Ruby
What????
I froze, unable to comprehend his words. Did I hear him correctly?
“Ava. My dead mate. I will bring her back to life like I promised,” he muttered before closing his eyes.
The shock hit me like a tidal wave. My heart raced, leaving me speechless and utterly bewildered. How could he say something like that? No, I must be mistaken. I must have heard wrong because, honestly, his words were like a punch to the gut-an insult that shouldn’t be taken lightly.
No. I would never accept this.
My shock was quickly replaced by a surge of anger that coursed through my veins like wildfire-hot and consuming. How dare he make such a reckless promise? How dare he consider bringing back his ex-mate from the dead while making me live with him? How could he even consider such a reckless and selfish act?
The audacity of it all left me trembling with fury, and the anger that surged through me was overwhelming, threatening to consume me entirely.
He had to be joking, right?
“You’re joking, right?” I managed to choke out, my voice trembling with a mixture of shock and fury. I released him without thinking, letting his head hit the hard ground, but he remained unconscious, unmoved by my outburst.
I paced back and forth, my hands balled into fists at my sides, unable to contain the storm of emotions raging within me. Bringing back his dead mate was supposed to be impossible, and if he was going to do it by going the extra mile, then it meant he was still madly in love with her. It seemed he had only brought me here for his own amusement and pleasure.
How on earth am I supposed to compete with his dead mate for his love and attention? No, I won’t do that. Liam was right-Damian was a player and was using me for his selfish interests? How could he do this to us? How could he betray our future, which hasn’t even begun yet?
“He’s out of his mind,” I muttered bitterly to myself, my voice dripping with frustration and despair. I kneeled beside him, shaking him in a futile attempt to wake him from his unconscious state, but he remained unresponsive, his face peaceful in sleep.
“You are out of your mind. I hate you so much, Damian.” I muttered, my fists pounding against his chest as tears welled up in my eyes. The depth of his betrayal struck me, leaving me reeling with disbelief. How could I ever trust him again after this? How could I forgive him for shattering our bond with his reckless act?
“I can’t believe you,” I whispered, my voice barely audible above the pounding of my own heart. I looked down at him, my heart heavy with sorrow and betrayal, knowing that our relationship would never be the same again. I felt like a fool for believing his empty words.
“Why are you just standing there doing nothing? He’s going to die! Can’t you see?” James, his beta, yelled from behind me before forcefully pushing me aside. I stumbled backward, nearly losing my balance, my anger momentarily overshadowed and forgotten in the chaos of the moment.
“What are you doing? What do you mean he is going to die?”I shouted, my voice hoarse with shock and confusion as I regained my footing, but before I could protest further, his beta scooped Damian’s unconscious form into his arms and hurried towards the house, his footsteps echoing loudly in the silence of the night.
I stood there, rooted to the spot, my mind racing with fear and uncertainty as I slowly processed his beta words. Was Damian going to die?
No, that can’t be. Yes, I was angry with him at the moment, but that doesn’t mean I wish him death; he was still my mate after all until I see more reasons to reject him.
I felt a surge of guilt wash over me, even though I knew it wasn’t my fault. I should have acted sooner and should have been more attentive to Damian’s condition.
“Damian, you can’t die, you jerk! You have to wake up and answer my questions!” I exclaimed, my voice trembling with worry, as I watched his beta carry him and disappear into the house.
My heart became heavy as I thought the worst for Damian’s fate, and panic surged through me as I finally understood the gravity of the situation, and I knew I couldn’t just stand there and do nothing despite what had happened.
With a newfound sense of urgency, I raced after them, my heart pounding in my chest. As I reached the house, I burst through the door, my breath coming in short, ragged gasps.
“James, have you called the doctor?” I yelled as I climbed up the stairs, tracing the scent that led me to a room opposite mine.
Inside, the atmosphere was tense, and every breath was filled with anticipation and fear. I hovered near the doorway, unsure of what to do next, my mind racing with a thousand different thoughts and emotions.
“He is on his way, but I doubt he will be able to make it before the doctor arrives. It’s a miracle that he is still breathing,” James said, his voice trembling as he laid Damian down on the bed.
“Is there anything I can do to help?” I asked, my voice barely above a whisper, as I watched James place a white bedsheet on Damian’s unconscious body.
James glanced at me briefly, his expression grim. “Not unless you know how to heal him,” he replied curtly in irritation, and I could only nod my head silently, feeling a pang of helplessness wash over me. I wished I had the power to heal Damian, ease his suffering, and bring him back from the brink of death. But all I could do was stand by and watch, praying for a miracle.
Or maybe I could actually do something; after all, I did save some sick children who had the worst disease ever.
“Well, we have to do something!” I screamed, my voice raw with emotion, and James gazed at me in surprise, clearly taken aback by my outburst. I paid little attention to his reaction as I impatiently tapped my foot, waiting for the doctor to arrive.
“The hospital is quite a distance away. It will take the doctor about twenty minutes, if not more, to get here. He wasn’t prepared and is just an average wolf,” James muttered sadly. I nodded, my brow furrowed with concern.
It had taken me about two hours to travel from the Diamond Moon Pack to Damian’s Pack without my son, who was still in school. Although the distance from the academy to Damian’s pack was only about thirty minutes for an average wolf, I understood why it would take so long for the doctor to arrive. Deep down, I feared it might be too late, considering Damian’s house was at the border of his pack.
“James, where did he go to end up like this?” I asked, my voice tinged with urgency and concern, but James hesitated, his expression shifting uncomfortably.
“It’s… complicated,” he finally replied, avoiding my gaze as he busied himself with adjusting the pillows under Damian’s head. Frustration gnawed at me as I watched him evade the question.
“James, I need to know what happened. Damian’s life may be at stake here, and he said something about bringing his dead mate back to life? What does he mean by that?” I insisted, my tone pleading. He sighed heavily, his shoulders sagging with the weight of the situation.
“He went into the Forest of Darkness,” he admitted reluctantly, his voice barely above a whisper.
“The Forest of Darkness?” I repeated, my eyes widening in shock. Damian went into the forest of darkness, also known as the forest of no return, and he did this without at least telling me. And all to save his deceased mate? How did he even make it back? It’s a miracle that he’s still alive.
“But why? What was he looking for?” I asked, my voice betraying the strong facade I was trying to maintain as I knew the answer to my questions.
James shook his head, his expression grim, indicating he didn’t want to tell me everything without his alpha’s permission. “I’m not sure. He didn’t tell me much.”
“You’re his beta, so it’s hard to believe he wouldn’t inform you of why he’d fucking risk his life. We need to find a way to keep him alive so he can answer my questions himself,” I said, glaring at Damian’s unconscious body as dread settled in my stomach.
“Besides the flower, I don’t see it anymore… Last I remembered, Damian was holding it in his hands,” I questioned James, studying Damian’s body.