Chapter 16
“I saw him!” Ian shouted. “He was just over there.”
“Where?” Steel asked.
“See where I’m pointing? I saw him jumping and waving before he disappeared. Where did he go?” Ian was frantic with worry. Colton, his mate, the one he never wanted and now couldn’t imagine living without, was gone.
“Show me where.”
Ian set off running up the foothill, not bothering to see if Steel was following.
Where is my mate? Why isn’t he waving? Ian knew Colton saw them—well at least Steel…
so what happened? Ian’s wolf forced a shift mid stride.
Fuck! In his wolf form he understood Colton was injured.
His wolf ran as if the hounds of hell were chasing him.
A quick glance to his side and Ian saw a Dire Wolf running with him.
Steel had shifted. Up and down one foothill and again and again before Ian found the spot he last saw Colton.
Stopping, his wolf sniffed the ground, looking for his mate’s scent.
Steel shifted. “Ian, Colton has an anti-scent spell on him. You won’t be able to smell him. Please shift so I can ask you some questions.”
Ian tried to shift, but his wolf wouldn’t allow it. Again and again Ian struggled to shift, but couldn’t. His wolf sat down, keening about his mate and Ian was helpless.
Steel knew Ian’s wolf wasn’t allowing him to regain his human form, so he did the only thing he could think of. “SHIFT NOW!” Steel’s Alpha voice commanded.
Ian’s wolf had no choice and obeyed. Looking at Steel, Ian’s face was a map of misery and sorrow. “Help me find my mate. He’s dying, my wolf knows this. If we don’t find him soon, it will be too late.” Ian fell to his knees, sobbing his heart out.
~/~/~/~/~
Cody’s wolf faltered as he felt Colton’s pain.
Oh Shit! My brother is hurt! His wolf sped up, running faster than he ever had before.
Now Cody was desperate to find his brother and knew somehow it was a race against time.
His wolf knew Colton was badly injured. I have to save him!
I can’t live without him! His wolf was focused solely on finding his wolf brother, oblivious to the trail of blood streaming behind him from the pads of his paws, cut on the sharp-edged rocks.
Slate was caught unaware and soon found himself far behind.
Fuck! What happened? His wolf increased his speed, fighting to catch up with Cody.
Shit! I bet anything Colton is hurt and Cody knows it!
He was slowly closing the gap between them but Cody was still running all out without any sign of slowing down.
Slate knew it had to be serious for Cody’s wolf to behave this way.
Oh Shit! I’m smelling blood. Looking down, he saw Cody’s blood trial.
He hoped Steel brought Ian with him because when they found Colton, Cody would also need a doctor.
As they crested the next foothill, Cody saw Steel standing there comforting Ian.
Nonononooo! Colton is not dead! Cody stopped and howled a sorrowful note.
Then he took off running until he finally reached Steel and Ian.
He shifted. “WHERE’S MY brOTHER? WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU DOING?
WHERE’S COLTON?” Cody screamed, attacking Steel with his fists.
“Calm down, dammit.” Steel shouted, grabbing Cody’s fists, holding them tightly. Slate shifted and wrapped his arms around Cody from behind. Finally, when it became apparent Cody wasn’t going to settle down, Steel again issued a command in his Alpha voice. “STOP IT!”
Cody resisted for a minute but finally backed down. Hanging his head, he said, “Steel, Colton is hurt badly. Please tell me where he is.”
Steel led Cody and Slate over to two holes in the mountain that were shaped like eyes.
“Colton fell down there…see him? I’ve called for rescue equipment to get him out.
He’s alive but critically injured.” Just then, a helicopter swooped toward them and Steel directed it to a landing spot.
As soon as it was on the ground, medics jumped out of the cabin with ropes, a stretcher and climbing gear.
“Sir, where’s the accident victim?”
Steel led them to the strange opening and pointed to Colton lying thirty feet below. “What do you need? I have a doctor with me.”
“We have to get down there to assess the injuries before we can lift him out. As soon as that’s done, I’d be grateful if your doctor would assist us with whatever medical treatment is required.”
Steel nodded as he watched the rescuers go to work.
He pulled everyone back so they wouldn’t be in the way.
And then it was a waiting game. Soon another helicopter set down and Turk got out.
Striding over to Slate, he gave him a pile of sweatpants and t-shirts to hand out.
“Sir, the pilot is ready to take the rest of you directly to the hospital as soon as you’re ready. ”
“I’M NOT LEAVING UNTIL MY brOTHER IS UP HERE WITH ME!” screamed Cody, running to the edge of the opening in the rocks.
Steel walked over to him and placed his hand on the back of Cody’s neck, supporting him with his Alpha power. “We aren’t leaving until Colton is safely out of there, I promise.”
Cody stood hunched over one of the holes, grief etched on his face, peering through the weak light at his brother while the medics worked on him.
“Come on brother, you have to make it. We need our missing triad member. Fight Colton, please fight. I need you, Carson needs you. Please, please do it for Jackson. He’s counting on you being there for his baby. Please, please come back to us.”
Steel could barely hear the words Cody spoke yet they dug into his heart, took root and caused tears to slowly drip down his face.
The support, help and care Colton gave to Jackson and their pup meant the world to him.
He would do anything possible to make sure Colton got to fulfill his dream.
But first he’d have to live. His mind wandered back to his mother’s words, “Colton will come home.” Now he used his mother’s assurance as a lifeline to keep him strong.
He was counting on the fact his mother was never wrong.
One of the rescuers came up to Steel. “Sir please step back. We’re ready to lift him up out of there.”
Steel took Cody’s arm and pulled him back to the rest of the group.
Everyone’s eyes were focused on the men topside who were pulling Colton out of the cave in a basket stretcher.
It was done slowly and carefully, using a guide rope to keep Colton from swinging and hitting the sides.
Time stood still as everyone waited, worrying about Colton’s injuries.
Just when they were reaching their emotional limits, the rescuer kneeling on the ground reached out and grabbed the metal edge of the stretcher, guiding it through the hole, finally placing it on the ground.
Ian rushed forward and knelt at Colton’s side.
He quickly started his assessment of injuries.
His mate was in critical condition with a probable severe skull fracture and his pulse was weak.
Ian knew the next hour would determine if his mate lived.
“LOAD HIM UP NOW!” Ian yelled, “I’M COMING WITH YOU.
” He watched as the medics lifted Colton carefully and secured him in the helicopter.
He started to climb aboard when he felt a strong arm hold him in place. Ian turned, snarling at the restraint.
Steel stared at him before asking, “Will he make it?”
“I don’t know. He’s in critical condition. I must get him to the hospital so I can find out what we’re dealing with. Now let me go!”
Steel released his arm and moved out from under the blades. “WE WILL BE RIGHT BEHIND YOU,” he yelled over the noise of the engine. Turning around he quickly strode back to the group. “Let’s go. Ian is taking him to the hospital and we’ll find out more about his injuries there.”
They all ran to the other copter, desperate to get to the hospital as fast as possible.
Once they were buckled in, the pilot started the engine and slowly lifted off.
Each person sat stoically, alone with his thoughts.
Many prayers were offered to the gods in hopes of seeking their help to save Colton.
Each face reflected feelings, ranging from guilt to regret to fear.
The air was thick with emotions, making them palpable to everyone.
Steel was at a loss. How could he give support to everyone when his intense feeling of regret was slowly burying him under a mountain of should-haves.
He should have refused Slate’s request. He should have ordered more body guards for Colton.
He should have…Fuck! It was a bottomless pit!
He promised Jackson he would keep his brother safe. Fuck that! I failed spectacularly!
Slate hung his head with guilt at failing to protect Colton; it filled his body until he wanted to die.
He would never be able to face Steel, Jackson, Cody…
The list was endless. He’d promised and now everyone knew his word meant nothing.
Colton was dying and it was his fault. Gods, if he could only go back in time.
As soon as he found out from Dr. Luna what Colton was, he should have ordered him home even if he had to tie him up to do so.
Oh, I thought I was so smart. I had it all covered. Shit! What a clusterfuck I created.
Cody sat stone still. Fear made his body rigid, unable to move at all.
His mind kept repeating… He can’t die, He can’t die, He can’t die…
Maybe if he said it enough times, the gods would listen.
For once in his life, there wasn’t anything he could do to save his brother except pray.
His helplessness fueled his fear as he sat in a helicopter, whirling toward a waiting tragedy.
Then, his mind sunk down even further into his pit of fear.
Oh my gods, how would I ever explain to Carson our brother is dead?
~/~/~/~/~
The blades were still rotating when Ian jumped out of the helicopter after it landed on the flat clearing behind the hospital.
“GET HIM OUT NOW,” he yelled to the medics who accompanied him and Colton.
Ian glanced at the hospital and saw Dr. Luna running toward him with two nurses trailing behind, wheeling a stretcher.
Ian helped transfer Colton before yelling, “Hasn’t regained consciousness, respiration shallow and frequent, pulse weak. ”
Dr. Luna was horrified when he saw Colton’s condition. The thought of losing him made him stumble as he ran alongside the stretcher. God no, I won’t let it happen! Once they were inside, he ordered, “I want a cat scan, NOW!" pushing Colton’s stretcher as fast as it could go.
Ian sat outside Colton’s room while Dr. Luna ran a series of tests.
Burying his face in his hands, he was numb.
How could this happen? Why? His wolf was curled in a ball, crying over his injured mate.
Ian didn’t know what to do—or could do to save him.
For the first time in his life, he knew medical knowledge wasn’t going to help Colton.
He was too far gone for any medical procedure to save his mate.
Ian continued to beat himself up for not insisting Colton come home the day he arrived at Jackson and Steel’s home.
His wolf knew their mate was in danger. And once again, he overrode his wolf. And look how that turned out!
Ian looked up as he heard shouting coming from down the hall and saw Cody, Steel and Slate running toward him.
He stood, waiting for them to arrive and when they stopped in front of him, Ian said, “Colton’s with Dr. Luna who’s running some tests to determine the extent of his injuries. I don’t know anything yet.”
Cody slammed his fist into the wall. “Fuck! What’s taking so long?” he roared. Hearing a door open behind him, Cody whirled around, and after seeing Dr. Luna’s face, he dropped to his knees, howling.
Steel swallowed. “Is he…?” unable to say the word.
“No, no, Colton is alive…for now. But his condition is beyond my ability…”
“Who can help him? Tell me. I’ll have them here as fast as possible.”
“No. There isn’t any doctor who can help him. He needs his mate.”
“But he isn’t mated yet.”
“I know that. But Ian is his mate. He has to claim him so his wolf can join with Colton’s wolf. Together, they will have the power to heal Colton.”
“But how can I claim him? He’s unconscious.”
Dr. Luna explained, “You must give Colton a claiming bite. When you bite down, do not let go. Your wolf’s spirit will enter through the connection and will be able to merge with Colton’s wolf.”
“But how do you know it’ll heal him?”
“I spoke with Oracle and she told me it can be done to save him.”
“But I can’t claim him without his permission,” protested Ian. “It’s forbidden! Oh, my gods, what the fuck is going on? I have the power to save my mate, but I can’t because of a law? SHIT!!!”
Rising after hearing his brother could be saved, Cody grabbed Ian’s shirt. “I DON’T CARE ABOUT ANY LAW! YOU BETTER DO THIS RIGHT NOW OR I WILL KILL YOU!”
Steel removed Cody’s hands and shoved him into Slate’s iron arms and away from Ian, who by now had tears streaming down his face. Turning to Dr. Luna, he said, “Ian’s right. Who do we need to get a waiver from?”
“After I talked to Oracle, I spoke with Jackson. As Colton’s Alpha, he has the authority to waive the law in life-threatening situations.
Jackson gave his approval after I explained his condition.
” He turned to Ian. “Are you willing to claim Colton as your mate forever? If not, I can’t allow you to bite him. ”