The Pet🐾 (Completed)

Chapter 28

Ashley

"I SAID TAKE ME TO HIM!!" I yelled.

I could almost hear their thoughts, hesitation lingering in the air, until Jasper finally spoke.

"I will. Make sure you girls stay away from the door when I count to three," he instructed.

I ran to Sophia and wrapped my arms around her, shielding us with pillows. I could faintly hear Jasper's voice, low and steady, growing deeper with each count.

"One..."

"Two..."

"Three."

The door groaned under the force of his strike, splintering. I peeked up and saw a hole forming, roughly two feet tall and over a foot wide. Jasper appeared in it, his presence calm but commanding.

"Well? I'm waiting," he said.

I jumped, my heart racing, and shoved my arms and head through the opening. In the chaos, I scraped my thighs, but I didn't stop. With everyone's help, I scrambled through. I ignored the pain, sprinting down the hall as footsteps thundered behind me.

At the end of the corridor, I flung open another door and bolted down the stairs two steps at a time. People filled the hall, staring at me in shock and confusion. They began crowding around, blocking my path.

"I'm on my way to see Roman! Does anyone know where the emergency room is?" I demanded, but they only looked helpless.

Questions flooded me from all sides. "What do we do now?" one asked. "How many are dead?" another. "Are they coming back?" a woman cried.

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up to see Jasper and Jared descending the stairs. Jasper stepped in front of me, calm and authoritative.

"Luna Ashley is not available for questions right now," he said firmly. "There will be a meeting at lunch where everything will be discussed. Now continue what you were doing."

I watched in awe as he reassured everyone, his voice steady, his presence commanding. My dream said he was the enemy... why does he feel so much like a leader?

"You should go back upstairs," he told me gently.

I squinted at him. "Do you honestly think I'll walk back up those stairs before seeing Roman?"

He sighed, turning to the guards. "Take her to see Alpha Roman—but go the cleanest way."

Three men and a boy nodded and surrounded me. Some were bruised, one had blood on his shirt—but it wasn't his own, I could tell by his build. They guided me down a separate stairwell, out the back, and through the woods. My pace quickened as a large white building came into view. I could feel him—faintly, but unmistakably.

Inside, families and a few injured men waited in the lobby. We approached the desk, and the guard explained who we were there for. The nurse nodded sympathetically and called another.

A petite woman with dirty-blond hair streaked in pink and blue appeared, smiling warmly. "Hi, I'm Merrily. I'll show you where Alpha Roman is," she said.

We followed her down winding hallways and up flights of stairs until we reached a white door. "He's right through here. Buzz me if anything happens. The button is next to the bed," she instructed.

I hesitated, hand on the knob. What if he's almost dead? What if he's gone? What if... My fear twisted in my chest. The boy guarding me gave a small nod, encouraging me to go in. I took a deep breath and turned the knob.

Roman lay on his stomach, a massive stitched and bandaged scar running from his left hip to his right shoulder. My chest tightened. All I wanted was to throw myself into his arms—or to disappear entirely. I dashed to the bed, sliding into the chair to his left.

He faced me, jaw tense, dark hair slightly tousled, pain evident behind his stoic facade. I rested my hand on his, feeling the heart monitor tick faster. My heart ached; I couldn't live without him.

I glanced at the guards—they stayed outside. The boy's eyes shimmered with unshed tears. The others simply couldn't look away. I whispered softly, "It's okay. I won't mind if you come in... I might actually need the company."

One by one, they stepped inside, worry etched into every face. This was their leader, their Alpha, their king. They needed reassurance that he would survive, that they had someone to lean on—and I claimed that role.

"I'm sure he will recover," I said firmly, looking each of them in the eye. "It will take time, but I have faith in him. And you should too."

They nodded solemnly.

"He was willing to take on all the rogues by himself today," one whispered.

"He fought through his injuries for the pack," I added, voice steady, "and for Luna... for Ashley."