Moon, Bitten

Chapter Thirty

            Kate laid lifeless in his arms, her skin that ominous pallor that cautioned of death. His arms tightened protectively around her, all the while, his eyes scanning the tract of trees, alert to every clatter and stir of nightlife, wary that it would produce another bloodthirsty rogue at any given moment.

            He could feel the intensity of the moon at his back, its silver allure beckoning his wolf to rise once more and submit to the unrelenting rage searing through his veins.

            Her breathing had grown alarmingly shallow, the rate of her heart anchored by the pending grip of infinite darkness.

            He could not lose her, not now, not ever. The very notion of a lifetime without her by his side was absolutely crippling — devastating. He would die a thousand times over and then some before ultimately succumbing to his own death.

            "Stay with me, baby." He muttered fearfully.

            When he finally reached her house, he kicked the front door open and crossed to the living room to deposit her gently on the couch.

            He then stalked to the kitchen and seized the phone from the wall, dabbing fiercely at the buttons, noticing the daunting imprint of blood smeared with every punch of his fingers

            Her blood. And suddenly it was as if the room encompassing him dulled of color, fading to a flatness of black and white, all but that discernible spread of red to blare stark, forcing his heart to turn over in his chest with a shudder of dread.

It not only enraged him, but terrified him. Had she not endured enough pain in her lifetime? Had he not vowed to keep her safe from harm? If she died, he could never forgive himself. His very world would desist with her last breath, and only then, would he yield to the ravenous, vengeful pull of his savagery. No matter his responsibility to his pack, no matter his rank as alpha, those at fault would die a very slow, violent death. He felt a cold sweat take hold of him as he forced his trembling hands to dial a number, vaguely aware of the voice on the other end as it answered, and he muttered gutturally to the recipient Kate's address before hanging up.

             It seemed a century and then some, as he paced a groove in Kate's living room, before the elder, Adeline, appeared in the doorway, her medicine satchel clutched firmly in her weathered hands.

            "What the hell took you so long?" Ronan demanded on a fierce growl as he impaled the elder with intense, gray eyes.

            She stepped tentatively into the room, her dark, discerning eyes averting from Kate to the restless alpha. "How long since she was bitten?"

            Ronan exhaled a deep breath before pushing a hand through his hair, "I don't know ... maybe twenty minutes."