Chapter 141 From the Brink pt 1
Duncan
The world was black. There was no color, no sound, no sensation. I floated, feeling deep down in my core that there was somewhere I needed to be, something I needed to be doing, but I couldn’t escape this void no matter how hard I tried.
‘Mate…gone…’ Conn’s voice was weak. ‘Injured. Can’t…heal…fast enough.’
The attack played through my mind. The sharp spike of fear when the rogues piled on top of me—not for myself, but for Seren. For what it would mean if I didn’t survive, for the pain that she’d feel. The way I kept pushing through. Then that final, devastating blow that landed when I realized my connection with Seren had gone dead.
My heart rate sped up. Seren. Something happened to Seren. I needed to fucking wake up so that I could get to her. She needed me.
Fear and panic laced every thought as I tried to bring myself out of wherever this was. Was I dead? Surely not. I’d seen the Goddess’s realm, and this wasn’t it. That meant that I was locked inside my body. Comatose.
Sensations started to trickle in with that realization. Muffled sounds carried through the dark. Someone pressing their hand against my face, a hand squeezing mine. My father’s voice, then Julian’s. My mother’s quiet sobs.
Frustration built, pulsing between Conn and me in a cycle that fed itself, rising higher and higher. ‘We need to break free!’ I roared.
‘Trying…’ Conn responded, exhaustion lacing his tone.
Then things changed. Tingles on my hand, on my face. Seren. She was safe. Relief flooded through me even as I continued to fight to wake. “You don’t get to leave me,” she sobbed.
I’m trying, little wolf. I’m trying to come back to you.
“I’m here. Duncan, I’m here.” Her grip on my hand tightened for a moment, then released. Her hands moved to my chest, pressing just above my heart, and heat flooded into my body. The black went gray around the edges. Conn felt stronger. The warmth flowed from her hands and built until finally, my body started to listen. My fingers twitched. My eyelids fluttered. My lips moved. “Seren.”
I managed to get my eyes fully open just in time to see my beautiful mate smile brilliantly…and then collapse onto my chest. Voices raised in alarm as another body fell somewhere in the room.
“What’s…going on?” It came out as a whisper. My mouth felt like I’d swallowed sand.
“Get another bed in here now. Put Seren up on the bed with Duncan. Keep the three of them close together.” Doc Theo had taken charge, ordering the nurses and my parents around like he was the Alpha. I suppose in this environment he was.
Mom brought a cup over to me, helping me with the straw as I weakly wrapped my arms around Seren once the nurses got her settled. “You’ve been comatose for almost a full day, Duncan. Seren…she’s a healer. I don’t know what happened today, but as soon as Lucian brought her back, she brought you out of it.”
I swallowed the cool liquid, soothing the fire ants in my throat. “What happened to Seren?” It came out stronger this time.
“She exhausted herself, Alpha. I imagine her ordeal combined with healing you as soon as she returned emptied her out. It looks like it took Gideon, too.” Doc Theo wrapped his stethoscope around his neck as he finished examining the prince. “They’re both healthy, as far as I can see. Their wolves are fine. Acute exhaustion from overuse of powers is my diagnosis. The only thing that can fix that is rest. They need to sleep. Keeping you all together means the bonds you have can help.” He shook his head. “I’ve never seen anything like it, the way he fed her power. They truly are a marvel together.” He looked at the nurses, then the rest of us. “Luna Seren and Prince Gideon will be fine. Let them rest. Get Alpha Duncan some food. I’ll be down the hall if you need me.”
The nurses followed him out, and I finally took stock of who was in the room with me. Mom and Dad, of course. Julian was here, and I could see Kayla standing outside the room with a female I didn’t know. Lucian stood on the other side of Julian.
My gaze narrowed on my leadership team. “The attack?”