Chapter 34 Chapter 34
ZANE
Beep... Beep...
I watched as pack doctors rushed around the room, hurrying to save their future luna.
Beep...
I stood in the corner, watching their every move, hoping she would wake.
Beep...
They were cleaning and stitching and hooking her up to machines.
Beep beep beep beep beep...
“Doctor, she’s crashing!”
My eyes widened and my heart sank as I watched the doctors frantically try to save her.
I was ushered out of the room by a nurse and was left standing in the hallway, unable to do anything to help my mate. She was dying there in front of me.
“Zane!”
I snapped my head to the side, my eyes filling with tears as my father pulled me into a hug.
“I-I think I’m going to lose her.”
“She’s strong. She has to make it through this.”
We stood outside the room, our minds jumping to the worst possible conclusions as the room went quiet.
Beep...
I closed my eyes and let out a sigh of relief, my father giving me a reassuring pat on the back.
A few moments later, the doctor exited the room. I involuntarily stiffened, afraid to hear what he had to say.
“Well, as you saw, it was rough in there. We almost lost her. But I think she’ll be okay. She suffered extensive wounds to her neck, shoulders, and abdomen.
“She had massive blood loss and was suffering mildly from exposure after lying naked in the forest for hours. Honestly, I’m amazed she’s alive.”
I exhaled, grateful we had found her when we did. Any later and I might not have gotten there in time.
“When can I see her?”
“She hasn’t woken up yet, and I don’t know how long it will take because of the extent of her injuries. Of course, since she’s a wolf she will heal fairly quickly, but her wounds were very bad.”
“Can I at least sit by her?”
“Of course, Alpha.” The doctor nodded and then walked away, leaving us frozen in the hallway.
I hesitated, afraid of what I was going to see behind that door. My father gripped my shoulders, and we entered her room.
Lying in the bed, small and pale, was my mate. She looked like she was on the verge of death.
I inhaled sharply, trying to summon the images I loved. Her glowing skin, silky chocolate waves, bright eyes, and that smile...
I walked around the bed and sat in a chair beside her.
“Wake up, Ella... I don’t know what I’ll do if I lose you.”
“What even happened?” my father asked, his eyes wandering over her injuries.
“I have no idea.” I shook my head before a scowl spread across it.
“But these look like claw marks from another wolf.”
My father’s brow knotted.
“I was thinking the same thing. But who would dare attack their luna so boldly?”
I grabbed Ella’s hand and kissed it.
“I have no idea. But whoever it was better run fast. When I find them—”
I stopped when a hand was placed on my shoulder.
“Don’t worry about that now. Take care of your woman. I’m going to go tell Sophie what happened now that she’s stable.”
My father left, and I stayed by my mate’s side, holding her hand and praying she would wake up soon.
Sophie burst through the door, followed by Declan and Daniel, tears streaming down her face.
“Ells Bells…”
I jerked my head up to meet her eyes, tears forming in my own.
“Sophie, I—”
Sophie walked to me and embraced me tightly.
“Thank you for finding our girl.” She sat down on the bed and pushed the stray hairs from Ella’s face.
“I don’t understand what happened...,” Declan mumbled as he leaned against the end of the bed, looking at his friend with concern.
I looked up at him.
“I don’t either, but I promise my dad and I will find out.”
Sophie nodded her head before placing a kiss on Ella’s forehead.
My father, Sophie, and Declan took turns sitting with her and trying to convince me to get some rest. But I wasn’t going to leave her side. Not until she woke up and until I knew she was okay.
Hours turned into days. Ella still hadn’t woken up. The doctors assured us she wasn’t in a coma, that for some reason she just wasn’t waking up, probably just her body recovering from the shock.
I was becoming a mess. My shirt was wrinkled, my hair unkempt, and my face unshaven. Dark circles formed under my eyes. I hadn’t slept properly in days.
The day of the luna ceremony came and went, and I was angry that our day had been taken away from us. I wanted her to be with me. I wanted to hold her, to kiss her.
Once again, morning came, and I had dozed off beside her bed.
“Zane.”
It was just a whisper, but it was enough to wake me. My head shot up and my eyes met those bright, beautiful hazel eyes I had wanted to see for so long.
“Ella,” I exhaled and smiled.
She smiled sleepily at me before looking around the room.
“What happened? How long was I...?”
“You’ve been unconscious for almost a week. You were found in the woods. Gashes and claw marks all over you. You were barely alive.”
Ella knotted her brow.
“I almost died.”
I nodded my head.
“You almost died. If I hadn’t gotten there when I did, I don’t… I lost my control and choked up, the tears spilling out of me.”
Ella rested her hand on my head.
“But you found me. I’m here.”
I took her hand and kissed her palm.
“I don’t know what I would have done if I had lost you.”
Ella smiled warmly at me.
“Come here.”
She patted the bed next to her and I sat beside her, wrapping my arms gently around her and inhaling her scent. It calmed me.
I looked down and met her eyes.
“What happened?”
Ella scowled.
“Mariah.”
I saw red.
“What do you mean, Mariah?”
“I took a run to the lake. I had just gotten out of the water and was sitting at the water’s edge when she came up behind me. She said some awful things…”
Ella trailed off, Mariah’s words echoing in her mind.
“She attacked you?” I questioned, trying to keep my fury at bay.
Ella nodded.
“She shifted and lunged at me. I’ve never been trained, I was always just working in the kitchen. I only knew what my dad had taught me about getting out of a fight.
“It didn’t work, she was more skilled than I was. She was stronger. She bit me and clawed at me and left me for dead.
“I tried to make it back to the pack house but I was so weak, so injured, I couldn’t go any farther and collapsed on the ground.”
Anger flashed through my eyes. I stood and rubbed my hands through my hair before throwing the pitcher of water at the wall. It made Ella flinch, and I turned back to her, taking her hand.
“I’m sorry. I just—I can’t believe this happened. You should have taken me with you.”
“Zane, stop. You and I both know we can’t just follow each other around all day.” Ella rolled her eyes at me sarcastically.
“I’d never get anything done,” I teased before placing a soft kiss on her lips.
Ella scrunched her nose.
“You should go home and shower. You look and smell horrible.”
I laughed for the first time in a week and smiled at her as I left to head back to the packhouse to do as my luna said.