A sob rocked him, and he was unable to move.
Ulric's voice rose over the tumult, but Ezra didn't hear what he said.Rourke was a quiet shadow next to him as he cried.
People moved around him, but he didn't stir.He had no idea how much time passed--seconds, minutes, hours.He didn't know.His tears ran dry, but his body didn't stop shaking.
Silence settled, then he heard a familiar voice."We will take her now."
"Ezra."Rourke's hand gently squeezed his shoulder."Baby, come on.Let them take her."
Ezra raised his head and wiped his cheeks.Jazax met his gaze.Sorrow shone in his eyes, and he gave Ezra a short nod before bending and grabbing Shixyll's body.
Rourke pulled him into his arms."I'm so sorry, honey."He kissed his forehead and squeezed him hard.Ezra dug his fingers into his back and sobbed against Rourke's chest.He had no tears left, but it didn't stop the sobs from coming.
"You never told me she was your mother."
Ezra shrugged."She didn't want to be."
"Aww, sweetheart."Rourke rocked him.
* * * *
Rourke hugged Ezra and met Ulric's gaze over the blood-stained grass.He'd killed his mate's mother.How the fuck did you move on from that?
He hadn't known Shixyll was his mother.And what kind of mother ordered people to kill their child?He tightened his hold on Ezra.She deserved to die, but he wished it had been someone else who'd done it.
Tala walked closer."Are we heading back?"
Rourke nodded but didn't move.She patted Ezra's shoulder."I'm sorry for your loss, Ezra."She caught Rourke's gaze and grimaced.He sighed.Fuck.
"Babe, how bad off are you?I smell blood."
Ezra stirred and tilted his head to meet his eyes."Chest.It's okay, I think."
Rourke tugged at the hem of his shirt, carefully lifting the wet fabric from the skin.Ulric appeared by his side and looked alongside him.There was a gash where the skin had split open, but it would heal.There might be another scar, though.The last Shixyll ever gave him.
"We need to get home and get everyone bandaged up."Ulric didn't look away from Ezra's chest.His skin pebbled in the cold, but Rourke was reluctant to let go of the soaked shirt.
"Take my shirt instead."He undressed Ezra right there on the battlefield, then tore his own shirt off and put it on him.It was way too big, but at least it was dry.
"Are you well enough to walk, love?"He pulled Ezra close and kissed his forehead again.He didn't know what else to do.
"Yes, I'm fine."
Fine wasn't the word Rourke would use, but together they started walking in the direction of pack land.
"What's the verdict?"He glanced at Ulric who walked by their side.
"Cana was killed, Theron is badly off, split skin almost as bad as Jiprix--"
"You need to stop the bleeding."Ezra's voice was low."The fissures are most often shallow, but you can bleed out, and infection is a problem."
Rourke and Ulric shared a look, then Ulric spoke."We'll have him shift as often as he has the energy to.Shifting speeds up the healing, but it takes a lot of energy."
Ezra walked faster."Food, he'll need food."
Ulric smiled and nodded.
Rourke reached for Ezra and hefted him into his arms."Let's go home."Then he ran while carrying Ezra bridal style.Ulric kept pace with him as did several others.Geri and Farkas were still in wolf form and Rourke wondered how injured they were.Farkas had been burning, and Geri had been hit by Shixyll's curse too.
