On The Run

Chapter Twenty-Nine -Facing Death and Despair

     I woke up to being snagged up. The cold crisp morning air hitting my bare body. My mouth was covered by a rough hand. The early morning light shined on my face through the trees. It took a moment for them to adjust. But when they finally did, I was increasingly aware of the situation.
    Zellian was up, wearing only a pair of boxers. His canines were elongated. Bared directly at Kane who stood the exact same way. Kane was pissed.
   Andre was holding me so that I couldn't move. He wrapped a jacket around me. Hiding my bare bits that were just out. "No, stop!" I yelled the moment Andre's hand had left from my mouth.
   But it was too late.
   The fight had already started. I fought against Andre but he was too strong. I have never been able to win against him. We trained together often. And he always ended up the winner. I fought my hardest which only brought us falling to the ground. His arms never let go of their hold on me.
    They had already shifted. By sheer size alone, Zellian's wolf topped Kane's. Zellian was massive. Triple the size of myself. Almost double the size of Kane. They sunk their teeth into each other. My eyes snapped to Ace who stood off to the side only watching. His gaze flickered to me every now and then. He had a look in his eyes and from this distance I couldn't see what that look really was.
     I watched Zellian pin Kane to the ground, snapping his teeth towards Kane's throat. While Kane desperately tried to escape from underneath him. That's when I could feel it. My eyes flew to Ace who had already shifted. And he was on Zellian. His teeth latched around Zellian.
    I could feel Zellian's pain erupt through my body.
"Paisley run." He mind linked me as he continuously fought against Ace. And Kane.
    "Andre let me go!" I screamed, I screamed loud. But he refused. I was hoping someone heard. Anyone.
     Zellian couldn't maneuver between both of them. He had to protect his throat from Kane but if he turned his attention from Ace, Ace would charge in. Alone, Kane and Ace were the strongest fighters I know. But them together.. no one.. not a single person could stand their own against them. They were experienced in fighting together.
    I felt everything inside of me weaken as I watched Kane sink his teeth into Zellian's neck. Bringing him straight to the ground while Ace latched his teeth into him at the same time.
    I shifted, kicking Andre back in the process. I heard his back hit a tree behind us. I ran to them. As fast as my legs would go.
    I know I don't stand a chance against either of them. But I couldn't just leave Zellian here. I couldn't lose him. My heart churned in pain at the thought of losing him.
    I didn't think the moment I jumped right onto Ace's back. It had surprised him enough for him to let go of Zellian. It threw us a few feet away.
    "Paisley, you need to back down. I don't want to hurt you." Ace mind linked me through the bond we made.
"Ace please stop this!" I cried into the mind link.
    It was as if he were having a battle with himself. I could see it in his eyes. He didn't want to do this. He did it because he couldn't watch his little brother die. Ace was a good person. He cares for me as much as he cares for Kane.
    I knew it was a losing battle. I just asked him to choose between me and his brother.
    All thoughts snapped out of my mind as i was hit from behind. Throwing me right against Ace, knocking us both down. Kane and Zellian were at it. But I could feel it. Zellian was losing too much blood. He was growing weaker.
    Ace charged back in to stop Zellian as he latched his teeth into Zellian's neck. But I swooped in. Taking the blow from Ace. He pinned me to the ground. His teeth were latched down against the side of my neck. I could smell my own blood. But he wasn't biting down hard enough to do any bad damage.
"Ace.. I'm begging you." I whimpered.
    Andre approached us in wolf form. Ace's eyes snapping over to him just before he let me go. Only for me to be pinned down by Andre.
    "I'm sorry.. Paisley." Ace said before he returned to the fight with Kane and Zellian.
    I howled, loud. A pain filled howl. Everything inside of me hurt. My heart. My body. My head. Everything was throbbing in pain. Tears were blurring my vision.
    All of their heads snapped to me. But I couldn't stop. I was in so much ungodly pain. The thought of losing Zellian had me in so much pain that everything was physically hurting. I felt paralyzed by it. My eyes watched Zellian as he lost wolf form. He was on his hands and knees. He was bleeding. Bad. He was pale, but his eyes never left me.
"I love you." I mind linked him.
    He went to reply until he seen what I had done next. I latched my teeth against an unsuspecting Andre, tearing off his shoulder. He howled in pain and fell to the side. It hurt me to do that to Andre because I know him, I know he was a good person and he was only following orders.
    I ran to Zellian. My legs burned like fire at the force I was pushing them. Just before Kane could attack. I planted myself in front of Zellian. Blocking Ace and Kane's path. My ears were perched back. Daring.
"Paisley.. run. I'll be okay, my warriors are almost here." Zellian tried to reassure me.
    But nothing was going to convince me to stand down. I growled at Kane and Ace. Daring them to come any closer. Kane was the one more likely to kill me. So he was the one I was watching more closely.
    He let out a growl, a gut wrenching growl. That let me know exactly what I was afraid of. He wasn't afraid to kill me. And then kill Zellian next. His growl was a warning.
    My heart felt a relief of pressure. Just before he attacked, reinforcements finally made their way here. I recognized Kelon's wolf running right next to Kody. Their wolves were almost identical. Corin was right beside them. Alex among them as well. So many warriors ran in from all around. Trapping them, all of us in a circle. Andre was surrounded as well. He wasn't dead. Just bad enough injured to not be able to fight back.
   Before Kane had the opportunity to charge at me, Kelon and Kody were both on him. Other warriors following Corin went after Ace.
    I shifted, catching Zellian just before he fell face first against the ground. He was unconscious. His blood was covering him. I held the wound on his neck. Tears brewing in my eyes. A wolf ran up to us, giving us clothes and a blanket. I wrapped the blanket over Zellian and quickly put the clothes on.
    Alex shifted and took a pair of shorts from the wolf, throwing them on. He knelt next to us, "both of you need to get out of here. Come on." He said.
    I looked at him with tears in my eyes before I turned to the warriors nearly pinning Ace and Kane down. "Don't kill them." I ordered, I could feel Zellian's aura flowing through me.
    Their bodies instinctively giving me submission. I nod at Alex and he helps me lift Zellian up. The wolf holding the shorts nods at a wolf that was approaching us. He knelt down low enough so we could get Zellian onto his back. I heard Zellian's grunt of pain and it made my stomach churn. "I'm right here." I whispered, kissing his head.
   I could see his body ease up a bit. That's when I nodded at the wolf and he took off in a sprint. Alex ran with me as we ran after the wolf. There were a few other warriors running behind us in wolf form as protection in case of any other dangers.
    Finley and the others ran to us frantically as we ran into the pack house. Alex went to help the wolf with Zellian while Finley and them all gathered around. I couldn't stop my tears. I was heavy breathing. On the verge of passing out.
   "Paisley, what happened?" Finley asked, I could sense her worry.
    I shook my head as tears fell, "Kane and Ace." I whispered.
    Finley wrapped me up in her arms, "He's going to be okay. He just got you, I can assure you he's not giving up any time soon." She said softly.
    "Congratulations, welcome to the family by the way." She said with a slight grin that hid most of the worry she had in her eyes.
    I tried to smile but it hurts, the only thing I can think about is losing Zellian. The feeling made everything in me run cold. I had finally found my true person. My soulmate, and he was so close to being taken from me.
    The thought of losing him was killing me. I felt like my world was falling apart. It's like everything I knew was suddenly gone, and I was left with nothing but emptiness. I couldn't imagine a life without him, and the thought of losing him was too much to bear. Every moment felt like it could be our last, and I was filled with a sense of dread that I couldn't shake. I didn't want to imagine a future without him, and I was willing to do anything to keep him by my side. Even if it meant getting rid of Kane and Ace. It was the most heart-wrenching feeling in the world, and I wouldn't wish it on anyone.
    I watched as Finley mind linked someone just as Kody and Kelon walked through he door. I looked at them, "Where are they?" I asked with sadness.
    "They're being held in our cells. They're all alive, they're currently being restrained so a doctor can tend to their injuries. How is Zellian?" Kelon responded.
    The tears washed over my quickly, "He's in the medical unit with the doctor. We got him here on standby." Finley answered.
    Kelon wrapped me up in a hug that I needed. A hug I gladly returned. "Thank you." He whispered.
    I pulled back to look at him confused, everyone looked confused. Except for Kody that is. "Paisley put her life on the line to protect, Zellian. If you would have left him there. Even a minute before we got there. He'd be dead right now, Paisley. He's probably going to be pissed when he wakes up, but he will get over it. You saved his life." Kelon said, hugging me tightly.
    "I can't lose him.." I whispered, burying my face into Kelon's chest.
    "He's had worse than this, he'll be fine. Whenever we are approved to be with him, you can stay by his side until he wakes up. Let him know that you're there with him. And I promise that recovery will be fast." Kelon said softly.
    "I went through this with Corin. We went out one day, and we were surrounded by rogues. Corin protected me with his life. And I almost lost him. He was in the infirmary for weeks. Zellian is a king, a now fully mated king might I add." She gave a triumphant grin. "He's at his max strength right now, he's going to be fine. And like Kelon said, thank you for protecting my big brother." She said with a soft smile.
    Kelon wrapped his arms all the way around me and carried me into the living room exactly like that. Setting me on the couch. While everyone surrounded the room. Alex and the other wolf walking back into the room. Now fully clothed. "How is he?" Kelon asked, looking at the unknown wolf.
    "He keeps screaming for Paisley, it's rough in there." Alex answered instead.
   Kelon looked back at the wolf who nodded in agreement. "He hasn't stopped asking for her. The doctor asked if she was willing to be in there with him. It might be the only way to calm him down. To know that she's okay." The wolf said.
    "Are you going to be-" before Kelon could even finish his sentence I was dragging him off of the couch.
Before we walked off I walked up to Finley. Speaking as low as I possibly could next to her ear so no one could hear but her.
    "The language that Zellian speaks, what is the male equivalent of 'my king'?" I asked quietly. I could even hear myself speak.
   She pulled back to look at me with wide eyes, they slowly softened and a smile formed before she pulled me back to whisper in my ear. "Raja saya, is my king. Rajaku is king." She whispered back and I smiled at her in thanks. I chanted the words in my head as we walked.
    I was desperate to be with Zellian. I want him to know that I'm with him and that I'm not going anywhere. Kelon walked me down a few corridors until we made it into a hospital wing. That I, up until now, didn't even know was here. I never had a reason to be in the infirmary. And I didn't know why until the plane ride home that Zellian gave Finley, Corin, and Kelon all orders to make sure absolutely nothing happened to me. Not even so much as a paper cut.
    I could hear Zellian's screams of pain. That was enough for me to run into the room. The sight left horror through my blood. A cold, painful feeling. His blood was everywhere and they were desperately trying to hold him down just to work on his wounds.
    Kelon nudged me over, "I'll be right outside." He assured as he left.
    They made room for me as I practically ran over to him. The moment our skin made contact, I knew his body was relaxing. But the twist of pain was still in his features. His body was covered in a layer of sweat.
    "Shhh, I'm here, raja saya." I cooed, brushing his hair away from his forehead.
I could feel his emotions run through me. His heartbeat was racing in my ears. He was at peace.. happy. It was as if the words had a bomb effect that spread through his entire body.
I held his hand in mine. Feeling it occasionally tighten in pain whenever they worked away at his wounds. A nurse retrieved a chair for me so I could sit next to him. Other times I could tell he squeezed his hand just to know I was still here, to which I tightened my own so he could feel it.