You Are Mine ✔

Chapter Thirty Eight

To say that the pack house is a mess would be a major understatement. It was chaotic, organized chaos but still chaotic none the less. Pack members rushed about, in and out of rooms as they scrambled to help aid others. Dominic, Brent and the others returned only a short while ago but my heart still could not settle. Yes they came home alive, no deaths but some came home less than whole. I don't think I'll ever be able to get the images out of my head.. at least not for some time.

Ian and I were instantly alerted when the small army set foot back on our soil. Border patrols relaying the message via the pack link. Many of the fighters were ready to collapse while others were carrying the seemingly lifeless bodies of their fellow pack mates. I had sent a fairly large group to the border once Ian and I organized the medical and hospitality teams. Luckily we did as many of them gave into their fatigue once they knew they were home and safe. The warriors who could no longer walk on their own were brought back in my this team.

As much as I wanted to say that I was strong, that I stayed here to help the others prepare, I wasn't. Once I knew they were home, my wolf and I could not resist the urge to charge out there and see for my own eyes. To see for myself that my mate was indeed home safely. I knew he was alive thanks to the mate bond as well as reassurance from the reports I had received but that did not matter. My body refused to relax until I set my eyes on him, I knew he was hurt due to the lingering and dull pain I felt coming from him but nothing compared to some of the others.

My anxiety only grew as members of the retrieval team began to trickle past me, carrying the unconscious bodies of their pack mates. Some had missing limbs, an arm, half a leg. I knew these injuries would be nothing but devastating to them. They would no longer be a pack warrior, they would no longer be able to fight for their pack, to protect them. Yes our bodies healed.. but we couldn't just regrow limbs. The closer I got, the harder it was to control my wolf. She wanted to shift, take over and charge full speed ahead. I fought against her, I needed arms and legs right now. Not fur, four legs and a snout. I needed to be able to hold him, to touch his skin and reassure myself that he was alive.

His large frame came into view as he and Brent came to the top of a large hill. Seeing both of them alive and walking was enough for me to go from a run to a full out breathtaking sprint. My vision blurred as I raced past trees and pack members. My legs burned as I practically flew up the hill they were now on. Brent caught sight of me first, his eyes went wide before he side stepped away from his brother. Dominic turned to look at him, confusion on his face before Brent simply nodded towards me. Even from this distance I could see he had no major injuries, no scent of fresh blood. That fact only pushed me to move even faster. Dominic's eyes met mine for a brief second as he turned to look at what his brother gestured towards.

He was left with practically no time to react before I pushed my feet off the ground, my body colliding with his as I threw myself at him. I heard the 'oof' from him as the air left his body from the impact, his body swaying backwards before he caught his balance and readjusted to the sudden added weight. I couldn't give a damn if I looked ridiculous or weak for this. I didn't have a care in the world about what others might think. My arms were already squeezing around his neck like a snake, my legs were clamped around his waist and my face was firmly planted into the crook of his neck as I inhaled his addicting scent.

Bands of steal wrapped around me instantly, seeming to press me into him further if that was even possible. It was like he was trying to take me into his body, absorb me into him and make us one. It was as if time stood still in that moment, nothing else mattered, only him. I felt all the stress, the worry the dread slip from my body as he held me tightly. Tingles shooting across my skin as his lips brushed against a section of exposed skin on my shoulder. As I slowly came back to the reality that was going on around me I found myself frowning. I didn't want to let him go, but I knew I had to.