46. Jaxon
“Julia has her.”
“What?” Kayden’s face recoils.
I grind my teeth together so harshly the sound grates my ears. When Lucy lost Ava at the market, I went out of my damn mind, and the guards searched everywhere for her. Our mindlink connection was down, and when I heard her voice pop into my head, I wept with relief. But this is far from over.
“Julia has Ava. She said I need to go alone. She’s wanting revenge,” I state loudly. My wolf is on the edge of ripping through my skin. “Revenge for what, I don’t know, but we need to make a plan. They’re at High River Way.”
Sam and Kayden share a glance before we get to work quickly. Within minutes, we have a solidified plan that will get my mate back where she belongs.
I need everyone in the grand hall. Now! I mindlink the entire pack.
The three of us approach the hall in a flash.
When the pack starts to filter into the room with urgency, I take down a few breaths to stabilise myself before I lose control. My eyes scan the hall as Kayden and Lucy join my side.
“I need everyone to listen to me very carefully,” I bellow and watch as everyone’s attention focuses on me. The room turns deadly silent. “Ava is in trouble. Our future Luna is in trouble. Julia is alive, and she has my mate. She’s planning on hurting her, but I won’t stand for it. We need to get her to safety.”
Whispers and gasps filter across the crowd. Lucy spares me a sympathetic glance and nods in encouragement. “I need back-up. I need all of you to pull your weight. I have no idea what we’re up against, but I am bringing Ava home. Lucy, I need you to take the witches and cover our tracks and scents so we cannot be detected.”
She nods in my direction. “Of course.”
“I need you all to trust me. I need you all to fight for this pack. That’s all I ask.”
“Let’s fucking do this.” Lucy’s voice is dark although her eyes glass over with tears. The close friendship she has made with Ava is like no other, and I know my sister would do anything for her.
Kayden orders the pack into groups while Lucy works closely with the witches. Evan darts towards me, and I blink at his presence. “I’m helping,” he demands.
“No way,” I grumble, pushing past him and towards Kayden.
“Why not?”
I turn around to face him with blazing eyes. “Because I don’t trust you, Evan!”
“Then make this my test!” he proposes, grabbing my sleeve to stop me walking away. “I want to help Ava. Let me do something. I can’t stand here and do nothing.”
My eyes flick between his for a split second, and I can see the determination in his gaze. I clench my jaw. “Fine,” I mutter. “You prove your bravery and loyalty to me, and you’ll be welcomed into this pack for good. You stick with Kayden and do everything he says. You fight with everything in you.”
Evan flashes me a smile, but there is raw sadness in his eyes. “I won’t let you down, Alpha. We will bring her home. No matter what it costs.”
Once we head on our journey and I lead the pack, pain etches across my abdomen and chest. A grunt leaves my throat, and I scrunch up my snout. Kayden turns to me. What’s wrong?
We race through the trees to get to Ava’s location as quickly as possible. They’re hurting her, I growl and clench my muscles to dull the pain. My mind focuses on Ava’s, and I attempt to mask her suffering with the power of our bond. We need to hurry.
I sprint faster. Paws grinding into the dirt and eyes set ahead of me.
Hang in there, baby, I send through our mindlink.
As we inch closer, the scent of unknown wolves floods my nervous system. Seconds later, we spot them. At least a hundred of them stand on their paws, protecting the derelict building, and as soon as they see us coming, they pounce into action.
Take them all out, I shoot through the mindlink.
Claws and canines begin to clash, and blood is shed against the forest floor. I snarl and fight until organs are splattered and limbs are isolated. Ava needs me, and she is my only priority right now.
The taste of blood coats my tongue as I rip out a wolf”s throat with my sharp teeth and ravage their body until they are barely recognisable. I twist my head to spot Kayden and Evan’s wolves fighting off a pair together.
Go! Kayden shouts in my head. She needs you.
I don’t waste any time. My pack is behind me, ready to fight for their Luna. As I move closer to the building, I howl out in sudden distress. It sends my body to the floor.
What’s happening, Jaxon? Lucy’s voice echoes in my head.
The lower part of my abdomen is on fire. Bleeding. I’m bleeding from the inside out, but there is no wound. My bond with Ava begins to shake, and I stand on trembling legs. They’ve done something to her. They’re killing her. I can hardly catch my breath.
I change our plans at the last moment.
I need wolves helping me attack the building. Now!
Moments later, we charge into the building with force. There isn’t a second to waste. I scan the room quickly but growl when I spot Julia hunched over my mate’s naked body, a knife deep in her gut. Blood is pouring everywhere, through her fingers as she holds them to the wound. I stare back at them in horror. My heart slams into my chest, almost knocking me over.
Ava! I yell so loudly it makes my vision blurry. Ava!
Julia whips her head at the sound of our entrance. There isn’t a single bone in my body that wants her. Even the sight of her face has me snarling in disgust. There is an evil sparkle in her eyes as she takes a hold of the knife handle and rips it from Ava’s flesh. Her body jolts from the force, and she continues to lay there lifelessly. I seethe at the action, but I can make out the jagged breaths on her chest.
“Well, well.” Julia’s red lips lift into a smirk. “Isn’t this a nice surprise? But you’re a little late, Jaxon. The damage is already done. Now, you get to lose everything all over again. Watch her bleed out. It’s real this time.”
I bare my canines at the woman I hardly recognise. Get her, I order my pack. Don’t kill her. Save the rest for me later. I want to make her pay.
Then they pounce, dragging her away as she shrieks in defence, but no one is coming to save her. I rush to Ava’s side, her eyes falling shut. I shift back into my human form and scoop her up into my arms, pressing down on her wound to stop the bleeding.
Oh, Goddess. What have they done to her?
Her pale skin wears black and blue bruises, and blood trickles out of her mouth. Scratches cover her entire body. I swipe her hair away from her face. Don’t you dare leave me, Ava. You hear me? Don’t you dare.
I’m sorry. Her voice is weak in my head.
“No,” I heave. Tears build behind my eyes. “Don’t say you’re sorry. Hold on for me, baby. Hold on. Please.”
My sister slides to my side and inspects her wound. “Oh, fuck. Oh, fuck,” she rasps. “She needs medical attention. Now. She’s going to bleed out.”
“Heal her.”
“I can’t,” she says frantically. “I can’t heal injuries this seve–”
“Just try! Fuck. Lucy, just try. Please. Please.”
Lucy doesn’t hesitate; she leans over to Ava’s wound and cups her hands across the oozing skin. Her eyes close as her arms begin to shake. “Come on, baby,” I whisper. “Don’t give up. Don’t you dare.”
Ava’s blood covers Lucy, but she doesn’t give up. She keeps going. I study the stab wound, but nothing happens. It doesn’t start closing up. It doesn’t heal. Nothing. Nothing is happening.
My sister slumps back with a groan, sweat covering her brow. “Fuck. I’m sorry. I can’t do it. I’m not strong enough.”
“Where are the healers?”
“Coming.” Lucy nods and keeps her hands pressed to her wound to try and stop the bleeding. “They’re almost here.”
I cradle her closer to my chest and kiss over her frozen face. The bond stretches uncomfortably, and I can’t grasp it. I can’t slow down time. This isn’t going to be the last time I see her beautiful face. No. It’s not. I hold onto every last hope.
I study her angelic face, and my heart cracks inside me. I smooth back her hair when more tears threaten my eyes. She’s a fighter. My girl is a fighter. I know it.
“I love you,” I whisper along her forehead. “I love you, Ava. Please hold on. We’ve got so much to experience. So much life to live. This is not the end for us.”
My sister releases a sob from beside me, but I don’t look at her. I don’t glance away from my mate for a second. I press my palm to her cheek and hold her impossibly closer, attempting to warm up her ice-cold body.
The bond is barely hanging on by a thread. All of Ava’s pain is making my head throb, and I can’t take it away. I want to take away every last piece. Because she’s endured too much in this lifetime.
Ava’s eyes flitter open for a second weakly, meeting mine before they shut once more. I can’t. The words make my brain deteriorate. The lack of hope. The lack of strength. I’m sorry, Jax.
“No, no, no, no,” I chant over and over. “Ava? Ava!”
She falls completely limp in my arms. I press my forehead to hers, a tear rolling off my cheek and onto her broken skin. This isn’t even pain anymore; it’s suffering. With her, I am living. Without her, I’m merely existing.
“Please,” I beg. “Please, hold on. The healers are going to be here any second.”
My fingers slide across her slender neck, and I press down, searching for a pulse. That’s when I realise she doesn’t have one. My heart is ripped out of my chest and thrown across the room. My wolf claws at my skin, howling in despair and devastation. I bellow at the top of my lungs until my throat burns red.
“Ava,” I shake her body, but I know the truth.
I don’t want to accept it.
Lucy places her hand on mine. “Jaxon.”
“Ava,” I say through gritted teeth. “No. No.”
I groan at the torture that deteriorates my emotions. Tears leak from my eyes endlessly as I shake my head. I break down into pieces. I hold her body tighter and cry into her neck. The agony is ready to rip me apart and throw me into the deep end with an anchor and no way of resurfacing.
“She’s gone,” I yell through a haunting sob as Lucy slides a shaky arm over my shoulder. “She’s gone, Lucy. She’s dead.”