Chapter Forty-Six
Amelie
I fling myself down over Onyx’s lifeless body, the only thing in the clearing. Bastian is long gone, but I don’t give a shit. Onyx is my only focus.
He isn’t moving, isn’t breathing...nothing. His skin is deathly pale and dread creeps up my spine and steals my breath. My own heart stops beating as fear grasps it and squeezes.
This can’t be happening.
I shouldn’t have left to try to get help. I should have stayed by his side and fought with him. He was fine when I left. I swear he had the upper hand. He told me to go! He was so damn confident. Too confident.
Now he’s hurt, possibly even dead.
Frantically, I scramble to grab his wrist, trying to find a pulse. But I can’t.
“Help!” I scream until my throat is raw. “Somebody please help us!”
“There are ambulances on the way. We’ll make sure he gets one.” I look up into eyes so like Onyx’s, I do a double take. I didn’t even notice anyone in the clearing with me.
Blinking to clear my vision, I’m able to focus on the entire face in front of me. It’s not him. Obviously, I know that, but my brain isn’t functioning properly right now. I’ve never been so afraid in my life, and as I look into the terrified eyes of Onyx’s twin, I realise that I’m not the only one.
Slate’s fear mingles with a dreadful kind of resignation. Like he’s already gone.
“No!” I scream at him, right in his face. He doesn’t even flinch. “Don’t you dare give up on him!”
Kalen and Sawyer race into the clearing where I stand, and I witness the same kind of desperate hopelessness mirrored in their expressions too.
I know that they are injured. But my brain refuses to register why. I just can’t bring myself to care about anything other than the boy bleeding out on the floor in front of me.
“Fuck off! He can’t die. Not now!”
I race to start CPR, not even knowing if I’m doing it right or not. Why aren’t they helping me? Why are they just watching? Where the fuck is the fucking ambulance?
“Onyx, I forgive you, okay?! On, please don’t die on me!” Helpless sobs wrack my entire body and hot angry tears stream down my face.
If I wasn’t so absolutely terrified of losing him, I’d be incandescent with rage. Why did I hold a grudge? Why didn’t I just accept his apology and move on? Why didn’t I fully forgive him, trust him, sooner?
Deep down, I knew he’d never hurt me, so why couldn’t I just let it go?
Distant sirens get louder as they approach, but I can’t comprehend anything other than Onyx’s prone form stretchedout in front of me. Bile churns in my stomach and all I can focus on is the 30:2 ratio. Don’t die. I’m frantically counting. Don’t die. Pressing down on his chest with my entire body weight. Don’t die. Pausing only to administer two rescue breaths. Don’t die. Repeating the process all over again.
“Don’t you dare fucking die on me you stubborn asshole! Don’t...you...dare…”
“Thank you, Miss, we can take it from here.” A professional, calm sounding voice startles me out of my rhythm and I reluctantly allow the two paramedics in front of me to take over. I struggle to my feet and make it two steps away from them before my knees give out and I crash to the ground.
“Amelie, baby…”
I whip around and snarl at Kalen.
“Don’t! Don’t call me that. Only Onyx can.”
“Amelie, he’s…”
“Fuck off! He’s not gone! He can’t be.”
“We need to get him to the hospital. Who’s his next of kin? We need details. One of you should ride in the ambulance with us. The rest of you can follow and meet us there.”
“I will!” We all call at once.
