Chapter Forty-Two
Hunter
One minute, I feel like every muscle in my body is on fire.
The next time it stops, it takes a moment for me to sit up.
When I do, I stare in horror at Sherese bleeding out on the floor.
I see Rizo on the ground, and it hits me what she did.
Fury burns through me, and my wolf roars at me.
“Don’t you dare leave me.” And then I bite her with the mating bite; I don’t even stop to think about it.
I don’t know that it will do anything; I honestly don’t know if it will take.
I just know she’s my mate, and I will do anything to save her.
Her body shudders, and I hold her close.
Rage courses through my wolf and me. I want to burn this place to the ground as I watch my precious mate fade out right before my eyes.
I am aware of the fallen master behind me, but at the moment, I couldn't care less.
I keep an ear out for Ajax, but he disappeared when the master fell.
The door to the room crashes open, and a fierce growl bursts from my chest at whoever would dare to interrupt my last moments with my mate.
I leap to my feet and shift instantly, the need to protect my mate coursing through every fiber of my being.
My wolf rips through every vampire that comes in.
Only when there are only bodies around me do I shift and grab her and hold her close to my chest. I run out into the hall and make for the exit.
We will get out; there is no other option.
I race through the building, letting my vampire speed move us along.
A few vampires come after us, but they seem surprised and are caught off guard.
And then the front door is only a few feet away.
I slow down when I see Ajax step forward.
“If Rizo’s dead, she’s dead. You might as well leave her.
The vamps can at least feed from her before her blood goes cold. ”
I’ve felt anger in my life. Real anger. But the anger that ignites me now is something that’s too strong to hold onto.
I know if I do, it will destroy me from the inside out.
So, I make the decision. I set Sherese down for just a moment.
Then, using my vampire speed, I explode into action and ram into him, locking my arms around his body.
I pull his arm up and use it to open the door, and then shove him to the ground.
I’m careful to keep his foot in the door, so it doesn’t close on me.
Then I whistle loudly three times, the sign Garrett and I agreed upon before entering.
I wanted something just in case we needed it.
I’m glad we did. I don’t hear or see anything, and I start to wonder if maybe I’ll have to take things into my own hands.
But then I see the huge black wolf running towards us.
I make quick work of grabbing Sherese and getting out.
The black wolf circles a smaller wolf, now that Ajax has shifted.
I leave him to his kill. Ajax’s life is his to take.
Besides, I need to get my mate to safety.
I care more about that than revenge. I race to the barrier, putting my vampire speed to use.
But when we get close, several vampires come out of the shadows and rush us.
Fear rushes over me. I can’t fight and hold Sherese.
But then a black wolf charges into the group and clears the way for us.
I run again and cross the barrier. I turn back, but Garrett’s black wolf clears the barrier.
He staggers for a moment, and I know he has to be in pain.
But he starts forward again after just a moment.
I follow him for a few miles, and the airfield comes into view.
We race for the plane. When we get close, the door opens on the plane, and his enforcer steps out and waves us over.
I don’t stop to think and climb the steps into their plane.
Garrett’s right behind us. “Go,” Garrett says to the pilot. “Get us off the ground.”
“Let me help.” I turn to see the Northwoods Pack healer. Relief flows through me so strongly that it nearly bowls me over. And then right after that, reality slams into me. “I don’t know...she...” I can’t say the words; they won’t come.
“Put her down, Hunter. Let us check her out,” Paul says.
Though I don’t want to, I do. I lay her down, and they immediately go to work.
“Her heart,” I manage to get out, but they don’t even act as if they hear me.
They say things back and forth to each other—medical terms that mean nothing to me.
I stay back and just watch, hoping for a miracle.
I see her chest rise just the slightest bit, and hope soars.
“She needs blood,” Paul says.
I’m already pulling up my sleeve. “Use mine.”
“What kind—” Paul starts, but I cut him off.
“She already has my blood in her system. It will work.”
Paul gets to work, and soon there’s a line stretched between the two of us.
Once Paul’s convinced she has enough, he removes the line.
“Okay,” he says to Sage. I watch as the healer bends over Sherese, closes her eyes, and then puts her hand over Sherese’s heart.
Her shirt’s been torn away, so they could work on her.
So, when Sage puts her hand on Sherese, it’s on her skin.
Time seems to be at a standstill as I watch them work on my mate.
I have no idea how long it’s been, but at least an hour has to have passed, if not longer.
I watch Sage work on her for what seems like forever before she finally pulls back.
She looks up and meets my eyes. “She’s stable.”
Relief flows through me so hard, I can’t catch my breath for a moment. “Thank you.”
A hand drops on my shoulder, and I look up at Garrett. “Have you taken a deep breath lately?”
It’s such an odd question that I immediately do it.
I inhale, and every muscle in my body locks into place.
My wolf howls inside me, and I fight to contain him.
The stench of vampire is gone, and the sweet scent of healer hits my nose.
But that’s not what makes my wolf howl. No, her true scent hits me.
I thought she might be mine; I’d hoped she was mine.
Now, it is confirmed. She is really my mate.
I can’t speak, can’t find the words to thank this pack.
“Thank you,” I manage in a hoarse voice.
Sage smiles at me sweetly, but I can see the lines of fatigue on her face.
“You’re welcome. You can sit next to her if you want.
We’ll keep an eye on her, but she’s good for now.
” I sit next to her on the floor because we didn’t even get her to the bed at the back of the plane.
I'll move her there once I'm given the all-clear to move her. Right now, I just want to breathe her in. I take her hand in mine and marvel that this strong, beautiful female is mine—mine to care for, protect, provide for. Mine to make laugh and make love to, mine to hold and cherish. I feel so overwhelmed with goodness, her goodness. I sit next to Sherese for a while, but I know there are things that need to be dealt with. I turn to Garrett, who’s sitting towards the front. “Is he dead?”
Garrett doesn’t have to ask who I’m talking about. “Yes.”
“Good. Rizo is dead too.”
That gets everybody’s attention. “The master vampire?” Paul asks.
I nod. “It happened when Sherese took her life. He sired her, so killing her kills him. There was a point when her heart stopped. That would have been when he died, but I bit her and pushed my strength into our bond. Paul and Sage did the rest.”
Nobody says anything at first; they’re too shocked. Then Garrett says, “Please give her our thanks. The Northwoods Pack is in her debt...again.”
“I’m pretty sure at least one of those debts was canceled out by saving her life,” I say. “Are we headed to your territory?” I ask.
“No. We’re headed to Phoenix,” Garrett says
I nod. “Thank you. All of you.”
“You’re welcome. Thank you for giving me Ajax,” Garrett says in response. “We took out Rizo and Ajax. That will be a death blow to the vampires.”
I nod solemnly. “It will.”
“Did you ever find the wolf that betrayed you?” he asks, eyes intense.
“Alicia? No. I’ll have to ask Sherese if she saw her.”
“Where else would she have gone?” Paul asks.
I shake my head. “Another site?”
“We’ll find her,” Garrett says confidently. “Right now, get your mate home. Rest, recover. Take time to just be together.”
“How did you know she’s my mate?” I ask. “I just confirmed it when I scented her without vampire blood.”
“Our wolves know, and you showed every sign that she was yours. There was never a doubt in my mind that she was yours.”
I reach out to Bryce, wondering just how mad he will be. Bryce.
I can feel his relief through the bond. You’re alive.
Yeah.
Sherese? He asks.
I look down at my beautiful mate. She’s with me. We’re on a plane with the Northwoods Pack. On our way to you. Maybe a few hours out.
We'll be ready, he sends through the link.
He doesn’t say anything else, and I'm hoping I’ll still have my position as pack enforcer when I get back.
The hours drag slowly, and I get worried that she hasn’t woken up yet.
I turn to find the healer, but she’s asleep on Paul’s shoulder.
He meets my gaze over his mate’s head. “She’s okay.
Her body is recovering from the trauma it went through.
” I don’t feel a whole lot better, but I don’t push.
We land in Phoenix, and she still hasn’t woken up.
My wolf is on edge when we disembark. I had everybody get off ahead of me, so I could try to calm my wolf.
I kneel next to my mate and pick her up.
I grit my teeth when I feel how light she is.
I hadn’t had time to process it when we were running for our lives.
She’s lost even more weight this time. I hate that they were starving her.
But no more. I have no idea if she’ll still need blood or not.
But whatever she needs, I’ll make sure she has it.
She’ll never be hungry again. I hold her close to my chest as I step towards the exit.
I take the few steps down to the ground and face the waiting crowd.
Bryce and Ava stand just a few feet away.
Ava’s gaze is locked on Sherese, and I know it doesn’t look good.
Before I get a chance to talk to her, Sage does.
I can see her relief from here. I don’t make it very far before Bryce stops in front of me, blocking my path forward.
I meet his gaze. “If you’re looking for an apology, you’re not going to get it,” I tell him.
“I just want to know why you didn’t tell me what you were doing.” Anger fills his face. “You may be my enforcer, but more than that, you’re my friend. I would have gone with you.”
“I know. That’s why I didn’t tell you.” I stare at my friend, the best one I could have ever asked for.
I keep my voice low. “You have a mate and a baby on the way. I would never ask you to put yourself in danger.” He looks over at his mate, and I see the frustration on his face.
“That’s why I didn’t ask you to make that choice. ”
He faces me again. “I get it. I really do, but if you ever—”
“Hunter!” a shrill voice calls out. “You are in so much trouble!”
Bryce grins slowly, and it looks purely evil. “Guess you’re going to get what’s coming to you.”
I expect her to yell at me, but that’s not what she does. She wraps her arms around me, shocking me. It’s pretty awkward because I’m holding my mate. She steps back, and there are tears in her eyes. “Thank you.” I’m just shocked she didn’t hit me or worse.
“You’re welcome.”
And then she slugs me, right in the stomach. I grunt, but can’t move because I’m holding Sherese. “Don’t ever do that again! We were so worried about you!”
I keep my voice gentle, knowing she was worried for her friend. “She’s okay. We got her back.”
“I was talking about you, you big oaf. Yes, I’m super thankful you got Sherese out, but we were worried about you, too. Don’t ever disappear like that again.”
Her words trigger something deep in me. I meet her gaze. “I won’t.”
“We’re family,” she whispers.
My heart squeezes tight. “Family,” I repeat.
And then, Sherese’s beautiful brown eyes open.