Chapter 37 Complete The Bond
Elara's POV
James's voice cut through the chaos and I looked up to see him running down the hallway toward us, his face pale and streaked with tears. He crashed into me hard enough that I almost dropped the boy I was carrying and his arms wrapped around my waist in a death grip.
"You're okay," he sobbed against my shoulder. "I thought... I heard everything breaking and I thought..."
"I'm fine," I assured him, even though I was very much not fine. "Help me get them outside."
The next twenty minutes were a blur of emergency services and flashing lights and paramedics loading the four boys into ambulances. James and Aurora climbed into Kaelen's car and I found myself in the passenger seat before I could think of a reason to refuse, my fingers wrapped around the door handle so tightly my knuckles went white.
The car was too small and the air was too thick with both our scents mixing together in a way that made my head spin. I pressed myself against the door as hard as I could and dug my fingernails into my palm until I felt blood, using the pain to anchor myself to reality instead of the overwhelming urge to climb across the center console and into his lap.
Kaelen's hands were clenched on the steering wheel hard enough that I heard the leather creak and saw small indentations forming under his fingers. His jaw was locked and his eyes stayed fixed straight ahead, not looking at me even once during the entire drive. The tension in the car was suffocating and James sat in complete silence in the back seat next to Aurora's unconscious form.
No one spoke. The only sounds were our labored breathing and the engine and the too-loud beating of my heart that I was sure everyone could hear.
When we finally pulled up to the medical center I was out of the car before it fully stopped, my legs shaky as I put distance between myself and the enclosed space that had been slowly killing me. I heard Kaelen's door open and close behind me but I didn't look back, just kept walking toward the entrance where the ambulances were already unloading their patients.
The hospital staff rushed the boys into examination rooms along with Aurora, and I followed James as he paced anxiously in the hallway. It took nearly an hour before a doctor emerged to tell us they were stable but unconscious, that they'd need to stay overnight for observation but should make a full recovery.
James sagged with relief and I felt some of the tension drain from my shoulders. At least something had gone right tonight.
Aurora woke up twenty minutes later. A nurse told us we could visit and we entered her room.
She was pale and weak, lying against the pillows with her eyes barely open. When she saw us, tears immediately welled up in her eyes.
Heavy footsteps echoed in the hallway and Nolan appeared with Ryan and Marcus. His face was thunderous as his eyes locked on James.
"What the hell happened?" Nolan demanded, striding into the room. "I got a call saying pack members were hospitalized and Aurora's hurt."
James opened his mouth to answer but Aurora spoke first, her voice trembling and weak. "Please don't blame James. This is all my fault. I suggested we go to that building. I didn't know it would be dangerous."
Fresh tears spilled down her cheeks and she looked at James with such guilt in her eyes. "I'm so sorry, James. You must have been so scared. I should have protected you better."
Nolan's expression immediately softened as he moved to her bedside. "Hey, no, don't cry. You did nothing wrong. You were trying to help, that's what matters."
James's face flushed red with frustration. "That's not what happened! When things went wrong, she shoved me in front of her like a human shield—"
"Are you serious right now?" Nolan cut him off, his voice rising with anger. "Aurora's lying in a hospital bed apologizing to you and you're making up lies about her? She's always looking out for you, always taking care of you, and this is how you repay her kindness?"
"I'm not lying!" James protested. "She literally pushed me toward the danger—"
"Enough!" Nolan's eyes flashed with fury. "I can't believe you're trying to blame her when she's the one who got hurt. You should be ashamed of yourself."
Aurora reached out weakly toward Nolan, her hand trembling. "Please, don't be angry with him. He was probably just confused and scared. I don't blame him at all."
Her voice broke on the last word and more tears tracked down her face, the picture of wounded innocence and selfless forgiveness.
Nolan took her hand gently, his expression full of concern and protectiveness. "You're too kind, Aurora. You shouldn't have to apologize to someone who won't even appreciate what you did for him."
He turned back to James with disgust in his eyes. "You're pathetic. Aurora risks herself to protect you and you can't even show her basic gratitude."
James's mouth opened and closed, his face cycling through hurt and anger and frustration as he struggled to defend himself against accusations he couldn't disprove.
"Enough."
My voice cut through the tension like a blade and everyone's heads snapped toward me. I stepped between Nolan and James, my expression cold.
"He was protecting Aurora the entire time," I said flatly. "Whatever you think happened, you're wrong."
Nolan's eyes narrowed. "Aurora just said—"
"I don't care what she said. I'm telling you what actually happened."
"Why would Aurora lie?" Nolan demanded, his voice rising. "She's in a hospital bed and she's still trying to protect James's feelings. She has no reason to make herself look bad."
I looked at Aurora and saw the faintest flicker of calculation in her eyes before she dropped her gaze and let out a soft, pained sob.
"I'm not interested in arguing about this." I looked at James. "Are you coming or staying?"
Relief flooded his features. "Coming. Definitely coming."
He bolted to my side and I caught the eye roll he directed at Nolan when his brother wasn't looking, his expression transforming from hurt to smug satisfaction in an instant. I turned and we walked out together, leaving Nolan looking confused and Aurora dabbing at her tears with a tissue.
Night air hit my face outside the medical center. James walked beside me, still fuming about what had just happened in Aurora's room. Then I caught it—that scent of snow-covered pine and winter frost. My heart immediately kicked faster and my wolf stirred with interest.
I turned slowly. Kaelen was leaning against his black Lamborghini thirty feet away, ice-blue eyes locked on me.
He'd waited.
"James," I said, my voice coming out more strained than I intended. "You should head home first. I have something to deal with."
James looked between me and Kaelen, his eyes widening slightly as he picked up on the tension crackling in the air. "Are you sure? I can wait if you—"
"I'm sure. Go."
He nodded quickly, shooting one last curious glance at Kaelen before heading back home.
Our gazes met and held. My pulse pounded in my ears and my skin felt too hot, burning from the inside. Heat pooled low in my abdomen and I clenched my thighs against the sudden sharp ache.
Images flashed unbidden through my mind—his hands on my skin, his teeth at my throat, my body pinned beneath his as he marked me. My face went hot and I bit the inside of my cheek, using pain and blood taste to ground myself.
My nails dug into my palm, breaking skin. I forced my feet to stay planted even though every instinct screamed to go to him.
Kaelen pushed off the car and took three steps forward. Each one made it harder to breathe. His movements were controlled but I could see tension in his shoulders, the way his hands flexed like he was fighting the same battle.
"You need to decide something," he said, voice lower and rougher than usual.
"Decide what?" My throat felt tight.
His eyes flashed gold and mine shifted in response, silver bleeding into my vision. "We both know what you are to me."
He paused, throat working as he swallowed. "What I am to you."
The mate bond vibrated like a plucked string, pulling at something deep in my chest.
"You're my fated mate," Kaelen continued, and hearing him say it made my knees weak. "The question is... do you want to complete the bond?"
The air between us was thick with pheromones and tension, so charged I expected sparks to arc across the space.
My wolf howled in my head, demanding I say yes, that I go to him and let him sink his teeth into my neck. My body screamed the same thing, every cell vibrating with need to be claimed and marked.
But my mind fought, clinging to reasons why this was a terrible idea.
"I..." The word came out shaky.
Kaelen took another step forward. Now we were close enough I could feel heat radiating off his body, could see gold completely overtaking blue in his eyes. "Tell me what you want, Elara."
I wanted him so badly it physically hurt. I wanted to stop fighting this pull tearing me apart. I wanted to let go and fall and trust he would catch me.
My mouth opened and I didn't know what would come out, didn't know if I would say yes or no or something in between.
"I..."