So, this is a short update.
I've just been getting a lot of complaints. I can't begin to imagine why you've all been so desperate to get an update, but here's a short one.
Sorry it's short, sorry it's been so long. I've been crazy busy.
Enjoy... ish.
***
The world slowed as I heard the ice break. I was at least 20 feet away, but I heard it clear as day; the cracks, like glass shattering, and the water splashing as it engulfed my brother and my mate.
A split second of silence. Total utter silence so complete, that even the wind seemed to be standing still.
The world resumed once again when my mother's scream broke through the air, a cloud of mist mixing into the wind.
Mate in danger
I couldn't argue with Ares' argument.
My body tingled as I felt the fur prickle out through my skin, my bones twisting and breaking under my skin as I morphed into my wolf shape. I stormed past my father, who was only halfway towards the hole Paige and Austen had fallen through.
Blood thumbed around in my veins. My thoughts were incoherent one moment, perfectly clear the next. But no matter what, one subject remained; I had to save them. Save Paige. Save Austin. Save my mate. Save my brother. No time to panic, just have to save them.
I went snout first into the dark water, the shrill of ice moving through my fur and into my skin. I looked through the dark water, and towards the bottom, still sinking downwards, two forms were clutching onto one another. My hind legs pushed me towards them, going down down into the dark, icy water. My lungs pained and cried for air. My 30 seconds were almost up. I couldn't afford going up to air again, not if I wanted to be sure that Paige and Austin didn't...
No. I can't afford to even think it. Just swim.
Swim.
My eyes closed against the cold, and I continued swimming straight ahead towards them. I opened my mouth, the last bits of air bubbling out through my mouth, and bit into the first limb I could get a hold of. My teeth dug into the flesh, and I did my best to ignore the metallic sting of blood against my tongue. Just get the the surface. Just save them, that's all you need to do.
I forced my eyes open, the cold water compelling me to close them again, but I had to make sure I was going the right way. A pool of light shone from a roundish disturbance in the otherwise overpowering grey surface above. I kicked with my legs the best I could, up up up, towards the surface, towards air. If I didn't get air soon, someone would have to drag me out along with Paige and Austin.
If Paige were to die, I'd follow her. I wouldn't hesitate, wouldn't doubt, wouldn't consider. If what I was doing was pointless, if she was already dead, I'd just jump straight back into the water and let the deep have me.
Desperation pushed around my veins as I got closer and closer to the hole in the ice, until finally, finally, my snout pushed through the surface of the water, letting me draw in a deep breath, banishing the lightheadedness off of me. A mix of a growl and a howl moved through my throat as I clawed at the ice that gave away under my paws each time. Coughing sounded in my ear, gasps for air. I chose not to listen to the tone. I couldn't let the possibility of one of them being dead distract me. I kept swimming forward, pushing my paws against the ice until finally it didn't break immediately. I dragged them up, relief washing through every muscle of my body when I saw Paige, despite her blue lips and closed eyes, was still clutching on to Austin.
Their hair was dripping wet as I got them onto the ice, which began cracking under their weight. I needed to get out, away from the middle of the lake. Paige's and my family remained at a distance, my father standing ready to run towards us, but hesitating. It was only good- goddess forbid he tried to come to our aid and ended up going through the ice as well.
I needed to get them off the fragile ice. But getting onto it along with them, the ice needing to support not only them, but my wolf form as well... we'd go right back down. I'd caught my breath, but I couldn't be sure that neither Paige nor Austin had.
A second later, my bones shrunk in my skin. My skin smoothed, the fur disappearing back underneath, my face returning to its normal shape.
The second my arms were back to normal, I gathered all the strength that I had and pushed first Austin, sending him skitting across the ice towards my father. Afterwards, I gave Paige the same forceful push, her limp form skittering across the ice to where it was thicker, and bore no risk at breaking. I leaned over the ice, the skin of my stomach and chest tight and pointed against the cold. With a groan, I dragged myself onto the ice, a couple feet forward and away from the hole.
My body gave in, the cold and the exhaustion winning. I lay flat against the ice, my back to the sky. I watched as each of my breaths appeared in the air, little clouds puffing from my mouth.
I don't know how long it was before my mother came running, a coat laid over me. "Oh no no, my sweet Ally boy, oh no no..." she whispered, running her hand through my dripping wet hair. Already, I felt it hardening in the frost.
I looked up at her through the corner of my eye. "Paige...?" I couldn't muster the energy to say both their names, although I wanted to. I'd want to die if Paige was gone, but Austin... I'd never me the same. Never. My little brother, my annoying as fuck little brother who always wanted to hang out with me while I still lived at home. The curly haired little weirdo I'd somehow been related to.
She bit her lip, looking back towards the shore. "I... I don't know, Ally, your grandmother is on her way. She's gonna pick the others up and drive them home. We'll drive the three of you to the hospital, it's faster than waiting for the ambulance. But we need to get you back onto steady ground. The ice isn't safe." She said, and tried to turn me around, to roll me onto the blanket she'd laid out next to me. Once I was on the blanket, she covered me once again with the coat and began to drag me to shore. Second later, she was joined by my father, who helped drag me the rest of the way.
I closed my eyes, breathing deeply. No water had gotten into my lungs. I was just cold. No need to worry. I wanted to tell my father, but my mouth, my body... nothing would move.
Panicked voices ran all around.
My father and two of my sisters lifted me into the car, laying me down on the back seat, sandwiched between the seat and Paige. I couldn't see Austin.
My father got into the front seat, my mother getting in through the passenger door. She had Austin in her lap, sitting against her. Her breathing was shaky, and the water was still dripping off of us. As soon as the door shut behind her, we were pressed back into the seats as the car accelerated at extreme speed.
Paige's body shook beside mine whilst she coughed, pinkish slime flying from her mouth and onto me and the seat. My eyes stung with tears, but I was too tired to even move my arm - I wasn't even certain that I could aim it right, were I to move it.
My mind couldn't comprehend what was going on, couldn't form steady thoughts. The car was moving, and Paige was against me. Usually, I'd warm her when we laid like this. She'd snuggle against me, and I'd kiss her hair, and we'd be safe and warm.
Now, she was just as cold and wet as I was, and I couldn't keep her warm. Couldn't keep her safe. I hadn't been able to keep her safe like I was supposed to. My throat and eyes burned, until the point where I had to close my eyes, and just listen to the sound of the engine roaring as my father accelerated further. Listen to the sound of Paige's slow - too slow- steady heartbeats. To my mother's shallow, panicked breaths.
I shook in the seat as the heat blasted onto us, doing nothing to help the chill that went through my flesh all the way into my bones. I kept my eyes closed, breathing in deeply through my nose. Paige didn't smell like Paige. She smelled like ice and cold, and murky lake water. My teeth clattered. So tired. Too tired.
The car drove and drove, engine working its best. Driving, driving. Like when I was a kid, and dad took us for drives in the convertible. Or when Paige and I drove around and talked. I like hearing her talk. Her voice is so nice. I shuddered.
The volume of the motor went down. The car turned a couple times, before it stopped. Not even a second later, the door was ripped open, and I was dragged out onto something. I didn't care what.
I could barely open my eyes, but when I did, all I could see was that there was no Paige. The rest of the world didn't register. My eyes could only recognize one thing; her absence.
Bright light, right into my eye. "Alpha Allen, can you hear me?"
"My mate. My Paige." I said. My throat hurts. My head hurts. My whole body hurts.
"You mate will be fine, now I need to make sure you're okay. Do you remember swallowing any water, Allen?"
I closed my eyes. Tried to sit up. Too tired.
"Alpha Allen, did you swallow any water?"
"No. Where's my... where are my... my mate... my brother," I tried to sit up again. My hand slid against something. I fell down again.
"Calm down, Alpha Allen. Your mate and your brother are being examined, just like we're doing with you. We need to get you warm, okay? Once you're all warmed up and rested out, you can see your mate."
I close my eyes. "Is my Paige okay?"
A pause. I was too exhausted to think about why there was a pause. "She will be."
My thoughts disappeared into the back of my skull, the voices around me drowning out. Paige would be safe. She'll be safe. My body relaxed with the knowledge. And before I had the chance to worry about my brother, unconsciousness already had its claws on me, and I drifted off.
~~~~~
A soft hand moved through my hair over and ver again. Soothing. I breathed deeply, willing my eyes open. But it wasn't Paige combing her fingers though my hair to wake me up.
White hair, a round, aged face. My grandmother's lips parted as she took in a deep breath. "Oh, there you are."
The memories returned to me. Paige. Austen. Ice.
I sat up in the hospital bed, looking around the small, bare room. A single window with blue curtains. White walls. But not other beds. No Paige.
"Where... where are they?!"
A firm hand appeared on my shoulder. "Calm down. They're alive. Just relax,"
Alive.
Not 'fine'.
Not 'safe'.
Just 'alive'.
I turned to my grandmother. "Where...?"
"Easy, easy. They had to get all the fluid out of their lungs. Paige has been awake, or, barely. They're trying to warm her up now."
My heart eased a little. She's been awake. That's a good sign. "Austin?"
My grandmother's lips pressed together, and only now I noticed the redness in her eyes. "He's... alive. Alive, but they're not sure if maybe... he hasn't been awake yet. And they don't think he'll be for a while."
My mouth felt dry. "So, what, he needs to sleep for a while, that's not a big deal, is it?"
"Alligator... Allen..." she breathed deeply, resting her hand on top of mine. "The doctors decided... they wanted to give him time to heal, so they... they've put him in a medically induced coma."
"Co... coma?"
"Just for now. He'll be fine. They're almost certain. However..."
"What?"
"It seems that while Paige has been awake, there are some complications."
The tears threatened behind my eyes. "What complications. I thought you said she was gone be alright? What is going on? What is happening to my mate?"
"It seems there's an infection in her lungs."
A/N
I'm not a doctor. The medical junk in this isn't right, and I know it isn't.
This is just a quick update, but I'm really tired. So, idk, see ya soon ig?