Chapter 3

Axton-

“Find out what has happened to her.” I told my best friend, Kason Yates, as I carried Zira to the car.

“Yes, Sir!” Kason saluted me out of habit before running down the street, ignoring the fact that it was pouring rain.

I didn’t care for him or anyone else to treat me like their superior, even if I was. It was one thing for them to do it when we were on duty, but around civilians, I would rather keep a low profile. Not only was I the leader of our team, but as of two years ago, I became the Alpha King.

Only those on my team knew I was the Alpha King because I needed to keep a low profile. Not only for mine and my team's sake but for Zira’s. After climbing into the back seat of the Hummer, which my friend Lukas was driving, I cradled Zira on my lap.

Despite being unconscious, she was shivering and an intense heat radiated from her body. Aside from that, I could feel an electric current moving from her and through me. It was the same current I felt ten years ago when I saved her.

I wasn’t entirely sure if it meant she was my mate, but I knew we had a connection. Because of that reason, I had taken her home and had my brother and his mate take her in. I knew that they never accepted her as a member of their pack, but as long as they took care of her as I asked, I didn’t care.

If I hadn’t gone into the military, I would have taken care of her myself. It was probably for the best that I didn’t because she had only been eight at the time. I never would have done anything improper toward her, but if I had watched her grow into the beautiful woman young woman she has become, it would have been hard to resist.

Every year I returned home to check on her, I felt our connection grow. I did my best to avoid her when I was around and tried not to interfere with her life. Seeing her condition now, I wondered if I had made the right decision to leave her.

“Take us to my house.” I instructed Lukas.

During the drive, I brushed away the matted hair that clung to her face. Her skin was hot to the touch, which was enough to indicate she had a fever. Since she didn’t have her wolf yet, she was as fragile and prone to sickness, just like a human.

My heart seized in my chest at the thought Zira was sick or injured. When we arrived at my house, I carefully exited the Hummer with Zira still in my arms. Lukas also exited the vehicle and he shut the door for me.

“Ax…” Lukas’s face paled before I could walk away.

“What?” My brows arched.

“She is bleeding.” Lukas’s gaze was on Zira he looked terrified.

Lukas and Kason knew what Zira meant to me and this wasn’t the first time they met her, so his reaction didn’t surprise me. Glancing down, I spotted a red stain on her light grey shirt. Not only that but since we were in the garage, there was a puddle of blood on the concrete floor beside my feet. With how much blood she was losing, I felt like an idiot for not noticing sooner.

“Call for a doctor!” I ordered as I quickly rushed inside the house.

Although I don’t return home except once a year, I had a full staff who took care of my house. A few housekeepers, two cooks, three gardeners, a butler, and at least twenty bodyguards. They were responsible for maintaining the house in my absence and being ready for my arrival at all times.

As soon as I entered the house, I was immediately greeted by my butler, who had likely been waiting by the door. Ignoring him, I ran through the house, to the staircase that led upstairs and then to my bedroom. Shortly after I placed Zira on the bed, one of the housekeepers entered the room.

“Is there anything I can help with?” The young housekeeper asked as she looked down at Zira, with a panick-stricken expression.

“Get me the first aid kit, a large bowl of water, a few clean towels, and a change of clothes.” I ordered.

“What can I do?” My butler asked, who had also followed me to the room.

“Turn on the heat as high as it will go. If possible find me a heated blanket.”

Without further instructions, the butler and housekeeper left me alone with Zira. During my time in the military, I learned a thing or two regarding medical treatment. I knew it would take a bit for a doctor to arrive, so I knew I needed to try to stop the bleeding.

Turning Zira onto her side, I ripped her shirt along the seem to expose where she was injured. When I saw a fresh surgical site where her kidney was, my heart felt like it had sunk to my stomach. Anger and regret filled me as I sank onto the bed beside Zira.

“What did they do to you?” I whispered although I knew she wouldn’t be able to answer me.

I didn’t know who had done this to Zira, but I knew someone was responsible. When I found out who was responsible for this, I silently vowed to make them pay. I was about to rush the housekeeper who I sent to retrieve what I needed to tend to Zira’s wound, but she arrived before I opened my mouth.

Taking one of the towels from her, I let her get the first aid kit ready for me. Using the towel to gently press against her wound to stop the bleeding, I gritted my teeth. At this point, I could only blame myself for Zira being in this condition. Even if I wasn’t home, she was still my responsibility.

After my brother and his mate died, I had a feeling Zira wouldn’t be taken care of. I should have come back for her then, instead of waiting until now. Taking a deep breath, I tried to get my emotions under control as I pulled the towel away and tossed it to the ground.

The bleeding had stopped for the most part, so I used another towel and placed it in the bowl of water on the bedside table. After getting it damp, I cleaned off the excess blood. Once it was relatively clean, I did my best to doctor up the wound until a doctor could arrive.

Without knowing what happened to her, I didn’t want to do anything that would make her condition worse. Once the wound was a little better, I wrapped gauze around her waist. I wanted to be the one to remove her wet clothes because I didn’t trust anyone else, but that would be crossing a boundary I shouldn’t cross.

“Bring in two other females and help her change her clothes.” I instructed the housekeeper as I moved off the bed.

When other female housekeepers entered the room to assist in changing Zira, I left the room and stood in the hall, guarding the bedroom. While I stood there, my hands were clenched in tight fists at my sides. Anytime I heard a noise, I wanted to burst into the room. It took every ounce of energy I possessed to keep myself calm.

“Done.” One of the housekeepers announced when she opened the door.

Spinning on my heels, I pushed past them to enter the room. Now Zira was lying on her back, wearing a simple white cotton nightgown, which likely came from one of the housekeepers. The blanket was tucked around her.

If I didn’t know better, it would look as if Zira was just sleeping. Sitting on the bed next to her, I pressed the back of my hand against her forehead. She was almost burning up, but I was afraid to give her anything to reduce the fever until the doctor arrived.

“I couldn’t find a heated blanket, but I brought a few heavy blankets to cover her with.” My butler announced as he entered the room.

"It will work for now." I sighed and made a mental note to get more things that humans usually needed. 

Taking the covers from him, I covered Zira with the extra blankets hoping it would help. After sitting beside her again, I took one of the clean towels I hadn’t used and began drying her hair. When I finished drying her hair, Lukas and Kason arrived, with a doctor.

Reluctantly I left Zira’s side so the doctor could examine her, while I stepped out into the hall with Kason, after telling Lukas to stay in the room and protect Zira.

“Did you find anything?” I asked Kason.

“You need to prepare yourself.” Kason tensed like he was prepared for an attack.

“Tell me.” I demanded.

“There are some things I haven’t found out, but what I have learned, isn’t good. Since shortly after you left Zira with your family, they haven’t taken care of her at all. In fact, they have been treating her like a slave. All the information they gave you regarding her has been falsified.” Kason began and handed me a black folder with information regarding what he could find about the last ten years.

I didn’t open the file, as I was too afraid to look. The regret I felt earlier intensified, and I stumbled back against the wall. If not for the wall holding me up, I would have collapsed on the ground. Clutching the file in my unsteady hands, I tried to mentally prepare myself. When Kason continued explaining what he found, I opened the file to see for myself.