His Savior

Dying

~Zahara~

               We have been running for a while now through the brush and the trees. I can't remember ever being this fast before. Aria and I just knew that we had to get to Cory as soon as we could. I can feel his vitality getting weaker by the minute. I try to push my worry away to focus on getting where I need to be. I can feel Lennox behind me the entire run, and I'm grateful to have such a great friend and Beta. We run out of our territory and into the neutral territory that borders it. I continue to follow my connection to Cory, and I can faintly detect his scent in the air. As I run, the scent gets stronger and stronger. I can smell his scent mixed with the metallic scent of blood. Someone hurt Cory, and that riles Aria up in a way I have never experienced.

Mate is dying.

No, Aria. We won't let him die. We will get to him, and we will save him. Aria grunts in response and pushes us further so we can get to him as fast as possible.

               I see a lump on the ground ahead of me, and I start to panic. That has to be Cory, and he isn't moving. I get closer to the lump, and I am able to make him out. He is sprawled out in an awkward position, and there is blood everywhere. I can see bruises forming all over his body, where his clothes are shredded, and his skin is exposed. His eyes are swollen shut, and his breathing is ragged at best. It is taking everything in me to remain as calm as possible. I can't help him if I am out of sorts. I shift back into my human form and kneel next to Cory's body. "Cory......baby......can you hear me?" I speak to him while gently touching his arm. Cory doesn't acknowledge me, but I know he is alive. I can hear his heartbeat, but it isn't as strong as it should be. I search his body for any type of weapon or bleeding that I can stop, but there is nothing. Cory doesn't have blood flowing or a weapon sticking out of him. He is so battered and bruised, though, and it is hard to see. I can feel tears falling down my cheeks. "Cory, please......stay with me. I just found you, and I can't lose you." I can hear Lennox pacing back and forth behind me, and I see the lights of the ambulance we had to follow us. The doctor gets out when the ambulance stops and brings the gurney to us.

               The doctor and nurse try to get close to Cory, but I don't want to leave his side. He needs me next to him, so I can keep him safe. "Al.....Alpha, I need space to work on the young man." I don't want to leave Cory's side, but I know that he needs this doctor. I scoot back, allowing the doctor to get close to Cory to try to get him stable. I see the doctor and nurse moving fast and pulling out machines and supplies. I don't catch everything that they are doing because my eyes stay filled with tears. I don't want to have a full meltdown in front of everyone, but I'm afraid that my future may be leaving me before my eyes. Finally, they load Cory up on the gurney and walk him to the ambulance. The doctor hands me a tshirt that I pull over my head and I get in the back of the ambulance with Cory and the doctor. I grab Cory's hand and try to settle in for the ride back. Lennox stays in wolf form and runs next to the ambulance. He wants to make sure that no one tries to attack us on our way back.

               When we get close to our territory, the beeping monitors stop beeping, and I hear the flatline sound. I start to panic because I know what that means. The doctor pushes me out of the way and charges up the paddles to shock Cory back to life. With every shock, I feel a pain in my chest. I can't imagine Cory leaving me before I get a chance to truly know him.

               By the time we pull up to the clinic, Cory's machines are beeping again, and the doctor has rushed him out of the ambulance and into the building. I haven't moved from the bench inside the ambulance. I feel stuck and lost. I can't make this better; I can't save Cory. I feel pathetic and unworthy of my future position. If I can't keep my mate safe, how can I expect to keep my pack members safe? At the thought of that, I start to breathe quickly, taking short and fast breaths. I quickly start to gasp for air, and my chest starts to feel heavy. My vision is blurring, and I can't hear much other than my breathing and my rapid heartbeat.

               I feel a hand on my back, rubbing in a circular motion. I can feel breath against my ear, but I can't determine what is being said. I had no idea anyone knew I was still in here. I don't even know how long I have been sitting here. I close my eyes and try to regulate my breathing by taking deep breaths. The back rubs continue, and my heartbeat starts to level out. "You will be okay, Bean. I need you to keep taking deep breaths with me." I should have known my dad would be the one to be there when I needed him. I do as he says, and my breathing starts to level out. I turn to him, and he wraps me up in his arms.

               "Dad, I......I couldn't save him. I need him to be okay." My dad kisses me on my temple and pulls back to look into my eyes.

               "The doctor will do everything he can to save him, Bean. You just have to have faith in the Moon Goddess." I nod into my dad's chest and close my eyes to focus on his heartbeat. I pray to the Moon Goddess that she gives me a chance to have a life with Cory. I have been wanting my mate for a long time, and now that I have found him, I don't want to let him go.