Chapter 53 Benjamin is back

Chapter 53 Benjamin is back
Jeremy's POV

She was just turning when James came. Walking past her.

He slowed down. Stared. Looked back at the bodies on the ground.

Then looked at her.

Margaret looked away and started moving, she didn't stop. Didn't explain. Just walked away. Fast. Head down. Like she wanted to disappear.

James watched her go. Then turned to me.
"Alpha." He dropped to his knees immediately. His hands already checking my wounds. My side. My shoulder. My leg.

"You're badly injured."

"I'm fine."

"You're not fine." He pressed his hand against my side. I hissed. "We need to move. Now."

He helped me up. I put most of my weight on my own legs. Refused to lean too hard on him. I was seven feet tall. I'd crush him.
He'd already sent word ahead. By the time we reached the pack house, Doctor Hayes was waiting at the door.

They got me to my room. Got me on the bed. The doctor worked fast. Quiet. Efficient.

Then the door burst open.

"Jeremy!" Mia's voice. Loud. Shaking. She rushed in. Eyes red. Tears streaming down her face. "Oh Moon Goddess. Jeremy. Your wounds. You're bleeding so much. Oh no. Oh no no no—"

"Mia—"

"Who did this?" She grabbed my hand. Pressed it to her cheek. "Who? Tell me who. I'll tear them apart myself. I swear I'll—"

"Lady Mia." Doctor Hayes didn't look up from my wound. "I need calm in this room. Please."

"How can I be calm?" She sobbed louder. "Look at him. Look at what they did to him. How is any wolf supposed to sustain an injury this long? It should have healed by now."

"That's because these are not just ordinary wounds. The Alpha was struck with poisoned blades. But the good news is I have antidotes, so he should be fine within two days." Doctor Hayes replied.

Mia let out a louder cry. "Why would anyone use that on him?"

"Mia." I said. Firm. "Enough."

She pressed her lips together. Tears still falling. But quieter now.

Doctor Hayes finished stitching my side. Wrapped my shoulder. Checked my leg.
"Rest." He said to me. Then looked at Mia. "And Lady Mia. Your condition needs rest too. No more crying like this."

"I'm fine—"

"Lady Mia." James stepped forward. Calm. Steady. "Let me walk you to your room. The doctor will stay with the Alpha."

"I'm not leaving him."

"He needs to rest. You being here upset is not helping him heal." James said it gently but firmly. "Come. Just for a little while."
She looked at me. Like she needed me to ask her to stay.

I said nothing.

She wiped her face. Stood. Followed James out.

The door closed.

Quiet.

Doctor Hayes packed his bag. "I mean it, Alpha. Rest. Those poisons need at least two days to wear off."

"Understood."

He left.

James came back ten minutes later. Closed the door behind him. Pulled a chair close to the bed.

For a moment neither of us spoke.

"Talk to me." I said.

"Alpha..." He leaned forward. Elbows on his knees. Voice low. "What really happened out there?"

"They came for me specifically. You saw that."

"I did. But that's not what I'm asking about."
He looked at me steadily. "The bodies in that clearing. I counted eleven wolves. Dead. All of them. No survivors. I did not take up to 5 minute to get back to you. So how's eleven wolves dead in less than five minutes." He paused. "And Lady Margaret was walking away from the scene. Untouched."

I went completely silent for almost a minute, because this is still beyond my own comprehension myself.

"She saved me." I said.

James blinked. "What! How is that possible? Same Lady Margaret?"

"Yes."

"The woman from the South." He said slowly. Like he was testing the words. "The one who arrived here weeks ago. All sophisticated. That Lady Margaret."

"Yes James. That Lady Margaret."

He sat back. Ran a hand over his face. "Alpha. Eleven trained wolves. Dead. Just like that."

"She moved faster than anything I've ever seen." I stared at the ceiling. "Her eyes turned silver. Her body... she was bigger. Stronger. Like nothing natural."

"What is she?"

"I don't know."

"Then I need to look into her." He said it quietly but firmly. "Alpha just give me the go ahead. Something about this woman is not adding up. First she shows up out of nowhere. Now this? I need to investigate."

I didn't answer immediately.

Something in me resisted. Hard. The thought of anyone digging into Margaret felt... wrong. Like a boundary I didn't want crossed.
"Leave it." I said finally.

"Alpha—"

"I said leave it. I'll handle it myself."

James studied me for a moment. Then nodded slowly. Dropped it.

"Then tell me this." He said. "Do you have any idea who led that attack? Who organized it?"

"It was too professional for rogues. Too targeted." I shifted. Winced at the pain. "Someone with resources. With soldiers. Someone who knows my movements."

James was quiet for a moment.
Then he said it.
"I think Benjamin is back."

I sat up so fast the stitches pulled.

"What?"

"Alpha—"

"Benjamin is dead." I said. Hard. Final. "I watched him fall."

"I know what we saw." James kept his voice steady. "But the style of that attack. The formation. The way they moved. The targeting of only you. The poisoned sword. That's Benjamin's strategy. His signature."

"That's impossible."

I couldn't think about the possibility of Benjamin being alive.

Because if Benjamin was truly not dead.

If he was the one who sent those wolves.

Then this was far from over.

This had barely even started.