Fatal Justice

† Chapter Twenty-One †

Those who run cannot stop until they die. 

Someone grabbed his shoulder. 

He spun in a blink, claws extended to defend himself, but he abruptly halted.

Rowan's face was sheer white, pinched with pain, and he was holding his abdomen with one arm while the other rested heavily on his shoulder. He instantly moved to support the weight of the injured man. 

"We do not... have much time," Rowan panted, heavily out of breath and in pain, "The Alpha will not...be unconscious long." 

He nodded in understanding and began moving towards the house once more, Rowan limped along with him. He was sure the women were safe, he hadn't seen anyone dare to enter the house, but when they entered the downstairs, his ears picked up on silence. They descended the stairs, painfully slow, and he could hear his heart in his ears. 

"The night will cover you," Rowan was forced to pause on the fourth step, and he impatiently waited for the man to recover enough to move again, silver eyes connected with his, "You will run until you cannot anymore. Get far away from here." 

"I understand," He replied and non-too-gently hauled Rowan up the stairs. His wolf picked up on heartbeats, four of them, and relief spread through his tense muscles. He wouldn't have forgiven himself if something happened to the women, especially one in childbirth, while he had left to deal with his own problems. He hated how selfish he was. 

"Promise." 

They paused outside the door, looking at each other. Rowan's gaze was desperate as he searched for solid ground to anchor his fears and he decided he was that anchor. By taking care of his newborn child, Rowan could find some sort of sense in the hardest decision ever made. 

He answered, strength in his voice, "I promise." 

Rowan nodded and then released him. He pushed open the door and Rowan only walked into the room a few strides before freezing. He moved to the side in order to see the view. The mother was smiling from the bed, Remi curled into her side with sleepy eyes, and a tiny bundle rested in her arms. There was no crying from the infant, which he thought of as weird, but he knew this was a special one. 

"Daughter," Rowan whispered with a watery gaze on the newborn infant, "My daughter." 

Rowan moved to the bedside and his mate held up the bundle for Rowan to gently gather into his arms for the first time. He had unconsciously moved closer, nearly standing at the bedside alongside Rowan whose entire world had been drawn into his daughter. 

"She's pretty," Remi murmured with a small smile and then he couldn't keep his eyes open anymore. The poor boy had experienced enough for one night and his mother wrapped an arm around him as he fell asleep. Remi most likely wouldn't wake until morning.