms and his robes. Then touched places along his torso before asking him nicely. "Would you like to shower? We've got some spare work clothes that you can wear." Sean looked to Isabelle, prompting Matthew to tell him gently. "She could be in there for a while. Come on. You're soaked and she won't want to see you like that." Sean couldn't deny that. Nodding, he reluctantly followed Matthew out and into a staff area. Taking a towel and some spare nurse scrubs, he led him into the locker room. Opening a curtain for one of the six shower stalls, Matthew told him sweetly. "I'll leave these on the sink. I have a few things to do in the locker room. So, if you need anything, just call me. The little bottles there have shampoo and body wash. Help yourself."

Sean nodded, then carefully removed his wet flower crown to set it in the sink. Stepping into the tile shower, he closed the long curtain and pried his robe off. The hot water felt really good against his cold skin but seeing the blood circle the drain made him uneasy. It bothered him to enjoy this, knowing that Isabelle was fighting for her life. He washed himself as quickly as he could to remove the blood and mud. Then stepped out to dry off and changed into the baby blue nurse scrubs. They were light and more comfortable than they looked. It felt good to wear proper clothes again. Even if he wasn't used to not wearing underwear... He at least wouldn't flash anyone now. Making his way back out into the locker room, Matthew quickly put his robe and crown into a laundry bag and handed him some nurse slippers. They were a bit big for him, but they at least kept his feet off the cold floor. Putting the laundry bag aside, Matthew told him coolly. "We'll take care of this and get it back to you. Don't want to scare the puppies we have here for check-ups. Are you thirsty?" Sean shook his head, but Matthew smiled and told him. "I'm gonna get a diet coke. You wanna come with? I can check on her condition for you?" To that, Sean nodded. He wanted to know how she was more than anything.

Leading him out into the waiting area at the front of the hospital, he told him to take a seat and approached the counter. Sean didn't want to sit but he did. His legs felt too shaky after his shower. Sitting on the floor of the waiting area, a little girl hugged her fox toy plush close and asked him with a smile. "Are you ok? Are you sick?" Her father cleared his throat, stating firmly. "Jocelyn! You don't ask people that." Sean smirked, telling her a bit fragilely. "No. I'm not. But a friend of mine is." The little girl flashed him a charming smile, telling him confidently. "Don't worry. They fix people here. They fixed mommy after she ate a seed that grew in her." Sean raised an eyebrow, listening to the father snort to himself. When he looked at the man, the man corrected with a blush. "She had a puppy. I'm waiting to see her and her little brother." Sean smiled, watching the little girl ask him. "Did your friend eat a seed too?" Giggling a little, he told her lightly. "No. She got hurt." Sean didn't know if he wanted to go into more detail if she asked but he was saved by Matthew calling his name. Rushing up to the counter, Matthew told him very softly. "She just got out of surgery, and they are moving her to a recovery room now."

Sean shrugged, asking hopefully. "So, she's ok?" The woman behind the counter interjected then. "They say she is stable... but we'll have to wait and see. They gave her a blood transfer, but her body may reject it." Sean leaned on the counter, asking anxiously. "Can I see her?" The nurse typed something, then told Matthew coolly. "Give them about ten minutes and then you can take him to see her." Matthew nodded, then gestured Sean to follow him as he said lightly. "Come with me." Sean followed him into another little waiting room that had drinks and snacks set out. While Matthew got himself a drink from the mini fridge, he gestured to the snacks and told him comfortingly. "Go on. We've got a few minutes. Calm your nerves. Want some coffee?" Sean nodded, taking a seat as Matthew moved to get him some. Sean could only stare at his shaking hands, before rubbing them to try and relax them. Getting the coffee helped. The heat warmed his hands and relaxed them. Just as Matthew took him to the room, the others showed up. Mark was dressed in his normal clothes and rushed up to hug him. The doctor standing by, asked them gently. "We were waiting for you to show up. We were just going to call her parents."

Mark pulled from the hug, checking his watch before telling the doctor. "No. Don't. Not yet." Sean's dad shot a hard glare at Mark and Sean tensed a little. He didn't understand. Mark looked at Sean, telling him gently. "It's the middle of the night. Let them rest. We'll call them in the morning." Sean shook his head, telling Mark seriously. "Mark... She could die. They should be here." Mark bowed his head, telling him a bit emotionally. "Sean, it will cause them more pain to see her like this. In the morning, we'll know what to tell them about her..." Sean grabbed his wrist, looking into Mark's eyes as he told him in a voice that was a stranger to him. "Mark... If she was yours... would you want to wait?" Mark bowed his head, thinking about it before telling the doctor seriously. "Call them. Tell them they should be here for her... just in case." The doctor nodded, then rushed off and Sean smiled just a little. Standing outside the room, they stared through the glass at her. She was hooked up to so many wires and a breathing machine that Sean felt responsible for it. Nathan walked up beside him to stare through the glass, telling him calmly. "You saved her life." Sean shook his head, answering gruffly. "I put her in danger... Look at what he did to her."

Nathan leaned his shoulder against the wall, facing Sean as he told him seriously. "Zedekiah is a danger to everyone around him. Don't blame yourself. I told you... if he has no use for someone. He kills them and leaves them for dead. You saved her because you gave him a reason to let her go." Sean turned dark eyes on Nathan, forcing him to say a bit clearer. "Sean, he used her to get a message to you. To rattle you, just like he did with your dad. He hurt her, yes... but she has a fighting chance to survive because he wanted you to see her suffer. Otherwise... he would have made sure that her heart wasn't beating before giving her to you." Nathan put a hand on Sean's shoulder, telling him with a warm smile. "She could survive because of what you did." Sean sniffled, wiping his eyes when he said aloud. "How could he do this to a puppy... It's vile." Nathan exhaled heavily, telling him softly. "When you don't grow up around Omegas and puppies... I think it makes Alphas and Betas more aggressive. It's less about protecting and more about the thrill of the fight." Sean looked at Nathan, asking him in a fragile voice. "I think it's time that you start training Mark."

Mark shrugged, asking him seriously. "And what about you? He's not just coming for me." Sean didn't know what to say, but Nathan cut in flawlessly. "I can train him too, but he's got a point. We don't know what he's going to do next. We should practice while we can. Get as many Alphas and Betas as ready for this as we can." Mark glanced at little Isabelle, telling them firmly. "You're right. The Pack is in danger. Zedekiah has declared war." Nathan pushed off the wall, telling Mark bluntly. "You got a gym? Someplace to call in the young Alphas and Betas?" Mark nodded but lingered by Sean. Stroking his arm, he asked him hopefully. "Sean? Come with us?" Sean stared into the room, feeling torn. His dad stepped in though, telling Mark openly. "Go. You need to train and that's no place for Sean in his condition. I'll stay with him and Isabelle." Mark shook his head, telling him bluntly. "He could come after you both. I'd feel safer if you both-" Sean's dad put a hand on Mark's shoulder, telling him in a fatherly tone. "I know... but we're Omegas. Puppies come first. He'll be too worried about her. Go. We'll be safe here." Mark shook his head, growling out under his breath. "I don't believe that... No place is safe."

Sean finally faced Mark, telling him lovingly. "I'll just stay until her parents arrive." Mark looked like he was going to argue with him, until Sean kissed his cheek. Hugging him, Sean whispered to him. "Please, Mark?" Mark hugged him back, then whispered to him in return. "Ok. Don't linger too long." Sean brushed his cheek against Mark's, telling him as he pulled away. "It shouldn't be too long." Reluctantly, Mark backed away and Nathan coaxed Mark into picking up the pace. When they were out of eyesight, Sean put a hand to his stomach and leaned against the wall a bit weakly. His dad moved closer, putting a hand on his wrist when he asked him curiously. "Are you ok, Sean?" Sean rubbed his stomach, honestly informing him. "I don't know... I feel weird." His dad's hand moved to touch his stomach, calmly telling him. "I'm sure the stress isn't good for you." His dad took his coffee from him and lead him carefully into Isabelle's room. Getting him to sit in a chair, his dad checked his pulse, then looked over the bite on his neck. Sean winced a little from how sensitive his neck was, but his dad asked curiously. "Did you feel weird before or after mating with Mark?"

Sean huffed, answering honestly. "After. Why? You think my bite is infected?" His dad smirked, then removed something from his backpack. Holding up the sweater, he asked him soothingly. "Sniff this and tell me if you get the same weird feeling." Sean took the sweater and sniffed it. It smelled like Mark. Just after sniffing it, he felt the sensation again in the pit of his stomach. His dad watched him closely, then smirked and told him rather calmly. "Yep... I thought so. Same thing happened to me." Sean leaned back in the chair, mumbling out. "More sickness...?" His dad removed Sean's clothes and shoes from the bag, answering without looking at him. "No. You were pregnant before Mark Claimed you. So, you only smelled one way. After Mark Claimed you, your scents mixed. And... You could say that your puppy now knows how to identify your mate. So, it's natural that they puppy gets a little excited when he can hear and smell him." Sean's jaw dropped as he muttered out. "What...? How can it smell him yet?" His dad chuckled softly, helping him put his socks on as he told him warmly. "Mark's scent is in you and things you interact with... the puppy will sense through you."

Sean bit his lip, asking his dad softly. "So... My puppies are Mark's?" His dad shrugged, telling him truthfully. "I don't know. But they will identify Mark as their parent." Sean rubbed his stomach, hoping the puppy or puppies were Mark's. He didn't want Nathan's puppies calling Mark dad. That just wouldn't be fair to either of them. His dad then told him with a warm smile. "That was some quick thinking you did back there for her. You may hate being what you are, but the instinct to save her came naturally to you." Getting to his feet, Sean walked over to Isabelle and sat on the edge of the bed. Putting a hand on hers, he replied to his dad sadly. "If only I could have done more..." His dad leaned on the foot bar to the bed, telling him comfortingly. "The only way you could have done more is to become a doctor. Don't beat yourself up. Even in her condition, you got her here. She's stable." Sean glanced back at his dad, his voice shaking when he said. "If Zedekiah did this to her... What is he doing to mom...?" His dad shifted on his feet, then moved closer to hug him. Hugging him tightly, his dad whispered over his shoulder in a voice that was struggling to be strong. "Your mother is the strongest Beta, I know. She knew them in her youth. She's a City Wolf too. She can handle yourself. A few cuts and bruises won't bring her down."

Sean stroked his dad's arm that rest over his chest, trying to believe that. He didn't want to imagine her suffering. A soft whine jerked him from his thoughts. Looking at Isabelle, he watched her chest fall out of time with the machine as she started breathing on her own a bit more heavily. His dad released Sean, running to the wall to slam his hand on an emergency button. Isabelle then whined more, her hands reaching up to touch the tubes on her face. Taking her hands to stop her, he pressed his forehead to hers and told her in a soothing voice. "Isabelle? It's ok. You're safe." Isabelle's eyes fluttered open, her eyes red and distant. She couldn't turn her head in the neck brace but he told her calmly. "It's me. Sean. Remember? You're safe. Your mom is coming." Isabelle whined around the tubes in her mouth, tears brimming her eyes. Stroking her cheek, he comforted her until her breathing calmed down. The nurses rushed in to check her, then carefully removed the breathing tubes. Isabelle coughed and started to cry, her voice a broken mess when she pleaded out. "Mommy...?" Sean took her hand, telling her that she was on her way.

The nurses started to discuss her vitals and informing the doctors of her condition. When the door to the room burst open and slammed against the wall. The nurses jumped and his dad sprang to defend them, until he saw Tia. She was still in her pajamas and her hair was a mess. Her teary eyes scanned the room and when Isabelle called to her, Tia dashed for the bed. Sean got up and into his dad's arms, while Tia stroked and kissed the face of her crying puppy. Tia crawled up into the bed, snuggling Isabelle close like no one else was in the room. A few minutes later, Peter staggered into the room. He was breathless from running and wearing a robe over his pajama pants. At the sight of Tia snuggling Isabelle, he relaxed like he'd been expecting the worst. Sean's dad started to coax Sean to the door, but Peter stopped him. Sean froze thinking he was going to yell at him, but instead he embraced him. Sean could barely breathe as Peter hugged him tightly and told him in a gruff voice. "They told us what you did for her. I can never repay you... but thank you. You don't know how much she means to us." Sean hugged him back, then eased back and gestured him to go see Isabelle.

Peter nodded, squeezing his shoulder before joining his mate and little girl. Sean wanted to cry as he watched them comfort Isabelle like only a parent could. His dad then eased him from the room, telling him sweetly. "Come on, Puppy. She's in good hands now. Let's get you back to Mark." To Be Continued...