Feral | ✓

FERAL: chapter two

A few moments passed before Gray responded. "Injured? How bad? Are they both regular rogues?"

"They're hurt pretty badly. One looks like it's on its deathbed. And yes," I bit back the guilt already beginning to form. "They're both regular rogues."

"I'm on my way."

As I waited for Gray to come, I looked down at my mate and examined their injuries. Unlike the white wolf, my mate seemed to have pretty minor injuries in comparison. Still, some of them looked pretty bad which told me that they'd been in a rather heated fight before my arrival. I wondered what it was about, but I knew that the likelihood of me finding out the answers to that was rare.

I studied my passed-out mate. Like this, he didn't look like the same snarling wolf from before; rather, he looked somewhat peaceful. I tore my eyes away from my mate and moved toward the white wolf. With a little bit of moving, I manage to flip the wolf onto its other side and check the injury. A deep gash covered its side and appeared to slowly be healing.

This wolf was much thinner than my mate which told me that it likely hadn't had a proper meal in a while. My heart ached for the wolf and I very lightly nudged it.

Help is on the way.

The wolf let out another whine. It attempted to get up but failed. Not long after, Gray arrived with Foster in tow. Both their eyes examine the scene before the three of us all move into action and start to try and move the wolves back to the pack hospital.

Gray easily got the smaller white wolf situated. Seeing this, Foster started to make his way toward my mate, but I quickly stopped him.

"I can handle this one," I linked him.

Foster's brows knitted together, but he said nothing as I started to move my mate.

"Are you sure you got it?" Gray questioned.

"I can handle it," I repeated more firmly. It wasn't that I didn't trust Foster, but I couldn't help but feel protective, especially given that they didn't exactly know about my mate's...condition for lack of better words.

Once we had the two secured, we began the walk back to the pack and toward the hospital.

"So what the hell happened?" Foster asked through our link.

"Don't know. When I got there, they were already fighting," I told him honestly. I was wondering the same thing. What had caused the fight?

"Well, we know who won," Gray responded, causing Foster to snicker.

The rest of the walk was silent, allowing me to be alone with my thoughts. What was I going to do about my mate? They're feral-that much is obvious. There was still so much we didn't know about feral wolves, but the main concern on my mind was whether they could shift back or not. Were they going to be permanently stuck in wolf form? Permanently feral?

Then there was the issue of getting the pack to accept them. Ferals were frowned upon; they were monsters. The pack wouldn't just welcome one with open arms. Gray wouldn't even if I was his beta. I mentally sighed. The whole situation was giving me a headache.

When we arrived at the pack hospital, doctors came rushing out and quickly took the two wolves. I followed behind, and so did Gray and Foster. My mate is placed in a hospital room whilst their wounds are tended to, and I observed before shifting back.

One of the nurses brought clothes for the three of us, and I got dressed as I kept my eyes on my mate.

"What are we going to do with them?" Foster asks Gray.

Gray hummed in thought. "The same we do with all rogues; interview them, determine if they're a threat. If not, invite them to the pack; if they are, then we kill them."

The thought of my mate being killed has my blood running cold. Gray noticed this and raised an eyebrow.

"Are you okay, Gai?"

"Yeah, I'm fine," I dismissed him, but in reality, I was anything but.

"Are you sure-" Gray didn't finish his sentence when his eyes moved toward the bed and hardened. I don't even have to look to know what he's staring at, but I do to confirm my suspicions.

Laying on the bed is my now awake mate, red eyes showing and all. They blinked a few times before glancing around the room and letting out a deep growl that had both doctors and nurses jumping away.

There's a brief pause. Foster, Gray, and I all seem to share a glance before the two quickly move into action. Gray moved toward the bed, but I rushed to block his way. I took a spot in front of my mate, stopping him from doing any harm and causing Gray's blue eyes to shift into an accusing glare.

"You knew about this?" He growled out, his voice colder than before.

"Gray-" I tried to speak, but he cut me off.

"You brought a feral into my pack lands?!"

The room fell silent as Gray continued to glare at me. The only sounds are the snarls coming from the bed.

Gray's attention turned toward the doctors and nurses.

"Please give us the room," he said, and they were quick to do so.

Foster's eyes didn't leave my mate, but he made no move toward them.

"Gray, listen-" I tried again, but Gray shook his head.

"Listen?" Gray scoffed. "You not only lied to me, but you willingly put the pack in danger by bringing that creature here."

"Gray-"

"Gaius, move right now so I can kill that thing behind you," he ordered.

I shook my head, and Gray's glare hardened.

"I can't," I told him as I stood protectively in front of the bed.

"What do you mean you 'can't' that things a monster, Gaius," Foster snapped.

"This 'monster' is my mate," I shot back at the both of them, causing the room to go silent.