Mateless and Home Bound

Chapter 32: Bat Out of Hell

"Charlie," he picked his mate up. The man looked confused and not all the way there. He didn't know what had happened to him, but he didn't like it. Something didn't seem right about him.

Nothing seemed right. This whole situation was this close to driving him mad. After making sure that this territory was as safe as could be, all it took was one month and the trees were mere mysteries again.

He should have convinced him to stay home that morning. He should have gone with him or sent someone to help him. He didn't even know that he was alone by himself until he asked around the pack. As soon as he heard that call for help, everyone was on alert. Charlie hasn't done something like that in a long time. He never needed to. Max had prided himself on making sure that this pack was the safest one in the world.

And now, on top of the hunter dilemma, he was dealing with a whole other creature that their pack had no experience in.

"Button," he called for the doctor. "Prepare a room."

He had immediately started running with him, the rest of the warriors following. Charlie wasn't able to focus too much right then, but he was able to hold onto his fur as he shifted and bolted home. He started shouting orders through the mind link, waking up every warrior he could. It was still early morning, but that didn't matter. Everyone would be willing to do anything for their Luna.

He hadn't known what was running towards him as he was bolting towards his mate, all he knew was that the scent of apples was getting closer along with the figure. It wasn't until he stopped that he got to see what the thing was.

He hadn't seen one in his territory his whole life, but it didn't take a rocket scientist to know that he was a vampire. Veins pulsed over his face as his blue eyes slitted to look more reptilian than anything else. He was fast, Max would give him that. But just seeing him with his mate in his arms was enough to drive him over the edge.

He wasn't expecting the stranger to set him down. He changed appearance as soon as he stopped running. The veins disappeared and his eyes went back to normal. He looked just like a human as soon as he put Charlie down and stepped away. That wasn't the only thing that seemed off about him.

He didn't have a scent to him. Max couldn't track him down at all. He wouldn't have even known that he was a vampire if he hadn't seen him while he was running.

He got to the pack house as fast as possible, making sure that the way to the infirmary was cleared as he transformed and ran with the man. He didn't want anyone touching him. He was already cold and clinging onto Max. He didn't know what was wrong with him, but he didn't like it. It seemed like he was on some sort of drug or something.

"What happened?" Button asked as soon as he set Charlie down.

"I don't know," Max shook his head. "Get started on diagnosing him. Check his blood too. I want to know if he's been bitten or not."

"Bitten?" the old man raised an eyebrow. "By what?"

"Vampires," he thought he would never have to say that. He was hoping that the story that Martha told was true and those beasts were banned from the forest for thousands of years. But there was no denying what he had just seen.

"I didn't get bit, Max," Charlie shook his head. Those emerald eyes were so unfocused, but his voice was strong. "He wasn't the one who attacked me."

"What are you talking about?" he asked. "Charlie, he was running with you in his arms."

He was trying to say everything as calm as possible. But his nerves were completely frayed. The thought of his Luna being hurt along with seeing him completely helpless in the arms of a dangerous being only made him angrier the more he thought about it.