A/N: To all my faithful readers, I am soooooooooo very sorry that it has taken so long for me to get a new chapter posted. I have had writer's block, been sick, a family crisis and working almost non-stop. I hope that this chapter is worth the wait. We are reaching the final chapter, and I hope you all enjoy.
Chapter Twenty-Eight
Eric walked into the hospital as the half moon started to rise. He looked around the waiting room to find that Jackson had left home. Madelyn must have gotten better so that Alcide could go see her. He looked around, hoping that all the nurses had taken a break. It wasn't like he couldn't glamour them to get what he wanted; that actually might be easier. He leaned against the desk when he heard a door open. He turned to find Alcide walking out of one of the rooms.
The wolf looked a little worse for wear. Eric knew that he probably hadn't slept all day long. He started toward him when Alcide looked up.
"Didn't think you would show," Alcide said very bluntly.
"How is she?" Eric asked, ignoring the attitude.
Alcide shrugged. How do you describe how someone is when they were in a coma? He was still certain that she had moved earlier that night. But that was not what Eric wanted to hear. He knew that Eric wanted him to say that she needed vampire blood. However, Alcide was still not sure what would happen. Eric looked at him for a moment.
"I'm probably the only one who can help her," he said.
Alcide gave him a hard glare. "They don't know what's wrong with her or what your blood could do to her."
"It could save her!"
"You don't know that!"
Eric gave him a hard look and thought of hitting the wolf right there. He quickly stopped himself as he looked at Alcide. Alcide was ready for a fight. He knew that Eric was going to try to fight him and only rolled prepared himself for the first punch. He wasn't going to let him save Madelyn unless he knew what would happen. Eric just wanted to save her so that he could claim that he did it.
"Can I see her?" Eric asked.
Alcide sighed a little. He didn't want to say yes, but he couldn't deny Eric a chance to at least see her. He nodded toward her room. Eric looked at him for a moment and then walked into the room. He felt his breath catch in his throat as he looked at her. In the past and present, he had never seen Madelyn look so bad. Her skin was so pale that it looked almost transparent. Her hair hung listlessly around her face, and it was in desperate need of a wash. He walked over to the bed and touched her cheek.
"Madelyn," he said softly. "I know that Alcide thinks I can't help you, but I think I can. I want you to have my blood. I want you to wake up."
He reached down and bit into his wrist. He let his blood flow for a second and reached for her iv tube. He got read to stick it in his arm when he was slammed against the wall. He looked up, feeling his fangs pop out. He found Alcide staring at him with his teeth bared and the look of murder in his eyes.
"I said no," he growled.
"It's the only way you are getting her back," Eric spat.
"That necklace was more powerful than either one of us put together," Alcide hissed. "We don't know what it did to her."
"So you will let her lay here and languish because you are afraid that I could save her?"
"NO!" Alcide's voice rose. "I am letting her lay there because I'm afraid of what your blood might do to her!"
Eric shoved him back, hard. Somehow, Alcide managed to stay on his feet. He snarled at him for a moment. He could feel his hand reach for his clothes and thought of shifting right there, but he wouldn't. Eric was not going to have that sort of power over him.
"Leave her alone, Eric," Alcide warned. "If I think you can save her, I'll let you."
Eric growled under his breath and started for the bed again. Alcide blocked his path quickly. Eric had him by the shirt and got ready to throw him across the room. Alcide braced himself, ready to knock him into next week.
"Stop it!"
Both of them turned to the door to find James standing there. He had a deep cut across his face, but the sternness in his eyes was enough to send chills down anyone's back. Eric loosened his gripped and stepped back with a low growl.
"Don't get growly with me, Vampire," James sneered. "And don't touch her."
Alcide looked at James. He thought of trying to stand up and pretending to be proud. But he couldn't. He wasn't the type of guy that boasted when someone saved him. He stared at James as the wolf walked over to the bed. He touched Madelyn's forehead and let out a sigh.
"Will she wake up?" Alcide asked.
"Without help," James started. "It could take weeks or even months."
"Then let me help her!" Eric nearly shouted.
"You can't!"
The room took on a silence that was only filled with the beeps of the machines. All three men had picked a corner and seemed ready to jump each other. James growled at both of them. Alcide backed off quickly. He knew a superior wolf when he saw one. Eric was not so easily deterred. He bristled bigger at James, which only made him growled deeper. Eric stared at him for a moment and then stepped back with a hiss.
"What can save her?" Alcide asked, watching them for a moment.
James turned to him and looked at him for a long time. Alcide could see that he was thinking over an answer. James walked over to the bed and touched Madelyn's head. Her body wasn't burning anymore. She was so still that it was hard to tell if she was even still alive. If James hadn't heard the beeps, he would have thought that she was dead.
"I can save her," he finally admitted.
Alcide and Eric both looked up. "How?" Alcide was the one to ask the question.
"Wolf'sbane," was James's simple reply.
"That mythological plant doesn't exist," Eric snapped. "I'm not about to spend the rest of the night looking for it when I can save her!"
James growled a little and walked closer to Eric. Alcide stepped up when James's hand shot out to grab Eric's shoulders. Eric growled a little and started to pull back. James just held him firm.
"Your blood will kill her," James said with his face only inches from Eric's. "And do you even know what Wolfsbane means?"
Eric stared at him for a long time. He swallowed hard as he felt James loosen his grip. Eric stepped back and glanced at Alcide. He was looking hard at James for the answer. James glanced over at Alcide as if he should know what he meant.
"It means wolf killer doesn't it?" Alcide said slowly.
James nodded. "For Madelyn to live a wolf must die."
Alcide felt his head fly up sharply. A wolf die to save her? His head was suddenly spinning faster than he meant it to. This couldn't be real. He felt the necklace heavy in his hand. He looked down at it and felt sick inside. The wolf on the back stared at him as he tried to make sense out of what was being said.
"So let's go get that traitor and cut his throat," Eric threw in.
"It can't just be any wolf," James said. "That's why she has wolves that protect her."
Alcide looked at James and suddenly felt his heart in his throat. James gave him a small nod. Eric didn't seem to notice and then realized what had past between the two wolves. Alcide held out the necklace to James.
"I think you are going to need this."
James took it and clapped Alcide on the shoulder. The young wolf closed his eyes for a long time. He let out a sigh and looked up at him. James didn't seem afraid or worried. It was as if he'd been expecting this day to come all his life. Eric looked at him too and growled a little. James's plan seemed as crazy as his.
"You two need to leave," James finally said.
"What's going to happen?" Alcide asked.
James sighed. "I don't really know."
"Will you survive?"
James nodded. "I hope so."
Alcide went over to the bed and gently kissed Madelyn's forehead. As he started to get up, he felt a hand touch his. He looked down to see her hand against his. He grabbed it and knelt down, looking at her.
"Madelyn?" he said.
James and Eric and turned. Madelyn was waking up. Her hand was trying to find Alcide's. Her eyes hadn't opened yet, but they were trying. Finally, her fingers wrapped around Alcide's arm.
"Alcide," she whispered.
"I'm here, Maddie," he said, kissing her again. "Open your eyes."
Madelyn did as she was told and opened her eyes. They were weak. It took her moment to let them adjust to the lit room. Alcide felt tears burn his eyes as he ran his fingers through her hair. She looked at James and then at Eric. Her eyes seemed to linger on Eric longer than usual. She then turned to Alcide and a smile spread across her face, bringing color to her cheeks.
"You just saved James's life," Alcide said.
"Good," Madelyn said her voice a little husky and dry. I don't want anyone to die for me."
"It's good to see you, Madelyn," James said. "I think I'll leave you three alone."
James left the room just as quick as he said. She watched him and then looked Alcide for a moment. He had that happy she was alive look that she was becoming so accustomed to. He touched her cheek again. Her eyes moved past him for a second to Eric.
"Eric."
"Hello Madelyn," he said more gruffly than he meant to.
"Alcide, I need to talk to him alone."
Alcide started to protest but saw her look. He gave her a quick kiss after he poured her some water. She took the water without even really thinking. He turned back and looked at them at the door. Madelyn gave him a smile that said the conversation would last long. He slipped out as Eric sat down on the edge of the bed.
"How are you feeling?" he asked quickly.
"Like I have been drugged and have a hangover," Madelyn laughed. "But I have been worse and thank you for trying to save me."
"You know that I would do it for you always," Eric said as he touched her leg.
Madelyn nodded. She sighed a little as she looked at him. She reached for his hand and gently took it. Eric remembered what that gesture meant. He was about to lose Madelyn again.
"I've had a lot of time to think about all of this and when my life was coursing out of me, I realized how much I love Alcide."
Eric growled lowly. "Is this like with James?"
"No Eric," Madelyn snapped. "I'm not that girl you fell in love with a thousand years ago. I'm me, and I love Alcide."
"Then where does that leave me?"
Madelyn rolled her eyes. She was not going to fall for this again. She knew that Eric would never love her and put her first that way Alcide did. When the necklace was killing her, she saw memories of the past life and of when her and Alcide met. There was something to the ones of Alcide and her were so much more alive and real. Madelyn was not the same as she used to be.
"I'm sorry, Eric. She denied her heart back then, I can't do it now."
Eric nodded a little. "It's funny. I lost you in two lifetimes."
Madelyn squeezed his hand. She didn't really want to think about that. She couldn't. That was the bad thing about love. Someone always got hurt. She wished that she wasn't the cause of this one.
"You didn't lose me, Eric," she finally said. "You never had me."
Eric shook his head. "I did in another life."
Madelyn looked up at him when he said that. She sighed. She didn't want to tell him what she had learned from the last memory.
"Eric," she said it softly. "Did you know she had a son?"
He looked up as if she had slapped him. "What?"
"Madelyn had a son with you, but James raised him."
Eric looked at her for a long time and then touched her face. He started to say something and then just kissed her gently and one last time on the lips. She looked up at him for a long time as he stood up. She watched him reach for the door and felt something in her break. It wasn't her heart though.
"Eric," she said softly. "She loved you."
Eric nodded. "What was his name?"
Madelyn smiled. "His name was Eric."
