Callie's POV ...
We burst through the door with Kameron on a stretcher. I followed closely behind. Rex had to perform CPR because Kameron's heart stopped beating. He was completely surrounded by healers. They were shouting out orders to one another as they got to work on their alpha.
I felt like my stomach was in my throat as watched them work. They were hanging various bags of liquids and injecting him with different substances that I couldn't quite identify. They were yelling out different stats for his vitals that I also couldn't catch.
As they worked, my hand remained latched in Kameron's. I hadn't let it go since he fell into my arms.
His eyes were closed and those vibrant green eyes that took my breath away from the moment I saw them, were hidden from me.
The healers moved around me, taking various blood samples and scanning his body for injuries. Rex came up beside me and turned Kameron onto his side, revealing a large gash that I had not noticed before.
Rex looked down at me. "How many rogues attacked you?"
"Four," I sniffed, not taking my eyes off of Kameron.
Rex nodded. "Okay, well, I'm going to need to close him up. Then we will have to wait for the toxicology report to ensure that there is no poison in his bloodstream. But if I'm going to close this wound, Callie, I'm going to need you to move."
I shook my head. "I can't leave him."
"He'll be fine, Callie. I promise that we will take good care of him. You don't need to worry about him."
I wanted to believe him but my wolf was telling me to stay rooted exactly where I was. Kameron was in a vulnerable state and wolves needed their mates when they were down. It often provided the sick wolf a better chance at healing.
"Callie," Rex's voice came out more stern now, "I need to do my job and I can't with you hovering like this. You need to back away so I can work. He will be okay. You just need to trust us-to trust me. He's my best friend. I won't let him die."
His light brown eyes pierced into my sapphire ones. Reluctantly, I let go of Kameron's hand and stepped away. One of his healers ushered me away from the operating room Kameron was in. She then shut the sliding door to his room and closed the curtains as well, obstructing my view.
I felt a sob leave my lips. I covered my mouth to keep myself from making a scene in the middle of the emergency room the center. Unfortunately, my sobs only increased and the tears that were lodged behind my eyes escaped. I felt like I was drowning and there was no one coming to save me.
I couldn't lose him ... I had only just found him. I couldn't lose him ...
"Callie?" heard a familiar, distant voice call my name, but I didn't turn towards it. My eyes were still transfixed on Kameron's room.
"Callie?" I heard it call again and this time, I felt a hand touch my shoulder, drawing my attention to wherel was standing.
My eyes cut to Arianna's concerned face. Her eyes were wide and her eyebrows were furrowed.
"What's wrong? Why are you crying?" I could hear the slight panic in her voice but she did her best to conceal it from me.
Another sob escaped my lips and the tears began to fall even faster. I shook my head, unable to speak. I felt so helpless right now. Kameron was in that room in pain and dying and I was out here crying like a hysterical baby Arianna placed both of her hands on my shoulders and shook me slightly, trying to get me to stop.
"Callie," her voice came out sterner, "I can't help you if you don't tell me what's going on. I need you to calm down and tell me what happened, okay? I need you to breathe."
She placed one of her palms over my wet, muddied shirt.
"I need you to breathe with me," Her voice was gentle. "Now breathe in. 1.2..3.. and then release. Okay, and now again. 1..2..3..and release."
I followed her instructions, my eyes never leaving hers. Although I still felt scared and worried, the initial panic I was feeling was gone now. It was like it evaporated right out of my body.
"Better?" She offered me a small smile, withdrawing her hand.
I nodded. "How did you do that?"
She shrugged. "It was something my mom always used to do to me to help me to calm down and organize my thoughts. I hadn't done it on anyone other than myself but I'm glad it helped."
"Thank you," I muttered through my still-flowing tears.
The concern returned to Arianna's face. "Can you tell me what happened so that can help you?"
I felt a lump wedge itself in my throat as I tried to speak. I battled against it, trying to formulate the correct words.
"I ran away,"-her eyes went wide at my confession-"and Kameron came to find me. There were wolves at the edge of the territory and they attacked me. Kameron protected me and fought them off but he got hurt. He seemed fine when we were walking back, but then, when we got close to the village center, he just collapsed."
My voice breaking, I finished, "He was bleeding the entire time and I didn't even notice it. I should have noticed it."
One sob left my lips and then another and then soon I was crying all over again.
Arianna didn't hesitate to pull me towards her and embrace me in a hug. She didn't care that I had mud on me and was dripping wet from head to toe. She comforted me and held me together while I broke apart in the middle of the emergency area of the healing center.
I didn't know how long I stayed in her arms crying but by the time I pulled away, my head was already pounding from a headache and my chest felt heavier than it ever had in my entire life. I noticed now that a few of the healers were staring at us mainly, at me.
I couldn't blame them, though. I must have been quite a sight to behold. I probably looked nasty and matted standing in the crisp white emergency room.
Arianna must have caught on to what I was thinking.
"You need to get out of these wet clothes." she ushered me toward a door that lead to another section of the healing center. I allowed her to drag me wherever she wanted to.
I left my duffle bag outside and I had no chance of clothes on me.
Arianna walked us to a wing that I was all too familiar with. This was the wing that was placed to keep me away from Jorge. We walked to one of the bathrooms that were equipped with showers.
"You get into the shower and I'll bring you a fresh pair of clothes."
I didn't argue with her; I simply nodded and did as I was told. After one of the shortest showers in history, I stepped out to be greeted by Arianna, who had a change of clothes ready for me to wear. I put the clothes on and assessed myself in the mirror.
My eyes were puffy and tinted red. There was sadness dancing behind them and a small glimmer of hopelessness. Sounded about right to me.
I saw Arianna's reflection looking at me through the mirror. Her eyes held concern but she didn't say or ask anything, which was thankful for.
The image of Kameron's body collapsing into my arms played again and again in my mind; each time I saw it, I felt the sting behind my eyes grow. I never felt more scared in my entire life than at that moment.
I felt like someone reached into my chest and squeezed my heart.
I licked my dry lips and bit down on my bottom lip to keep myself from falling apart.
My eyes glistened with hidden tears behind them. I gripped the granite counters in the bathroom, trying to keep everything together.
When my eyes cut to Arianna's, I could see the confusion dancing behind them. She wanted to ask me but she was trying to be respectful.
I turned around and faced her, my hands still gripping the granite surface from behind. needed its support to keep me upright.
"Can I tell you something?"
She nodded.
"But if I do, you have to promise me you won't say anything to anyone. This is the kind of thing that could get a lot of people into a lot of trouble and I don't want that for Kameron. He already has so much to deal with as it is. He doesn't need to worry about this getting out."
"You have my promise, Callie that I won't breathe a word of what you tell me to anyone. Your secret will be safe with me."
I believed her. Arianna was not a cruel person and she wouldn't purposefully go out and hurt me.
I took in a sharp breath before I finally spoke. "Kameron is my mate. My fated mate that the Moon Goddess has chosen for me."
I felt like a large weight was lifted off of my chest at my confession. But I also felt this overwhelming feeling of being Overly-exposed.
I watched Arianna carefully. Her face went through four different emotions in the span of ten seconds. Confusion, shock, realization, and then finally understanding. Then her eye went wide.
"Luna," she said and bowed her head.
Her actions took me aback. I wasn't expecting her to say that.
"No, you don't have to do that, Arianna. I'm not your Luna. Remember, Kameron is getting married to someone else soon:"
She lifted her head with her eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Florence can't be Luna now that you've arrived. You are the true mate of Alpha Kameron. The true Luna of this pack."
"It's complicated, Arianna. It's more than just me becoming his mate. It's a matter of his word as Alpha. He made prior commitments, and I .... " my voice trailed off.
Although I trusted Arianna, I couldn't bring myself to tell her about my being on the run. The fewer people knew, the better.
"Promise me you won't say anything, Arianna."
"You have my word, Luna"
"And don't call me 'Luna. I'm not your Luna."
"But you're destined to be. It is what the Moon Goddess has designed for you. Still, won't call you Luna anymore."
I nodded, thanking her. Her calling me Luna was unexpected-but what was even more unexpected was that I liked her calling me that.
***
Jorge POV ...
'Kameron is my mate. My fated mate that the Moon Goddess has chosen for me.'
So, it seemed that our little prisoner was his mate. I knew there was something strange going on between the two of them.
I moved away from the bathroom door and made my way back down the hallway where I had come from.
So, this was her little secret that she had been trying to hide.
Maybe l could play this to my advantage.
I felt a smile form on my face as a plan started to formulate in my mind.