Wildfire

Chapter 30

Kalen

Toby has been at the packhouse for a week now. We hadn't seen much of each other, staying as far away as I could.

The pack was relieved to find out that Toby had returned. I knew that they were all sick of my behavior. I too would be sick of my behavior if I were them.

I'd been angry these past months. Angry with myself mostly. I overreacted and it caused both my mates to suffer greatly.

Truth is, I wasn't even angry with Toby. I wasn't wishing for him to leave. I was terrified. I was scared of him lying to me again. Scared of him leaving me.

I wanted to distance myself because I didn't want to get hurt again. But it hurt me more, staying away from him.

Harper has changed so much in these past months. He was thinner than I'd ever seen him. He looked so... unwell. He was a mess without Toby around. We both were. It was like everything around us lost all of its colors. Toby meant the world to us and a big chunk of our happiness was lost without him.

I didn't think clearly when I banished him from the pack. All I could comprehend was that Toby betrayed us and that was a good enough reason at the time to get rid of him.

There were many nights where I cried to my parents, not knowing what to do. I felt like a child again, sobbing about my problems with Sage to them.

Harper and I slept in the same bed on the nights I decided to stay in my room, but we laid far apart from each other. It was only when Harper thought I was sleeping, that he'd snuggle up to me. I'd wrap my arms around him and hold him as tightly as I could.

I wanted to be able to hold him when we were both awake, but I held back knowing he needed time.

I was grateful to Sage that he took care of Toby to the best of his ability. He thought I would be upset with him, but I was far from upset. He cared for my mate as if he was his own son. And for that, I would be forever indebted to him.

Harper begged me to find Toby any chance he got. Pleaded with me to send out search parties for him. I refused, not wanting to find out what happened to him. I was afraid that my warriors would come back with a dead body.

Harper was right though, I should have run after him and found him immediately after he left. Then he wouldn't be in so much pain. He would have gotten the proper care he needed for being a deer shifter carrying a wolf shifter's pup.

Otherwise, he wouldn't be screaming in agony in the delivery room. Begging for mercy as intense contractions wracked his body.

We had long since been kicked out of the delivery room, giving the doctors space to help Toby. My wolf was restless, yearning to help our mate. But I stayed put, knowing that things would go wrong if I got in the way.

Harper was nervous, clinging to me as he tried to ignore Toby's desperate cries. He was calling out to us, begging us to help him. Harper's leg was bouncing, his scent packed with the sour tang of stress-filled the hallway.

Another blood-curdling scream pierces the air making Harper and I flinch. A doctor emerges from the room, blood on his scrubs. I stand, my heart stuttering with fear.

"What's wrong? Is my mate alright?"

"I'm sorry, Alpha Kalen. We're doing everything we can but I don't think the pup will survive the birth. The best thing we can do now is coach Toby through the rest of the birthing process so we won't have to make an incision into his stomach. He-,"