by Cheree Alsop
“J-Jericho,” he forced out.
A reassuring hand gripped his arm.
“We’ve got him,” Jaze said, his voice gentle. “He’s coming home, too.”
Alex felt himself be set on the floor of the helicopter. He tried to move and another stabbing pain shot through his chest. His back arched as he fought to draw in breath.
“The other lung!” Kaynan said.
A force slammed into his chest. He drew a sharp breath and the drowning sensation lessened. Despite the voices repeating his name, Alex couldn’t keep awake. His muscles relaxed and he gave into the embrace of darkness.
***
The beeping that filled Alex’s ears when he awoke was disorienting. Images raced through his mind and he couldn’t figure out when or where he was. He thought he and Siale had just been freed from the body pit, then memories of awakening in the cage with Dr. Kamala watching him sent shudders down his spine that turned into shivers from cold. But werewolves weren’t supposed to get cold. Alex realized he was kneeling in the snow with a body in his arms. Each tear that fell from his eyes turned to icicles before they hit the ground and shattered into a million pieces.
The memories changed. Alex was kneeling on the forest floor and another body lay in front of him. He clutched something in his hand so hard it cut into his skin. Alex opened his hand and looked down at the ring. Jericho had meant to propose to Cherish. The Alpha was in love with a human who loved him back just as much. It was beautiful. It was lost.
Alex opened his eyes. The room was dark. The steady beeping near his head let him know that he was hooked up to monitors. He took a slow breath to keep his heartbeat measured so as not to alarm his mom. He needed a minute to think things through.
Jericho was gone. Drogan’s Demons had killed another of his friends, another werewolf who could never be replaced and who had been torn out of the life he deserved to live.
Alex rubbed his eyes. His head ached. He couldn’t remember when it had ever hurt so badly. He tried to sit up, but movement made pain flood through his lungs with such knife-edged agony he could barely breathe.
Alex pulled the hospital gown down far enough to see his chest. The light of the moon that spilled through the window revealed bruises splayed all down his torso. He could tell with the simple movement that worse bruising covered his back. He wondered how many ribs he had broken. Perhaps jumping off a building and crashing through trees before landing on his back on the forest floor had been a bad idea. He hadn’t been able to save Jericho.
Alex ignored the pain and pushed up slowly. Sitting made the stabbing pain worse. Alex gave up sitting and slid his feet to the tiled floor of the medical wing of the Academy he knew very well. It was both a relief and a humbling experience to stand there because even though it took some pressure off the breathing, standing made him realize how very weak he was.
He ran his hand along the bed.
“Alex?”
Instead of jumping and spinning in the defensive moves Chet had trained into his muscle memory, Alex took a shallow breath and turned. The sight of Siale crossing to him made his knees weak. Alex caught her in a hug so fast she gasped in surprise and he gasped in pain.
Siale stepped back.
“Are you okay?” she asked worriedly.
Alex nodded breathlessly. “I should have thought that through.”
“Can I help you sit down?”
He shook his head. “Sitting hurts.”
“You should be lying down in bed. Your mother isn’t going to be very happy with you,” Siale told him. The little furrow formed between her eyebrows. “Really, Alex. You’re going to fall over.”
“Give me a moment,” he asked softly.
At her nod, Alex closed his eyes. He focused on the moonlight that fell across his left side. The touch of the moon was cool and reassuring like a blanket woven from the night. Alex pictured the moonlight flowing into his skin, healing and repairing wherever it went. When his image of the moonlight reached his chest, he willed his lungs to fill completely. There was pain, but Alex felt better able to handle it. His headache lessened with the surge of oxygen. Alex pulled in another breath, then another. He opened his eyes to find Siale watching him.
“Is that better?” he asked.
“Yes,” she replied with a hint of surprise. “It is.”
Alex turned back to the bed. He lifted the blanket and searched along the white sheet.
“What are you looking for?” Siale asked him.
“The ring. I think I dropped it,” Alex replied. He fought back a feeling of panic when he realized the ring wasn’t there.
He was ready to tear apart the entire room to look when Siale said, “I’ve got Jericho’s ring.”
Alex let out a breath of relief and hid a wince. He leaned against the wall in an effort to regain some of the precious strength he had expended. Siale held the small gold circle on her palm. The diamond winked like a star caught in the first light on the horizon, simple, beautiful, and exactly what Alex pictured Cherish wearing.
He reached for it. “I’m taking it to her.”
Siale stiffened and closed her hand. “No, you’re not. There’s no way you can go anywhere in this shape.”
A surge of frustration filled Alex. “Yes, I am. Jericho asked me to.” He pulled the IV from his wrist and detached the monitors.
“Then wait until you’re feeling better.”
Alex shook his head. “I can’t. I need to let Cherish know what happened.”
“We can call her,” Siale urged. She set a hand on his arm. “Alex, you shouldn’t go anywhere like this. Meredith said you had a double pneumothorax. Both of your lungs collapsed because you broke so many ribs in your fall and they punctured your lungs. You’re healing, but it could happen again if you don’t give yourself time to rest.”
Alex shook his head. He could see Jericho’s pleading gaze when he asked Alex to take the ring to Cherish.
“I’m going,” Alex said. He took two steps and his legs gave out.
Siale caught his arm before he hit the ground. The jolt was so sharp Alex almost growled.
“Let me go,” he demanded.
He yanked his arm from her grasp with more force than was necessary. With sheer strength of will, Alex walked through the door. He slammed his hand on the panel across the hall and the door slid aside. Alex stepped into the darkness.
Chapter Twenty
It took much longer than it should have for Alex to reach the secondary vehicle storage room Trent used as his private workshop. He felt horrible for the way he had spoken to Siale, but the drive to fulfill his promise to Jericho kept one foot in front of the other. By the time the door slid open, Alex was gasping for breath.
Alex took two steps into the room, then had to steady himself against a table.
“Are you really planning to ride a motorcycle in your condition?”
Alex’s head jerked up and he stared at Siale.
“How did you get here?” he forced out. He put a hand to his side to stop the throbbing of his ribs.
She gave him an empathetic look. “I’ve been here for almost ten minutes. I thought you might have changed your mind. Besides, you forgot the ring.” She opened her hand to show him the ring she still held.
Her words stole a bit of Alex’s bravado. He leaned against the table and crossed his arms gingerly in front of his chest.
“I promised him.” His words were quiet but the emotions they stirred in him made him clench his hands into fists.
Siale crossed to him and, without speaking, put her arms around him. He bowed his head against her. He didn’t cry. It was enough to know that she felt his pain and she shared it; in the end, she understood.
“I’ll drive,” Siale said after several minutes had passed.
Alex cracked a smile. “You’ll drive what?”
Siale pointed at the tarp Trent had put over Alex’s motorcycle. “I’ll drive your bike.”
Alex stared at her. “Uh, you’
re kidding, right?”
Siale gave a little laugh Alex would have found endearing except for the fact that she was completely serious. “Give me a chance,” she said.
She walked to the motorcycle, leaving Alex to watch her pull off the tarp and run a hand across the paint.
“It’s pretty.” At Alex’s exasperated look, she smiled. “Come on, Alex. I’m teasing. It’s a very manly bike. It’s a bit bigger than the one Trent taught me on, but I think I can handle it.” Her smile faded and seriousness took over her tone. “You want to give Cherish the ring, and you can’t ride in your condition. Trent gave me a few lessons. Trust me, okay?” She picked up the spare helmet and strapped it on.
Alex crossed to the bike. He eyed Siale. “You asked Trent to give you a few lessons?”
Siale met Alex’s gaze. “I know how important your motorcycle is to you. If you ever wanted me to, I had to make sure I could go with you.”
All of the fight left Alex. He watched Siale as he spoke. “I know there are things I’ve done that have left you out. I guess I didn’t realize how much that bothered you.”
She gave him a small smile. “I know you have things you need to do.” She hesitated, then said, “I guess I just hope that eventually I can be a part of them all.”
Alex realized there was no choice if he was going to keep from hurting her. He nodded. “Let’s go.”
Siale grinned and attempted to buckle her helmet. Alex watched her failed attempts for a few seconds before he caught her hands in his.
“Let me help you.”
She watched him wordlessly as he pushed the strap through the ring, looped it back, and pulled it to ensure it was snug before he buttoned the strap down.
The look in her eyes showed how grateful she was that he agreed to let her come along. It ate at him that it meant so much to her.
“How’s that?” he asked quietly.
“Perfect,” she replied.
Before he could repeat his apology for leaving her out, she rose up on her tiptoes and kissed him on the nose.
“Let’s go,” she then said with an air of command.
Siale swung her leg over the motorcycle and pulled the bike straight. It took her a second to get the kickstand up, but when she did, she gave him a confident nod.
Alex fought back a smile and climbed gingerly onto the back.
“This is a first for me,” he said.
She glanced at him over the shoulder.
“Being the passenger,” he explained. “I’ve never ridden on the back.”
“Then you better hold on,” she answered.
She handed him his helmet from where it hung on the handle. He buckled it on with surprising difficulty. Pride kept him from admitting that lifting his arms to the straps was painful enough to make him wonder if he had punctured at least one lung again. By the time he was settled, he was struggling to breathe.
Siale let out a small breath as she reached for the starter. Alex realized she was nervous. He leaned closer to her.
“That’s it. Hold in the clutch.” A smile spread across his face at the rumble of the engine. He wondered how he had gone so long without riding. “Okay,” he continued. “Rev the gas. Easy on the clutch. It’s a bit touchy, but once you get used to it, this will be the best motorcycle you’ve ever ridden.”
Siale drove carefully across the floor. Alex hit the button Trent had placed within easy reach and the garage door slid up. They rode into the courtyard.
“Wha-who is driving Alex’s bike?” Trent’s voice demanded over the headsets.
Alex chuckled, then winced at the pain. “It’s me, Trent.”
“Alex?” Trent replied, his tone shocked. “How, I mean, when, I mean, I didn’t think you’d be out of bed yet.”
“He shouldn’t be,” Siale replied. “But he’s stubborn.”
Trent let out a relieved sigh and said, “Siale, I’m glad you’re with him. Who knows what he’s up to?”
“I’m right here,” Alex reminded them.
“It’s okay, Trent. Thank you for being such a good friend,” Siale said. “Would you mind opening the gate?”
“For you, no problem,” Trent answered.
“Would it have been a problem for me?” Alex asked.
“Yes,” Trent and Siale replied at the same time.
Alex shook his head, but he couldn’t fight back a small smile at the actions of the people who cared about him.
“We’re going to Cherish’s,” Siale told Trent. “I don’t know when we’ll be back.”
“Thanks for letting me know. At least somebody keeps me posted on what’s happening,” Trent replied pointedly.
“I let you know,” Alex protested.
“Before or after you’re gone?” Trent queried.
“Uh, after,” Alex replied. “There’s no reason to tell you before. What if I change my mind?”
“Has that ever happened?”
“No,” Alex admitted.
The gate opened and Siale drove the motorcycle through.
“Thanks, Trent,” she said.
“You’re welcome, Siale. Be careful, both of you.”
“We will,” she promised.
Alex could feel Siale’s tension as she drove the motorcycle down the small road.
“Don’t fight it,” he said. “Loosen your grip and listen. The engine will tell you what it needs.”
Siale’s shoulders relaxed and the roar of the engine fell into a comfortable growl. Alex leaned into the turns. With each movement, he had to bite back making any sound at the pain. He knew he should have waited another day or so for his body to heal, but he had never been one to hesitate a decision.
“Relax.”
Siale’s voice was soft within the sound of the engine and the hum of the road beneath the tires.
“What?” Alex asked.
He could hear the smile in his fiancé’s voice when she replied, “I can hear how much you’re hurting when you breathe. Relax. Lean against me. I’m stronger than you think I am.”
Alex fought back a wry grin. He thought he had been doing so well at pretending to be fine.
The road leveled out after the forest. The moonlight, now unfiltered by the trees, settled on Alex’s shoulders like a cloak. The moonlight was strong; the full moon was only a few days away. Alex felt the light seep into his skin, encouraging his body to heal. Alex let his breath out slowly and gave in to Siale’s words.
He slipped his arms around her waist. Siale’s hand came off the brake and rested on his for a moment. Alex leaned his head on her shoulder, his helmet touching hers. With another outlet of breath, Alex willed his muscles to relax. He hadn’t realized just how much pain he had been causing himself by sitting up so straight. The release of tension seeped out of him and was replaced by the warmth and exhaustion of healing. Alex closed his eyes.
After blissful hours of darkness, Alex found himself on the building of D Block. The Demons were forcing their way through the door. Alex ran toward Jericho, but his legs stuck to the roof like glue. It pulled at his feet, slowing him while the Demons tore his friend and Alpha apart. Alex fought with every ounce of his strength, but he couldn’t get free. Jericho was being flayed in front of his eyes.
“Jericho!”
Alex jerked awake. Siale’s hand on his arm kept him from falling off the motorcycle. Night had changed to day while Alex slept. The warmth of the sun bathed him as they rode.
“It’s alright,” she reassured him. “You’re with me. We’re on our way to Cherish’s.”
“I failed him.”
Siale shook her head. “I saw the entire thing from the helicopter camera. You didn’t fail him. You did everything you could to save him. If it wasn’t for you, Trent would be dead, too.” She paused, then said, “Alex, you jumped off a building to save Jericho. You did everything you possibly could have to help him come home alive.”
Alex asked the question that plagued him. “How do we tell Cherish?”
Siale’s
hand tightened on his. “We do it together.”
The silence that surrounded them was comfortable and warm. Alex had jumped off a building. He could have died as easily as Jericho except for the Demon that ran through his veins. He didn’t know what it was or where it came from, but now there were still at least eight of them loose and terrorizing the land.
Trent’s voice came over the headsets.
“Siale, you still awake?”
“Yes,” Siale answered, her tone warm. “Thanks for checking.”
“I am, too,” Alex said. “Just in case you wanted to know.”
Trent chuckled. “I didn’t want to ask in case you were getting some much-needed sleep. Your mom asked about you, by the way. I think she’s a little tired of finding your hospital bed empty. I told her you were with Siale, so she’s not too worried. But try to get some more sleep if you can. I built you a smooth-riding motorcycle and then taught your fiancé how to drive it for a reason.”
“Thanks,” Alex replied.
Trent’s tone became serious. “Now for why I called. The GPA has been sifting through the rubble that was once D Block; they found pieces of four Demons.” He paused, then said, “As well as Drogan’s hand.”
Alex’s stomach tightened. “Are they sure it’s his?”
“We just received DNA confirmation,” Trent replied. “They’re saying he’s dead. You did it, Alex.”
Alex shook his head. “You and Mouse did it,” he said numbly. “And I’m glad. Good job.”
“Same to you.” Alex could hear the sadness in the little werewolf’s voice when Trent concluded, “Please tell Cherish I’m sorry about Jericho. Kaynan and Grace are with Mrs. Hunt making preparations. The funeral will be in two days.”
“I’ll let her know,” Alex answered his friend. “Thanks for everything, Trent.”
“Have a safe trip, you two.”
“We will,” Siale said.
After a few minutes of silence, Siale was the one who broke it. “I don’t believe the GPA.”
