Her Mates

6

The next time I woke up, truly aware of my surroundings, I was met with an unfamiliar sight. I wasn't in my room, nor was I at my sister's place. Confused, I scanned the dimly lit space. The room was simple, with gray walls and white furniture. A chest of drawers stood beside the bed, along with several cupboards adorned with picture frames.

At first glance, I spotted numerous photos of my sister and me, but also of Claire and Benjy. The sight unsettled me. How could there be pictures of me and my friends in a room I had never seen before? Panic crept in as I tried to piece together how I got here. The last thing I remembered was being in the forest with Zacharias and Emilia. I had been drunk, exhausted, and had fallen asleep in Zacharias' arms—then nothing. A complete blank.

I had to get out of here.

Throwing off the layers of blankets and oddly enough, sweaters, I stood up, only to be met with a dizzying sensation. The remnants of last night's alcohol still clung to me. The window was my only option. I had no idea who else was in this house, and the door could be locked for all I knew. My heart pounded at the thought of being trapped.

But I had to try. Moving cautiously, I pressed down on the door handle, relieved when it silently gave way. The hallway beyond was dark, lit only by the silver glow of moonlight streaming through a distant window. Keeping to the shadows, I crept forward, searching for a staircase. My pulse pounded in my ears. I had never felt such a rush of fear and adrenaline before.

Just as I was about to give up hope, the outline of a staircase came into view. Carefully, I placed a foot onto the marble step, feeling its cool surface beneath my bare skin. The darkness made it nearly impossible to see where I was stepping, but I had no choice. I had to escape. My phone was missing—who knew where I had left it? With each step, my balance wavered. The alcohol still in my system made things worse.

"Where are you going?"

A voice pierced the silence, making me freeze. It was familiar, yet my disoriented mind struggled to place it. Turning too quickly, I stumbled, my heart hammering as Hunter stepped into view. One of the men who had freed Juri from Phil.

For reasons I couldn't understand, my body trembled under his gaze. It wasn't fear, exactly, but an unfamiliar sensation curled through me.

"What are you doing wandering around in the middle of the night? I thought you were resting," Hunter said, stepping forward. "Come on, I'll take you back. You shouldn't be going down the stairs in the dark—it's dangerous."

With every step he took, the space between us shrank. Panic took over. Without thinking, I bolted down the stairs, desperate to escape. But it was a mistake. The unfamiliar steps and my unsteady footing worked against me. The moment I glanced behind me, my foot slipped.

I was falling.

The world blurred as my body crashed against the unforgiving stone steps. Pain shot through me with every impact. I couldn't stop. I couldn't catch myself. Hunter's desperate voice called my name, but his hands never reached me in time. One final collision with the ground sent a sharp jolt of agony through me before everything faded to black.

Emilia's P.O.V.

A loud crash and Hunter's panicked shouts jolted me awake. My heart pounded as I sat up in bed, looking around. Three of my mates were still asleep beside me, but Hunter was missing. The sound of him calling Maeve's name sent a wave of dread through me.

Zac and I had brought Maeve to the Alpha House last night instead of Casey and Phil's. It had been a last-minute decision, but no one had objected. Now, hearing Hunter's panic, I knew something was terribly wrong.

Shaking the others awake, I rushed out of the room, following the source of the commotion. A light flicked on behind me—one of my mates had thought ahead. As I reached the stairs, I froze, my breath catching in my throat.

The scene before me was a nightmare.

Maeve lay motionless in Hunter's arms, her body limp and unnervingly still. I had never seen anything so horrifying. Behind me, my mates arrived, their reactions mirroring my own. Juri and Zac rushed down the stairs, while Damon instinctively pulled me into his embrace, grounding me. I clung to him, trying to keep my emotions in check.

But my mate—our mate—was hurt.

Juri scooped Maeve into his arms, gently trying to rouse her, but she remained unresponsive. That terrified me. Mates should be able to wake each other. Hunter sat on the floor, shaking his head, his expression filled with anguish. Zac stood a short distance away, his silver eyes clouded—he was Mind-Linking the pack doctor. Good. We needed Jax here immediately.

"Jax is on his way," Zac confirmed. "We shouldn't move her too much. We don't know the extent of her injuries."

I turned to Hunter, my voice steadier than I felt. "Hunter, what happened? I thought Maeve was sleeping in her room."

He looked up at me, eyes haunted. "I woke up feeling restless, so I got up for a drink. That's when I saw Maeve on the stairs. I was confused—why was she up in the middle of the night? I asked her what she was doing. When I offered to take her back to her room, she panicked. She tried to run. And then—" He broke off, his voice cracking. "She slipped. I tried to catch her, but she just kept tumbling down. I couldn't stop it. I couldn't do anything."

Tears burned in his eyes as he looked down at Maeve's still form. I knelt beside him, pulling him into my arms. "It's not your fault, Hunter. No one blames you."

He buried his face in my shoulder, drawing in a shaky breath. "I should've stopped her."

"Jax is here," Zac announced.

The pack doctor wasted no time examining Maeve. I hated that another man had to touch her, but Jax was the best. We trusted him. I clenched my fists, forcing myself to stay still.

"She has a broken leg, possibly a concussion, and a damaged wrist," Jax assessed grimly. "We need to get her to the hospital immediately."

We all agreed. Juri and Zac would take her. I watched as my mates carefully lifted Maeve, their expressions a mix of anger, worry, and protectiveness. We wouldn't leave her side. Not now. Not ever.