Chapter 118

Chapter 118: Theo I didn’t know how the day had so quickly turned into the worst day of my life.

I knew something was wrong the moment I lost the connection with Ayla. Ever since she rejoined the pack, I had been hyperaware of her consciousness. It was when I felt her pain that my world came crashing down.

I flew through the halls, arriving in time to see Ayla collapse on the floor, the air filled with the scent of her blood. A lot of blood.

Everything seemed to move in slow motion after that. I carried her to the infirmary, where they quickly stopped the bleeding.

Jimmy said she kept saying it wasn’t that bad. It was hard to believe, but the pack doctor said she was healing within minutes of arriving. He checked over the rest of her and said she wouldn’t even need to go to the hospital. But she did lose enough blood that she would sleep the rest of the day.

It was after midnight as I watched her sleep on the cot. Kieran was pacing solemnly in my head as we sat, waiting for her to wake up. So I could do the hardest thing I would ever have to do in my life.

She groaned softly, and her eyes began to flutter. I leaned forward, holding her hand tighter.

“Hey, baby,” I whispered, brushing my hand over her hair. “You can wake up now.

“Theo...”

”

“Yeah, honey,” I assured her. “I’m here.”

She opened her eyes, giving me a weak smile. She looked around and realized where she was.

“What...” She hissed as she moved, looking down at her side. “Oh, yeah... That.”

“How does it feel?” I asked.

“Sore as hell,” she said, rubbing over the bandaged wound. “But not too bad.”

“Do you think you can walk?” I asked.

“Yeah,” she said confidently. “I should be good.”

“Alright,” I replied, grabbing a set of clean clothes for her. “We’ve got to go. I need to take you somewhere.”

She sat up on the cot and I helped her gently get dressed. When she was ready, I took her hand and led her through the packhouse to a back exit. Everything was quiet and most of the lights were out. I didn’t want anyone to see us leave.

“Where are we going?” Ayla asked. “What happened after I passed out earlier?”

“We’ll talk when we get there,” was all I could manage, wishing I had some of her strength right then.

We left the packhouse and, sticking to the shadows, walked the short distance to one of the single–family houses we provided. I let them know we were there and waited for someone to let us in.

“All clear?” Briggs asked when he opened the door.

I nodded as I led Ayla inside.

“Theo,” she pressed, “What’s going on?”

I couldn’t answer her yet. I couldn’t say anything yet. Or I wouldn’t be able to go through with it. Kieran knew it, too. He retreated to the furthest recesses of my mind. He couldn’t help me with this. So I held Ayla’s hand tighter and led her straight to the garage where Alpha Harden and his Gamma were waiting.

“Ms. Garner,” he greeted her with a gentle smile. “It’s nice to see you again.”

“Alpha Harden?” Ayla said. “It’s good to see you, too. But why are you here?”

“Can we have a minute?” I asked Harden.

He nodded and they both went into the house. I led Ayla around the black town car parked in the garage and opened the back door. I pulled her in front of me, blocking her in.

“Theo...”

“Ayla, the man who stabbed you... he was with the Waar Pak,” I told her.

“Oh...”

“He was also a Greytooth,” I stated, swallowing the lump I couldn’t stop forming in my throat. “We all had a long discussion while you were asleep. Every scenario came to the same conclusion. We can’t... I can’t protect you here.”

Realization set in and Ayla started shaking her head, pushing against me. “No, Theo, we’re not doing this.”

I held her. “Ayla, please, listen...”

“No,” she shouted. “I’m not leaving.”

I held her face in my hands, making her look at me. “Baby, you have to,” I said, my voice losing all stability. “I failed to keep you safe. I failed because I can’t do it. Not when any of my pack could be one of those bastards.”

“So, we change the game plan,” she croaked, gripping my shirt as tears filled her eyes. “Like you said.”

I shook my head, my heart tearing apart. “We are, baby.”

“No,” she yelled, her tears falling as she pushed and hit my chest. “No, this isn’t the plan. You don’t get to make that decision without me.” She sobbed as she fought. “You promised we would do this together. You promised you’d never leave me again.”

“Baby, baby, shh” – I grabbed her face again, holding her against me tightly, knowing I wasn’t ready to let her go. I’d never be ready. “I’m not. I swear I’m not giving up on us,” I cried, desperately needing her to believe me, to understand. “But Harden can take you somewhere safe. He can keep you hidden until I can come for you. I swear I will come back for you, Ayla. I swear. As soon as I’ve made it safe for you.”

But we both knew there was no telling how long that would take. If ever.

“Theo, please, don’t do this,” she sobbed. “I love you.”

Whatever strength I had nearly dissolved. The only thread left coming from the image of Ayla lying bloodied on the floor so recently burned into my memory. My own sobs escaped as I kissed her hard and deeply.

“I love you more than life itself, baby,” I wept. “You are everything to me. You are my goddess. The very air that I breathe.

Everything. And I will give you everything you deserve. So, I need you to make me a promise, okay?” I wiped the mix of our tears from her face with my thumbs. “If something happens, and I don’t come for you...”

“Don’t say it, Theo,” she begged. “Don’t you dare.”

“If I don’t,” I pushed, “promise me if you find someone.... If you get the chance to be happy... promise me you’ll take it.”

“No.” She shook her head. “No, I won’t. I can’t.”

“You can,” I said gently, kissing her before I tried to step away.

“No, Theo.” She grabbed me. “You won’t do this.”

I felt the command she tried to put behind her words: In any other circumstances, I may not have been able to withstand it. But she still couldn’t control it, and I still felt the fear and anguish of believing she would die in my arms.

I kissed her one last time before strong arms pulled her into the car and I shut the door. The pain of defying her command nothing compared to the pain of her muffled cries ripping me apart as I walked away.