Dean
Watching Evan's eyes close and feeling his hand start to go limp terrified me, probably even more than when he stopped breathing in my arms on my way here. I knew it sounded stupid, but at the same time, I couldn't help it. We had been talking and laughing, joking around with each other just seconds earlier, and suddenly he passes out and goes limp? I couldn't even move for a second.
Angel woke me from my daze, helping me out of the room. He sat me down on a bench in the hall before hurrying back into the room to help save my Mate's life once more.
"Will he live?" Axle asked. I couldn't answer his question though, because I didn't know either.
I had been greatly confused when I walked into the "den" only to discover it was more like a large pack house with a den façade. It was hard to tell from the outside what it truly was, but it had electricity, running water, and many rooms inside. Thankfully there was even an infirmary, which was where I was now.
I felt restless, and knew if I stayed sitting much longer, I'd give in to my own pain in my chest from the mate bond that was simply holding on by a thread. I couldn't handle the pain, so I stood up and began to explore.
The whole interior felt homey. In fact, I actually felt more at home inside this giant "den" than I ever did back in the pack. It was an odd concept, and one I would revisit at a later date, when I wasn't so concerned for my Mate's life.
The fact they hadn't thrown me out the second I spoke my name made me believe they hadn't heard what happened with Jackson.
That hope was crushed, however, when a few of the wolves came up to me.
"So we heard you like to rape omegas and then reject your own children when they get pregnant, only to kidnap them later," one sneered at me. I winced at the accusation.
Then again, it wasn't really false either. But I had been just a kid at the time. Barely 18 and hadn't considered the possibility of my mate being male. Now, three years later, after everything that happened, I deeply regret the way I treated Jackson. He didn't deserve that treatment, and I would apologize to him as many times as it took for him to forgive me. And now, with how quickly I started caring about Evan, only to have him nearly die in front of me twice now, I knew it was the best decision I could've made, for both of us. Not hurting him the ways I did, but rejecting him. He was much happier with Clayton than I had ever seen him in Silver Moon. And now, meeting Evan, I hoped I got the chance to experience that same happiness.
I looked at my accusers and simply nodded. "What you heard was partially correct," I started, surprising them. "However, the information you're lacking is the fact it was my first mate. I rejected him when he came to me telling me about his pregnancy, and in my idiotic, 18-year-old brain, I didn't think Alphas could have male Lunas. And yes I did kidnap him, using his kindhearted nature against him in order to trick him, but I regret all of that. When I first realized he was my mate, I should've just rejected him then, not leave it, continue to harm him, and attempt to forget about what I had done after." I bowed my head in shame, shocking the men in front of me.
"I have found my second chance mate, if you didn't already know, but he is gravely injured. He has had several close calls and just now slipped into unconsciousness due to his wound reopening. Please refrain from any other attempts to degrade me. I already do that enough on a daily basis without having someone else do it too." With that, I left, them gaping at me.
I continued walking through the "den" until I heard Axle howl.
"What's wrong? Did something happen to Evan?"
"Yes and no. His fox, Jasper, just informed me that he was finally stable again. He's in a coma until the wound closes enough to not reopen again, but hopefully it doesn't take too long."
I was ecstatic. My mate was going to be okay! I whooped and hollered, jumping around in celebration, only to realize I was being watched, and swiftly ran back to the infirmary to take up a vigil at Evan's bedside, cheeks burning in embarrassment.
He was so pale, and looked so small and fragile, laying there on that bed. The machines he was attached to beeped rhythmically with his heart. The sound was honestly comforting, as it meant my mate was alive, even as he lay so still and unmoving.
I petted his hair and lay my head on his pillow, whispering into his ear.
"I hope you wake up soon so I can hear your voice, see your pretty eyes again. Please come back to me soon, Mate."
He didn't move, or even acknowledge my presence. I kept praying to the Moon Goddess, begging her not to take him away from me.
A week went by.
Then two.
The wound was healing, but much slower than it should've been, even by omega standards. I asked Angel to look into it, finally, when we entered the third week of his coma with no signs of waking up.
"D-Dean..." the timid voice of the doctor spoke up from the doorway. I had been by Evan's side, holding his hand and petting his hair, giving us both any kind of contact I possibly could.
I looked up and turned toward the doorway. The doctor looked even more timid than usual.
"What's wrong?" I asked, watching him curl in on himself even further, as if he were afraid I'd lash out at him.
"I-I have the r-results now. Do-do you want to r-read them?" It was an odd thing, hearing this doctor stutter. Even for a deer shifter he was more confident than most, so his strange behavior gave me concern.
"Yeah, Angel. Thank you." I held my hand out for the results, and tried to read them. I skipped over the medical jargon, until I reached the bottom, where Angel had kindly written the results clearly for me.
Wound is infected with wolfsbane due to Hunter weapon, presumably arrow that was removed quickly
The paper fell out of my hands.
'P-poisoned?!' I couldn't handle the revelation. My Mate... that was why he was laying in that ditch... why his wound wouldn't heal...
"Dammit!!" I roared. My chest was heaving, and all I could picture was my mate laying in that ditch, hit with an arrow and left to die.
"D-Dean... we can c-cure him with an an-antidote... please calm down... we know what's wrong. We can fix it." Angel's timid voice broke through my spiraling thoughts, and I was able to calm down. He was right, there was an antidote for wolfsbane poisoning.
I whirled around to face him, leaping from my chair and causing it to hit the wall behind me with a bang. "Where is it?" I demanded. But I backed off when I saw how scared he looked. It made me flash back to what I did to Jackson three years ago, and how scared he was. Seeing that, I instantly calmed down. I didn't want to become that... creature once more.
I put my hands up as a sign of peace and walked toward Angel, who had backed up into the wall to get away from me. "I'm sorry, Angel. I didn't mean to raise my voice like that. I just want to make Evan better," I said, voice calmer. I stopped walking when I was standing in front of him, several feet between us. "I'm really sorry, Angel. Could you please help him?"
He looked up at me with terror in his eyes. That made me feel even worse, if possible. It was the same way Jackson looked at me... I didn't want to be seen as a monster anymore. Not by anyone.
I turned around, and walked back over to my seat next to Evan, taking his hand again. I purposely avoided looking at Angel as I heard him leave the room quickly.
The next time I heard footsteps entering, I looked up to find Jamie and Sadie, both vixens. They smiled at me as Jamie pulled a syringe from her coat pocket. I kept my eyes trained on her every movement, watching as she inserted it into an IV bag hanging by the bed that I hadn't noticed before, following the line down and into Evan's left hand. When had that gotten there?
"This is the wolfsbane antidote. It should kick in within the hour. When it does, Evan should wake up by tomorrow at the latest," Jamie said.
Sadie smiled at me, lowering her head slightly. Her blue eyes sparkled as she twirled some of her blonde hair around her finger. That was when I realized the look she was giving me.
One of lust.
Three years ago, I would've been all over her. She was my ideal type. Well proportioned, pretty face, blonde hair, and smart too.
However, after what happened with Jackson, and everything that resulted from my actions, I realized how important having a mate was, how important it was to treat them right. Especially a Goddess-Given mate.
Plus, with how I was already feeling toward Evan, my second chance, even while he lay in this bed, unmoving, I knew I would never return to the way I had been.
Instead, I simply gave Sadie one of my business smiles, and said, "Thank you, both of you, for helping my Mate. Losing him would most likely kill me." I turned my gaze back to my love, and ran my fingers through his soft red hair once again.
I heard a scoff followed by the sounds of angry footsteps retreating. I didn't care that she was mad at me, though. What mattered was that I was loyal to my Mate.
"Don't pay any attention to Sadie," Jamie said in a voice that showed her amusement. "She does that to all the good-looking men here. Apparently, she didn't like the fact her Mate was shorter than her, so she rejected him flat-out. Since then, she's been trying to seduce anyone she could sink her claws into."
I looked up at her in surprise. I didn't understand her motive for telling me this.
"I think that was the first time someone has turned her down for their mate. She usually goes after guys that either are or appear unmated. The fact you haven't left his side for more than a couple hours since he came in, it should've been a dead giveaway that he's yours. Guess she can't take subtle hints." She shrugged, a smirk on her face.
We shared a laugh before she left, leaving me alone once again with my comatose mate.
"Please wake up soon, baby. I need you by my side."
I once again bowed my head against his hand and prayed to the Moon Goddess.
Protect my Mate, and bring him back to me. I need him.