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Axel walked down the hall of the hospital. As he walked by, he smiled at the people, though he felt tired with each step.

“Axel!� Bell called from behind.

He turned to see her smiling brightly.

“Hey,� she began, “perfect timing. I was just told that Alice is awake and alert.�

“She is?� he asked, his smile widening.

“I haven’t seen her yet,� Bell continued. “I was finishing up a chart. You go ahead. I’ll be there in just a few minutes.�

Axel nodded and hurried down the hall. Bell smiled. It had been too long since she saw such joy on his face.

He hurried to her room; his heart was almost bursting with joy to see her. But as he got closer, he felt something strange. A weight on his chest, a sudden fear settling over him. An uncontrolled and debilitating panic that was overwhelming his senses.

Axel felt as though he couldn’t breathe. He paused and clutched at his chest just outside the room.

“Miss!� he heard a shout from inside. “Miss Alice! You must calm your breathing!�

The words were enough to shake his panic. Axel stood tall and pushed into the room as he understood that he was experiencing her feelings.

He saw the small woman leaning over Alice, holding her hand and encouraging her to breathe, but Alice couldn’t see her. Axel could see that she was lost from the look on her face.

He gently moved the woman aside, then lifted Alice so he could move into the bed with her. Wrapping his arms around her, he held her and gently rocked her as he whispered.

“I’m here, Alice...� he said. “Breathe, take in my scent... feel my heart beating with yours....�

Amaya slowly stepped away. Seeing Alice was calming with her mate, she stepped outside the room to give them privacy.

He kissed the back of her head and nestled against her as he felt her breathing begin to even itself out. Tears fell on his arm, and he knew she was returning to him.

“I’m here,� he whispered again. “Just you and me. I’m always here.�

Her fingers weakly moved over his arms, hugging him even closer to her.

After another couple minutes, she turned in against him, and he held her close, letting her cry without saying a word or asking what had happened.

As Bell approached, she saw Amaya standing outside Alice’s room with a look of nervousness on her face.

“Amaya?� Bell called.

The older looked up at Bell. There was an extreme concern in her eyes.

“Amaya, what’s wrong?� Bell asked, coming over to her and touching her shoulder. “Are you all right?�

“I’m not sure what I did,� Amaya replied, “we were talking, and she seemed fine, but suddenly she panicked and went into shock. I couldn’t get her to calm down.�

“What are you talking about? What happened?�

“Miss Alice,� Amaya said. “She woke. She was alert and fine. We began to chat; we spoke of her injuries. I told her how lucky she was, and I thought she was joking when she didn’t understand what I meant. But, now I think she really didn’t know.�

“Know what?� Bell asked.

“That she is carrying a pup.�

Bell’s eyes went wide. They hadn’t run any tests for pregnancy. But, after what had happened with Myka, she didn’t think they needed to.

“How do you know this?� Bell asked quietly. “We didn’t run any of those tests.�

Amaya furrowed her brows and then gave a mournful look.

“I’m sorry... I had no idea that she didn’t know,� she whispered. “Or that she didn’t want a child.�

“It’s not like that,� Bell sighed. “Why do you say that she is pregnant? I’m sure you wouldn’t have said it without some kind of proof.�

“My hearing has always been a touch more sensitive than other wolves,� Amaya said. “I can hear a heartbeat from several feet away, so hearing when there is more than one is second nature to me.�

Bell took a deep breath.

“All right,� she whispered, “I understand. You didn’t do anything wrong, Amaya. It’s just a... unique situation.�

The door to Alice’s room opened.

“She’s asleep,� Axel said quietly as he stepped out and closed the door behind him.

Bell nodded and motioned to Amaya that she could leave.

“What the hell happened?� Axel said, his tone low and calm.

Bell knew that he was holding back. She could feel the anger and fear that was coming out of him.

She swallowed and took a deep breath.

“It seems that Amaya said something to Alice that caused a sort of psychological shock,� Bell began.

Axel looked in the direction that Amaya had gone, a soft growl in his throat.

“She didn’t mean any harm,� Bell quickly said. “She had no way of knowing that her words would have such an effect on Alice.�

“What did she say?� Axel asked.

Bell licked her lips; she reached her hand to Axel’s elbow reassuringly.

“I promise I will get to the bottom of this,� she said softly.

Axel narrowed his eyes.

“What is going on, Bell?� he asked. “What could she have said to cause Alice such a reaction? What has you saying you will get the bottom of it?�

Bell looked away. She swallowed and prepared her nerves.

“Amaya, apparently, has a strong sense of hearing,� Bell began. “She commented on something she heard, assuming that Alice already knew.�

“Alice doesn’t care about gossip.�

“No, it’s not that... Amaya heard...� Bell paused, knowing that the possibility was terrifying to him. “She heard a heartbeat alongside Alice’s.�

Axel furrowed his brow and then clenched his jaw.

“You’re saying she... that Alice is...�

He hesitated to say the words, terrified of the truth in them and what they meant.

“I don’t know for sure,� she said. “We didn’t run those tests; we didn’t know we needed to.�

Axel swallowed as his own panic began to grow in his chest. He turned and opened the door to the room. Alice was still asleep on the bed. He slowly stepped closer to her.

He sat down on the bed beside her. His breath was shaky. He leaned forward near her chest, listening for the rhythm of her heart, a sound that he knew better than the beat of his own.

There it was, the same soft rhythm, and for a moment, he was relieved. And then it changed.

His eyes widened, and his own heart pumped wildly. He listened again, and he heard it again. There, just beneath her own soft rhythm, was another.