Whispered Shadows

Chapter Thirty-Seven

Breaking Down

Ryder

Noa's weight is heavy in my arms, her body slack and unresponsive. My heart is pounding so hard it feels like it might tear through my chest. Every muscle in my body is tense, locked in panic, as I cradle her closer. Her face is pale, too pale, and her breaths are so shallow they're barely there.

"Noa," I whisper, my voice raw. "Come on. Stay with me. Please."

Gia is beside me, pacing and wringing her hands, her voice frantic. "What's wrong with her? She—she's not moving. Ryder, is she okay? Oh my God—what's happening?"

I barely hear her. Everything else fades except for the girl in my arms. Her dark lashes rest against her cheeks, unmoving, and her lips are colorless, parted as she struggles to breathe. My pulse is roaring in my ears, the world closing in on itself.

"Ryder!" Gia's voice cuts through the haze, sharp and desperate.

"I don't know!" I snap, more at myself than her. "I don't know, okay?"

My throat tightens, and I take a shaky breath, forcing myself to think, to focus. "She needs help," I mutter, my voice trembling. "She needs—Asher!"

Asher is across the alley, slamming the door to the squad car where Paige sits, still screaming and thrashing like a wild animal. He turns at the sound of my voice, his expression hardening as he jogs over.

"What's going on?" he asks, crouching beside me.

"She collapsed," I say, my voice breaking. "She's cold, Asher. She—she's not waking up."

He swears under his breath, his hand moving to check her pulse. "She's still breathing," he says after a moment, his tone calm but serious. "We need an ambulance."

"I know," I grit out, clutching Noa tighter. The idea of letting go, even for a second, is unbearable.

Gia pulls out her phone, her fingers trembling so badly she can barely hold it. "I—I'll call," she stammers, her voice shaky.

Asher puts a hand on her shoulder, steadying her. "Deep breaths. Tell them we need paramedics now. They should be five minutes out. Ryder and I called earlier when we came up with a plan."

Gia nods, stepping away to make the call, but her gaze keeps darting back to Noa, her guilt written all over her face.

"She's tough," Asher says quietly, his eyes meeting mine. "She's been through worse. She'll pull through this."

His words should be reassuring, but they don't stop the crushing fear squeezing my chest.

I look down at Noa, brushing a strand of hair from her face. "You hear that?" I murmur, my voice cracking. "You're tough. You're gonna be okay. You have to be okay."

My mind flashes back to her smile, the way her eyes spark when she's teasing me, the stubborn fire that's always burning in her. The thought of losing that, of losing her—it's suffocating.

Gia finishes the call and rushes back to us, tears streaming down her face. "They're coming," she says, her voice barely above a whisper. "They're two minutes away."

Asher nods, his jaw tight. "Good."

The sirens are distant but growing louder, and I cling to the sound like a lifeline.

"Stay with me, Noa," I whisper, leaning closer. "Don't you dare give up. You promised me, remember? You said you weren't going anywhere."

Her fingers twitch faintly against my chest, and for a moment, hope flares in me like a spark in the dark.