âOLIVIA!â
The echo of Julianâs call bounced off the open fields, a cocktail of desperation and fury. He sprinted through the tall grass, leaving a trail of bright red blood in his wake.
Even as he held Mayaâs lifeless body, he could feel the sticky warmth of her blood seeping onto his hands.
~Stay with me.~
His breaths were ragged, a froth forming at the corner of his mouth as he fought to suppress the growl bubbling up from his core. âOLIVIA!â
His eyes darted across the horizon, hoping for a glimpse of the door swinging open, for someone to come and help him with Maya.
He didnât care if it was Alex or any other pack member. He just needed someone, ~anyone~.
Because she was in his arms, her life ebbing away, and he felt completely helpless. ~Worthless mate. Canât even protect his own. Worthless alpha. Complete failure.~
How had he let her get so far away? Why had it taken him so long to sense something was off? Why hadnât he pushed harder?
He was an alpha, damn it. He should have known better. He should have shielded her better.
But he had failed.
He had failed Maya.
A loud, jarring noise snapped him out of his self-loathing, and he looked up to see Olivia racing out of the packhouse, heading his way. Couldnât she move any faster?
He dared to look down and instantly wished he hadnât. Mayaâs skin was ghostly pale, her lips slightly parted, her head bobbing with each stride he took.
It wasnât a good sign. Her forehead was slick with sweat, her skin cold and damp.
She had a pulse. He knew she did.
Julian didnât know Maya well, but he knew she was a fighter. One wound shouldnât be enoughâ¦so why was it?
Why was it enough to reduce her to this?
âMAYA!â Oliviaâs voice rang out, getting closer.
He couldnât afford to stop. He couldnât afford to lose his momentum. His heart felt like a lump of lead in his chest, pounding with each agonizing beat.
If he stopped, he might break down. As long as he kept moving, he could keep his darkest thoughts at bay.
âWhat happened?â Olivia asked, panting, her dark hair whipping into her mouth as the wind swirled around them.
She made him stop. He had to stop.
Shaking his head, he confessed, âIâ¦I found her like this.â He was too late to stop it. Too late to catch whoever had done this to her.
Julian had picked up a scent he felt he should recognize, but he hadnât been able to trace it.
~Because Maya was dying.~
âAll right, all right,â Olivia tried to reassure him, her voice shaky as she visually assessed Maya. âWeâre going to get her inside and Iâll take a look, okay?â
He nodded, his eyes fixed on Mayaâs pale figure, and followed Olivia as she hurried back to the packhouse. As they reached the entrance, he saw him.
Alex. Standing there, arms folded, his face a mask of stern resolve. Julian took one step inside, but Alex blocked his way.
First, Alexâs gaze fell on Maya, his features softening momentarily at the sight of the blood.
But then his eyes moved to Julian, and lines deepened at the corners of his eyes as a chilling frostiness took hold of him.
âWere you with her?â
âIf I was, do you think this wouldâve happened?â Julian snapped back.
âHow the fuck should I know? For all I know, youâre responsible for this.â
~Asshole.~ The thought seared through him. He hadnât inflicted the wound, but he hadnât prevented it, either. In his mind, it was the same thing.
âOKAY! ENOUGH!â Oliviaâs shout sliced through the tension as she positioned herself between them. âWe donât have time for an Alpha pissing contest. Get her inside.â
She turned to Alex. âUnderstood?â
Alexâs lower lip quivered as he seemed to swallow his anger, but he nodded and stepped aside, allowing Julian to follow Olivia into the house.
Their feud could wait. Right now, Maya was the priority.
Julianâs vision tunneled as he moved through the house, his focus solely on the back of Oliviaâs head.
His nostrils flared with each breath, and he could feel the weight of Mayaâs body growing heavier, her limbs swinging with each step he took.
~Faster.~
Olivia halted abruptly, and he almost crashed into her, barely noticing the transformation of their surroundings.
She pushed open a wooden door, unveiling a bed that was a mirror image of the one he had woken up on.
Without a second thought, he gently placed Maya on the bed, finally giving himself a moment to step back and really look at her.
He had seen her on the ground, blood gushing out, but he had been too distant.
He remembered her hands moving, blood spurting, but he never fully grasped what had happened to her, how she had gotten the wound.
By the time he had gotten to her, she had already lost consciousness. He knew his own capabilities. He knew he needed to get her to Olivia. And thatâs exactly what he did.
âYou need to go.â
A fierce anger echoed in his chest, his hands balled into fists at his sides, and his body stiffened.
~Go?~ She wanted him to leave Maya...in this state? Teetering between life and death? Maybe she didnât fully understand the gravity of the situation. Could he trust her to handle it?
His upper lip curled, revealing his teeth. âIâm staying.â
He saw her recoil, her shoulders shrinking as she held the latex gloves with shaking hands. âI canât do anything with you here,â she responded, her voice softer this time.
A part of him recognized the logic in her request. He would only be a hindrance. He didnât know Maya as intimately as Olivia did.
Tears shimmered in Oliviaâs eyes, and rationally, he understood that she was deeply worried for her friend.
But he couldnât leave. He couldnât just walk away. There was an irresistible pull, a force that kept him glued to Mayaâs side. He was the one who had found her, the one who had brought her to safety.
âI canât help her if youâre here. Youâll be in the way. Youâll obstruct me. I know how Alphas are. I need you to go, or I canât help her.â
He swallowed hard, his throat moving with the effort. He wanted to resist her request. But deep down, he knew she was right.
If he saw Maya deteriorating, if he saw her in pain, he might lash out at Olivia. He couldnât trust himself, couldnât trust his own reactions.
Julian nodded, each step he took a battle.
The only way he could leave the room was by backing out, always keeping his eyes on Maya. Olivia moved closer, not close enough to do anything, but enough to inspect the wound.
He had to go.
Julian reached behind him, feeling for the cold metal handle. When he found it, he turned it, opening the door to make his exit.
She would be okay.
He had gotten there in time.
Maya would be okay.