Duane was one of the dominant three.He was the snake. He had to know something about Cierra’s whereabouts.
I gritted my teeth. He had to be the other voice. I raked my fingers through my hair. Finding him could wait. My mate needed me.
As angry and hurt as I was, he’d taken a beating to both his pride and his body because I’d fucked up and stepped onto another Alpha’s private land. Even as enraged as he made me, I didn’t want him to suffer. Not like this.
Without saying anything more, I spun toward the Clinic and shoved through the glass doors.
I beelined directly for the cushioned chairs in the waiting area, pacing the entirety of the room. There hadn’t been news, and the lady at the front desk was gone. I sighed, scrubbing my palms on my face.
Alex plopped on a chair, now wearing a pair of simple scrubs.
The doors leading to the back burst open.
“Luna, we need your help,” Melodie gasped. I was on my feet, running to her. “He’s going crazy. He keeps saying your name and trying to get up. He broke the strap holding him down. If we can’t get him under control, he’s going to harm himself even more.” She swiped the blood spilling from her nose.
My fingertips tingled with nerves. Instead of walking straight down the hall, Melodie took a sharp left upon going through two sets of swinging doors. She burst through and into the first section, divided by a curtain.
Lucian lay on the stretcher, his hand squeezing the life out of the thinner of the males, while the bigger one yanked and pulled at him. The frayed straps of the restraints lay in tatters.
“Lucian,” I shouted. He jolted like he’d been struck. A burst of speed had me at the bigger man’s side, struggling to pull at his arm. Lucian snarled, his feverish gaze turning to spear the bigger guy, his lip curling. He kept focusing on the men. The bigger guy bumped me with his struggle against Lucian.
I had to do something. Fast.
I climbed onto the bed, crawling up until my knees straddled his thigh, and I grabbed his face.
My fingers dug into his stiff, clenched jaw.
“Lucian!” He whipped his head toward me. His bloodshot eyes were glazed and unfocused. He wasn’there.
I squeezed his jaw.
“Lucian.” He shivered, and his eyes focused in that split second. His eyebrows furrowed, and his shaking hand settled on my arm. Though his mouth moved, nothing came out, as if he’d run out of fuel.
Melodie moved at his side, injecting him quickly.
He snarled and turned to face her, but he was too slow. She avoided his grip, and I pushed on his arm, but I needn’t worry; he swayed. I grabbed his shoulder before he toppled off the bed. He struggled to keep his eyes open.
The large guy helped me lay him back.
“Hopefully that’s enough to keep him knocked out.” Melodie swiped the sweat from her temple. “He woke up while we were giving him a dose, and he wasn’t fazed.”
The curtains rustled.
The pack doctor approached, but I couldn’t see what she was doing because Melodie stepped in front of me. Her arm went around my side, and she shuffled me away.
“They’ll take care of him, Luna,” she murmured. “Let me take a look at you.” Her gaze was focused on my mouth. I slid my tongue across my lower lip. The tang of blood spread on my tongue.
“I’m fine.” I moved to the side and out of her grip. She reached for my arm and stopped midway.
“Are you sure?”
“Just take care of Lucian,” I said and strode away. I pushed through the swinging doors and stopped in the short hall before the nurses station. Backing up until I was flush against the wall, I exhaled. This was all so much. My heart continued to gallop, hands trembling on my thighs. I exhaled shakily and slid down until my ass hit the rubber floor. Goose bumps raised on my skin, but I couldn’t feel anything. Even my fingertips were numb. I breathed shakily, and it came out as a sob.
Every strike at Lucian’s body was ingrained in my memory. He’d known it wouldn’t be safe for him to go, but he’d still shown up. My lip wouldn’t stop trembling. The suffocating pressure settled on my chest. How could he have done that? Why?
Fuck, I knew why, I just didn’t like the answer. His actions didn’t fit with the narrative I’d been building in order to keep my distance. His selfless act . . . He’d tried to make me feel better even as he bled.
Tears trickled out from the corner of my eyes, and I swiped them away with the back of my hand.
