Don't Burn Out (Currently Editing)

Thirty-Five

It was sometime between two and three am when both mine when my sleep was broken. I was awaken by an ache in my chest. A burning, nothing like those horrid tidal waves a of molten lava that cracked against my body during my first heat. It was the ache of a healing wound. I felted it in the pit of my heart, its lingering sting. I had yet to realize, but I stopped breathing.

And then the phones rang, mine and Zayn's simultaneously — violently against the glass top of the bedside table.

Blood rushes to my head. I hadn't taken a breath in minutes and I felt like I was drowning, drowning why? My hand shook as I reached over Zayn's body to answer my phone.

"Let them ring."Zayn grumbled rolling over to the other side of the bed pulling me with him and away from the phone. He held me tight against his bare chest as the phones stopped ringing. I took a breath and was overcome by him. His scent forced my muscles to relax so I gave in and went lax against him and even closed my eyes, but then they both ring again. Zayn mutters fouls words under his breath. Again, I reached to grab either phone, Zayn did not stop me this time. I sat up and clutched my phone in my shaking hands then swiped at the green icon.

"They better be under attack over something." He growls curling into my side.

"What is it?" I can only get out a whisper due to my limited breath. "What's wrong?"

"Tiffany oh goddess, you guys have have to come back." It's Eleanor. Her voice is hoarse, a pitch so high it hurt my sensitive ears and frantic, so frantic she stuttered.

"Hey, what's a matter Ellie?" As her Luna, I knew my roll: protect and comfort. I had to remain calm for her, but I knew the worse had come and I was just waiting on her confrontation. I clutched Zayn's hand.

"It's J-Joshua. He's attacking the Elders." She yelps into the phone. "Fuck Tiffany they're in the house. Shit!" And the line dies.

Zayn and I turn to look at each other. His silky, olive skin a bright red, his eyes slowly turn black. I feel the blood drain from my face. In the fog of mix emotion swirling about the room one thing became obviously clear. "We have to go home."

Two and a half hours later

Bradford, New York

Zayn's Point Of View

"WHERE THE HELL IS HE?!"

"WHERE THE FUCK IS HE?" I scream at the nurses, Emmanuel and Cassiopeia. I was awaken at three am, told my home was under attack, and my second command was attacked and in a medically induced coma, and if that wasn't enough most of my twilight patrol is dead, three of my Zetas are dead, Niall's mate Elizabeth was kidnapped, Jacqueline was kidnapped, two children are dead, Elsa my oldest Zeta was kidnapped, and Cleopatra's, Preston's, and Zander's packs were also attacked, and I doubt that was all of it. Least to say, I was fucking pissed and thirsty for the Capers blood.

Tiffany, who was behind me the entire time, was too stunned to utter a single word. She cried the whole plane ride here then when we arrived at JFK airport she said not a word nothing no matter what I said.

"TAKE ME TO MY BETA NOW." I growled in Alpha tone. Emmanuel snaps up immediately.

"Right this way, Alpha." Down a long fluorescent lit hallway, he leads us. Tiffany's hand is in mine, I needed her presences to keep me on my feet. At the end of this too bright corridor is Niall's room. Emmanuel opens the door then enters behind us.

A pale, grimly looking body lays in the hospital bed in front of me, stiff as stone with a thin white linen sheet covering his waist and legs leaving his top bare. His torso and face are littered with wounds and bruises of varying stages, the worst of them on his chest. Three long scratches from his collarbone to his left hipbone. The skin was torn around the gashes. Tubes and wires stuck in his snowy, pale skin connect him to various beeping devices. Never in a million years I would ever believe that was my best friend, my Beta lying there motionless in that bed.