Chapter 35

Hayley

“Aurora, we’re just trying to help Lily,” Jax says, his voice gentle. It’s been over ten minutes since the attack ended, but Aurora’s still on edge. She’s been so alone, so cut off from everyone, that she doesn’t trust anyone anymore.

She’s like I used to be. She sees everyone as a threat, someone out to hurt what she considers our pup. She doesn’t even trust me, her other half. She thinks I’m crazy for trusting these people.

Even though I’ve told her these people are our pack, that they’d never hurt us, she won’t listen.

A few of the uninjured members have started to circle us, which only makes Aurora more nervous. She doesn’t want an audience from every direction.

Jax has been trying to get me back in control, but Aurora is stronger than I am, especially when she’s this upset. It’s a scary thing when even your mate can’t calm you down.

That’s when you know something terrible has happened.

Aurora hears a footstep behind her and instantly spins around, growling at the intruder.

Tom, the pack doctor, walks forward steadily, one hand holding what looks like a medical bag and the other raised in the air, showing he means no harm.

He’s putting himself in danger; he knows that Aurora could attack him at any moment because she’s not thinking straight, but he’s willing to take that risk to save another member.

But Aurora doesn’t get it. She sees him as the enemy. Aurora takes a bold step towards Tom. If he comes any closer, she’ll attack him and tear him apart.

I silently pray Tom doesn’t move. I couldn’t live with myself if she kills him.

“If you don’t let me help her now, she will die,” Tom pleads. That’s it. The growls coming from my mouth stop, and Aurora takes a step back as if she’s been punched in the gut.

Reality finally hits her. She realizes she’s the one stopping Lily from being saved. She’s causing Lily to die. “You can watch everything I do, just let me heal her. I don’t want her to suffer any more than she has to,” Tom continues, hoping he’s not pushing his luck.

To show that she agrees to his terms, she trots back over to Lily and bares her teeth at everyone except Tom. She’s in charge and she wants everyone to know it.

Nervously, Tom moves closer, still with one hand raised until he reaches us.

We stand protectively over Lily’s unconscious body while Aurora holds back her growls of disapproval. This isn’t easy for her.

Trusting another man when all she’s known from them is pain and harm. She’s never had a day where someone treated her with any kind of respect, so now she does the same.

I have to give her some credit for not going crazy on the pack and killing everyone in sight, even though she’s thinking about it.

Tom crouches down until he’s next to Lily, never taking his eyes off mine. Smart man.

After a few tense seconds, Aurora cautiously steps back, giving Tom enough room to see the damage to Lily’s torn-off right arm, and only then does he look at her still body.

Very carefully he leans closer to Lily and places his bag next to him. I don’t think anything in that small bag will be able to help Lily, but Aurora lets him do what he does best.

“I need to get Lily to the hospital immediately. Her wolf won’t be able to heal such severe damage quickly enough, so I need to seal it before she loses any more blood,” Tom mutters to himself, but with my new heightened senses, I hear it loud and clear.

“I need a stretcher to take her there. Can someone please go get me a stretcher?” Tom asks calmly.

Not understanding what Tom has just said means someone has to move, she starts to panic when she hears movement behind her.

Not knowing who it is, she assumes it’s an enemy and does the first thing that comes to mind: Attack.

Aurora lunges towards her opponent, ready to kill. I start screaming when I realize that the person she’s attacking is Jax. My mate. Her mate. But she doesn’t care.

He’s a threat who’s trying to stop Lily from getting healed. I know Jax would never hurt Lily, he’d want what’s best for her, but Aurora doesn’t know this.

Luckily, Jax shifts before we can reach him and dodges our attack. Spinning around, she lunges at him again, her mouth wide open, teeth bared, ready to sink them into Aaron’s fur.

But she’s too slow compared to her experienced mate.

As if it was nothing, as if it was easy, Aaron pins us belly down, holding our scruff between his teeth, showing that he’s in charge. He doesn’t bite hard enough to cause any pain, but enough to stop our jerky movements.

The Alpha doesn’t like being challenged by anyone, even his mate. Aaron shifts back to human form, giving Jax control. “Aurora, calm down. I don’t want to hurt you, I just want Hayley in charge. Can you please give Hayley control? For me?”

Aurora slowly realizes he’s not like the other men she’s met in her life. She expected him to beat her mercilessly for her actions, but his soft tone has confused her. She can’t understand that not everyone will hurt her because that’s all she’s ever known.

Eventually, Aurora gives control back to me, as she retreats into the back of my mind and reevaluates her deep-seated beliefs. She doesn’t fully trust him, but she accepts that he won’t hurt us.

“Shift back, Hayley. Everything is alright. It’s okay,” Jax reassures me, releasing my scruff.

Following Jax’s orders, I shift back, feeling the agonizing pain again, something I’ll have to get used to until it’s just a dull ache, but that will take time and practice.

I return to my human form and stand on my shaky legs; I try to ignore the new imbalance I feel. Shifting between two different bodies is not easy. “I’m so sorry, Jax. I didn’t mean to attack you. Aurora saw you as a threat and attacked. I didn’t know...”

I’m babbling, my hands trembling as I raise them in defense. Jax steps closer, his body heat radiating towards me despite the chilly air. He gently takes my hands, his gaze filled with concern. He’s worried I might lose control again.

“You don’t need to apologize, sweetheart. I’m sorry if we hurt you,” he murmurs, his fingers gently massaging the back of my neck, easing the tension that had built up there. I glance around, suddenly aware of our audience, and find everyone looking at the ground.

I don’t get it until I realize they’re avoiding looking at my naked body. Just in time, Axton walks over, handing me an oversized t-shirt while keeping his gaze firmly on the floor. I quickly pull it on, then turn back to Lily.

In the time since I’d attacked Jax, someone had fetched a stretcher. Lily now lies on it, her face devoid of life. To anyone else, she’d look dead, but her faint heartbeat still echoes in the air, a testament to her fight.

Breaking away from Jax, I rush over to Lily, wanting her to know I’m there, even though she’s unconscious.

“We need to get her to the hospital,” Tom says, looking at Jax and Axton. They lift either end of the stretcher, carrying Lily towards the hospital while I walk beside them, holding Lily's remaining hand.

Once we reach the hospital, Tom takes Lily into a separate room, despite my protests.

I’m not sure what he’s doing in there, but I can only guess he’s trying to stop the bleeding and keep her heart beating.

After what feels like an eternity, my anxiety at its peak, Tom and a nurse wheel Lily out on a medical bed and take her into another room. Lily lies still, her arm missing and her skin deathly pale. Her once rosy cheeks are now washed out.

“Jax, can I have a word with you,” Tom says as the nurse adjusts the monitors connected to Lily.

Keeping my eyes on my fragile pup, I listen to the conversation between them as they step out of the room.

“The tear was severe. As you saw, it’s just under her shoulder. I’ve smoothed the bone so soft tissue and muscle can cover and protect it.

“I’ve stitched up the wound and bandaged it. I’ll come back to change it later. She’s not out of the woods yet, but I’ll do everything I can to keep her alive.” There’s a pause before he continues.

“To be honest, I’m surprised she’s alive after losing so much blood. Poor girl,” Tom murmurs. I can’t imagine how any doctor can handle all this so bravely. They deserve so much more recognition.

“She won’t die, will she?” Jax asks, echoing my thoughts. Either he sensed my question or he was thinking the same thing.

“I can’t make any promises, but I believe she’ll have a good life. Over time, she’ll learn to adapt to her new body. It won’t stop her from living a normal life,” Tom reassures.

My main worry was her losing her life. I’ll help Lily in every way I can with her new condition, but I’ll make sure she knows she’s loved and that she should continue to live her life to the fullest.

“Most patients who lose a limb struggle with mental health issues, like depression and PTSD. She’ll need a strong support system, which I'm sure you and your mate can provide.”

“Absolutely. Thank you, Tom,” Jax responds. As the nurse leaves, Jax walks back into the room and over to where Lily and I are. He gives my shoulder a comforting squeeze, then leans over me to place a gentle kiss on Lily’s forehead.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t protect you, little one,” he whispers before standing back up. He then buries his face into the crook of my neck, seeking comfort. Everyone needs to be comforted at some point in their life, even the strongest among us.

“I'm guessing you heard all of that,” Jax murmurs. I nod slowly, standing up from my chair to be closer to my mate. In this room, we let our emotions flow freely, without fear of judgment.

“Lily is getting bullied at school by other pups... just because she doesn’t have any parents. I promised I wouldn’t let anyone hurt her again, and now look. I failed,” I sob into Jax’s chest.

He strokes my hair soothingly as he says, “It’s not your fault, Hayley. I shouldn’t have left Rose’s phone. None of this is your fault.” He’s trying to shoulder all the blame. But I won’t let him.

“If it’s not my fault, then it’s not yours either,” I insist. “I mean it, Jax. You can’t blame yourself for other people’s actions.” I pull back to look into Jax’s eyes, wanting him to understand.

“How are you doing? I mean, you had your first official shift after all these years, how are you coping?” he asks, changing the subject.

Going along with it, I tell him the truth. “Exhausted. Everything is happening so fast. Lily. My shift. The attack. Aurora being on edge doesn’t help, it’s making me feel agitated. Everything is so...clear. Like I’ve been blind my whole life, and I’m only now seeing everything for the first time.”

“I’m so proud of you, sweetheart. I can't imagine what you're going through. You're handling everything so bravely,” he says sincerely.

A comforting silence fills the room as we hold each other. The silence is broken only by my stomach growling loudly. “You must be hungry, let me get you some food,” Jax says, pulling away.

Despite my protests, he continues, “You haven’t eaten much, baby. Lily would want you to eat something.” He knows exactly what to say to get me to agree.

Jax exits the room with a quiet “Fine,” and gently shuts the door behind him. Not long after, there’s a soft knock. I sniff the air to identify the visitor before inviting them in.

Rose’s voice is a whisper. “How’s she doing?”

I let out a deep sigh before answering, “She’s a fighter. Tom thinks she’ll probably pull through...but she’s still critical. He’s keeping a close watch.” My gaze stays fixed on Lily, afraid she’ll vanish if I look away. Rose comes over and gently takes Lily’s frail hand in hers.

“Did you know she was being bullied at school?” I ask, my voice heavy with exhaustion. It’s a question that’s been nagging at me since Lily confessed about the bullying.

“Yes,” Rose sighs before continuing. “I did everything I could to make it stop, but they just kept on. I even talked to their parents, hoping they’d rein in their kids, but they didn’t believe me. They thought I was making it up for some reason.

“Every time Lily ran off, I’d panic because I wouldn’t be there to protect her if something happened. And Lily has a knack for disappearing,” she adds with a chuckle, as if recalling fond memories of the two of them.

“She’s had such a hard life, and she’s still so young,” I whisper. Rose nods in agreement.

Rose starts to fidget, like she’s nervous about saying something. Finally, she gathers her courage and says, “Hayley, there’s something I need to tell you. When the matebond let me see into Luke’s mind, I saw...something.

“I thought you should know that your mom and Luke were more than just friends. They didn’t mate, but they were definitely close. I saw a memory of your mom saying she never felt loved by your dad, and Luke was there to comfort her.

“Things got heated after a while, and she and Luke became intimate. I don’t think your dad ever knew about the affair.” I’m at a loss for words. My mom cheated on my dad with that pig. “I didn’t want to upset you, Hayley, but I thought you should know.”

“No, I’m glad you told me. Thank you, Rose,” I say, still trying to process everything. So much has happened in the past few hours, my brain is struggling to keep up.

Jax

I just brought Hayley her cheese toastie, but I couldn’t stay long. I have a few errands to run. First up is checking in with Dimitri.

I left him in charge while I was with Hayley and Lily, but I want to see how he’s doing.

I’ve always had a high opinion of Dimitri. He’s been incredibly loyal to me, especially during my darkest times, like when my dad died.

I know he’d die for this pack, which is why I trust him. And trust is the most important thing in a pack. Without trust, there’s no pack. It’s that simple.

I let my senses lead me to Dimitri, who’s currently tossing dead rogues into a roaring fire.

The flames, over eight feet tall, dance in the wind, snapping and sizzling.

As I approach Dimitri, who only has a few scratches, he looks up when he hears my footsteps. “How are you holding up? And your mate, is she okay?” I ask when I reach him.

“I’m... hanging in there. Sarah’s shaken up but not hurt, thank the Moon Goddess. Those bastards really did a number on us,” he says, his voice grave.

“How bad?” I ask, holding my breath. Images of lifeless bodies flash through my mind—bodies I could have saved.

“So far we’ve found twenty-six bodies, but there are more deeper in the forest that I need to collect. And about seventy injured, and counting.” Moon Goddess. Twenty-six innocent lives lost. And more to come.

“And the rogues? How many of them died?”

“Fifty-six, but I haven’t finished burning them all,” he replies with a hint of satisfaction. Fifty-six out of over a hundred. Not the worst outcome, but not the best either.

“Thank you, Dimitri. Keep me updated.” With that, I head off to my next task. The one thing I’ve been dreading since the fight began. After a twenty-minute sprint, I reach the pile of clothes I left before I shifted and pull out my tailored trousers.

I reach into the pocket and pull out Rose’s phone. There it is, mocking me. ‘Get somewhere safe.’ Fuck! If I hadn’t acted so recklessly, my pack members would still be alive! Despite Hayley’s comforting words, it’s hard not to blame myself for all this destruction.

I could have prevented all of this. I didn’t think the run would be long enough for me to miss the text and leave us open to attack.

I’ll have to arrange the funerals for tomorrow for the fallen members. I’ve always hated the idea of families having to wait days to say their goodbyes.

They’re already going through so much. I want to make this as easy for them as I can.

There’s one more thing I need to do for all of this to be over. So much to do and so little time. I start heading back to the packhouse but stop when I run into Axton. “Alpha,” he greets me.

“Axton, how are you?” I ask, giving him a once-over. He needs to be in good shape to protect my mate. If he’s not up to it, I’ll have to find someone else.

“Fit as a fiddle,” he replies. He’s covered in dried blood, some of it his, some of it not. I don’t see any major injuries that would prevent him from protecting Hayley. Good.

“I want to formally apologize for not taking Hayley to the bunker. That was my plan, but Hayley heard Lily and jumped off. I did everything I could, but I was too late,” he says, guilt radiating off him.

Axton carries the weight of Lily’s ordeal on his shoulders. I wasn’t there when it happened, but I know Axton. He’s a warrior, always putting his pack first. I have no doubt he did everything he could to keep Lily safe.

“Axton, it’s okay,” I reassure him. “You did everything you could. That’s what matters. Right now, Hayley needs you. She needs protection, sure, but she also needs a friend. You two are close. You can be there for her.”

“Of course, Alpha. I’ll go to her now,” he replies, his face serious.

“She’s at the hospital with Lily,” I direct him. Axton heads off to find Hayley, and I turn towards my office. It’s time to contact the council. I have all the evidence we need to bring down the Bloodnight Pack...