I hate her. I fucking hate her.
There’s no time. Come on, keep going.
I’m going as fast as I can.
My breathing is sporadic, my chest burning, legs surprisingly strong. I feel as if I’ve been running forever, everyone is just out of reach, and the stairs seem endless. Eventually, the stairs are behind me. When I reach the door, I push with everything I have but it doesn’t budge.
Please, please, please.
My panic goes up a notch but quitting is not an option. I take three steps back and propel my shoulder forward. Gasping, a sharp pain shoots up my arm. There’s no time to worry about myself. Retreating for the second time, inhaling through my nose, and exhaling out my mouth, I sprint and slam with every last bit of strength I have against the door. This time, it opens for me.
There’s a blinding light and I can’t see anything. A wolfsbane grenade had gone off and I squint as shapes start to form. All of a sudden, everything is happening at once. The screaming, the crying, the fighting. I keep my eyes raised as I rush past the arms and legs of the fallen.
Earlier, I had tried to link everyone, anyone. There wasn’t a response and I feared what that could mean. I didn’t want to entertain what that could mean. As soon as I find him, I’ll search for them. Lifting my nose to the air, I try and fail to smell him. The effects of the wolfsbane in my system have dulled my senses.
Stumbling over something, I fall to my feet. I’m about to get back to my feet when an all too familiar shade of dirty blonde catches my attention. My suspicion was confirmed, I tripped over a body. I’m in shock as I stare at the head of my dearest friend, Gabriel. There’s a tremor in my hands as I reach for him. It’s all wrong, instead of beautiful flowing locks, it’s dirty and matted with dried blood.
Time stands still and for a moment, everyone moves in slow motion. My lips part as I open my mouth to scream but no sound comes out. My wolf urges me to move on, she promises there will be a time to mourn, and pleads with me to find him.
I can hear her, she’s The visions were clear, I was so sure I could change things. He had believed in me, had faith I could do it. All that confidence was misplaced.
There’s a movement out of the corner of my eye. A pile of limbs rises and falls as a shape pushes through the bodies. Before he breaches through, my breath catches at the possibility of who it could be.
Carefully, I lower Gabriel to the ground. I can see his black hair and my heart wells with hope. Relief hits me like a brick as my mate scans the surroundings. When his eyes lock on mine, I see the same relief wash over him.
I’d been so wrong. I had no right to search for him but I had to, needed to. He stands to his feet and towers over those around him. My fingers twitch with the need to touch him. My feelings are overwhelming as my rock, my love, and my home takes a step toward me.
His eyes are on my face as he takes another step. My shoulders shake, my chin trembles, and tears run down my face. The mate bond is strong but even as the emotions crash into me, I already knew from the look on his face. Need, relief, and gratitude.
He freezes, his eyes wide with shock, and his jaw is slack. The panic is back and frantically, I try to see what’s wrong. My gaze drops to his chest, his beautiful chest. An outstretched hand holds my mate’s beating heart. I cry out painfully as the mate bond snaps.
A crippling pain tears through my chest and my throat tightens before I drop to the ground. My world is cold and for the first time in a long time, I’m alone.
It hurts too much to cry. My eyes are locked on my mate as footsteps come closer. Something drops near my head and I’m aware as he leans down and grips me by the hair. The last thing I see before my head smashed against something hard is the empty look in my mate’s eyes.