Born in Fire

Chapter Twenty-Three

*Kalama*

Sparks ignited along my cheek, waking me with a jerk. Caspian stood over me, his fingers grazing the corner of my mouth. He watched me as I uncurled my legs, stretching. I looked at the bed next to the chair I had fallen asleep in. Nani slept in the bed. The deep gash on her forehead was sealed, though it still looked red and angry. The other gash on her arm had to be stitched and wrapped. Fresh bruises littered her face. After taking a vial of blood, Dr. Barker had discovered wolfbane in her wounds. The poison had found its way into her bloodstream. Thankfully, it wasn’t enough to kill her. However, it was enough to slow her healing. I watched the steady rise and fall of her chest. The loss of Miley and Luke had driven her to histrics, leading her to be sedated all night. I looked across the room, to a closed door. Sam was in that room. The ball in my throat grew. I swallowed, “Any news?” Caspian shook his head, whispering,

“She’s taken human form, but hasn’t woken up. Dr. Barker found a large amount of wolfbane on her wounds. He believes they soaked their claws in it.” I swallowed again. Caspian looked at Nani. “How is she?” I shrugged. I hadn’t left John and Julie’s room until well into the night. Instead of going to our room, I’d found myself in the hospital wing. Jackson had come to relieve me from Sam’s bedside around three o’clock this morning. When I’d come through the main room she had been muttering in her sleep. I’d sat down, taking her hand, and told her that we got Luke. I wasn’t sure if she could hear me through the medication, but it seemed to calm her some.

“She blames herself.” Caspian gave off a heavy sigh, his gazing falling on my phone.

“Any word?” I looked at my phone, shaking my head. I had texted and called the number multiple times during the night and into the early hours of the morning. All had gone unanswered. Warriors had set out to the camp, but had only found empty ground. Everything had been packed and gone. Their tracks disappeared on the road. Caspian growled, his frustration matching my own. Guilt washed over me. Had I been here. I could have protected them. Miley would be home with Julie and John and Gracie. Nani wouldn’t be in that bed and Sam…

“Or all of this could have still happened and you could be in one of these beds or worse.” Ash growled. I said nothing. She was right, but that didn’t change the guilt I felt. I’d made my pack a promise. While they were attacked and pups taken, I’d been out…having fun. I cradled my head, squeezing my eyes shut to stop the tears from falling. I felt Caspian squat down, one hand gripping my knee the other knotting in my hair.

“I know what you’re thinking and I need you to stop thinking it right now. This is not your fault, My Love.” I shook my head, holding back the sobs that bubbled up my throat. “Everyone in this pack loves you and is behind you. We will get Miley back and we will make every single one of them pay.” I met his gaze. Determination shone bright in the blue depths of his eyes. I took a breath, trying to pull some of that determination into my own mind, deciding that if my mate believed it, then so did I. He cupped my cheek, placing a kiss on my forehead and stood. “Neal wants us on the training fields. Natilee is coming to sit with Nani.” I nodded. I stood, ignoring the complaining aches my body gave from sleeping in the uncomfortable hospital chair.

The sun was just peeking over the trees as Caspian and I stepped onto the training fields. The entirety of the Warrior rank stood on the fields in tight rows. Their bodies tense, arms behind their backs and eyes forward. Neal stood at the head. Luke stood next to him, his little hand gripping his father’s jeans. John joined us a moment later. Neal and Luke bowed their heads, as did the Warriors. “Thank you for coming, Alpha Caspian, Luna Kalama, Beta John.” Neal said, his voice still thick with anger and grief. I understood his anger. Wolves in his command had denied him and gone against his orders. Leaving a hole in our defenses. It was that hole that had allowed Miley’s kidnapping and if not for Charles, Luke’s. Neal’s mind-link swirled in our connection. “How are Sam and Nani?”