Reject (mxm)

Chapter Eighteen: Ruari

I hate pain. I hate feeling its sickening sting on my body and I hate inflicting it on anyone. I'm not a violent man. If anything, aside from my uncontrollable reactions to Ciaran, I consider myself quite placid.

But seeing the dead bodies of the fallen members of Moonscape and hearing the cries of those who've been wounded on the attack flipped a switch inside me that I didn't even know I have.

"Lock him up!" I motioned towards the man limping not far behind me. "No one talks to him other than me or Ciaran."

"Yes, alpha." Prior, the pack member who gave me his jeans earlier, grabbed the man by his upper arms and dragged him away.

"You have to get your wounds treated alpha," Bran said looking anxiously at me.

I could feel blood oozing from the injuries on my back but I hardly feel the wounds. I stared at Bran. He doesn't have any right to tell me what to do. He looked worse than I am.

"It's fine. I heal fast anyway." I said. "You, however, should go inside and get someone to look at those wounds. You look like you're about to keel over."

He did well tonight. He kept his head and did everything I told him without hesitation. His assertive behavior saved a lot of lives. If he had fought with me or questioned my orders we wouldn't have disposed of the enemy so quickly and effectively. We wouldn't have stood a chance with the odds so against us.

"Thank you," I said. "For everything you did tonight."

"Alpha..." he tried to protest but I shook my head. He doesn't understand and I wouldn't be able to explain how important this is even if I tried.

It's a bit overwhelming to be honest, being on the receiving end of such blind faith. I'm glad I did not disappoint him or anyone from the pack who entrusted me with their lives tonight. I wonder how Ciaran could stand this kind of pressure all the time. I'd probably wear under the strain if I'd been doing this for as long as he had. But then again, I've always known Ciaran was strong. I just didn't know how much until tonight.

We were heading back inside the pack house when I heard a small familiar voice whisper through the wind. My head snapped up and I quickly scanned the trees.

NO!

I took off towards the direction of the sound ignoring Bran's shout behind me. I ran past the wolves patrolling around the house. They must have been ordered to run after me because they followed when I broke through the defensive line.

I stopped for a while and strained to hear more. I lifted my head and sniffed the air. The blood and death was too thick but I managed to catch the faint scent of strawberries.

I'm close...

I ran as fast as my legs could carry me and skidded to a halt at the clearing I worked out on a few days ago. The sight of Leanne leaning against a tree with her legs stretched before her and her arms resting unmoving at her sides greeted me. Blood was oozing from a wound on her stomach, creating a red pool on the ground beneath her small body.

She smiled when caught sight of me, "I knew you'd find me."

I moved to her side to assess the damage. My knees gave when I saw the wound. The injury is too severe. Even in my stricken state I understand that Leanne would not make it out of the woods alive.

Why did she go out? I saw her go down the basement with the others. She was holding Cale. I told her to stay there. I told her I'd come and get her after the fight is over. Why is she here?

"I heard you... it sounded painful and I was afraid. I needed to get to you. I'm sorry alpha..." she gasped closing her eyes. "My brother..."

"I'll take care of Cale, I promise!" I cried holding her now cold hand. "Don't speak, Leanne. Help is..."