Wrong Turn, Right Path

Chapter 10 - Nick's POV

I look in the back seat and see Maddie and my heart breaks. Her left arm is laying at an unnatural angle. The side of her face is covered in a mix of dried and fresh blood from the gash along her hairline. She looks at me with her big blue eyes, she's visibly shivering her lips turning blue despite her wrapping a blanket around herself as best as she could with one good arm.

"Hey sweetheart, we're going to get you out of here okay?" She nods her head with tears shining in her eyes.

"Mo...mo... mommy st. st. stopped t. t. t. talking t. to m. m. me." she shivers out in a whisper.

I move to the driver's window, that is missing and by the look of all the glass showered over her it shattered inwards. "Ma'am, Ma'am, can you hear me?"

At first she didn't respond I concentrated and hear her heart but it's beating very slowly. Her breathing is shallow and slow as well. Ever so slowly she lifts her head. I gasp, or was it Mitch who gasped, It didn't even look like her. Her face is covered in blood, here eyes are blackening, she has red splotches that look like burns and small cuts from the glass all over her. Her skin is extremely pale and bluish. Her lips are blue. Her eyes are pleading as she whispers "Save Maddie" Then I see the light leave her eyes and her head falls forward.

My heart dropped. I know she survives but at this moment she looks dead. I look to my right and see Clay unbuckling Maddie while talking to her reassuringly. I notice about 5 other wolves around. I look back at Jemma. I grab hold of the door and rip it off and toss it to the side. That's when I notice that the steering wheel looks to be imbedded in her thighs but judging by the lack of blood it didn't actually break through her flesh. I climb on top of the hood, reach through the broken windshield and grab hold of the top of the steering wheel and lift it straight up bending it back and releasing her legs. Dr. Greene is with us, while I was moving the steering wheel she is checking vitals.

"Alpha we have to get her back and warmed up immediately. Her core temp is already dangerously low and if we don't hurry we'll lose her." Dr Greene calls out then she turns and is instructing some of the patrol members on how to stabilize her neck and back and get her to the SUV.

They successfully get her up the embankment and into the back of the SUV that has been warmed up. Dr. Greene climbs in with her and starts cutting off her clothes. I look away and see Selene comforting Maddie and asking her questions as I climb back into the passenger seat.

The memory comes to a close. Mitch sits back and rubs his forehead. I lean back and wipe my tears. She looked dead. I was that close to losing her right before I even found her. I know I had thought I had lost my mate before but it's different to think that without meeting her and knowing how close that was to being true now that I know who she is, that I have looked into her eyes, heard her voice, seen her smile, inhaled her scent. I knew Jemma was my mate and I knew she almost died right before I found her.

"You see Nick, she is strong, and she is a fighter. That was one week ago and now she is doing so much better. For as bad as she was Dr. Greene was expecting her to take at least 2 weeks to recover enough to walk and yet here she is. Do you still think she's weak?" Mitch's tone was chastising but in a loving manner.