Asher
Liam raises his hands in defense, with a tense posture as he senses my wolf. Kaidos growls low and menacingly in my head, demanding to be unleashed.
“Why do I fucking care, Liam? Really?” I seethe, my voice barely contained with rage. “That’s a human lying in there, stabbed and bleeding out. She doesn’t have a wolf to heal her like us.”
I take a step closer, my every movement deliberate and charged with fury. Liam instinctively steps back, his eyes darting between me and the door behind him.
“And you ask why I care?” My voice drops into a dangerous snarl, echoing with the power of my alpha aura. “Tell me, Liam, how the hell am I supposed to explain to TechSpark that their representative, sent to set up our database app, was killed in my pack?”
My words reverberate through the air, I know I’m losing control, acting on pure emotion, but I can’t help it. Every fiber of my being is focused on Ally lying in that room, fighting for her life.
Liam takes another step back, and then he finally speaks through the mind link.
“I have my reasons, Alpha,” he says, his tone low and defensive.
“What fucking reasons?” I snap, and my voice snarls even through the link.
There’s a pause, it stretches too long for my liking. Finally, Liam sighs in defeat.
“Maya is here,” he admits reluctantly.
I sigh in frustration, my fists clench as I try to control my emotions, but the thought of Maya seeing me like this so worried for Ally sets my teeth on edge.
I know Maya should be the least of my worries right now, not while Ally is in the pack hospital fighting for her life. But I can’t ignore her, not when she’s standing right there.
I slowly turn my gaze on Maya. Her eyes are wide, filled with an emotion I can’t quite place, shock? Fear? Relief? I don’t know if she’s stunned to see me alive or surprised that I survived the rogue attack.
Before I can even process it, she rushes to me, closing the distance in an instant.
“Thank the goddess you’re alive,” she says, with a trembling voice as her hands reach out to touch me. Her fingers trail over my face and then down to my bare chest.
I wait for it-the sparks, the electric jolt, the buzzing excitement that should come with her touch. That connection I once had with Ally. But there’s nothing. No fire. No warmth. Just… nothing.
Still, I raise my hand and hesitantly smooth her back, trying to offer her some comfort.
“I was so scared I would lose you,” she says, her voice cracking as if on the verge of crying.
I know what she wants. She wants me to hold her and assure her that everything is okay. She wants me to be hers, to focus on her like I once did.
But I can’t.
Even as she clings to me, my mind, my soul, and every fiber of my being are with Ally. I don’t want Maya. I don’t want to comfort her. All I want is to know if Ally is okay. If she’s still alive.
I glance toward the hospital doors, my heart pounding. My body’s here with Maya, but my thoughts are consumed by Ally.
Maya’s voice trembles as she speaks again, but I barely hear her. and I know, deep down, that no matter what happens, I can’t go back to the way things were with her.
I catch sight of one of the guards nearby and gesture for him. “Walk Maya to her quarters, please,” I say briskly, not sparing her another glance. My voice leaves no room for argument as I turn on my heels and make my way toward the Pack Hospital.
In moments like this, I miss Selena.
She should be the last thing on my mind, but I wish she were here. Selena has always been there for Ally, always caring for her, and now, I can’t help but think she would know exactly how to handle this.
Ally’s survival after the accident still feels like a miracle. I’m convinced the Moon Goddess had a hand in sparing her life, just as Selena’s expertise always seemed to be divinely guided.
“The doctors are attending to her,” a nurse says softly as she approaches, bowing her head slightly in respect.
I nod, but my instincts scream at me to barge into the room and see Ally for myself. Every second that I’m not by her side feels like an eternity. Yet, I force myself to stay calm. I need to let the doctors do their work, no matter how much it pains me to wait.
Slowly, I lower myself onto a small bench in the hallway. My muscles are taut, and Kaidos is pacing restlessly in my mind. I can feel the curious stares of pack members on me.
What am I doing here? Why does the Alpha look so concerned for a human-or so they think?
But I don’t owe them answers. I block them out, my mind drifting back to Ally’s words before everything spiraled out of control. What was it she wanted to tell me?
Whatever it is, I tell myself, it can wait until she wakes up.
One of the Pack doctors steps out of her room, and I rise to my feet slowly. He notices me immediately, bowing slightly.
“Alpha,” he greets, with a measured voice but it’s laced with curiosity. I can tell he’s wondering why I’m here. Of all the wounded wolves being treated, the only one I’ve come to check on is Ally, or Zoe, as they know her. It’s suspicious, but I don’t care what anyone thinks.
“How is she?” I ask with a calm voice.
The doctor hesitates, confusion flashes across his face. “Who, Alpha?”
My jaw tightens as I close my eyes for a moment, forcing down the wave of anger threatening to erupt. When I open them, I take a deep breath and pin him with a sharp look.
“That lady from TechSpark. Zoe Carter,” I clarify, my voice steady but with an edge that makes him flinch slightly.
His eyes widen in realization, and he stammers, “Oh, I’m so sorry, Alpha. I didn’t realize it’s-”
“Don’t bother,” I cut him off, stepping past him into the room.
The sight before me makes my chest tighten painfully. She’s lying there, pale and still, her body lifeless.
Kaidos whimpers in my mind in anguish. His pain mirrors mine as I slowly move closer to her bedside.
I can tell she’s lost a lot of blood. The faint rise and fall of her chest is the only reassurance that she’s still with us. My hand hovers over hers for a moment before I finally let it rest lightly on top of hers.
I step closer to her bedside, but my focus shifts momentarily to the doctor behind me.
“What’s the situation?” I ask without bothering to turn back, my eyes fixed on her pale face.
The doctor hesitates before answering. “I’m sorry, Alpha. It’s critical. Since she’s human and doesn’t have a wolf, her healing process is slower. The poison in her system needs to be flushed out, but it will take days.”
My jaw clenches, anger simmering beneath the surface. “Do everything you can. I can’t afford for her to die in our pack-it would raise too many questions.”
The doctor nods quickly. “Understood, Alpha.”
I sit beside her and take her hand in mine. It’s cold and lifeless, and the sight of her like this makes me feel helpless. I’ve faced countless battles and taken down enemies with ease, but watching her struggle against death feels like a battle I can’t win.
This is the second time she’s ended up in the hospital, and the memory of the first time floods my mind. The fear of losing her, of someone making her disappear again like before, left a sick feeling in my stomach.
I release her hand reluctantly, forcing myself to stay composed. “Station guards at her door,” I commanded the doctor. “I don’t want any ‘stories that touch the heart.’ Understood?”
“Yes, Alpha,” the doctor replies, bowing slightly.
Without another word, I step out of the room. Kaido’s whines in my head, his plea clear: Stay with her a little longer.
But I can’t, it will arouse suspicion. The only excuse I’ve given for my presence is that she’s a representative from TechSpark. If I linger too long, the pack will start to question why I care so much.
I step out of her room. I nod at the guards stationed outside her door, a silent order that no harm must come to her.
I make my way down the hall, I take a detour to check on the wounded warriors. Their injuries are minimal, nothing too severe, and I feel relief. At least the battle didn’t claim more lives than it already threatened to.
Just as I’m about to leave the pack hospital, a sharp presence tingles down my spine, setting my wolf on edge. My instincts scream at me to grip the intruder’s neck, demand answers, and rip apart whatever threat they pose.