The Brotherhood

23

Kane couldn't stop his heart from racing. He hadn't been able to stop it since he got to the forest and saw Finley lying underneath a hideous monster. He hadn't been able to stop his hands from shaking at his sides when he realized he couldn't see her breathing. He stopped hearing things then. 

The rest of the pack was there and shouting at each other. Sloan was screaming and Miles threw up right next to Kane. Xander ran straight to Finley. Kane watched as he tried over and over again to lift the monster off of her. Xander failed every single time. That's when Warren came barreling in. If anyone could lift the monster off of her, it was him. Except Warren couldn't do it either. Ray got there last and he looked just as horrified by the scene in front of him as Kane felt. Warren started shouting and Sloan took off running. A part of Kane wanted to stop him from running away, but he just couldn't do it. 

Suddenly, Sloan was back with an axe. He threw the axe to Warren who started to cut the monster's head off of its neck. Each sickening thwack of the axe made Kane's head spin. They needed to get Finley out of there, but Warren might kill Finley in the process. Ray started shouting at Warren and Warren shouted back at him. Kane couldn't take his eyes off of Finley's unmoving body. 

Kane didn't feel himself move. He hadn't asked for his body to do what it was doing, but it did it anyway. Without knowing he was doing it, Kane walked slowly toward the monster's huge body. Without a word to anyone, he put his hands underneath the horrific head of the beast. Sharp teeth sliced into his hands and blood started to leak out. Kane didn't feel the pain. He couldn't feel anything except a hole in his heart where Finley's smile was supposed to be. She wasn't breathing. She wasn't moving. They had to get her out from under the monster. 

A cry ripped from Kane's lungs as pushed with all his might. The rest of the pack looked over at him with wide eyes. Kane didn't stop. He couldn't stop, even if he wanted to. He had to get to Finley. There was nothing that was going to stop him. Kane lifted the monster's head, the sinews of its neck snapping as Kane pulled it away from its body. 

The rest of the pack started crying out. They all looked shocked and horrified. Kane didn't take the time to care. He threw the head off of Finley's body. It crashed into the trees just behind where Warren and Ray stood. Kane didn't bother to look to see where it'd landed. 

He looked down at Finley's unmoving body. Her chest wasn't rising or falling. That's when Kane finally saw Titan. Titan came up beside Finley and laid down next to her. If Titan wasn't falling apart then it meant that Finley was alive. She had to be alive. Kane couldn't accept anything else. 

Kane didn't hesitate before he lurched into action this time. He leaned down to listen to her breathing. There was none. Not a single breath passed through her lips. Kane threw himself into action. He started doing chest compressions. He was sure that he looked like a rabid animal. He felt like one. He couldn't stop himself though. 

Eventually, Miles came up next to Kane and tried to take over the compressions. Kane didn't let him though. Ray tried to pull Kane off of Finley, but Kane pushed him away. He couldn't let anyone else do this. He had to save her. He couldn't let her die like this. 

Panic seized Kane's lungs with each compression. He was desperate, he could feel it. His hands slammed into Finley's chest again and again. Kane felt like his heart would stop at any minute. He needed her to open her eyes. He needed her to smile at him. He needed her to curse him out with that beautiful mouth of hers. He needed to hear her laugh. It was the only thing that made him feel alive. He needer her to live. 

Kane had no idea how much time had passed. Suddenly, the forest was swarming with brothers and their bondeds. Kane was sure that the Supreme was bound to show up soon, but he didn't let up. His pack surrounded him. Kane had no idea if it was to pull him off when it was clear that Finley was dead or to protect him from the rest of the brothers who might try to do the same. 

Kane knew that this had to be the last round of compressions. He couldn't do this forever. It was starting to take a toll on his body and he'd smeared his blood all over Finley's chest. Kane kept going.

He didn't feel it when Finley started to breath again. He didn't feel it when her heart started beating again. He didn't feel any of it. Which is why when Warren tackled him, knocking him off of Finley, Kane swung and struck his jaw. It took Warren and two other brothers to hold Kane back while the medics moved in. They took their time working on her. Warren had to hold Kane back the whole time. 

For some reason, Kane's throat was hoarse. He realized slowly that it was because he hadn't stopped screaming since they'd pulled him off of her. He didn't hear anything, not until Warren slapped him across the face. Not until Warren grabbed Kane's face with his massive hands and forced Kane to look at him. 

"She's okay Kane!" Warren was screaming. "She's okay!" 

The words started to register in Kane's mind. Slowly, so, so slowly, his shoulders started to relax and his body started to feel normal again. His hands stopped shaking. His breathing started to slow. His heartbeat thudded at a normal pace. 

Warren held Kane up as Kane slowly started to collapse. The rest of the pack formed a wall around Kane, making sure that no one saw their Supreme Apparent fall apart. Kane was grateful for each and every one of them in that moment. Warren pulled Kane along, leading the pack after Finley. 

They passed the Supreme on their way out of the forest and into the village. Kane looked up at the Supreme, ready to give him an earful. The Supreme wasn't looking at Kane though. He was looking at the monster that was laying dead on the forest floor. Too late, Kane realized what Finley had done. Too late, Kane realized what was waiting for them.