Angel Blackwood (48 page)

God. He loves her more than he
loves me; his mate. I cover my heart with my hand feeling the pain
beneath it. I take a step back and at this he turns his head,
looking up at me.

“You can save her! You can
heal! You said you have healing powers, I need you to help her. She
doesn’t have to die, Angel.” He stands up frantically, grabbing my
shoulders. His face is so red and blotchy and I can see his pain in
the moonlight.

“Ty… I can’t-”

“You can!” He starts shaking
me. “You can do it! You can save her. I’m begging you! Please,
Angel. Please save her! She’s dying.” He breaks down in tears, it
pains me to see him this way.

I love him so fucking much and
I’ll do anything to make him happy. If he wants to be with Kate,
I’ll do it. I love him enough to do this for him, regardless of the
repercussions.

I move away from Tyler’s
shuddering body as he weeps into his hands, moving towards where
Kate lies covered in blood. I kneel down next to her. She’s got
bite marks and deep scratches all along her chest and neck; her
clothes are ripped and her eyes closed. I reach out to see if I can
find a pulse. She has one, but it’s faint.

I start with the biggest and
deepest cut, raising my hands over it. My hands tremble, I can’t
stop the tears from running down cheeks because I know what’s gonna
happen; her wounds are not the type you survive from. I’ve never
feared death as much as I fear it in this moment.

I know what’s going to
happen.

I look to see Tyler kneeled
down in the sand on the other side of her body. He runs his hands
through her hair affectionately, it only confirms that I’m doing
the right thing.

“You have to promise me one
thing?” I say softly, trying to keep my voice strong.

“Yes, of course. Anything,” he
says quickly.

“Tell Talon that I love him,
that I’m sorry.” I blink away the tears and watch as the hand he
strokes her hair with stops.

“What?” He whispers.

“Just promise me you’ll take
care of him, okay?” I clear my throat and look back to where my
hands rests over Kate’s chest.

He nods his head quickly, I can
tell he’s confused about what he just agreed to.

I close my eyes feeling the
tears fall down my cheeks. My fate is sealed, there’s no coming
back this time.

****

TYLER POV

I watch little orbs light up
and start circling Angel’s small hands. Tears run down her cheeks,
but I have no idea why. I know she isn’t fond of Kate. I could tell
by Angel’s reluctance, she didn’t want to heal her. It’s my fault
Kate was attacked. We were fighting and I told her we were done,
that I was gonna complete the mate bond with Angel. She ran off. I
followed her down to the lake but it was too late, the rogue had
already gotten to her. I couldn’t turn, my wolf still won’t shift.
I’m starting to realise that it’s because I haven’t completed the
bond with Angel.

I promise the Fates that as
soon as this is over, I will do exactly that. I love Angel, I want
to be with her and only her.

I lean in closer. Angel’s eyes
are still closed, but I continue to watch as the little light orbs
slip into the deep cut across Kate’s chest. Angel lets out a sob, I
watch her shoulders shudder as she starts crying harder. I wanna
reach over and hold her to me, but screaming and yelling has me
looking in the direction of the pack house.

“Angel!” A small girl with
wild, fiery red hair comes running from the clearing of the woods
hysterically. Nixon follows with Talon and Axel behind him.

I realise she’s the little
witch Angel has made friends with.

As the girl and Nixon get close
enough to see what Angel’s doing, the girl starts screaming.

“Stop her! Make her stop!” Axel
reaches out, wrapping his arms around her just before she gets to
Angel. Nixon growls at him then also starts yelling as he rushes
over.

“You’ll kill her! It will kill
her!” He says whilst Talon holds him back.

“Kill her? No, Angel is saving
her. She’s healing Kate.” I look back to Angel and notice blood
dripping from her nose, there’s blood dripping down her neck to. I
stand up quickly and jump over Kate’s body. I reach for Angel, as
soon as I touch her, her body collapses into my arms. I lift her
hair to see where all the blood is coming from; its coming from her
ears.

“Get your hands off me! Let me
help her!” The girl screams.

“Angel? Baby, wake up.” I pat
her cheek softly as I watch my tears drop onto her rosy cheeks.

“Move. Let her go!” The little
red head pushes at me, forcing me to lay my mate onto the sand.

“Nixon! Get Noelle, now! I need
her help. You need to tell her what’s happened,” Phoenix says,
freaking out.

“What happened? What did you
do, brother?” Talon says, kneeling at the other side of Angel’s
head.

I explain to them exactly what
happened.

“She told you to say that to
me? Didn’t you think something was wrong?” Talon’s angry voice
echoes, breaking the silence.

I look down ashamed. I wasn’t
thinking straight. I knew she was trying to tell me something, but
I kept pushing, forcing her to do it. Now I could lose her because
of my selfishness.

“You two can argue later.
You’re stressing out the little witch.” Axel’s firm voice has both
Talon and I looking at the red head. She stares at both of us wide
eyed and with shaky hands as if we’re about to eat her any
moment.

“Is she going to be okay?” I
say softly. This seems to snap her out of her panic. Looking down
at Angel with a sad express, she grabs her hand and cradles it
inbetween hers.

She nods her head, “I’m going
to try my best…” Then she looks up at me with tears in her eyes.
“Why did you make her do it? You knew she wouldn’t be able to
survive this something like this.”

“I don’t understand. Who are
you talking about? Kate? Kate was dying and Angel said she had the
ability to heal. I didn’t know she would get harmed in any way. If
I had know that it would cause Angel pain, I would never have asked
her.” I don’t understand what she is asking me.

“You didn’t know that the only
way Angel is able to heal is by taking on the pain of the person
she is healing?” She frowns. Her words leave me out of breath, my
heart beating rapidly in my chest.

“You didn’t know. She didn’t
tell you, did she?” The witch says.

I lean over and kiss
Angel’s forehead, her skin cool against my lips. “I’m so sorry,
baby. I’m so fucking sorry. Please don’t leave me. I promise I’ll
be better, I’ll make up for every horrible thing I’ve ever done and
said… Just come back to me,” I say, sobbing. I don’t care if I look
weak in front of these people, I just want her to come back to
me.

“Her temperature is dropping.
We need to get her inside. It’s cold out here and we need to keep
her warm,” the girl says.

“I’ll carry her,” Talon says,
quickly picking her up and holding her to his chest before striding
towards the pack house. I’m left looking down at Kate’s body.

Axel pats my shoulder, “Don’t
worry, man. I’ll sort her out. You need to make sure your girl
survives.” I run after the witch and Talon as Axel picks up
Kate.

“What about the rogues?” I say,
keeping a lookout as we hurry through the trees.

“We were able to drive them
away. Don’t think they’ll be back anytime soon.” He’s angry with
me, I know that his concern for Angel is the only thing that’s
keeping him from ripping my throat out.

We reach the pack house just as
Noelle’s car comes skidding to a halt out front.

“Get her to the room now!
Phoenix help me with these,” Noelle yells, digging through her
trunk. Jacob comes running out of the house. He has scratches on
his torso and ribs, but they’ll heal on their own in an hour or
two.

“What’s going on? What happened
to her?” He inspects Angel for wounds, not realising that her
injuries aren’t visible.

As Talon lays her down on the
surgical bed, I explain what happened to her.

Noelle and Phoenix start
placing candles all around the room. They carry out the same
rituals that Noelle used when she saved Angel the first time.

“Where is she?” The Alpha’s
voice echoes through the wall. He rushes into the room, pushing
Talon out of the way. Luna Alex is in hysterics as she looks down
at her daughter.

“What happened?” The Alpha’s
black eyes find mine. “Speak now, Tyler.”

Nixon speaks out before I have
a chance, retelling the story in a way that sounds so much better
than if I had to explain.

The Alpha moves out of the way
and a few moments later we’re all seated in the same positions we
sat the last time we were in this room. We watch Noelle move around
Angel, muttering in a language I’ve never heard before. The only
thing different is the little red headed witch who helps her.

Hours slowly pass in a haze of
worry and guilt. Even though Angel hasn’t woken up yet, Noelle says
that she is safe… she just needs to rest. They move her into her
bedroom and the doctor sets up a drip and other various pieces of
equipment around her. Alex sits on the bed next to Angel silent
tears fall as she wipes the blood off Angel’s face and hands.

I stand motionless next to the
doorway, watching everyone doing what they need to. People walk
past me, but I’m oblivious to everything and everyone. I hear Axel
say something to me, but I can’t respond, I’m unable to focus on
anything other than Angel as she lies in the bed.

Axel then shoves my arm,
immediately all the noise around me comes back with into focus. I
shake my head and blink my eyes as his face comes into view.

“Dude, you need to shower. You
have blood all over you.” He looks back to where Angel lies. Alpha,
Luna, Noelle and the little witch I now know to be Pheonix are
seated around her bed. Strangely, I don’t see Talon anywhere.

“She needs her rest and you
need to shower. I’ll get someone to call you if she wakes up or
anything.”

I look down at my clothes and
hands, the dried blood is everywhere.

“Kate?” I say not even able to
finish the sentence.

“She’s in the hospital. Her
parents managed to get her there in time. Seems like Angel’s
efforts weren’t in vain after all. Her worst wounds were healed by
the time they reached the hospital. She’s in recovery. Alpha Johnny
made sure that one of your pack mates keeps an eye on her.” Axel
gestures for me to leave the room with him and I do. As we get to
the bottom floor, he grabs my shoulder and turns his voice into a
whisper.

“You need to make it right with
your bro. He’s losing his shit. Nixon is trying to keep him away
from everyone until he cools down, but you two need to make this
right. Angel is going to need both of you when she wakes up.” I’ve
never seen the man so serious before, he’s always making jokes and
taunting us with the friendship he has with Angel.

I nod my head, “I know
man… I know. Let me get all this blood off me and I’ll start making
things right…. Beginning with Talon.”

****

NIXON POV

Pushing against his chest, I’m
so grateful that he isn’t able to shift. I don’t think I’d be able
to control him if he was in full beast mode.

“You need to stop, Talon! Get
control of your wolf right-fucking-now!” I yell, shoving at his
chest again as I look into his black angry eyes, standing in the
back yard behind the main house. I had to get him out of the house
and away from Angel’s frail looking body. Looking at her, and
seeing Tyler covered in blood in the same room was only making him
more agitated.

“It’s all his fucking fault!
He’s such a selfish prick. He’s all take-take-take, everything he
wants he gets! I’m done with him!” Talon’s entire body is shaking,
a couple of people have even come outside to see what the commotion
is. He tries to duck past me again, but this time I tackle him to
the ground, holding the collar of his shirt and pushing him
down.

“I want to blame someone too,
Talon! I want to hurt him, make him hurt for what he’s put her
through! I want to hurt you just as bad for causing her pain, but
none of this is going to help Angel. None of it!” I yell so loud
that I feel my wolf close to the surface. I let out a deep breath
as I calm both him and I.

“It was a mistake, Talon. He
made a mistake, I assure you it’s one that will haunt him for the
rest of his life,” I say in a calmer voice.

“I was jealous of him, Nixon.”
He lets out a force laugh as he drops his head back on the grass.
“I’ve never been jealous of him… Ever. When I heard he broke
Angel’s heat… for once in my life I was jealous. Not because I
wanted to be her first or shit like that, but because he didn’t
deserve to take that from her. I knew how brutal the idiot could
be, she didn’t deserve that. I’m always the first to have his back,
Nixon. I’m always the first to forgive him, but this time…” He
shakes his head and his eyes turn watery. “…this time I don’t think
I can.”

“I know I’m to blame, brother.
It’s my fault she’s lying there and believe me, I know it.” At the
sound of Tyler’s voice, Talon’s body turns rigid underneath mine.
Letting out a deep growl, he pushes me off of him with such force I
land on my back a few feet away completely winded. As I try to
catch my breath, I watch as Talon bolts for Tyler. Tyler doesn’t
even budge, he just allows Talon to tackle him to the ground.
There’s an audience around us now, but no one intervenes. Talon
lands punch after punch in Tyler’s face. Tyler tries blocking and
wiggling out from underneath him, but Talon is on a war path.

I get on my feet needing to
stop the commotion.

“You don’t deserve her as a
mate. As soon as she’s awake, I’m gonna make sure we complete our
bond and she rejects your ass!” Talon says. His words enrage Tyler
because the next thing I know, Tyler is on top dishing out punches
to his brother who is now underneath him.