The Alpha King Call Boy
Chapter 259

Fiona

"I don't care," I told Alexander's doctor, shutting the man up in an instant.

He had sat down and jumped right into recapping things that I already knew about my husband's physical injuries. But that wasn't why I had called him to meet with me.

Brandon had told me about Alexander's father. And about Alexander's reaction to the news that he was now officially the Alpha King.

There was no more time to waste, I decided. I needed to help Alex get well, and soon, so that we could deal with this. He claimed he didn't want my help, but I didn't care. He needed it.

"I want to talk to you about his mental state," I continued. "There is something going on with him that goes beyond the broken bones."

The doctor looked to the side and stoked his beard thoughtfully. I got a feeling that he didn't understand my meaning at all. "Yes, he's been rather fixated on how long it will take him to heal," he mused. "I'd recommend giving him some time to process the situation."

"I have given him time." I glared at the doctor, daring him to continue treating this lightly. "This is not just a bit of shock. Alexander has been injured before, and he has never been shaken like this. That is a broken man in there-" I pointed in the direction of the hospital suite down the hall, where Alexander was staying. "You listen to me. I know him better than anyone, and there is something very wrong with the way his mind is working right now. And it is my duty to help him get-well."

The doctor shifted his posture, straightening his spine. He was paying better attention. "Yes, Your Highness," he said. "I'm sorry-I didn't mean to sound dismissive. You're right, I do not know your husband personally. Please continue." He bowed, not only with a tip of his head, but with the look in his eyes, too."I have been reading about some things. Some things that may be affecting Alexander, without him realizing. I've only done some basic, rather amateur internet research, though. I hope you can tell me more with an expert medical opinion."

The doctor nodded interestedly.

"Vampire blood. What do you know about it?"

The gray-haired man crinkled his brow, puzzled.

"Consumption of vampire blood," I specified. "What effect can that have on a werewolf? Alexander has been fighting vampires, as you know. I don't believe he consumes their blood on purpose, but he does fight them with his teeth..."

The doctor shifted in his chair again. I could tell it creeped him out to think about this, but he tried to keep his face neutrally professional.

"It's not something that has been extensively studied.

But the effects of drinking vampire blood seem to vary widely, if anecdotal evidence is to be believed. The effects range from mild to severe, perhaps varying in-part due to the dosage, if you will-the amount of blood consumed. And it's been said, too, that the strength and age of the vampire who, uh, donated the blood... that can make the effects more or less intense, as well."

"And what are these effects?"

"Immediate effects can include euphoria, feelings of bliss or peace-"

"It's like a drug?"

The doctor blinked. "Oh, not like a drug. It is a drug. A very powerful one."

"What else?"

"That initial high wears off quickly. The come-down can be rather severe, and last days or weeks. Some have reported anxiety, depression, nightmares and troubling visions..." The man's voice trailed off, and his eyes drifted in the direction I'd been pointing earlier.

I knew it. This wasn't a topic one discussed in polite society, so I had no knowledge on the subject, and apparently neither did the internet. But I knew it had to be dangerous, coming into such intimate contact with the rotten blood of vampires.

I'd heard Alexander throwing up in the shower, that night when he fought the vampires at the courthouse.

He'd been absolutely covered in that black gunk when he returned from that first battle, and he'd used up half a tube of toothpaste cleaning his mouth afterward.

But when he returned to the palace this week, one of the first things I noticed was that he still had some black showing in between his teeth. It'd been days since he fought in the desert, but due to his injuries and his pride, he had not been able to clean himself up properly and he hadn't let me or the nurses or anyone do it for him.

My Alpha needed his Luna to take care of him. But he wasn't in his right mind and wouldn't let me near him to do it.

It had been a hell of a day. By the time I was finished feeding Lexi and then showering and fixing myself up, it was already dark.

I left Nina with the baby and an assortment of gourmet pizzas, tucked a little bag of supplies under my arm, and headed for Alexander's room.

I unlocked the door and went in without knocking. I was met with an angry glare from the big, heavily casted man lying in the bed, who only vaguely resembled my husband.

"Fiona, please. I don't want to talk yet," he snapped.

I opted against replying yet. It is useless to argue with a person who doesn't realize they are not making sense.

I could feel his energy intensifying as I crossed the room at a deliberately casual pace. When I reached the bedside, I set my bag down on the nightstand.

"Fiona," Alex growled. Anger and anxiety hovered around him in a chaotic swirl of black energy. "Obey me," he snapped. "I told you to leave me alone. Obey me!"

I would have been offended if I didn't understand where this was coming from. It wasn't just pain medication that Alexander was high on. He had also been poisoned with another powerful drug. One that was forcing him to think monstrous thoughts. "Fiona, I said-"

When I finally interjected, I made my voice even louder than his. "You know what, Alexander? We're not doing that anymore."

He paused, startled.

"When you and I got married, we made a deal," I said,: launching into a speech I'd practiced in the shower. "I don't care if your pride is wounded, Alex. You have to heal and you have to let me help you. You owe it to me and to your daughter and to your country to get yourself well. You made me love you, Alexander. You made me soften my heart and come to rely upon you, And I am not going back to living like I'm made of stone. Not for one more day. I need you back now -the real you. I need the man I married. The one who loves me and would do anything for me. My partner. My mate."

"Fiona... what if I never walk again?" He looked down the length of his body. "What if I can never make love to you again? What if I can't be that for you again-the man you married?"

"Alexander," I said sternly. "Your ability to walk or to fuck me is not the point. And if you really want to use that as an excuse to keep wallowing in this depression, well... maybe I should prove to you that it doesn't matter whether you can work your hips or not." I leapt up onto the extra-wide hospital bed and climbed on top of Alex's chest.