Losing Her Mate (Book 2 of The Red Dawn Trilogy )

Chapter FOURTEEN

Christy and I reach the foyer in record time and take in the chaotic scene.

A couple of guards are holding on to a hysterical bloody woman who I recognize to be the rogue I allowed sanctuary. She's clawing and screaming "NO" over and over again. She seems to be trying to get free and reach something that I can't see because of the crowd of onlookers that are milling about blocking it. The smell of blood is heavy in the air but that's not all I smell. I sniff at the air to be sure and there's no doubt to what I smell. I would know that intoxicating aroma anywhere. 

I stop breathing and my eyes widen in terror. I forcefully push and shove through the crowd until I reach the center and my fears are confirmed. Everyone grows quiet and everything's fades away my attention fully on the body before me.

James lays face down in a growing pool of thick deep red blood. His head is turned facing in my direction. I open my mouth and release a  searing scream dropping to my knees at his side splashing in the blood and getting it all over my pants.  Most of his clothes have been removed exposing the full extent of his injuries, it's enough to make a weaker person retch. The first thing I notice is his right arm is twisted in an unnatural angle and swollen. Next, his entire back is shredded with dozens of long ragged gashes and lacerations steadily leaking blood down his back and sides. Many of the wounds are so deep I can see even lines of irritated muscle peeking through and something else. I lean closer to see what looks like gravel and rocks embedded into his back there's even a large chunk sticking out of his upper shoulder. The worst of his trauma has to be the long lesion running directly down his spine showing the white bones of his vertebrae.

My eyes start to water profusely impairing my vision. The well breaks and tears fall freely down my cheeks. I wipe at them furiously and take a few shuddering breaths. I need to compose myself I haven't seen him move an inch yet. I have to know if he's alive. I reach out slowly hesitantly but before I can touch him someone grabs my arm.

I growl savagely and my canines extend ready to rip out the throat of whoever intercepted me. I turn and see Doctor Gage kneeling on the other side of James.

His face it white with fright. He immediately drops his hand from my arm and bows his head.

"Alpha I apologize but you can't move him. He might have serious spinal damage. I have know clue how they carried him to get him here I want to minimize anymore problems. If we don't do this delicately we can accidentally paralyze him."

My anger instantly settles and I retract my hand with lightning speed.

"I have a couple a nurses on their way with a stretcher so we can take him downstairs."

"I just wanted to know if he's alive Doc" I whisper in a strained voice, my throat thick with sobs.

"He's alive Alpha and don't worry we're going to do everything we can to help him."

"Ok"  I nod my head. I need to compose myself now is not the time to fall apart. Everyone needs me to be strong like Christy said earlier.

I mentally shake my head in frustration. What the hell is up with my life lately first Dallas and now James. Am I being punished?

"I'm so sorry Alpha this all my fault" I look over to the direction of the soft voice, it came from the rogue. She has stopped struggling now but the guards still have her by the arms holding her body up in place of her crutch. She's starring at James body with  guilt and sorrow.

"Your fault?" I see red and move fast. In the time it takes to blink once I slam the rogue into the back wall cracking it and causing little pieces of plaster and dust to rain down from the ceiling. In the commotion the two guards land sprawled on the floor and groaning in pain.