Chapter 43 Broken
1085words
Fury boiled deep within my soul as I watched Adeline's eyes roll back. Damn it, I couldn't keep her safe. First, my father—now my mate—suffering at the ruthless hands of these disgusting rogues. I was ready to storm into that forest and burn it down until I found every rogue alive. I was sure I would savage any other packs that crossed my path in the process. I couldn't bear the aching pain that was slowly eating away at my soul when the doctor told me there was nothing more he could do. I knew there was only one solution left to keep her alive: the mark of a mate.
Pure euphoria cascaded through me as my canines ripped through Adeline's creamy skin. I had claimed my mate. I took my time to carefully lick the few drops of blood that sat on her fragile neck, hoping it would help the mark heal quicker. Her skin tasted sweet, delighting my senses. My wolf howled in pride at the mark on her neck while I felt a pang of guilt. This was certainly not how I envisioned sealing my bond with Adeline—I wanted her to want it just as badly as I did. I wasn't even convinced that she wasn't planning on rejecting me as a mate. I knew it wasn't fair, but I was determined to keep her alive at any cost. If I lost my mate, I would undoubtedly crack like my mother did after losing my father. I wouldn't let history repeat itself.
Tension filled the room, slowly smothering me as the pack doctor glared in disbelief at what I had done. We both stared at her intently, praying she would awake from her unconscious state. I could smell his fear, even though I knew he was desperately holding back from asking if Adeline was my fated mate. Unable to take the silence anymore, I lifted my head and waited until I was sure our eyes were connected. I gave him a simple nod. He breathed in, lowered his eyes, then nodded back as if he understood and pressed his lips together deep in thought.
"Alpha Jaxon, it would be best to move your mate onto the bed so I can begin stitching up her leg. She's already lost a lot of blood," he finally said.
As if carrying her like a child, I wrapped one arm around her neck and the other underneath her legs. She weighed as much as a feather. I was anxious for her to finally open those crystal blue eyes that always entranced me. I stepped back, allowing the doctor to start stitching her leg and noticed the bright red blood on his white coat—my mate's blood.
"Doc, when will we know if the marking helped? She's quite fragile," I said, my throat going dry with fear that our attempts wouldn't be enough to save her.
He examined the mark and paused for a moment; a growl left my mouth as my wolf demanded an answer. I wasn't sure I could hold him back if Adeline didn't make it—I kept reminding him the pack doctor didn't know Adeline was our mate.
"Whose fault is that, Alpha? I told you you shouldn't have waited this long," my wolf scoffed at me.
The doctor straightened his posture. "I can't tell you exactly, but I'm fairly certain it worked. Once I finish stitching her leg, the blood should begin to clot. The mark of a mate holds more power than any medicine we've discovered in science. The mark of an Alpha, as you know, is even more powerful. It's possible you may feel some of her pain as she recovers—the mating of two wolves becoming one results in shared strength between them. This is why mated wolves are always much stronger than unmated ones."
His answer satisfied my wolf and me. I wouldn't have thought twice about giving up all my strength to save Adeline. My body was as tense as a rock as I watched the doctor carefully weave his sharp silver needle and thread through the folds of her skin. I watched her shallow breaths as her chest rose and fell in an attempt to distract myself. Those ten minutes felt like years as I waited for him to finish the stitches. He pulled a white bottle from his bag and placed it on the night table beside the bed.
"If the marking worked, she's going to be groggy when she wakes. I'm prescribing these pills for pain management. I suggest she take them once she wakes to avoid the pain from worsening. The incision will take a few days to fully heal, but she could be walking around in a few hours. I still suggest she takes it easy. Her wolf will help her heal quickly, and the marking will also speed recovery. I'll be back to observe her in a little while."
"Thank you for all your help, doc. You are dismissed. And not a word about what you saw here today to anyone," I told him sternly. His eyes dropped to the plush white carpet beneath his feet in submission.
"Of course, Alpha Jaxon. Thank you," he said before scurrying out of my bedroom.
I pulled up a chair to sit close to my mate, my wolf refusing to leave her side. I massaged my temples in frustration, noticing the guard and Beta Don were still in the room.
"Asher, one hour. I'll meet you in my office then. One word of what you saw and I'll have your throat like I did the rogues," I declared through gritted teeth. I needed to hear his account of the events that had unfolded. While I had walked in on him protecting my mate, something about the timing didn't sit right in my gut.
"Yes, Alpha," he simply said before quickly disappearing through the door frame.
Beta Don stepped forward, picking up a nearby chair and placing it beside mine. He sat speechless, staring at my mate, shifting his weight several times in the chair.
"Speak," I demanded as the silence became unbearable.
"There's nothing to say you don't already know, Jax. There's a mole in the pack. You and I both verified that all the rogues had been taken down. Someone purposely let this rogue slip through the border, knowing Adeline would be in your bedroom," he let out a deep sigh. "I know she's your mate, but she's also my friend. She didn't deserve this."
