Chapter 8 A Loss

*Doctor Matthews*


"Time of death, 2:47 AM."

Amy Margaret Williams has passed. She fought really hard to survive, but all the blood loss including the birth of her child put too much stress on her body. She is now with the Moon Goddess. I cover her up with a white sheet and utter a little prayer for her then, I move aside and allow the nurses and the aides to clean her up and wheel her to the morgue for her family to pick her up.

I don't know why Ezra would have done something like this. I know we were having some issues with rogues entering our territory, but not once did Ezra attack while all that was happening. Why now? Why would he choose to attack a pregnant woman? I don't think Amy provoked him in any way given her condition. She went into labor, a clear sign she was traumatized although the pup being wolf, was delivered at term.

The baby was healthy and beautiful, with emerald green eyes. She was the good in all this. I paused to think hard about the story Grandma used to tell us when we were kids. Something about a dark cub.

"Doctor Matthews, are you alright?" One of the ICU nurses looked at me with concern. I tried as much as I could to revive Amy, but in the end I had to accept I had lost this battle. They saw that look in my eyes that I had not fully accepted my defeat with death.

"Yes. I was just thinking of something, that's all." I walk to the sink and start scrubbing my hands clean. I felt really awful. Like I had blood on my hands, that it was partly my fault she died. I let the water flow down my arms, hoping the water would wash away some of the guilt I was feeling. It didn't help.

"Do not fear, dark wolf cub, for when the sun leaves the world, the world fears you." Ah, yes that's what Grandma used to say about the wolf with the lotus flower. The wolf was as pure as the darkness of the night even with the moonlight kissing him from above. He will come from the shadows, to punish who have sinned and no other will be able to stop him.

Grandma would always tell that story to remind us to be good wolves. That story had me use a night light until I was a teenager. Too bad Grandma is already with the Moon Goddess. If she were alive, she would surely say a resounding, "I told you so." The intercom phone of the ICU starts beeping. I let out a breath. I know why they were calling.

"Doc, the Williams are here." It's time for me to tell them the bad news. This is what I dislike about being a doctor... you are a bearer of bad news.

I walk out of the ICU, mustering the courage to face the Williams family. Moon Goddess, help me please.

When I arrive at the waiting area of the hospital, the nurses direct me to the Williams. There were three of them, father, mother, and judging by the same eyes and shape of the face, brother.

"Mr. and Mrs Williams, I'm Doctor Matthews. I'm sorry, but we did all we could to save her. She suffered from severe blood loss and stress from the delivery." The mother started crying, the brother sat down, dazed and the father wrapped his arms around his wife, consoling her.

"Our granddaughter Doctor, is she ok?" The father fought back his tears and choked when he asked. But he wanted to be strong for his family.

"She's a healthy baby girl with green eyes." The father sighed a breath of relief. There was still a part of Amy that is alive. The mother lifted her head and asked, "Can we see our granddaughter? Before we make arrangements for our daughter."

"Of course. I'll take you to the maternity ward to see her." The maternity ward was on the second floor of the hospital. I rang the nurses inside through the intercom outside for a special viewing of Amy Williams' baby girl.

They were allowed to come into the viewing area of the NICU. We had placed the baby in an incubator for the meantime and she was under observation just to make sure she was good breathing on her own.

"She is so beautiful. And look. She has Amy's smile." The mother broke down again. "Amy... wanted...her..to be named... Diana," she sobbed and I nodded my head acknowledging the name.

"When can we take her home?" The brother asked me. I was surprised he would be eager to take on the responsibility of taking care of a baby.

"A couple of days. If she doesn't develop any problems breathing on her own, we will take her out of the incubator and observe. If there are no other problems, you can take her home." He nods his head.

"You hear that, Diana. Uncle Rob can take you home soon. I'll stay here and keep a close watch on you so nothing happens to you. You can count on me." Amy and Rob must have been really close. He turns his head towards me. "I have a diaper bag with me in the car. Amy had me keep it in my car in case she went into labor. I was suppose to stand in as the father. Now, I'm going to be a single dad. I promised Amy." Amy's mom starts sobbing anew. The death of her daughter taking a toll on her.

"Mom, I know it's hard, but we need to be strong. Amy was strong enough to do all of this on her own. We need to do the same for her." Rob pats his mother on the back. "You guys make funeral arrangements for Amy. I'll go get that bag and stay here with Diana until she can come home."

"I'll come and help you." I tell Rob. I had to go tell Alpha to have some men stand guard within the perimeter. It'll put my mind at ease. I just had a strange feeling, someone was watching.

______________

*Michael*

"Amy has passed, but the child lives." I told him as soon as I get into the car.

"And her family?" He growls, wincing in pain. I was also suffering from whiplash, but this will all pass soon enough. Wolves heal quickly.

"They are inside the hospital. The parents are making funeral arrangements while the brother is keeping watch over the baby. The Alpha of Night Walker Forest Pack has men securing the perimeter. They have captured the wolf who attacked Amy, he is in the Sheriff's car." I point to the direction of the patrol car parked in the corner of the hospital parking lot." He turns his head to where I had just pointed. The rage in his glare evident.

"We cannot take the baby while it is in the hospital. We have to wait until the family brings the child to their home. There, we can take her. Unless something happens while the baby is still in the hospital." He leans his head back on the headrest of the car. "We will have to keep watch." He tells me. I nod in understanding. A code pink will alert the authorities. It is too risky to take the baby from the maternity ward.

"The baby is a girl. According to the doctor, with green emerald eyes." The man beside me buries his face in his hands in shame. "I heard the grandmother say Amy wanted to name her Diana." He lifts up his head from his hands and nods in silence. Diana, the name of the Moon Goddess.

A young girl enters the back seat of the car. She hands us some sandwiches and cups of steaming coffee. I drink some of the coffee to warm my insides up. It was a cold sprint all the way here.

"You have to go home, Little Miss. He will know something is wrong if you go missing. Plus, we need you to be our eyes and ears at the mansion. Chase couldn't have thought of this on his own. There is someone helping him." She shakes her head, wanting to stay with us.

"One, I have someone vouching for me. Two, I can easily say I went to my apartment on campus. Three, I have never existed to him. And four, you guys might need my help." She argues. "That's my niece too, you know." She leans back and crosses her arms in front of her in defiance.

"No. Michael is right. Go home now. Find out more. Then, head to your apartment. That will be a better alibi than you missing from home. Send us a message when you come so we can tell you where to meet us." The man beside me tells the young girl. "Thank you by the way. I knew I could count on you to help me. Us." I look at her and smile, showing her my gratitude.

"Ok. Keep in touch. I'll send you a message if I get more information. May the Moon Goddess protect you." She blows us a kiss and exits the car.

"You too, Little Miss." I tell her as she stealthily runs through the streets back to her car.