Total pages in book: 36
Estimated words: 35696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 178(@200wpm)___ 143(@250wpm)___ 119(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 35696 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 178(@200wpm)___ 143(@250wpm)___ 119(@300wpm)
Her temperature was too high. “I need to take you to the hospital. You’re not settling. I don’t like this.” They either needed to take her to the hospital or the doctor needed to come.
There was no sign of Rocko. He hadn’t been home until late the past couple of nights. It was now close to eight at night. If she waited too long, would it harm Daphne?
“Crap. What do I do?” He’d given her a specific instruction not to go outside. The guards were waiting.
His car was also parked outside. She hadn’t driven in a long time. Either way, if she left his home, she’d be breaking his laws. Did it really matter if she had to save Daphne? She truly believed there was something else wrong with her, and the temperature was just one thing. She needed professional help.
Another scream and a twist in her gut, and she’d had enough. She wasn’t going to put Daphne in danger just because she was afraid. If Rocko killed her for this, then so be it. She wasn’t going to bring any harm to the child.
Holding on to her, she grabbed the travel bag, which had never been used, and walked right out the door.
The instant she opened the door, the two guards had guns trained on her.
“Halt!”
“Stop right there.”
“This baby is sick, really sick. I need to take her to the hospital. Now, you can either help me by getting a doctor, or you can let me go. This is Rocko’s child.”
“Are you delusional?” one of the men asked.
“Get Rocko. I don’t care. I’m taking her to the hospital.” She took a step to the car and as she did a bullet went off.
She panicked, freezing in place.
“Don’t shoot at her,” the other man said.
“I didn’t, okay? It’s a warning shot.”
“I’m getting Rocko. Do not move,” the man who hadn’t shot at her said.
“This baby is in danger. Please.”
They didn’t listen.
“Lucas, this is alpha guard one.”
She rolled her eyes.
“We have a human female here with a child, claiming it’s Rocko’s. Come in. The baby has a high fever.”
“I didn’t tell you she had a high fever.” She glared as he held his hand up.
“Please advise on the location of the alpha,” he said.
“I’ve heard enough. You can shoot me but this baby is innocent and she needs medical care. She could die. A fever is to be taken seriously.” Even with her heart pounding and Daphne’s screams in her ear putting her on edge, she made the decision and started to walk to the car.
“I suggest you stop or I will shoot you.”
“I pose you no harm. You’re going to have to rethink that.” She took another step and another. The gun went off.
Still no pain.
“The next one will be in your head.”
“I’m holding a defenseless baby,” she said, screaming over the noise.
To add insult to injury, it started to rain.
“I will count down from five, and you will stop.”
She didn’t stop, opening the car door, and she cursed as she didn’t see a car seat.
No problem, she would just have to hold her in her arms.
“Three!”
She was going to die tonight, protecting another person. She didn’t care. This was the right thing to do.
“One!”
No bullet came.
“I suggest you put your weapons down, gentlemen,” Rocko said. “Leave, now.”
Winter turned to see Rocko. The light from the house cast him in a very imposing light. He was tall, but she didn’t need to look at him to know how deadly he could be. He wasn’t alone either. One of the men she recognized from her days of being in the prison camp was there, watching her.
She jumped up into the truck to find no keys.
Rocko was there at the door. “What are you doing?”
“She’s sick, Rocko. I’ve got to get her to the hospital, or do you have a doctor here who will treat your daughter?”
“Your daughter?” the other man asked.
“If she needs a specialist’s care, I understand. She has a dangerously high temperature and she hasn’t been right all day.”
“Move over,” Rocko said. “I’ll take you to the hospital. Lucas, get in the back. No questions.”
Shuffling across the seats, she held Daphne, even as her whimpers never ceased. Her head pounded and she felt sick to her stomach, but as they pulled out of the driveway and were headed toward the hospital, she took a deep breath. They were doing the right thing.
“It’s okay, sweetheart. We’re going to find out what is wrong with you, and then we’re going to make it all better.”
Another scream.
“I know. I know.” She bent down and kissed her head. “I’ve got you, sweetheart. I’ve got you.”
Lucas and Rocko didn’t talk. They didn’t even look at each other. Their silence filled the air and she knew there was a tension she didn’t understand.
Why were they so surprised at the thought of him having a child? What was she missing? Unless he couldn’t have a child, or there was some kind of error in what he’d told her.