Chapter 134
Chapter 134
72 – Ryker
We headed directly to my room without hesitation. There was no question of letting her be alone now, or ever again. After last night and waking up beside her this morning, the thought of separation was unbearable. My wolf whimpered softly, sensing her fragile state, and I fought to silence him. I needed to be strong for her, to protect her, because my wolf was powerless in this situation.
“Remove her clothes, Alpha,” our lead healer instructed firmly as she entered the room. “She needs to be warmed up immediately. Get her under the covers, now p>
I didn’t hesitate for a second. Bennet stepped forward to help, but my wolf growled low and warningly, still convinced there was some romantic tension between them. I caught the hurt in Bennet’s eyes, but I couldn’t afford distractions—not now.
“Greta, please assist,” the healer said without waiting for a reply. Every ounce of our attention had to be on keeping her alive. I glanced at the healer, desperate for any guidance. “What else can I do p>
“It would help—and speed things up-if she was marked,” she replied.
I shook my head vehemently. “No. We still don’t know if it will harm her. I won’t risk making things worse.” Sliding onto my bed, I let the healer and Greta wrap us both in blankets. I curled onto my side, pulling her close to my chest, her ear resting against the steady beat of my heart. Her cheeks remained icy cold. I pressed a gentle kiss to the top of her head, breathing in the faint, sweet scent she carried. “Come on, baby, fight. Please. We need you. I need you,” I whispered softly into her hair.
“Boss,” Bennet said, raising his hands in surrender, and I shot him a sharp look. “Could you make her pack? I know we don’t have any information on mates yet, but humans have been part of our pack’s history before. To be included in the lineage, they had to be pack members.” He turned toward the healer. “Could that connection help p>
“I don’t see why not,” she answered thoughtfully. “Given her current contact, she should be able to heal faster from the incision.” Read complete versıon only at.net
“Can we do that without moving her?” I asked cautiously, reluctant to try anything uncertain.
“We can have you sit up and maintain your position,” the healer said. “It would give her the strength of the pack to aid healing. I believe we should try it, Alpha p>
I took a deep breath, steadying myself as her scent washed over me. “Alright. Let’s try p>
For the next hour, the healer and Greta administered fluids while my mother, Josh, Bennet, and Danny prepared the ritual to make her a pack member. I simply held my mate close as the controlled chaos unfolded around us. Her breathing became less strained, and she seemed to slip into a peaceful sleep, curled protectively around me like I was her teddy bear. But I wouldn’t be satisfied until those striking ice-blue eyes opened and looked up at me.
I closed my eyes, feeling her warmth against me, replaying everything since she arrived everything my team had shared, Robin’s words, my mother’s insights. She was strong, stubborn even, my perfect Luna—except she was human and so fragile. That reality was hard to accept. She couldn’t mindlink, and I refused to let her enter any fight willingly. Vulnerable as she was, I felt helpless, unable to find a solution for once in my life.
“We’re ready, Alpha,” Josh’s voice pulled me back from the spiral of worry. I opened my eyes, breaking free from the negative thoughts that had been circling around Kennedy’s condition.
I shifted into a more comfortable sitting position. She was straddling me, pressed tightly chest to chest. Under any other circumstances and without an audience-l would have been thrilled by the closeness. But now, I kept her face nestled into my neck and under my chin, her right arm wrapped around my waist to keep as much of her covered as possible. My mother gently lifted her left hand and extended her palm toward the elder who had joined us. I double-checked every inch of her exposed skin was covered before we began.
The ceremony was swift, or as swift as it could be with someone unresponsive. At least she didn’t have to repeat anything back for it to take effect. The elder placed a silver knife in my right hand while my mother steadied Kennedy’s left for me to make the incision. The elder made the same cut on my palm. The moment our blood mingled, I felt a powerful surge of connection flow through us.
Kennedy gasped deeply, her fingers tightening around mine like a live wire stuck to me. I turned our hands so I could kiss the back of hers, then tucked it against my chest, not caring about the blood smearing. Her eyes remained closed, but her body heat rose instantly, and color began to return to her cheeks.
Josh said he was going to get an update on the rogues they’d captured and see if he could extract any useful information. Greta and Danny headed off to their patrols, promising to check on the injured teen and update me soon. The elder and healer packed up to leave, with the healer promising to return once more tonight and again in the morning to monitor Kennedy’s condition. Bennet pulled up a chair and slumped back, and I couldn’t even bring myself to ask him to leave. He was hurting almost as much as I was over her state. My mother said she would have food brought up for us.
I sat there quietly, holding Kennedy close, feeling the weight of the moment settle around us. The room was still except for her soft breaths and the faint hum of concern from those who cared for us both. In this fragile, uncertain time, I vowed silently to protect her with everything I had.