Forever Luna

Perceive

verb ~ become aware or conscious of something

CHARLIE

Despite the cruel cold of rain, my mate was warming from the inside out. By the time we reached the hospital, her once grey, pale skin was normal. I burst through the doors without thought and ran down the halls in search of Kate's scent.

She had been a few places, but my nose immediately singled her out amongst the stench of a theatre. I knew could enter the room itself and that they would force me to stand and wait, but it didn't make Kate's warning through the other side of the door any easier. Still agitated, I growled when she told me I couldn't enter. So, with a harsh reluctance, I warned the nurse-help that took my mate from my arms before they carried her inside. Kate watched me from the other side of the door, her eyes wrinkled with sympathy in her scrubs. She nodded once before turning and entering the main room.

And there were two.

I could not see Calida from this angle, an extra pair of doors inside blocking my view. As time ticked by, I must've paced a hundred steps a minute. Sean stood silently against the wall, his hands grasped in front of him. His eyes were hard, jaw tense as he stared straight ahead. I appreciated him being here with me, but I also knew Phoenix had commanded him so.

I may be beta, but I could not override an alpha command, despite how pissed my wolf was.

As I paced my troubles, my mind fell blank in a desperation to calm my wolf. The only thought in my mind was that of my mate, and as I pictured her, bloody and dying, I had to force down the anger that boiled my blood. It was taking too long, far too long, and my body burned with the desire to shift.

Nurses or staff that wanted to come down this hallway either silently retraced their steps, or ran down the hall and avoided eye contact. It pissed me off, nobody speaking or acting like I was a demon.

It only pissed me off more.

I wasn't the bad guy!

"How long has it been?" I growled, spinning round to face the wolf against the wall.

"Ninety minutes." Sean answered.

"That's plenty of time!" I snapped, baring my teeth.

Sean actually flinched, and upon that harsh register, I forced myself to exhale. Sean was a sturdy soldier, rarely disturbed, so I knew I was taking it too far.

Huffing, I fought to diffuse the tension. I forced the apology through gritted teeth and sharp canines.

He winced a smile, avoiding eye contact as he gazed at a spot over my shoulder. "Nova is in recovery."

I bristled. "She is?"

"Phoenix is with her now."

I hesitated, forcing my jaw to relax. "Is she okay?"

"Why don't we go see for ourselves?"

Flexing my fists, I eyed the operating room.

"It is just round the corner. You will know when they are done." Sean murmured.

He was right.

I just had to...

Walk.

How do you walk again?

Sean patted my back, gently pushing into my shoulders. "Come on."

Tensely, we shuffled down the corridor and reached the luna suite. The same room Nova always occupied when hurt. I couldn't help but shudder. Too many times have I had to look at her pale, limp body on the bed in this room. Too many times have I wondered if she would ever heal.