Jason raced through the woods with Luke a pace behind. The moment Noah’s warning reached him he only had one thought: Phoebe. Lobo pressed forward, giving him added speed as he ran. He would have shifted, but the height of his human form was necessary to spot the traps scattered throughout the territory. Barely skirting another, he cursed them with a growl. If not for the traps, he would have been at Phoebe’s side already.
“Cam! Noah! We’re still six miles out!”
“The rogues are only two, Alpha.”
“Reinforcements are on their way!”
“It’s all right, Alpha. Just focus on Luna. She’s gone ahead. We’ll hold them here.”
“Cam…”
“He’s right, Alpha,” Noah seconded. “It’s our honor to lay our lives down to protect our Luna.”
The link abruptly closed, but Jason already had their general location. He raced on determined to reach them. Suddenly, he came to a halt as a pain pierced his mind. Jason shook his head, but it persisted. A leg cramp caused him to double over before going numb.
‘What was that?’
‘Mate hurt!’ Lobo howled. ‘Get to Mate! Now!’
“Jason?”
Not giving his Beta an explanation, Jason adjusted his course, following the tenuous link connecting him to Phoebe. By focusing on it, the connection strengthened and her pain seeped more and more into his mind. Nothing would stop him from reaching her.
Bursting into a small clearing, he took only a moment to register the scene in front of him as a rogue prepared to attach Phoebe’s prone form. Without hesitation, he rushed forward, snapping the rogue’s neck in a fluid motion before it even knew he was there. Jason didn’t spare it another thought as he fell to his knees beside Phoebe.
“Phoebe! Angel!”
“…J-Jason?”
Phoebe blinked, his scent permeating the pain-induced haze Máni struggled to keep at bay. Unlike other wolves, Máni seemed to have a resistance to silver. It didn’t suppress her wolf as it did with others, allowing her to maintain consciousness. Jason’s face filled her vision and she immediately felt at ease. He really came for her.
“Jason…”
“Shh…I’m here, angel. I’m here.” Jason kissed her forehead.
“Jace,” Luke called his attention, kneeling beside the trap biting into her leg.
They shared a look as Luke grasped the trap’s jaws, forcing them apart despite the burning sensation that coursed through his hands. Once the trap was open, Jason carefully pulled Phoebe’s leg free, wincing as she whimpered. Luke released the trap, letting it snap shut before kicking it away. Jason gently laid her leg on the ground. Shedding their jackets, they ripped their sleeves to use as bandages, wrapping her wounds as best they could.
“Phoebe, angel,” Jason pulled her into his arms and held her to his chest. “Angel, Phoebe?”
“…Jason.” She snuggled into him, breathing deep. “…the pups.”
“Pups?”
“Alpha, the last of the pups just made it out of the woods,” Chaz announced. “They’re saying something about Luna facing off against a rogue on her own?”
“We’re with her now, Chaz,” Luke answered. “She’s alive but hurt. We’re going to need a doctor to meet us at the pack hospital.”
“Everyone’s gathered in the safe room. I’ll bring these pups there and grab the doctor. What about the rogues?”
Luke turned his attention north, hearing the howls of their own warriors as reinforcements reached Cameron and Noah, “Reinforcements have arrived. They are mopping up the rest as we speak.”
“I’ll sound the all clear.”
“Jason, we need to move,” Luke said.
Jason clutched Phoebe close. The scent of her blood was driving him crazy as Lobo pressed forward eager to exact revenge, but the rogue was already dead and rage would not help Phoebe now. The trap had bit deep, infecting her with silver and there was no telling if she could survive the poison slowly creeping through her.
“Jace!” Luke shouted to get his attention. “Let’s get her to the hospital.”
His Beta’s words finally registered. Wrapping his jacket around Phoebe, Jason cradled her as he stood. Carrying her against his chest, he followed as Luke took point to spot traps in their path. If Phoebe died nothing would stop him from killing everyone responsible, starting with Graham. Reaching the forest edge, their pace increased. They rushed to the hospital where a worried nurse met them.
“Oh my Goddess! Phoebe!” she exclaimed the moment she saw them. “This way, hurry!”
The nurse led them to an exam room where Jason finally laid Phoebe down. He smoothed away the hair that had fallen over her face as he stroked her cheek, “Phoebe, angel. Can you hear me?”
He paid no attention to the nurse circling around them until she grasped Phoebe’s arm, preparing a needle. Jason growled, his eyes gleaming amber as his wolf saw it as a weapon. The nurse yelped, feeling his aura press against her.
“It’s-It’s an IV to help her fight the silver.”
Jason forced Lobo back down, nodding to her and allowing her to continue. The nurse worked quickly to start the drip before moving to Phoebe’s leg. She gasped as she unwrapped the leg and cut away the jeans to see the damage.
“Where the hell is the doctor?” Luke demanded.
“Still in the safe room,” the nurse said. “Luna Kristie didn’t want him to leave until the attack was confirmed over.”
“What? We called the all clear,” Luke snarled, though he tried to keep his anger in check. Snapping at the nurse wouldn’t help.
“It’s what the Luna said,” the nurse shook her head.
“Then why are you here?” Luke asked. Certainly, the nurse had been in the safe room too.
“Blake and Emma were so panicked I knew it had to be Phoebe that was hurt,” the nurse said as she cleaned and disinfected the wounds. “I wasn’t going to let anyone stop me.”
“You know Phoebe?” Jason looked at the nurse for the first time.
“She’s pretty much my best friend,” the nurse nodded.
“Your name?”
“Bridget.”
Jason felt Lobo relax. If the nurse was Phoebe’s friend then she could be trusted. He turned his focus back to Phoebe, resting his forehead on hers, trying to reach her through their untested bond.
“I don’t think her leg is broken,” Bridget announced. “I just have to close the lacerations. Hey you!”
“Me?” Luke blinked, startled by her informal tone.
“Yes. Wash up and glove up.”
“I don’t know anything about medicine.”
“I don’t need your opinion,” Bridget snapped. “I need your hands. Help me for Goddess’s sake!”
Luke hesitated then scrubbed quickly before snapping on a pair of latex gloves and coming to the nurse’s side.
“Stand here, now hold her leg so the edge of the wounds line up while I close them.”
Luke winced, trying not to look as the nurse worked to close the deepest gashes. After stitching the worst of the wounds, she smeared a generous amount of a thick, yellowish balm over the injuries before bandaging the leg with practiced efficiency.
Jason tried not to watch. The sight of his mate’s blood only infuriated his distraught wolf. Instead, he continued to rest his forehead against Phoebe’s, breathing her scent and hoping their physical contact soothed her.
“Phoebe, angel?”
“…Um, Alpha?”
Jason looked up at Bridget.
“You’re Phoebe’s second chance mate, aren’t you?”
“You know?”
Bridget nodded, “I might be the only one who knows about her rejection. I don’t think she even told her parents.”
“Do you…”
“No. She never told me, but I assumed they're a pack member given how she avoids the packhouse.”
Jason nodded. Turning back to Phoebe, he kissed her hand. Physical contact and her scent were the only things keeping him sane.
“Alpha! How’s Luna?” Cameron and Noah suddenly burst into the exam room.
The warriors wore only borrowed shorts given to them by their reinforcements. They were also covered in wounds, though thankfully none of their injuries seemed fatal. Cameron did have a rather deep gash in his shoulder, however.
“Alpha we…” Noah suddenly froze, blinking in confusion. His brow furrowed as he stared at Bridget. It was several moments before he said, “Mate.”
Bridget shivered, her eyes wide in wonder at the unexpected meeting. She’d known for a long time her mate wasn’t a member of their pack and hadn’t had much hope of ever finding them. She didn’t move as Noah closed the distance between them, gently cupping her chin in his palm and staring at her as if memorizing every inch of her face.
“Alpha?” the door opened again as Chaz entered.
Noah jumped, spinning around and growling as he stood between his mate and the unmated male.
“Whoa, easy,” Chaz held up his hands in surrender. “We got an issue.”