Torn (Werewolf boyxboy)

Prologue

Berlin

"Run!" the head warrior yelled at us, shifting into his large, black wolf not even a second later and crashing against an equally large rogue. His loud, demanding voice caused me to flinch up against the wall I was huddled against with my knees up to my chest. I can't take this, I thought to myself as my eyes flickered to the many feet running past me and towards the safe room. I knew that I should have been running towards safety with them, but I couldn't move my body. Hell, I could barely breathe. I just rocked back and forth slowly among the commotion and screams that flew around me, trying to comfort myself as he would have.

I knew that he was out there fighting, and it scared me to my very bones. I could feel every scratch and bite that my mate received through our link despite that he was offsetting the pain so I wouldn't have to suffer as much. I thought that I was past the age of curling up in paralyzing fear, but at the moment I couldn't have felt more like a child. I just wanted my mate safe. I wanted him here. I wanted my Max...

"Berlin! You have to get up!" I was snapped out of my cocoon of fear as my shoulder was shaken violently. Snapping my head up, I was met with the bright yellow eyes of Axel, on of the Protectors of the pack. I trusted Axel, and I knew that he would protect me, but my fear outweighed any rational thought in my mind. I couldn't stand on my own, and as this registered in Axel's mind I immediately felt him lift my small body into his arms. No! I screamed, although no sound slipped past my lips. My head fell back as my limbs went limp in his arms, and that is when I saw him.

Through hooded eyes, I saw my Max being tackled to the ground by a rogue almost twice his size, and a blinding pain shot through my neck as I felt the aftershock of the rough bite that the rogue delivered. Suddenly, my body regained feeling and rage replaced my fear as my instincts kicked in. I had to protect him at all costs. Even if it meant my life.

Axel's screams for me to come back to him were drowned out as I jumped out of his arms and ran the opposite way through the ever-thickening crowd of terrified pack members. It seemed like forever before I finally reached the edge of the battlefield and spotted Max among the chaos. He was lying on the ground in human form, blood pouring furiously from a deep wound in his neck. The tears that I somehow managed to hold back began flowing freely down my cheeks at the sight of the love of my life dying at the mercy of a rogue pack. I ran as fast as I could for him and fell to his side immediately, pressing my small hands to the wound at his neck.

"Berlin..." he spoke in a rough and pain-laced voice, coughing up a mouthful of blood a moment later and grimacing at the effort.

"Shh, d-don't talk! You'll hurt yourself!" I said through my hot tears, my eyes leaving his face only for a moment as I looked around furiously in hopes that one of our pack members was nearby and could help me bring Max to safety. The slight smile on his face at my words nearly broke my heart, and a sob ripped through my chest as he once again began coughing up even more blood.

"I love y-" His words were cut off as he his eyes flickered to the side and he abruptly shifted into his large, grey wolf, pushing me behind him with a loud but equally pain-filled growl.

"W-what are you doing?" I yelled over the screams that filled the air, but the answer to my question came all too soon as I saw my mate's body fly to the side and slam to the ground a couple of feet away.

"NO!" I sobbed out, reaching my arms towards my mate, but before I could run for my him once more, strong hands wrapped around my waist and a large hand pressed a wet cloth against my nose and mouth. The last thing I heard was Axel's soothing voice whispering "I'm sorry"softly in my ear before my mind faded into darkness.

Some Hours Later

First, I heard the heart monitor. I laid still for a few moments before gently wiggling my fingers and toes and finally cracking my eyes open slightly. I was immediately assaulted by harsh, hospital lighting, causing me to whimper slightly and bring my arm, covered by the blood-stained long sleeve of my baby blue sweater, over my burning eyes.

"Ow..." I whispered softly, blinking a few times as my eyes slowly adjusted and my ears began to pick up the sounds of despair all around me. I slowly sat up, glancing around our pack hospital area and gasping in horror at the sight. From my cot I could see over half of our warriors, wounded and strewn around the room, laying on a cot like I was or directly on the floor. As my head swiveled to the side, my eyes suddenly fell onto Axel speaking with our Beta, who was rubbing his temples stressfully.

"Axel?..." I whispered timidly, knowing that with our wolf senses, he would easily be able to hear me. I waited patiently as he nodded at our Beta and made his way over to me before sitting on the edge of my hard cot and taking my hand in his large one.

"Hey. How are you feeling?" He asked with a soothing tone, tilting his head and reaching forward to brush a piece of my blonde hair out of my eyes and behind my ear. His expression was somber, and his eyes held a sadness that I couldn't seem to place.

"I-... I don't know. Actually, I want to see Maxie. Where is he?" I asked with an urgent tone, my eyes flitting around the room once more in search of my injured mate. I was aching to see him, and I knew that he had to be aching to see me just as much. Axel looked at me hesitantly, the expression on his face growing even more sad.

"Alright, I'll take you to him. But stay calm, please." He said, standing and pulling me up with him as he did so.

"I will, I will!" I was practically bouncing up and down with anticipation as Axel led me out of the hospital and down the hall towards a door leading to another room that is part of the hospital wing of the pack house. He paused right as he rested his hand on the door knob, closing his eyes for a brief moment before giving me a sad smile.

Nothing could have prepared me for the sight before me. I fell to my knees on the hard, tile floor, my hands flying to my mouth as my body convulsed with heart breaking sobs.

Max's pale body was laid on a table near the door. His arms were mangled beyond belief, but the worst part was yet to come. His head was torn clear off of his body, and was laid next to it as if it were a twisted decoration of some sort.

Then, I felt it. The walls around me seemed to crash down and I could feel my heart shatter into a million little pieces. My vision became blurry and I cried out as I felt my soul tear in two. I was falling into darkness, spiraling out of control, and I didn't have anyone to catch me.

I was torn.