Chapter 167

Chapter 167
Erin's POV

The giant wolf quickly regained his balance, baring his fangs. "How touching," he mocked, "dying for an Omega. How pathetic."

The two powerful wolves faced off, the tension in the air almost solidifying. The giant wolf attacked first, his size advantage forcing Alexander on the defensive. Massive claws raked across Alexander's shoulder, immediately staining his fur red with blood.

Alexander! I tried to stand up to help, but my broken ribs sent waves of agony through me, cold sweat pouring down my face.

Despite his injuries, Alexander remained nimble, avoiding most attacks while seeking counter-opportunities. He circled to the giant wolf's side, savagely biting his hind leg and pulling hard.

The giant wolf howled in pain, turning to shake Alexander off, only to be bitten more firmly. Anger and pain made the giant wolf more ferocious. He suddenly lunged backward, pinning Alexander beneath him, sharp fangs aiming for his throat!

NO! I howled in desperation.

In the critical moment, Alexander twisted his body with incredible agility, avoiding the fatal strike, but the giant wolf's teeth still sank deep into the junction between his shoulder and neck. Blood gushed out.

Seeing Alexander wounded, something primal exploded inside me. Ignoring the pain, I charged into the fray, targeting the giant wolf's eyes with everything I had!

My claws plunged perfectly into the giant wolf's left eye. He released Alexander with a shriek of agony, violently shaking his head trying to dislodge me.

Alexander seized this moment, charging again at the giant wolf's exposed throat, clamping down hard and then ripping with all his might!

The giant wolf's roar turned to gurgling, blood fountaining outward, his struggles weakening rapidly. Alexander didn't release his grip until he was certain his opponent no longer moved, then slowly released his blood-filled mouth.

Erin... he turned to me, the blue in his eyes dimming, his voice weak. Are you okay?

Before I could answer, Alexander's legs suddenly gave way, and he collapsed heavily to the ground. I rushed to his side in horror, finally seeing how severe his neck wound was—a major artery had been torn, each heartbeat pumping out large amounts of blood.

No, no, NO! I shifted back to human form, my hands pressing desperately on his wound, trying to stop the bleeding. "Alexander, hold on! Please! Don't die!"

His blue eyes looked at me, filled with pain and... love?

Just then, Greyson arrived with Black Stone werewolves, taking in the gruesome scene before immediately ordering:

"Quickly! Get the Alpha back to territory!"

Several medical team werewolves rapidly lifted Alexander onto a stretcher. I followed, stumbling, my hands covered in his blood, praying constantly: Please survive, please don't leave me...

---

I sat in the clinic's waiting area, my hands still stained with Alexander's dried blood, eyes hollow as I stared at the operating room doors. Time seemed frozen, each minute an endless torture.

Through the door crack, I caught fragments of the medical team's tense conversation:

"Massive blood loss!"
"Carotid artery nearly completely severed!"
"Need more plasma! Increase pressure!"

Each phrase stabbed my heart like a knife. This is all my fault. If I hadn't acted so rashly, he wouldn't have been injured trying to save me...

Lila arrived at the clinic and, seeing me covered in blood, wore a complex expression before silently sitting beside me, offering a cup of water.

"He'll be okay," she said softly, though her tone lacked conviction. "He's an Alpha, he's strong."

I couldn't respond, just mechanically nodded, fingers clutching my clothes so tightly my knuckles turned white.

After six hours of surgery, Alexander was moved to recovery but remained in critical condition. His breathing was shallow, his body wrapped in white bandages, his skin terrifyingly pale. I sat beside his bed, holding his cold hand, tears falling silently.

"I'm sorry," I whispered, my voice broken. "This is all my fault. If I hadn't gone looking for you..."

A guard entered the room holding a blood-soaked note. "Found this while cleaning the Alpha's clothes," he explained. "Seems it's for you."

With trembling hands, I carefully unfolded it to find Alexander's familiar handwriting, though obviously hastily written:

> Erin, 
> If you're reading this note, I may no longer be able to tell you these words myself. I never stopped loving you, even when I pushed you away. Everything I did was to protect you from the coming storm. 
> Whatever happens, remember that my heart will always belong to you. 
> Forever yours, 
> Alexander

I clutched the note to my chest, tears completely blurring my vision. "You idiot," I sobbed, "you can't leave me, do you hear? I won't let you leave me..."

Jason had arrived at the clinic sometime during my vigil. Seeing my haggard appearance, his eyes flashed with guilt. He stood silently beside me, hesitating before gently placing his hand on my shoulder.

"Why are you here?" I asked, my voice hoarse. "Don't you hate him?"

Jason shook his head, "It's complicated... but regardless, you're my sister."

The clinic bustled with activity, filled with injured pack members and guards, stretchers lining the hallways. Greyson approached me, his expression grave.

"Last night was supposed to be a secret meeting with East Claw," he explained quietly. "A mole leaked the location, resulting in an ambush. When Alexander realized the danger, he deliberately drew away most of the enemies to buy us time to escape."

"How could you let him face so many enemies alone?" I demanded angrily, tears welling up again. "He nearly died!"

Guilt flashed in Greyson's eyes, "It's an Alpha's responsibility to protect the pack, even at the cost of his life."

I leaned against the wall, exhausted, when something suddenly occurred to me. "Greyson, you need to know—Jasper Taylor is an East Claw spy. He's been monitoring Twilight Company and me."

Greyson nodded, "We already know, but you may not be aware of his true identity." He paused, his expression becoming serious. "Jasper is actually Fletcher Donovan's eldest son, the heir to East Claw."

The news hit me like a thunderbolt, making me dizzy. Jasper is the East Claw heir?