Red.
I smelled my mate's scent as we neared the old Crawford estate. Her wolf was getting stronger, even though the bond was still faint. I ran even faster, followed by Nate, Kendrick, and Teo. I needed to reach her, and when I did, I saw red. I was fuming at the sight before me. The motherfucker was hovering over her, and touching her while she is covered in blood, and gashes. I let out a shattering growl that made him look up, and before he could prepare himself, I lunged at him, shifting mid-way, and tore him off my mate. Arlon was terrified, but his wolf was angry by the way his eyes were flickering. I just what I needed. Growls and snarls resounded and found my men surrounding the other rogues.
We attacked at the same time, I was focused on my pry, biting and scratching him. Arlon was not a weak wolf but compared to me, he was weak. As the fight went on, I could tell strength was leaving him, despite that, he pushed harder, throwing me to the ground, but I got to my paws quickly. I wasn't seeing him right there, I was seeing a monster who needed to be ripped apart. The man who hurt my mate. Fur flew in the air as I grabbed him with my canines by the neck, throwing him around from tree to tree. I enjoyed every agony I caused him. His painful howl echoed through the forest as I tore him limp by limp, and I watched as realization dawned and horror took over his face. I bit down on his neck, and he struggled before stopping. He was dead.
I could still taste the metallic blood in my mouth, and his blood covered the ground. My senses were getting back to me now, and I staggered back as I shifted into my human form, running to my mate. Paramedics were attending to her, and Ella wrapped her neck in a bandage. I held her and kissed her, thanking every divinity that she was alive. Nalya was so cold, and tears burnt my eyes.
" Rhaegar, let go. We have to take her to the hospital," Ella said carefully. When I wasn't leaving, she gently put her hand on my shoulder.
" She'll get better sooner once we take her to the hospital,"
I kissed her forehead and released her to them. I hadn't noticed the other two bodies lying on the ground not far from me. One of them was Santos, I should have killed this fucker the first time.
" And that one?" I asked Kendrick, pointing at the whimpering bleeding man.
" Alpha Layth has a special score to settle with him," Nate smirked, kicking the man in the head. It must have been the man who hurt my mate's sister. I let my men handle the mess and followed the car my mate left in. I was at the hospital in ten minutes. Nadia, Kiyana, and Azura were there along with Nalya's other friends were there, it was a little crowded actually.
An hour later, I was still in the waiting room, my head in my hands, and begging for the door to open soon, but I was nervous to hear what the doctor would say. The more I stayed in that chair, the angrier I became, killing Arlon wasn't enough.
" Brother," Roma called me. I looked up at him, and he handed me a hot coffee, I couldn't drink it though. My eyes were stuck on the door to the room my beautiful mate was in, and when it opened, I flew up and approached Ella, we all did. My cousin looked tired, but her pitiful gaze was on me, I didn't like that at all.
" Speak," I ordered.
" She has been through a lot. A couple of broken ribs, an arm, inflammation, and she lost a lot of blood, we would need a transfer," she said and glanced at Kaley who nodded. A nurse took her away as Ella explained Nalya's condition to us, it wasn't good, but she will pull through. She was a strong girl.
I went past Ella to go to the room, and there she was, my mate was lying on the bed with machines hooked to her. She had scrapes all over her legs, and arms, and her eye was purple too. The doctors scattered and made way for me. I sat on the chair next to her and held her small hand in mine.
" I'm sorry for not protecting you, baby," I murmured, kissing her hand. I stayed there until Ella came in.
" She is stable now, and we managed to pump out the wolfsbane from her system," Ella was nervous. Wolfsbane is deadly to werewolves, and a certain amount of it can cause death which is why Nalya wasn't healing. Wolfsbane slows down the fast healing of shifters.
" D- did he -" I couldn't bring myself to say it. Ella looked nervous. She was watching me intently, and the longer it went on my heartbeat painfully. My wolf was whining in my head, scared that the bastard raped her.
" No, we conducted the test. He would have if you were late, she has finger cuts down... there," she said, and I stopped breathing. My poor mate had been through so much pain and hurt. I wanted to kill Arlon again. I was growling. Ella touched my arm to console me, but I shrugged her off.
" What else?"
" We are collecting Kaley's blood, and we'll do a transfer. I noticed she has some cuts on her skin, let's hope she won't get any infections,"
The blood transfusion was done an hour later, and everyone was kicked from the waiting area except Nadia and I. She had to push Clooney out because he was adamant about staying with her.
" You should go too," Nadia said quietly.
" No,"
" You need to wash up," she pointed at my clothes. I was dirty, and dry blood stuck to my skin. " Also, you have to check on Khai, poor boy hasn't stopped crying since last night. He misses you,"
She was right, Khai hadn't seen either of us in a long time. She hugged me, and I made my way to the packhouse. I was lost in my thoughts as I reached the packhouse, I needed to help Nalya get through what happened, it would be hard, but we'll get through it.
" Rhaegar," A soft voice called. I turned around and narrowed at the woman in front of me.