(Keegan's POV)
I had to leave Caroline's room as they performed surgery to get the bullet out. I was pacing upstairs in the living room with Danny seated on the couch watching me. We'd both been quiet for the last half hour; me trying to figure out if Caroline was okay and Danny was trying to digest everything he just saw.
"How is any of this even possible?" Danny whispered.
"I can't believe you shot her!" I yelled at him. I couldn't help it. I was upset and I needed someone to take it out on. Plus, the doctor had mind-linked me earlier, telling me that the bullet was silver and really close to a major blood vessel. Caroline might not make it out of this.
"I didn't know it was her! My thoughts when I see three wolves coming towards me aren't exactly 'gee, look, my sister, her boyfriend and her best friend', so I'm sorry, okay!" he snapped back at me. I growled as my eyes watered.
"I told you any wolf that was trying to attack you. She was stepping away from you," I argued.
"I panicked okay!" he said, his hands going up in the air before dropping in his lap again. "Wolf or not, she's still my sister," he said softly. I sighed and shook my head as my eyes closed. I stopped pacing and pinched the bridge of my nose.
Alpha Keegan, Luna is out of surgery but we won't know the results until she wakes up. We had to cut out all areas touched by the bullet to allow her to heal herself. Now all we can do, is wait, Dr. Thomas informed me. I let out a breath I didn't even realize I was holding.
"Thank God," I said out loud. Danny looked at me curiously. "Caroline is out of surgery... They said that if she heals herself, she'll be fine. If not..."
"Yeah, I get it," Danny said quietly.
There's something else we found Alpha, Dr. Thomas linked me.
Is she going to be okay, I asked.
Yes, he linked. I could feel the anticipation of him wanting to tell me more but I just wanted to know that Caroline was alright. I didn't want all the details.
That's all I need to know, I replied before I cut off the link and turned my attention back to Danny who was bouncing his leg.
"What were you doing with silver bullets anyway?" I asked him. Danny shrugged.
"I prefer them over the normal ones. They cut through easier. I always have silver bullets on me," he explained. I sighed and shook my head.
"Well, keep them away from my pack and keep them away from Caroline, got it?" I said before I went outside. The fight had long since been over. After the rogues found Natasha's dead body, they panicked and ran away.
"She's out of surgery," I told Aiden when I found him. "Get someone else to run perimeter. Caroline is probably going to want to see you too when she wakes up. And you are her Luna Protector. I think you're the only male I'll be okay with around her," I said. He nodded and turned out of wolf form before pulling on some shorts.
"Did the doctor say anything else about her condition?" Aiden asked. I nodded as we started walking back to the house.
"It's touch and go. Danny shot her with a silver bullet so they had to take a large chunk out of her shoulder to give her wolf blood a chance to kick in and heal it," I answered quickly. We walked through the house and down to the hospital. "It should be a few hours before she wakes up," I added. He nodded as we made our way to her room.
I froze at the door as tears stung my eyes. She looked so fragile and vulnerable. Her normally bright tan skin was pale and ghastly. Her parted lips weren't their normal pink color. They were dry and cracked. Even her normally bright, wavy blonde hair was limp and lifeless. She was hooked up to a heart monitor and there was an oxygen chord running under her nose. I held onto the doorframe tightly as I sucked in a breath. I could hear the wood splintering under my grip but I didn't care. My Caroline's life was hanging by a thread and I couldn't take that. I took a step back, and then another before I ran back upstairs. I ran up the second flight of stairs and slammed the door to my room. I pressed my back against the door as I tried to calm my staggered breathing. It felt like the wind had been knocked out of me and I couldn't get my breath back. I crawled forward slowly and let out a pained howl as I reached my bed. I leaned against the bed and let the tears fall freely. I couldn't stop the sobs that racked my body. There was a light knock on my door, but I was too broken up to acknowledge it. My mom walked in with red puffy eyes and sat next to me, pulling my head into her lap.
"She's going to be okay, Keegan," my mom whispered, although I could hear the uncertainty in her voice. She ran her hand over my hair and kept repeating her words. I wanted my Caroline here comforting me. I wanted my Caroline to be laughing and smiling instead of half-dead and hooked up to a bunch of machines. I held on to my mom's arm as I sobbed into her lap. Dignity was the last thing on my mind. I would walk around dressed as a princess in heels if it meant I could have my Caroline back.
I love you, I mind-linked her even though I knew she probably wouldn't hear me. I needed her to survive this. I needed her to live.
~
(Caroline's POV)
I groaned and touched my arm gingerly. All I felt was a thick piece of gauze covering a hole a little bigger than a bullet wound. Everything came rushing back to me. My own brother; I wondered how he was taking all of this. I never in a million years wanted him to find out. Tenderly, I blinked my eyes open. I looked around the white washed room until my eyes finally landed on a figure sitting in a chair, bouncing his leg nervously.
"Aiden," I croaked. He shot up and handed me a cup of water. I took a generous sip and thanked him. He took my hand gently in his.
"I'm so glad that you're okay," he whispered. His eyes were red and puffy like he'd been crying. "It's all my fault. I'm so sorry. I should've been protecting you better. I shouldn't have let you go back by yourself," he started rambling. I shook my head.
"It's not your fault. She would've found a way to me eventually," I brushed him off and looked around the nearly empty room. I felt my hear sink. "Aiden, where's Keegan?" I asked softly. Aiden avoided my eyes as he fiddled with his hands. I felt tears sting my eyes as I thought of the worst. I whispered Aiden name once more to catch his attention. He sighed and tugged on his hair.
"He won't... he doesn't want to see you like this. He's been locked up in his room since we got here," Aiden answered. I inhaled sharply. It was worst than thinking that he couldn't see me; he didn't want to see me. That hurt more than anything I could've imagined.
"What do you mean 'he won't'?" I asked hoarsely. Aiden shrugged.
"He hates seeing you like this, so he just... avoided seeing you all together," he tried to explain. "I'll go get him," Aiden said quickly. I felt the tears trickle down my face as I sniffled.
"Don't bother," I seethed before I swung my legs over the edge of the bed. Aiden was by my side in a second.
"What are you doing?!" he asked as his eyes bulged. I sighed as I pressed my feet to the floor and stood on shaky legs.
"We're going home," I said softly. Aiden scooped me up and carried me up the stairs without another word. Aiden set me down when we reached my brother in the living room. Preston was playing with Karma on the floor. As soon as my brother saw me, he jumped up and wrapped me in a hug.
"Oh thank God," he sighed in relief at the same time I hissed in a breath and held my tender shoulder. I glared at him as he pulled away.
"I can't believe you shot me!" I yelled at him. He only laughed and hugged me again, lighter this time.
"I'm so glad that you're okay. I'm so sorry," he said softly. I hugged him back, instantly forgiving him. He kissed my head and I felt Preston tugging on my pants leg. I looked down to see that he was pouting and he wanted to be picked up. I smiled and did exactly what he wanted. I kissed his cheek and he giggled before I handed him over to Danny.
"I'm going home," I said softly before heading for the door with Aiden on my heels.
"Caroline," a broken voice called from behind me. I froze and tensed as my breath caught in my throat. I wanted to turn and run into his arms, but he didn't want to see me. I balled my fists and bit me lip before I continued out the door. I walked quickly, but he still caught my arm. I cried out in pain as my injured arm was pulled. Keegan quickly let go but grabbed hold of my waist instead. "Caroline, I'm so glad that you're okay," he breathed against my hair. I jerked away from him and glared.
"Did you even check on me, at least once?" I asked with some hope still. He looked down as he fidgeted.
"I couldn't stand to see you like that. Caroline, you were so pale and you looked... dead. I just couldn't," he said quickly. I don't know why it rubbed me the wrong way that he didn't check on me, but it did.
"I wanted your face to be the first thing I saw when I woke up, but instead, you were cowering in your room. What kind of mate does that make you? What kind of Alpha is too afraid to face their own mate?" I asked in a whisper. He looked at me stunned and hurt but I didn't care. "I can't stand to be around you right now. I'll contact you when I'm ready," I said, heading to the car again. I got in and got Aiden to drive away before Keegan could stop us. I sighed and leaned my head against the window as I watched the passing scenery.
"You didn't have to be so hard on him after everything," Aiden practically whispered. I only growled at him. He quickly shut up. The rest of the ride was in silence. We walked through the doors of the house and I sighed. I planned on sleeping for a very, very long time.
"How long was I out for?" I asked Aiden before he could disappear up the stairs. He looked off to the side thoughtfully as he hummed.
"Well, you were with the crazy bitch for about a week and then you were in a coma for about another week. It's almost time for spring break. Keegan told the school that you had a stomach bug," he said. Speaking of...
I rushed to the nearest bathroom and released my guts into the toilet. I heaved and heaved until there was nothing left. There wasn't much to begin with. I panted and wiped the tears from my eyes as I tried to regain my composer. I sighed and closed my eyes briefly before I rinsed my mouth out. I rubbed my hand over my face before letting it rest on my forehead as I leaned against the counter. I felt myself being picked up in a cradle.
"Come on," Aiden said in a way that was meant to get a two year old in bed. I would've fought him on it but I was too tired. I leaned my head against his chest instead. He laid me down on my bed and pulled off my shoes before pulling the covers over me. "Get some rest," he whispered. I closed my eyes and complied. I was exhausted anyway.