Alistair

I had such a great time on our wolf date.

Unsurprisingly, Ben's wolf is much larger than mine. He's taller and an Alpha wolf, but my omega wolf felt so protected next to him.

And we even ended up 'completing the bond' at the river shore. I love my mate and it amazes me how in tune we are with each other.

After we returned from our date, we had a quiet night in - after we had dinner in our respectives dining rooms.

On Sunday, Ben informed me that Zach was coming home for spring break and that he wanted to talk to him.

Since I've been meaning to talk to my mate about him, it seemed like the perfect opportunity to ask more about his future Beta, so we talked extensively about his brother's best friend.

It was nice to hear him talking about his brother too. I know he misses him a great deal.

On Monday, I caught Chris thirsting after his mate for the first time in his life.

I can always smell sexual attraction inside the classroom. I'm talking about a room full of hormonal teenagers, it's bound to happen and I've accepted it since January.

In fact, all werewolves can scent it.

But I've never scented Chris' stench. He's usually lovey dovey with Lisa, but their love was more chaste - at least inside the school.

But this time was different, he was looking at Lena like I looked at my mate back at the river last Saturday. Except that my mate was naked on that occasion.😳

I don't really judge him for it. If anyone can relate to his situation it's me. Though I have never been mated away from a partner, I can certainly understand feeling new things for a person you don't necessarily want to feel anything.

Unexpected things. Unwanted feelings and sensations. It's no wonder I did what I did to him after Teddy's party back in December.

I definitely broke the ice between us. *giggles*

It's sad that Lisa no longer eats lunch with us at our table, but I understand her. It's too painful to even look at him right now.

I also can relate to that after Lex charmed Tristan away from me, I still had to watch them together. Though they usually had the decency of not making out in front of me - for the most part.

In hindsight, Lex "delivered" me from Tristan. Talk about dodging a bullet...

"Watch out!"

Someone shouted during P. E. and before I knew it a ball came straight to my face, knocking me out. I felt the sting of a sharp pain and then I was out cold.

When I woke up later on, I was lying on a bed inside the nurse's office. There was something stuck inside my nose, I'm guessing to avoid the bleeding that took place after the ball impact.

I took in my surroundings, but as a werewolf the first thing we notice is the smells. Even before I opened my eyes, I knew there was a person inside the room with me.

A familiar scent, of sorts. Though not who I wished to see right now, if I'm honest. Or maybe ever.

"What are you doing here?" - I questioned Bruno, who is sitting on a chair next to my bed, gazing upon me like a watchful father nursing his son. As if.

"The school called me. You passed out." - He replied, taken aback by the question.

"Why didn't they call momma instead?" - I asked, peeved about the situation.

"They did, but she was working and she doesn't have a cellphone." - He explained.

"Okay, thanks for coming. I'm feeling much better now." - I dismissed him, getting up to a sitting position.

But as soon as I did, my head felt dizzy.

"No, you're not better and I'm taking you to a hospital to get checked out." - He said, sounding worried for me. His tone broke no argument, but I argued anyway.

"I don't need a hospital. I'm a were-"

"Roberto Alistair Young Carrera!" - He reprimanded me in a serious tone.

"We don't say that word in public! Do you know the punishment for exposure?" - He chastised me, really ticked off.

"I do, but we're not in public. We're alone." - I rolled my eyes.

"No, we're not. Nurse Levin is coming right back, she only stepped out to try to notify your mother once again." - He affirmed, not very pleased with me.

"I get it. But I still don't need a hospital." - I refuted, glaring at him.

"Right. Sure. You just took a ball to your face, knocking you to the ground and causing a possible concussion. Why would you need to go to a hospital? You only passed out for like an hour..." - He smirked, rolling his eyes.

"An hour? Damn! Ben must be worried sick about me!" - I commented once I realized the time I spent passed out.

"I've been keeping him updated." - He informed me, serenely.

"Good, thanks. I didn't even know you had his number." - I noted, baffled.

"I don't." - He replied, then raised his hand to point an index finger to his head with a knowing glance.

I see what you did there.

"Then why didn't the school do that to call my momma?" - I questioned him, suspiciously.

"First of all, the nurse is human. Second, no one can do that to a person they have never met before. Only the Alpha can." - He answered, somewhat peeved at my line of questioning.

"Oh really? I didn't know that." - I'm surprised by this information. But then again, I didn't know about mind link until 4 months ago.

"Well, now you know." - Bruno stated, breathing out a sigh.

"That means you can call her." - I suggested, to which he gasped in shock.

"I don't think she should get out of her job earlier. She's new to the place, her boss may fire her over this." - He argued, looking guilty.

If it were any other person saying that, I'd agree with their reasoning. But him...

"Sure. It's not because you're afraid to talk to her?" - I raised my eyebrows in suspicion.

"I'm not afraid-"

"Good you're up, Roberto." - Nurse Levin entered the room, interrupting Bruno.

"My name is Alistair." - I grunted in annoyance.

"Your file says Roberto. Anyway, your father can take you now. I've already called ahead to the hospital to inform them of what happened." - She informed us with a fake smile.

"He is not my father." - I glared at her, who got spooked by Bruno.

The nurse kept looking at him like 'stranger danger' and before she called the police for a possible kidnapping...

"I am his father, nurse Levin. My son and I have issues, but you can check with Principal Carrera if you want. He'll vouch for me." - Bruno stated, uncomfortably.

Well, if there's one thing that he couldn't lie about it's being the principal's brother. Talk about a spitting image...

"You heard nurse Levin, let's go to the hospital." - Bruno glared at me, irritated.

"Sure, Bruno. But you're calling my momma one way or the other." - I glared back at him.

"I already tried. She doesn't have a cell phone and they don't have the number for her job at the boarding house." - Nurse Levin informed me, pitying me as she said 'boarding house'.

"Thanks, ma'am. I appreciate you taking care of my son. I'll take it from here." - Bruno said with a pleasant smile and helped me up from the bed. I put on my shoes and we walked out of her office together. Bruno kept a watchful eye to see if I wouldn't fall.

We continued our walk towards the exit of the school. It just dawned on me that I skipped lunch and I'm hungry.

"I can't believe I skipped lunch. I'm hungry." - I commented, leaving towards the parking lot.

"I'll buy you something from the vending machine at the hospital, come on." - He said, gesticulating me to keep on walking.

"Are you sure you're not getting in trouble at your job? I can take myself to the hospital or ask Ben." - I said, a bit unsure.

"You're a minor, Alistair. You can't leave the school by yourself after having a possible concussion, much less you can't be admitted to the hospital without a parent or guardian present. And no, Ben doesn't count. Not to humans, anyway." - He lectured me while he opened his car for us to get inside.

I grunted at this information. I know he's right. Darn it!

When we arrived at the hospital, Bruno accompanied me to the consultation with the doctor, who examined me, ordered some lab tests and later to get a head CT.

After an hour or so, he finally got me some food from the vending machine and I devoured it since I'm now starving.

"Thanks for the sandwich. My momma can reimburse you for your trouble." - I told him, who practically slapped me at this.

"I'M YOUR FATHER, ALISTAIR! Stop talking to me like I am a stranger doing you a favor!" - He reprimanded me, shouting and causing a scene at the hospital lounge.

"You are a stranger to me, Bruno." - I said in a low tone, embarrassed by the strangers' attention.

"I get that, I do. I'm not gunning for father of the year. But your mom doesn't need to reimburse me for buying my own son a freaking sandwich." - He complained, sounding annoyed.

"Sure. Thanks, anyway." - I mumbled.

"ROBERTO CARRERA." - The doctor called my name and I'm like... again, bitch? Humans. *eye roll*

"I hate you for not naming me Alistair." - I muttered under my breath.

"Well, I love you, son." - He said without missing a beat.

We walked inside the doctor's office and the doctor closed the door behind us.

"Hi, Roberto. Mr. Carrera, I'm afraid I have some troubling news." - He began and my heart already sank.

Immediately my brain goes: I'm pregnant and the human doctor found out. Now I'm gonna be poked and prodded by every single medical professional known to the country.

I'm already sweating nervously.

"At first, we thought you could have a concussion from the fall. That's why we ordered the CT scan." - He stated in a serious tone.

Bruno and I are paying attention attentively to what he's saying, but I can tell he is nervous about this upcoming news. Even more so than me, if you can believe it.

"But upon close examination, we found a brain aneurysm here." - He showed us the enlarged vessel on a screen in his office. Bruno went ghost blank for a minute.

"I see. And is it in danger or rupturing?" - Bruno asked, though I have a feeling he already knows the answer to that.

"Yes, very much so. It could have ruptured today after he fell." - The doctor informed us, his tone and expression were dreadful.

"And what are the options for me?" - I asked him, unfortunately I didn't have the knowledge to know how serious this condition really is, but Bruno is dead worried about it.

"With an aneurysm this size, I'm afraid we must operate as soon as possible." - He informed me, sounding troubled.

"Brain surgery?" - Bruno gasped in shock.

"Yes, Mr. Carrera. If we let it rupture, it could cause permanent damage, even death." - He argued and I now realize the seriousness of the condition.

Instinctively, I grabbed Bruno's hands as I'm trembling right now in fear. This is NOT what I thought was gonna happen today. I'm shaking right now.

"Thank you, doctor. I need to call his mother so that you can explain all this to her. We're separated and she will want to hear it from you." - Bruno told him, awkwardly.

The doctor told us we could have some time to think it over and that he'd be available for further questions. Bruno took me back to the lounge, frightful of the shocking news that we were given.

He took a minute in silence and while I watched him, I did some mind linking of my own.

"Ben, something happened."

"What? Do you have a concussion?"

"No, I have what's called a brain aneurysm."

"What?!?"

"Yeah, it's really serious. The doctor said I need to operate as soon as possible."

"Oh my Goddess!" - It's like I can hear my mate gasp through the mind link.

"I know, I'm so scared. The doctor said that if it ruptures, I could die."

"Alistair, I can't live without you!" - He cried out, sounding tearful.

"I don't want you to live without me either."

"Do you want me to come to the hospital? I'm at the training center, but I can be there in 10 minutes."

"No, Bruno is mind linking momma right now and we're gonna wait for her to arrive here. It's best if you don't come, for now. But I'll keep you updated."

"Please do, my love. I need you to be okay. I can't do this without you."

"I want me to be okay too. But judging by the doctor or Bruno's expressions, this isn't some headache like I could take a pill and get better."

My mother arrived at the hospital and immediately I went to her arms, tearing up. I'm shaking in nervousness and she hugged me for a while. She then greeted Bruno - she didn't glare or punch him, it's a miracle.

My momma eventually went inside the medical office and spent an hour talking to the doctor about the necessary procedure, complications, everything.

Bruno took me to the cafeteria to buy me something else to eat and drink, him too since he also skipped lunch. We sat at a table and ate our junk food while waiting for momma.

"I can't believe that at first I thought I'd lose my father. And now you're the one losing me." - I said in a troubled tone. He's gobsmacked by my words.

"I'M NOT LOSING YOU, ALISTAIR! DON'T EVEN THINK LIKE THAT." - He reprimanded me, genuinely troubled by the implication.

"It's okay, you have another one on the way. You can call him Beto." - I said and for a second there I thought he was gonna slap me in the face.

"No one is gonna replace you, Alistair. That's not what this is about. Even if I have another son, he's not gonna replace you. Only you can be Beto, even if you don't like the name." - He said, holding back emotional tears.

"It's not that I don't like it, I just never had any time to get used to it. Maybe if I had a father raising me and calling by my real name..." - I jabbed at him, I couldn't resist it.

"That's my fault. I should have fought harder to keep you. I blame myself for that. I should have insisted on taking you to my pack." - He said, remorsefully.

"It's fine. If you did then I would never have met Sarah, Chris, Elodie, none of the people I love. It's fine." - I said, feeling some type of way.

"It's not fine because you were raised without a father. But please know that I gave you my father's name as the highest honor I could bestow upon someone. He means everything to me." - Bruno explained and I can feel the love for his parent.

"I understand, I do. He's a great guy, I can tell." - I agreed. He really is.

Momma comes to the cafeteria and takes a seat next to me.

"What did you decide, momma?" - I asked her, curiously.

"Son, I need you to be strong. You're doing the surgery." - She informed me, hugging me after.

I cried in nervous tears. I never had any procedure done in my life. I never even had to take any medicine aside from Sarah's teas. What the hell do I know about surgeries?

All I know is that I spent the day being called by someone else's name and now I gotta go through a medical procedure that I may not survive.

I mean... what the hell!😪

A|N: Full disclosure, I've been wanting to use another Lil Nas X song ever since I did it on 'The Orphan's Mate' and haven't had the opportunity.

Now about the chapter... sorry, Ali. You deserved better than that.

But on the other hand, Zack is coming.

As you can imagine, the next chapter comes with a heartbreak.

Love,

Léo.