Chapter 118

Alyson

When I wake, I'm drenched in water. I feel Olivera hoisting me out of the watering hole, setting me on a set of rocks nearby as he gets out beside me, brushing my hair off my face. I see the blood on his palm but I don't feel the bleed on my features, completely numb all over.

The panic in his eyes is apparent.

"Damnit, sweetheart, you are such a clumsy Luna," he gasps.

I only shake my head, too stunned to speak. My body is numb and thrumming all over in pain, my head spinning and water settling in the depths of my throat, making me feel like I've drank an entire pool of water.

"I hate you," I manage to grunt.

He gives me a cautious look. "I felt you kiss me back, sweetheart, so don't play that game with me. You wanted that kiss. You wanted more."

"Liar," I bite. "I love my mate with my whole body. I love him so deeply that you will never even come close to changing that. You're a bitter old rogue, and I'm sick of you trying to ruin a good relationship with your own selfishness!"

His glare goes cold and I turn on my side, facing away from him when a coughing fit ensues. I threaten to puke, instead letting water spit out of my lungs. I hear him move behind me, seeing him stand and face away, his body taut.

"You hear that?"

I hesitate, hearing a faint sound of a wolf rushing through the woods haphazardly, knocking into trees and skipping over the trail completely. I turn over in time to see a warrior of my pack breach the tree line, shifting before Olivera and I. he is out of breathe and petrified.

"What is going on?" I bark, crawling to sit up.

The warriors huffs and puffs, his face flushed. "It's Alpha Ryan, my Luna. He went out with the warriors to confront a group of rogues, teaming up with Fritz and Marshal of the elders and—and—"

My heart is pounding. "Spit it out!"

"He was blindsided by a rogue," the warrior barks, "we managed to subdue the rest of the rogues and get them back into the facility nearby without direct contact, so we aren't at danger of getting sick. Ryan had to be carried back, though, Luna. He isn't in good health."

I stand abruptly, my entire body rattling. I push past both men, shifting at once and rushing through the woods. I growl in pain, forced to step on sharp thorn bushes and smack into loose branches but it doesn't matter. I have to get to my mate. There's no other concern in my mind right now.

I make it to the palace, collapsing in the foyer and shifting back to my mortal form, seeing blood dribbled all over the marble floors. I can smell it is my mate's, leading me straight to our bedroom where the blood has left behind a trail for me to follow. I push open the door, seeing my room packed with warriors and healers everywhere.

"Luna," the pack says, bowing their head at my bare entrance.

I don't care about my indecency, rushing straight over to my mate's side as he lays on a stretcher in the center of the floor, blood covering his shoulder and back muscle where I can identify at least four canine teeth have punctured his exterior.

Tears fill my eyes, resting my hand under his cheek and pulling his head up so I can meet his dreary eyes. He may be an Alpha, the toughest I've ever known, but I can't deny that this wound looks horribly difficult to heal from; even for him.

"My mate," he mutters, blinking slow. "I—I love you."

I sob shamelessly, wanting to scream. One of the healers barks for everyone to leave the room and I break, knowing this isn't a good sign. No one should watch their Alpha die, especially their mate. I lean forward, kissing his cheek softly and feeling his skin is cold to the touch. It wounds me.

"Fuck, Ryan, what happened?"

He only mumbles incoherently. I cry harder.

"This can't happen, Ryan, please. You can't leave me. You have to stay, you have to stay with me, please—"

I fall to the floor beside him, needing to catch my breath but unable to. It hurts. Everything hurts. I let out a loud, unrelenting scream and he doesn't even flinch. Just blinks slow, staring at me with cold, unemotional eyes.

"I need you to relax," the healer gusts, looking at me. "I am going to disinfect his wound and it will hurt him. I need to assure you will not make this process worse for either one of you."

I nod but seeing him pour the clear liquid over my mate's back, I watch him trembling in agony. He finally breaks his glass exterior and releases a howl, screaming and crying in such pain I have never bore to witness from him before. I sob harder, shaking all over as he doesn't quit jerking around on the floor like a fish needing water.

"Get back, Luna!" The healer snaps to me.

Before I can rebut his command, I'm yank backwards, sprawled out on the floor as I watch my mate thrash side to side, fighting the pain and fighting the urge to completely shift. If he does that, he may die, using the very last ounce of his energy.

Olivera is on the floor with me, holding me down, even as I claw at his arms to let me free. He refuses though and sits there wordlessly taking the blunt hits and scrapes I make him endure. I am furious beyond measure. Olivera doesn't care, don't flinch, letting me throw my fit of rage, fear and sadness without a single snarky remark for once.

Ryan finally collapses, exhausted, blinking slow as his eyes find mine. He is crying, heavily covered in tears, and the healer shakes his head as he watches Ryan huff painfully on the floor. I am so pent up with fear that I scream.

I scream so hard I think my throat may tear; my vocal cords might pop but I scream, nonetheless. It doesn't help. Nothing may help my mate now.