Chapter 39
Thirty-Nine
Vivian
That kiss simultaneously made me feel beautifully whole and absolutely broken at the same time. It didn't feel like the beginning of something; it felt like a goodbye.
There was no time for me to tell him that I wouldn't leave him ever. All I could do was keep my steps quiet and do everything he said.
Hold on to his shirt and don't let go. Don't let go.
Rushing through the woods on his heels toward my pack, I tried to keep my whimpers of pain as quiet as I could. Thorns and branches attacked me as we flew by, but that was the least of my worries.
Snap.
Dread rushes up my spine as my heels pop off the ground, readying for anything on the balls of my feet. In the dark forest, Riot looks scary as he whirls around.
With his arm flying across me and his mouth dropping open in a battle cry that makes me stiffen, Riot shields me from certain death. Death I didn't know was knocking on my door.
Twice.
A loud bang makes me jump and my heart stop beating. Refusing to let go of Riot even as he's lunging, I twist with him only to be yanked into something painfully sharp as his body jerks back.
"RIOT! NO! AHHH!"
Red hot fire licks up my side, breaking through the barrier holding my voice captive, right as Riot collapses in a heap on the ground almost dragging me with him. Don't let go.
My right knee gives out into a puddle beside a...a body?! "Oh fuck," I wheeze, crawling away from the dead man. Frantically tugging on Riot's shirt, I demand he get up. "Up." He has to get up. I don't care if he was shot.
Flashlights zoom around us, showing me Riot's drooping eye.
To my utter horror, I get a glimpse of his other one.
It's shut with what looks like a knife wound across it.
"No. No, no. Up!" I growl, but the sound is quickly cut off by the agony blaring up my side.
"What—" Oh no. Oh shit. Pressing my free hand to the ache, I realize I'm bleeding. A lot.
"Shit. Riot?" I whimper, tugging and panicking. Don't let go.
"Vivian," Riot croaks, reaching for me with trembling fingers. "Run."
Shaking my head, I get my knees under me and yank on him as hard as I can, pulling a pained scream from my throat.
Wooziness quickly steals my balance, but Riot's there dragging himself off the ground and taking me with him no matter how much moving hurts either one of us.
Standing on my right leg is like stabbing myself with a hot poker stick but we're not done here.
"Vivian, go. You need to go," Riot grits out, trying to pry my fingers from his bloody shirt.
Ignoring him and bottling up all the pain in my side to turn into energetic rage, I wrap my arm around his hip and catch him as he teeters. Tears drench my cheeks, but I have to keep telling myself I can do this. I have to do this. I won't let go.
"Help me, Alpha," I wheeze, needing him to move his damn feet.
Calling him by his designation seems to light a little fire under his ass because he begins shuffling beside me.
I try not to think about the trail of blood we leave behind or the gunfire still echoing through the trees.
All I can think about is the strong pull to my mates just at the edge of the trees.
I think I must be tricking myself into thinking I can hear their voices. There's no way I would be able to hear them through all the shouts and screams of pain surrounding us. Even Riot's and my labored breathing is too loud to make that possible.
"Riot," I whisper, stumbling, but he holds me up this time. He's getting heavier and clumsier but so am I. I don't think we're going to make it. "T-thank you."
"Don't you fucking dare, Firefly," he grunts out, seemingly to stand taller and carry me the next ten feet. "You're gonna be fine. Y—" he hacks, and almost face plants. I grab him at the last second, crying out in agony at the strain on my wound.
"Alpha?" I need his reassurance so bad right now I can't think straight.
Clearing his throat, he helps me over a log. "Few more steps, pretty Omega. Then you'll be safe with your pack."
I don't have the energy or ability to tell him that he will be safe with them too before we're tumbling into the ditch along the side of the road. Riot crashes to his knees first, but before he even falls, he removes his arm so as not to drag me down with him.
I never let go.
Following him into the dirt, I cry knowing the sobs wracking my body must be making the wound worse.
"VIVIAN!"
With the final ounces of motivation left, I pry my gaze away from Riot's bloody, unconscious face and look up. There they are.
Silas, Kade, and Jarek.
They found me.
I won't let go.