9~ LUPIN SOUL

KNIGHT

Smoke curled from the tip of my stick as I sat in my office, trying to get my head straight but it wasn’t working.

Her smell still clung to me like a curse, no matter how hard I tried to shake it off.

“Fuck!” I groaned, slamming my system shut. I couldn’t focus on work, think about anything except her.

(Why can’t you control yourself?) My wolf growled inside my head. (She is our mate. We need to be with her. We need to protect her.)

“I am trying!” I snapped back. “I am sitting here smoking myself stupid just so I don’t run to her room like a madman. I can’t be near her right now since I scare her.”

(Maybe you should stop scaring her, and try going the right way. She needs us, not the monster you keep showing her.)

I rolled my eyes, annoyed at my wolf’s lecture. (I am right here…) My beast replied but I just sighed at the bickering of them in my head.

But then the door burst open.

“Knight!” Tracy’s voice was breathless, panicked. “Help! She isn't talking to anyone. We can’t get her to open the door.”

My head snapped up instantly. “Then tell Brian to break it open. She doesn’t want to see me…”

“Knight!” Tracy cut me off, tears shining in her eyes. “Please. Just come. I promise this is different. I have a weird feeling.”

I cursed under my breath, crushed out my stick, and stood. “Fine,” I grumbled.

We hurried down the hall, my chest tight hoping it would be fine and this might be like a false alarm.

“She won’t answer,” Tracy said, knocking on the door again. “And I… I can’t feel her breathing in there. Something feels wrong.”

A sharp pain ripped through my chest, stealing my breath almost immediately after her words.

(Mate is in pain!) My wolf howled, panic clawing at me. (Save her!)

I didn’t think twice before I acted. With one punch, the door flew open, splintering off its hinges. Tracy gasped behind me, but I was already moving inside the room.

The bed was empty and her scent was faint, almost fading. My heart thudded hard as I followed it to the bathroom.

The smell of blood hit me first and I froze in the doorway, my eyes going wide at the sight.

The water was red, while the body floated, motionless, her hair fanned around her like a halo.

For a second, I couldn’t breathe. My knees almost buckled, this was the first time everything in me was not fascinated by blood.

Blood is like joy to us but right now seeing my mate in the pool of it, made me so weak.

I dashed toward her and yanked her from the tub, my hands sliding over her cold skin.

“Sage!” My voice cracked for the first time as I lay her on the floor.

“Hey..open your eyes!” The fear in my voice was evident, I had never felt this feeling in me before.

Still, I got nothing from her, Tracy's gasp signal to me danger was crossing me again but I wasn't giving up. I just got a mate after long years of being lonely.

I pressed on her chest and started CPR, counting under my breath.

Still nothing.

“Get the fucking doctor!” I mindlinked Brian bowing to my sister would be of no use.

“No, no, no…” My chest ached as if claws were raking me from the inside.

I pushed again, desperate over and over again

“Come on, Sage!” I growled, my voice breaking as I blew air into her lungs, pressing harder, feeling panic crawl up my throat.

Just then the doctor rushed in, but one look at her pale body made him hesitate.

“Alpha…” he started carefully. “She’s gone.”

I grabbed his coat and yanked him forward. “Finish that sentence and you will be the next,” I snarled.

Tracy was crying harder now, her hands covering her face. “Knight, please do something! Don’t just let her..”

Her words were cut off when a sound ripped from my chest.

A low, broken growl from my wolf.

(You can save her ease… we can't lose our mate, that would be another pain for me.)

Then my beast stirred, furious and restless. (Don’t do it! If your wolf leaves I will take over… after all, he has been useless) My beast argued back.

Girl the first time I wasn't ready to listen to my beast. “I have no choice,” I said through my teeth.

(It will cost us everything. You pull the Lupin soul out, you won’t be the same. You will be weaker..) My beast growled.

“I don’t care!” I roared, slamming my claws into my own chest.

“Knight! Stop..you’re hurting yourself!” Tracy screamed.

But I ignored her, my claws dug deep until they burned, my body shaking with pain.

My vision blurred, but I pushed harder, past flesh, past bone, until I felt my Lupin soul, the very heart of my wolf and beast.

It pulsed in my hand, a small sphere of black and gold light, glowing like a dying star.

As I piled it out my chest felt hollow, my strength draining fast, but I didn’t hesitate.

I cupped her face with my bloody hand. “Take it, little mate,” I rasped.

“Live.”

I pressed it to her lips, and as soon as it touched her tongue, it dissolved.

The room went silent for a heartbeat. Then her body arched violently, light flashing under her skin as if something fierce was fighting to bring her back.

Tracy’s sobs stopped as she watched, her eyes wide.

Color slowly began to spread across Sage’s skin, the deadly pallor fading. Her lips, once blue, turned pink. Her chest rose with a weak but steady breath.

I fell back on my heels, my chest aching from the loss of my Lupin, my claws still dripping blood.

But she was breathing and that was enough.