I Claim Your LOVE

The Sacrifice

Garrick watched his father lying motionless in bed. The agony and pain had made him unreachable. Ragnar was frantically trying to arrange every help possible while Catherine was helpless seeing the love of her life slowly slipping away from her. Garrick had called lady Odile who was treating the other wounded when the mishap had occurred. When she arrived to check the beta she knew the fate of his survival, there was only so much a wolf could take and the healer knew that any increase in his medication dose would do him no good.

Umberto's condition was worsening. His breaths came in ragged and shallow gasps. His loved ones wanted to save him. His fragile heart was trying to pump in all the life to save him but his other senses were slowly giving up. One look at the healer could deduce the fact that it was far too late to save the beta.

Umberto was breathing his last.

****

When Callan was out of his haze, he could not recall anything that happened. He was on a bed with countless other warriors lining side by side to him. He steadied his wobbly feet and blinked his eyes hurriedly to gain a clear vision. It was chaos in the healers' cottage. The smell of blood and the screams of pain were everywhere around him. He could see that the healers were attending the patients with all their might while he noticed his parents were nowhere to be found. Being one without a mind-link he could not communicate with them and assure himself of their safety. He made his way to Alpha house where all the high ranks were treated in hopes of finding his parents.

On reaching the Alpha house he could hear commotion everywhere but soon they all were silenced when Callan announced his arrival through the doors. The entrance was swamped with people who were emoting mixed sentiments, some of sympathy while others of utter despair. The hatred for the boy was evident in their eyes. But Callan could not assess what earned him this response. Apparently he recalled that he was fighting side by side with the pack. As also he did not put anyone in trouble as far as he could remember.

Distinct noises could be heard from a room which was near to the Alpha's Office; one of the voices he heard was of Aurora. He was relieved that his friend was safe and here so she could now reply to his unanswered questions. He made his way through the pool of people and breached the room. He could see the Alpha, Luna, Beta female, Garrick and some healers including Aurora around a bed. They were all surrounding- UMBERTO.

Callan gasped in shock when he saw the physical state of the beta. His face was marked with claws all over while his wounds down his chest were so deep that the skin was now hanging loosely from his upper torso. One could even see the bones of his rib cage. His leg was definitely the worst hit; Callan could see a chunk of mass missing from his thighs oozing blood.

He took one step to the beta but was thrashed to the nearest wall by a force. He could see two red swollen eyes. Callan did not miss the fury and the pain in the teary eyed face.

"YOU!.. You have caused this. You are the reason my father is suffering. Your reckless behavior has put my father's life at stake. I never believed what people said but you really are a CURSE for the entire pack." Garrick angrily raised his voice. He caught hold of Callans neckband and punched him with his full strength. Callan was dizzy and fell on the floor a bit disoriented. Garrick picked him up with his brute force and punched him even harder than before.

"That's enough Garrick. This is neither the time nor the place for your childish deportment."

The Alpha is right Garrick. Come here, sit next to your mother. Taking deep breaths Umberto communicated through his mind link trying to calm his son.

The betas son reluctantly released the boy with a strong exhale of his breath, snorting derisively. Callan looked at Aurora in confusion who herself masked her emotions and was weakly smiling at him. Garrick's rude behavior took Callan by surprise. Though the betas son was not a friend of Callan but he was never rude to him. Then what had changed all of a sudden?