The Morgan Lore - 24. Chapter 24

Chapter Twenty-Four

Fear

Milan bit his lip hard to keep from screaming. He knew pain, the kind that crept up over a period of time. His usual pain came controlled with high powered meds that kept him in a haze. Never had he felt raw, unfiltered excruciating pain. Tears kept sliding down his cheeks, his gaze on the knife lodged in his shoulder. It looked unreal. Marie touched his left arm and the scream he was holding back broke through.

“I’m sorry,” Marie said, she was in tears too, he tried for a smile as Ayu had done for him, but only managed a grimace.

“Milan, I didn’t expect you rushing into danger like that,” Rick said, smiling at him, holding another knife in his hand. “Seeing you look so healthy makes me excited. You’re even strong enough to defend your brother. Your father’s work is really something. I can’t wait to meet him.”

Milan leaned on the sink counter, holding his left arm steady refusing to move when Marie tried to urge him around to a chair. He was afraid he might not stop screaming if he moved. Blood soaked his white t-shirt, he felt like he was on fire.

“No, no, no,” Marie mumbled, tears streaming down her face. Her hands hovered over the knife, then the blood soaking his t-shirt. She made no attempt to remove the knife. Milan was grateful for that.

“Why are you doing this?” Ayu asked Rick, anger laced his voice, his hands in fists as he glared at Rick. They all worried Rick might use the knife he held.

“We need to get help,” Marie said, unable to look away from the blood on Milan's t-shirt.

“Why did you have to throw a knife?” Ayu asked Rick, looking at Dolon, then at Rick who moved to lean on the island table, his gaze on Milan. “Why?!”

“Stop shouting,” Rick said, making Milan glare at him through his pain. “Humans are always so dramatic.”

The kitchen door swung open, admitting both Ilaria and Kiyo. Kiyo was still in his scrubs, and Ilaria was now in jeans and a t-shirt. Her hair wild around her shoulders. They were both frantic as they took in the scene.

“The parents finally make an appearance. Took you long enough. We’re missing one more,” Rick said, turning to look at Ilaria and Kiyo. “Where is the sick one? Nisin. He is important to me. I’ve been looking for him for weeks. I have to thank you, Kiyo. If you hadn’t shown up with him this afternoon, this might not have happened today.”

“Ayu, are you guys okay?” Kiyo asked.

“Milan!” Ilaria broke into a run to reach him, only to stop when Rick blocked her way.

“Not so fast, Dr. Ilaria,” Rick said, pushing her back when she tried to get around him. “Don’t you remember me? You came to the high school that first day to talk about Milan.”

“I can’t understand what you are saying until I see to my son. I can’t comprehend anything else, so get out of my way,” Ilaria said, her voice shaking.

“Let her be, please. Are you working with Cade?” Kiyo asked Rick, drawing his attention. “Let’s go to my study and I’ll give you what you’ve come for.”

“Just like that?” Rick asked, frowning at Kiyo.

Milan’s vision blurred, his head swimming, still he fought Marie’s attempts to touch him. He gritted his teeth willing himself to stay up. Stay leaning on the counter. The thought of moving left him sweating.

“Yes,” said Kiyo to Rick. “You are in my kitchen and my son is bleeding after you sunk a knife in him.” Kiyo lifted his hands in surrender. “I’ll give you anything you want.”

“Such a gentleman,” Rick smiled, still not letting Ilaria pass around him to get to Milan. “I can see why Cade trusts you with his son. You’re very level headed.”

“I try,” Kiyo said.

“In that case, I’ll introduce myself,” Rick said, holding out his hand to Ilaria. When she ignored it, he dropped his hand down and gave a short nod. “Oh well, my name is Rick, the kids in this town know me as Principal Rick. I head the high school where your son is going. I’m the soon to be Alpha of the Portento Pack.”

Kiyo glanced at Milan at that introduction. Milan understood his confusion. They only knew the town had werewolves, but understood nothing about the leadership.

Where the hell was Rory? Milan wondered, closing his eyes trying to ride out the pain. What was taking him so long?

“I can’t say it’s a pleasure to meet you,” Kiyo said, working at keeping his calm.

“I understand,” Rick said, eyeing Ilaria who was getting anxious as she watched Milan. “It’s a lot of pressure having your family in danger like this. I’d like to tell you that they wouldn’t be if Cade Ogawa cooperated with me. But, this is not the time to point fingers.”

“How well do you know Cade?” Kiyo asked.

“Quite well. I also know he has you working on an infusion that I’ve been waiting for since you showed up in this town. I tried once to let your wife in on the secret of this town, but…” Rick trailed off with a chuckle. “It didn’t work out as planned.”

Rick smiled, turning to look at Milan, his yellow gaze send cold shivers trailing up Milan’s spine. Rick looked at him like a predator would.

“Cade promised me a batch of the formula you’ve created, but he’s been taking his time. You see, I need that infusion to get what I want. I was happy to wait, but today that Morgan brat found Lloyd. Impatient Lloyd who screwed up the plan. Now, I have to make my move fast.”

“What plan?” Kiyo asked.

Rick ignored the question.

“I’ve seen your son’s illness in action. He’s like Nisin, isn’t he? If he’s able to walk around like he does in school, following Rory Morgan like a puppy with all that energy. Then your infusions are truly remarkable. All the bloodletting I did was worth it.”

“The blood was from you?” Kiyo asked.

“Who else would give it to you?” Rick asked with a scoff. “This town is so obsessed with keeping secrets. They have no time to imagine the glorious future. Enough about that, where is it?”

Kiyo waved his hand to the corridor leading deeper into the house.

“I brought one briefcase with me here. There are two full bags. I haven’t finished running tests.”

“Don’t need the tests,” Rick said, his body vibrating with excitement. “Dolon shift into your wolf, now!”

Dolon gave a painful whimper as his bones seemed to crunch and break. His process seemed harder than Milan remembered with Lloyd or Rory. It took longer and sounded extra painful. When Dolon was done, a black wolf stood in their kitchen, frothing at the mouth, teeth bared, eyes a dark yellow. There was nothing friendly about him.

“Tear up anyone who tries to escape,” Rick said, pushing Ilaria to the floor with a hard shove, eager to get to Kiyo. He grabbed the front of Kiyo’s shirt, his hold tight enough to make Kiyo choke on his collar.

“Take me to this briefcase, and to Nisin. Your wife stays here with your brats. They’ll act as hostages in case you’re lying to me.”

Ilaria got up and hurried to Milan, her attention on the knife lodged in Milan’s shoulder. She turned once to meet Kiyo’s gaze. A thousand words passed between them with a glance. Then Rick pushed Kiyo out the kitchen door into the hallway.

“Oddio, Milan!” Ilaria moved Milan’s hand away from where he was trying to keep the knife stable on his shoulder. “Marie get a chair. Milan needs to sit. Ayu, get the medical kit from the cupboard by the pantry.”

“I’m sorry, Mamma,” Ayu said as he ran to the cupboard. “I’m sorry. They caught me when I was getting out of the car in the driveway. I couldn’t escape—”

“It’s not your fault, Polpetto. Don’t think on it. Right now, let’s worry about Milan. He’s in trouble,” Ilaria said, her voice laced with worry.

Milan watched her steady hands cut away his t-shirt so that she could inspect the knife wound. Milan bit his lip harder. If he let out the screams he was holding back, Ilaria and Ayu would have a hard time.

Milan, his eyes filled with pain, met Iaria’s gaze as Marie brought a high chair to where he stood.

“It’s going to be okay,” Ilaria said, her hands holding his left arm steady, as she helped him settle on the chair right by the sink. “You’ll be fine, Milan. I promise.”

Milan nodded, believing her, even as he tasted blood in his mouth as Ilaria tied a towel around his shoulder to hold the knife in place. The pain was enough to make him go crazy, he really couldn’t hold back his scream, as she kept up pressure on his shoulder.

***

The scent of Milan’s blood filled Rory’s nostrils the moment he entered the Takeda compound. Mandarin oranges and fear, so thick in the air, it choked him.

His dad, Kutler, Lechter and June moved on the front door, where Rick’s scent was thickest. Unable to ignore Milan’s scent, Rory ran around the house to where Milan’s scent was thickest. Trusting his father and Kutler to get Rick, Rory headed to the kitchen door. He slowed down when he saw the back door open.

Marie only opened the kitchen door when she was cleaning. Never when Milan was home, it was too cold for that. Seeing the door open left a deep hollow in Rory’s heart, Milan’s scream replayed in his head and he almost forgot caution until Topher’s wolf moved into his line of vision, followed by Matt.

‘One in the kitchen,’ Matt said to him. ‘He smells different. Almost like Lloyd. He’s standing right at the entrance.’

‘Growling at the three. I smell fear,’ Topher answered.

‘We need a plan,’ Matt said.

Rory ignored their warnings and raced into the kitchen with killing intent. He met the black wolf right at the kitchen entrance. Rory did not hold back, even as he recognized Dolon, he was too angry to stop. He threw himself at Dolon with the violence of a trailer truck, they rolled on the tiled floor, a tangle of vicious teeth and snarls. Rory used all his strength to subdue Dolon, caught in a red haze. Rory sunk his teeth into Dolon’s neck, biting hard enough to break skin. Dolon pushed him off, fighting to get away. Rory gave him no chance, biting again, digging his teeth deeper into Dolon neck, ready to rip out his throat for putting Milan in danger.

“Rory.”

Milan’s voice drifted to him from very far. Rory lifted his head, his snout red with Dolon’s blood. Dolon shifted under him, changing into his human form, his breathing wet, almost gurgling as blood boiled at his neck. Rory snarled ready to finish him off—

“Rory.” Milan called again, his voice stronger, though full of pain. “T-that’s e-enough.”

Rory turned then to find Milan sitting on a high chair by the sink. Blood on his chest, from his shoulder. He looked too pale. His mother’s hands in gloves worked over a knife wound on his left shoulder.

Rory moved away from Dolon going around the island table where he had sat so often with Milan eating meals, or doing homework. It shook him to see Milan’s blood on Marie’s clean floors. To listen to Ilaria’s heart beating in fear as she worked to patch up her son. Ayu helping along, frantic every time he looked at the knife in Milan’s shoulder.

Rory moved closer to Milan. He didn’t miss Ayu moving away from him with fear.

“Ayu,” Milan said, his bottom lip red from biting it too hard. He was in pain and it hurt Rory to see it. “He won’t h-hurt you. I-I trust him.”

Rory pressed closer into Milan’s thigh, resting his head on Milan’s thigh, closing his eyes when Milan sunk his fingers into his fur. Slender fingers stroking down to the back of his neck, giving him comfort when he wanted to provide it.

“Y-you’re late,” Milan accused, his tone teasing. “C-could have u-use—,”

Milan broke off on a painful moan. Ilaria was taping bandages around the knife on Milan’s shoulder.

“Sorry, Milan. We need to get you to the hospital, but I need to control the bleeding before we move you. I can’t remove the knife, baby. I’m afraid you’ll bleed out.”

Milan’s fingers tightened on Rory’s fur for a second before he let go.

Rory wished he could shift, but it was not convenient. Ilaria’s attention was fully on her son, Ayu helping her with Marie doing her best to clean up Ilaria’s work area. They didn’t need a distraction from him.

Milan’s fingers dug into his fur again and Rory looked up into pain-filled brown eyes.

“P-Papa,” Milan murmured. “He…is—”

Ilaria touched something that made Milan bite back a cry, tears filled Milan’s eyes. Rory growled at Ilaria, unable to stop himself.

“Don’t you dare growl at me,” Ilaria warned, her voice wavering. “It’s hard enough you’re a wolf, Rory Morgan. We’re going to need to talk about one of you stabbing my son. Kiyo took that horrible man to his study. I’m also worried for the boy Kiyo brought earlier.”

Rory licked Milan’s fingers and turned to see Matt standing behind him, while Topher dragged Dolon out into the backyard.

‘The house is empty,’ Connor told Rory on their private link. ‘Looks like Rick took Nisin and Kiyo with him. They’ve taken Kiyo’s car. We’re going after them.’

Rory looked to Milan who was sweating now, his whimpers of pain enough to drive Rory crazy.

‘I can’t leave Milan. He needs an ambulance.’

‘Linda already alerted the hospital. They’re on the way.’ Connor assured him. ‘You stay. We’ll find Kiyo. One of us has brought undue violence against Milan’s family. They are now under our direct protection. When Milan is stable, bring him and his family to stay at the Pack House. I think that’s safest until we understand what Rick wants.’

‘Thanks, Dad.’

‘Your mate will be okay,’ Connor said, his certain tone enough to steady Rory’s fears.

‘Alpha Connor and Beta Kutler have left the compound.’ Matt reported already heading to the kitchen door. ‘June has half the security team guarding the house. The rest have followed the Alpha. I’ll find you clothes.’

Rory gave Milan a quick glance then hurried out of the kitchen following Matt. He shifted in the living room and led Matt up the stairs to the master bedroom. He had to jump over broken glass at the door.

“Rick?” Matt asked, having shifted into his human form.

“No. His scent is not in here,” Rory said, finding the closet. He searched through Kiyo’s clothes and found two pair of sweatpants. He threw one in Matt’s direction. “Ilaria and Kiyo must have had a fight.”

“Couldn’t be about you already,” Matt guessed. “Even though it’s not every day parents discover their son is dating a werewolf.”

Rory chuckled grabbing leather sandals from Kiyo’s shoe collection.

“Probably not,” Rory said. “The fight would have been about Nisin. Ilaria likes to know things upfront.”

Rory left the master bedroom in a run, eager to get back to Milan. He paused at the stairs when he saw the open door at the other end of the second floor. It was a room he had never seen. Detouring, Rory picked up Kiyo’s scent and Rick’s scent.

Entering the room, Rory realized this must be the clean room Kiyo talked about. The place Milan hated. Rory could see why. There were no windows, just glass on one wall—where a movie was running—and a ton of medical equipment to rival a hospital ICU room. The covers on the hospital bed were on the floor.

A mixture of scents filled the room, the most prominent belonging to Nisin. Rick must have come in here for Nisin.

Kiyo and Nisin missing was not good. Rory could only hope his dad caught up with Rick on time.

“Rory,” Matt broke into his thoughts. “The ambulance is outside. Linda must have called them as soon as we left the pack house.”

Rory left the clean room, leaping down the stairs in a race to get to the kitchen. When he got there, the EMTs had Milan on a stretcher, with Ilaria rapping out medical terms in reference to Milan.

Rory followed them outside to the ambulance.

‘Matt, have the security team secure the house, then help Marie clean up,’ Rory said as he climbed into the back of the ambulance with Ilaria. The EMTs did not question him. It was useless to stop him.

Ayu got in his car and followed the ambulance.

“Rory,” Milan murmured, drawing his attention.

“I’m right here,” Rory said, holding Milan’s right hand.

“Papa—”

“Rick took him, along with Nisin,” Rory explained, looking at Ilaria when she gasped. “I promise we’ll find them.”

Ilaria nodded, returning her attention to Milan, a frown dancing on her forehead, tears sliding down her cheeks.

Milan squeezed his hand, a small, barely there squeeze that felt like a soft caress. Rory rubbed Milan’s jaw, wishing he could pour all his strength into Milan.

“Promise you’ll protect my family from your people,” Milan said, pain in every word.

“I promise,” Rory said with a single nod, meaning it.

Milan let out a soft sigh of relief, then closed his eyes.

Rory squeezed his hand tight, afraid. A second later, Milan opened his eyes and licked his ravaged bottom lip.

“I’m tired,” Milan said, sounding exhausted.

“Hold on, Cucciolo,” Ilaria urged. “Just a bit longer, we will get you comfortable in no time.”

The ride to the hospital felt like it took too long. When they arrived, Milan was dashed into surgery to remove the knife. Ilaria went along with the doctors leaving Rory and Ayu waiting.

‘We followed Kiyo, Rick and Nisin to the Biosense compound. We fought our way in and found Kiyo and Nisin,” Connor said to him an hour into Milan’s surgery. “Kiyo is in bad shape, Rick was not gentle with him. Nisin is not doing so well. His father tried to inject him with the poison blood we found in his very private lab. Kiyo stopped it in time, but Rick scratched him across the chest. I’m sending him to the hospital.’

‘What does Rick want?’ Rory asked, pacing outside the closed doors of the operating theater.

‘Kiyo says Rick wants the medicine Kiyo used on Milan for himself. It is supposed to enhance his blood. Make him strong enough to fight for the position of Alpha.’ Connor growled in anger. ‘We have to evaluate every conversation we’ve ever had with Rick.’

‘What about Nisin?’ Rory asked, his gaze on Ayu who sat on the bench, staring at the floor in shock.

Rory stopped pacing and headed to sit next to Ayu, placing his arm around Ayu’s shoulders offering comfort. Ayu glanced at him with a grateful smile, but did not say more.

‘Seems you’re not the only one with a human mate,’ Connor chuckled. ‘Jack Bennet is on his knees before Nisin. It’s made quite the statement with the rest of the team. We should have announced your situation earlier.’

‘You know my situation is not the same,’ Rory shook his head. ‘I think you and Lechter need to have a very long conversation.’

‘About Lechter…’ Connor broke off.

Rory felt confusion coming from his dad, but the doors to the operating rooms opened.

‘I gotta go. Milan is out of surgery,’ Rory sent to this father hoping he heard him.

Rory helped Ayu up and they both stood staring at Ilaria and the surgeon in-charge, Dr. Hoag.

“Milan?” Ayu asked, impatience in his tone.

“He came out of surgery fine,” Dr. Hoag said with a pleased nod.

This was the first time Dr. Hoag would be operating on a human since his training days. His excitement was hard to take when he was discussing Milan.

“We got the knife out, and repaired the damage caused. Milan’s pre-existing condition means he needs to be under constant supervision to manage infection. So, we’ve moved him into the ICU where we can do just that.”

“Can we see him?” Rory asked, watching Ayu hug Ilaria tight, though there was no sense of relief in their embrace.

“Yes, of course, Alpha,” Dr. Hoag said, with a sharp nod. “He won’t be awake for hours yet, but it should be fine to see him.”

Milan was moved into a private room in the ICU ward.

Rory watched Ilaria read the numbers on each screen around Milan, her expressions wary, though not disappointment. When she was satisfied, she pulled up a chair and sat by the bed, watching Milan. Ayu took up pacing at the foot of Milan’s hospital bed.

It looked like practiced routine. Old habits kicking back as Ayu settled into a comfortable pace, his gaze on Milan, waiting. Ilaria folded her hands on her lap, her gaze never leaving Milan, waiting.

Rory wondered how many times they had done this.

Moving around Ayu, Rory went to the right side of Milan’s bed and took his hand, closing his eyes when Milan didn’t squeeze back, and smile at him. Squeezing Milan’s hand gently, Rory wished him awake and free of pain.

‘Rory.’ Topher intruded into his thoughts. ‘Sorry to pull you away from Milan right now. You need to come to Biosense. As you know, the Council approved breaking into the compound. The security team found Rick and pulled him into custody after a deadly fight. Three of ours are dead. Rick has lost his mind and The Morgan is challenged, Rory.’

***