Chapter 148
Dominic POV
The doors slam shut in my face.
Not metaphorically.
Literally.
The second I skid to a stop in the hospital entrance, everything happens at once.
People rush toward us.
Voices rise.
Hands reach for Ellie.
I barely have time to transform back before healers are pulling her away from me.
“Wait!”
My voice comes out as a snarl.
“What’s wrong with her?”
They lift her from my back.
“She should be stabilizing with me!”
I step forward.
“Hey!”
Hands grab my arms.
I react before I can think.
A growl tears from my throat.
My wolf surges forward.
They’re taking her away.
The only person who matters right now.
“Sir, you can’t go back there!”
A healer struggles to hold me back.
“No.”
My voice is low.
“I’m with her.”
“Alpha or not—”
A guard steps in front of me.
His expression hardens.
“You don’t cross that line.”
My jaw clenches.
“Move.”
“Not happening.”
Ellie’s name is still on my lips when a voice from inside the emergency room cuts through everything.
“Her heart stopped!”
The world stops.
Not slow.
Stops.
The words hit me harder than any physical blow ever could.
Stopped?
No.
No.
No.
My body moves before my mind catches up.
“Stopped?”
My voice cracks.
“What do you mean stopped?”
I surge forward.
My vision blurs red.
My wolf claws at the surface.
Four people grab me this time.
Holding me back.
Keeping me away.
The doors close.
Metal seals between us.
And behind them—
Healers shout.
Orders fly.
Someone calls for surgery preparation.
I don’t remember when they let me go.
I don’t remember how I ended up sitting in the waiting area.
One moment, I’m fighting against everyone.
Next, I’m sitting against the wall.
Waiting.
My fists are clenched so tightly that my nails cut into my palms.
I don’t feel it.
Pain doesn’t matter.
Nothing matters.
Because she’s on the other side of those doors.
And I can’t do anything.
Every sound makes my head snap up.
Every footstep.
Every voice.
Every opening door.
I’m waiting for someone to tell me something.
Anything.
Even bad news.
Because silence is worse.
Then—
“Ellie?”
Sarah’s voice cuts through the hallway.
Frantic.
Terrified.
“Where is she?”
She rushes forward.
Then stops when she sees me.
I stand immediately.
“Sarah…”
My throat tightens.
“She collapsed.”
The words barely come out.
“They took her back.”
Her face changes.
She moves toward the doors.
I reach out and catch her arm gently.
Not to stop her.
To save her from getting thrown out like I was.
“Hey.”
She looks at me.
“Sit.”
Her eyes flash.
“I’m fine.”
But her voice betrays her.
She pulls away.
Only to be stopped by the guards, too.
She argues.
She fights.
But eventually…
She gives up.
Just like I did.
She sits beside me against the wall.
Her hands cover her face.
Her breathing is too fast.
Too scared.
And then we wait.
Time becomes meaningless.
Minutes feel like hours.
Hours feel impossible.
Neither of us says much.
Until finally, Sarah speaks.
“You know…”
Her voice is quiet.
Rough.
“It’s weird.”
I look over.
“I’ve barely talked to you.”
A humorless laugh leaves me.
“Lucky you.”
She gives a weak snort.
Then wipes at her eyes.
“And somehow, I feel like I know everything about you.”
I glance at her.
“That sounds threatening.”
She gives me a look.
Despite everything, it almost makes me laugh.
Sarah has always had this gentle appearance.
Big eyes.
A soft expression.
The kind of person you wouldn’t expect to be threatening anyone.
“Well.”
She shrugs.
“The hate.”
A pause.
“The love.”
Another pause.
“The endless circles around you between pack gossip, school, and Ellie…”
She tilts her head.
“You’re kind of infamous.”
I look away.
“With those sources, I probably sound like a nightmare.”
“Sometimes.”
She smiles faintly.
“But Ellie can be harsh.”
Her expression softens.
“She says things when she’s angry.”
I stay quiet.
“But she has a good heart.”
Sarah looks toward the doors.
“Even when it seems like she hates you.”
I accept that.
Because maybe she does.
Then Sarah’s voice lowers.
“But other times?”
I look at her.
“What?”
She hesitates.
Searching for the right words.
“You sound like her gravity.”
The words catch me off guard.
“Her gravity?”
Sarah nods.
“No matter what Ellie does…”
She looks down.
“No matter how hard she fights.”
Her voice becomes quieter.
“No matter how much she tries to run in the opposite direction…”
She looks back at me.
“Everything in her life somehow curves back toward you.”
My jaw tightens.
“I know.”
The words come out softer than I expect.
“She hates it.”
A pause.
“She hates me.”
Sarah shakes her head.
Slowly.
Gently.
Like she’s correcting something I’ve convinced myself is true.
“Hate and love are really close emotions.”
I look at her.
“Closer than people want to admit.”
She exhales.
“Maybe you really are fated.”
Her eyes move toward the closed doors.
“Because I’ve never seen two people fight something so hard while constantly being pulled back together.”
My chest aches.
“Why do you think we fight it so much?”
I don’t answer.
Because I don’t know.
Because every answer feels wrong.
Finally, I look away.
“Ask her when she’s awake.”
Sarah studies me.
Then she says quietly:
“You know she loves you.”
I freeze.
“I don’t know why she fights it so hard.”
Her voice softens.
“But that’s Ellie.”
A pause.
“You should know.”
Her voice cracks.
“Just in case.”
The words sit between us.
Just in case.
A tear slips down her cheek.
I don’t say anything.
Because I don’t know what I could say.
Because right now…
Love feels impossible.
Especially from her.
Especially toward me.
All of this is my fault.
I couldn’t protect her.
I couldn’t save her.
I couldn’t even keep her standing.
I reach into my pocket instead.
Pull out a tissue.
Hold it out to Sarah.
She takes it with a shaky smile.
And then we sit.
Together.
Shoulder to shoulder.
Watching the doors.
The doors are keeping Ellie on the other side.
Waiting for something.
Anything.
Everything.
Or nothing at all.