Nothing Stays Buried (Lunar River Series)

15.5 Restless

Kristofer

Atlas, isn't coming, Kris. Iris flows into my mind.

Something must have happened for him to leave me like that. I groan against the tree but the wound on my back is becoming bearable allowing me to move soon.

I look around me and exhale the death I have been breathing the last thirty minutes or so. The strong scent of putrid blood from within the shattered bones of the raised dead lingers in the air with the fresh blood spilled of our own. The mixture turns in my stomach like sour soup looking for an exist. The ground is stained red in random places, marking the locations where each hit imprinted itself in our history. 

The men slowly rise as their wounds heal enough to permit them mobility, limping from exhaustion. Had we not called in our allies, this could have ended very differently but I am sure we have not seen the last of Liber.  Nothing with him ever seems final. An enemy that wont die, is no longer just an enemy but a monster that forges into our memory a fear that's everlasting. Even if we manage to kill him off, I don't think I can forget the feeling of his presence.

The feeling of my throbbing wound fades pulling me out of my thoughts. "Finally!" I exhale and stand with one last helping support from the tree.

My legs run with all I have left in me which isn't much. I am tired to my very core and still mending on the internally. The way my body is worn and battered from the fight is preventing my muscles from properly taking in the oxygen to function properly. I can sleep for three days if given the chance which is exactly what I plan to do after I see what's wrong with my Beta. 

My eyes tunnel a bit with my body working double-time, zipping through trees and jumping the freezing river. I continue on until my home comes into view. I link to my mother that I'm close and run up to the back door. She hands me a set of clothes when I shift and motions follow her to our small infirmary. Demetrius is unconscious and so is Alex in the bed adjacent.

"What happened?" I walk over to them both with wobbly knees and stiffening calves. My mother slides me a chair under me as my weight proves to much for my legs to handle at the moment. "They look perfectly fine." I whisper to myself. My eyes follow their IV and the monitors recording their stable state.

"Well I examined them both and all I could see was a lodged bullet that Demetrius' body eventually expelled but other than that, they don't have anything wrong. However, I must inform you that the bullet is from Alex's rifle." Dr. Michael shows him the bullet in a small clear bag.

"This doesn't add up." Martha mumbles.

"So why is Alex knocked out as well?" I huff.

"Well we can't get answers until they wake up" Dr. Michael sighs and we slump our shoulders in wait.

...................

Two days have gone by and neither seem to want to wake up. I leave them in my mother's care while I return to my room. My legs have not fully recovered and although my wounds are healed externally, on this inside, Dr. Michael says I'm healing slowly. His only guess is that I need to be closer to my mate to help facilitate the healing. I need her warmth. I agree that it may very well be the case. The stress of them not waking up is getting to me. My own stress could be hindering my healing abilities.

I call Iris over and collapse in her arms. Her scent is enough to numb my pain and give me strength. Whether that is our bond working or not, I don't care. It is the reprieve I need. We spend a few days with each other in my room in and out of sleep in attempt to strengthen our bond and erase the horrible events of what happened with Liber. Aside from my injuries, she is in shock and how could she not be. With so much going on, her mind is still trying to make sense of everything.