ROTTEN LOVE

REGARDS| 23

ZAIN

Her olive skin has dimmed. The radiance that usually surrounds her is not present. She is fading, and I have no idea what to do about it.

I hear her soft voice tremble. I try to silence her but she refuses to listen. Nothing she could say could be as important as getting her to rest.

We lock eyes and my heart stops. Even those beautiful green orbs full of life are darkened by her agony-filled tears.

"Ma-ri-sa," she mumbles.

My eyes widen in realization. This is because of that vampire. I am going to lose my mate because of her.

I link Max to head to Jerry's. I should go but I fear she will leave me. She will slip from this life.

I see her close her eyes. "Hey, no, babe, look at me. My pack is on the way."

Her eyes are halfway open. She is staring beyond. I see her body jerk. Then it turns to a full-on shake.

"What's happening?" I asked the doctor.

"She is seizing. Let her go through it. Protect her head and let's put her to the side to prevent choking." He guides her. She rests on her ribs.

I hold her head. I don't want her to hurt herself any further.

Hurting Marisa was never part of the plan. I told them I would give them the Malfattos on my terms, after I figured out how to remove Helena from the bond.

I should have never gotten involved with them. I regret it and when Helena finds out the truth she will never want to see me. I wouldn't blame her.

I was tired of waiting and looking in the wrong direction. I knew I had a mate out there and she was hidden from me. Her mom was selfish.

She took our mates, from the family that raised and cared for her. Cheryl did not think of the consequences and chose the vamps.

Thanks to her we are in this mess. The wolves aren't the ones resisting the passivist agenda. The Malfattos opened this chaos.

Their kind betrays them and they are willing to put my mate in the middle of danger for wishful thinking. I had to do something, even if it meant working with the enemy.

I would do anything for a chance with Helena. But I know she won't understand. I hope she does not find out the truth.

Helena has stopped moving and she seems to be sleeping. I stroke her hair as she has an internal fight for her life.

'We are here. It's awfully quiet.' Max links.

'Have you found Marisa? Get to her.'

'Not yet. The smell is intense. Metallic. Blood.'

I start to get aggravated. 'Find fucking Marisa. Where the hell is their entourage?'

'I'm about to enter ...'

'Max?'

'Oh, goddess. It's bad man. Their dead.'

'Who? How many? But where is Marisa?'

'The coven members... they were slaughtered. The females are undressed... heavens whoever did this are beasts. May their souls rest.'

I swallow a lump in my throat. I know what Max cannot get himself to say. They took advantage of those women and then discarded them.

I try to hold down the anger rising in me. Helena will be broken. However, she needs to survive this before I can worry about that.

She is still losing blood but she is holding on which means Marisa is.