Alpha Aria

Chapter 2 The Rescue

DIEGO

"Papi, where is my art folio? I put it next to the front door last night so I wouldn't forget it and it's gone!" I asked my dad. He was sitting on the couch and reading the news on his tablet.

"Ask Mami, she was cleaning last night." He answered absent-mindedly.

I groaned, then called out, "Mami, where's my-"

"Right here, mijo." My mom cut me off, coming into the living room and pointing to the front closet. "Have a good day at school, mi amor" she kissed my cheek.

I opened the door and retrieved my folio with a sigh of relief. "Gracias, mami. Hasta luego. Y tu, papi." I called over my shoulder as I dashed out the front door.

It was already after 8, and if I didn't hurry up I would be late to class. I decided to cut across the park to try and save time. I was almost to the other side when I saw Aria sitting on the bench. She was hunched over and I bristled with fear as I realized something was wrong. She was breathing fast and clutching at her chest.

I dropped my folio and my backpack and sprinted over to her, but I wasn't fast enough and she fell off the bench just before I got to her. I could hear her head hit the pavement with a loud crack and a small cry escaped my lips. I was at her side in an instant, "Aria!" I cried. She was out cold. "Aria, wake up!" My wolf, Dante, howled with worry.

Then I noticed the pool of blood growing beneath her head. I mind linked Dr. Manning, the pack hospital's lead doctor. Send help to the park, Aria is wounded and it's bad!

Dr. Manning's voice entered my head. I'm sending over an ambulance now. What street are you closest to and what appears to be wrong? She was calm and direct. I told her where we were and about Aria falling and hitting her head. I also let her know that it looked like she had been having a panic attack.

It took only 3 minutes for the medical crew to arrive. They wasted no time in stabilizing Aria and placing her on a gurney and into the ambulance. I sat in back with her and watched helplessly as one of them took her vitals and pried her eyes open, shining a light in them. She was calling up to the driver about Aria's status but I wasn't listening or paying attention. I was just focused on Aria, my eyes never leaving her face.

If she only had her wolf a fall like that would be nothing. Dante growled.

I know, Dante. Let’s hope Selene blesses her this weekend. Her 18th birthday was coming, and on the full moon, no less. I truly hoped that she would get her wolf. We were both terrified about what this injury could do. My mind flooded with worst case scenarios, and I paled as worry overcame me. Dante was pacing in my head.

We got to the hospital minutes later and they unloaded Aria, taking her in through the emergency entrance. Dr. Manning was waiting and directed them into an open surgery suite. I tried to follow them in but Dr. Manning shooed me away. "I will let you know as soon as I know anything, Diego." I nodded and stepped away from the door reluctantly.

I began pacing the halls, mind linking Aria's uncle to let him know what was happening. Then I linked to my mom and let her know. She said she would call the school and inform them I would be absent. I was relieved she didn't nag me to leave Aria and go to school. She probably realized there was no way I could be pried away from her side right now.

Aria's uncle Bill came in shortly after I notified him. I filled him in on what happened, at least what I had seen. He wrinkled his forehead in concern. "Sounds like she was having a panic attack. But she hasn't had one in years! I wonder what precipitated it."

"I'm not sure." I pause, unsure if I should share more. Then the image of her laying there, blood pooling under her head flashed through my mind and I realized that this was too serious to keep secret. I just hoped she wouldn't be too upset with me. "I know she's been having nightmares about her mom and dad and the day that they were attacked." Uncle Bill raised his eyebrows in surprise.

“Why didn’t she tell me?” He wondered out loud. I didn't really know what to say.

We spent the rest of the time waiting in silence, worried about Aria. After an hour that felt like ten, Dr. Manning approached me with a smile. "Diego, William." She nodded to both of us. "I'm pleased to inform you that Aria is perfectly fine. She has a small cut on her head that caused a fair amount of bleeding. The CT scan came back flawless, there is no concussion. I believe she fainted from hyperventilating."

We both let out a long breath of relief, and I felt like a huge weight was lifted from my shoulders.

"Head wounds tend to bleed a lot, so that is probably why it looked so alarming. Thankfully, the cut was superficial and only required a few stitches."

"Thank you, doctor," said Uncle Bill.

"When she woke up I told her that you saved her. She is asking for you." Dr Manning said as she looked at me.

I nodded and hurried off to her room while uncle Bill stayed and chatted with the doctor about discharge instructions.

When I got to her room I knocked lightly in a 2,1,2 pattern and heard a soft clapping in reply. It was our code. I opened the door and entered, seeing her on the bed looking pale and nervous. I searched her all over to see with my own eyes if she was indeed okay. Satisfied that she was intact, I pulled a chair up to her bed and sat as close as I could to her, on her left side. She held her hand out to me and I grasped it in mine, giving her a gentle squeeze.

"You scared me, Aria." I said to her gently.

The corners of her mouth turned down in a little frown. She signed with her right hand, rubbing a closed fist over her heart. "Sorry."

After Aria's parents had been killed in a random rogue attack when she was five she lost her voice. I had learned sign language right alongside her as we grew up together. At least half the pack learned it eventually, out of respect for the deceased Alpha and Luna. Her parents were beloved and Aria was still treated with reverence by most in the pack. After all, she was technically still the Alpha heir.

"Did you have a panic attack?" I asked, concerned.

"Yes. I don't know why it happened. I tried my usual tricks Gerald taught me but they didn't work." Aria signed.

Gerald was her therapist. After her parents died she had seen him at least once a week until she turned 13, but since then she'd only gone once or twice a month.

"I'm sorry you are going through this, Ri. You know I'm here for you. Always."

"They told me you freaked out when you saw me. Sorry I scared you." She signed.

"Maybe you should go back to seeing Gerald more." I suggested. Aria made a sour face and shook her head. "Why not?"

She sighed and took a moment to gather her thoughts. "I've spent most of my life in therapy. I'm almost an adult now, and I really want to just look forward. I don't want to focus on my past anymore"

I nodded, understanding her point, but I was frowning, the concern for her health overwhelming me. I just wanted her to be safe and happy. As if reading my mind, she signed, "I know you worry, but I'm fine, really. I'm going to ask the doctor for sleeping pills. Hopefully that will help stop the bad dreams."

Just then uncle Bill came into the room carrying my backpack and art folio. "Someone saw you drop these in the park and leave with the ambulance so they brought them here."

I had completely forgotten about that. Aria was the only thing on my mind after she fell. Thank goodness someone saw me, because my final art project was in there and it was worth almost half of my grade. Aria smiled at me and signed, "You literally dropped everything for me!"

I grinned at her and replied, "Always."

*****

My mom made me go back to school after Aria was discharged, even though there was only a couple hours left. I barely paid any attention in class, though. I kept thinking about Aria and how scared I felt when she fell. There was so much blood, I had feared the worst.

If anything happened to her, I don't know what I would do. It made me wonder if I should finally tell her how I feel about her. I kept going back and forth, weighing the pros and cons. Ultimately, I decided that I needed to keep it to myself a little longer. Dante agreed. When she turns 18 this weekend, if she gets her wolf, we will know the answer to the question that has been burning in our mind for two years now. Is she really our mate?