CHAPTER 3

Landon.

Mine.

Mine.

Mine.

Min—

“Jesus, fucking snap out of it, Landon!” Billie snaps, glaring at me. 

If it is any other person, her head will be rolling on the floor. I let out a growl as I go on all fours and shift because she does have a point. I can try to figure this out and what I've just done to my mate later, but now, she needs me.

Billie put her on my back and I let out a whine of pleasure at the sparks I feel. They are everywhere. For a while, I get lost in them until I feel something soft and hairy on my belly. 

Looking down, I see Billie tying her body down with a scarf so she won't roll off. A sense of gratitude fuels me and I release it to her through the mindlink, letting her know that I'm grateful for her being in the right frame of mind for us.

She offers a smile before shifting into her own wolf. It's a twelve hour ride back home. We had come here for some pack business, not expecting to run over or even meet my mate. But with our wolf speed, we should get there in two hours without rest. 

Just as we run into the dark forest, a bright light shines into my eyes before I hear the sound of engines turning off. Looking behind, I see two couples getting down from their car and looking at us with fear on their faces.

‘Humans,’ Billie mindlinks me and I nod.

‘Let's just get out of here.’  I tell her.

~~~~

Brooklyn.

Numb.

That's the one and only word I can use to describe how I feel. Numb. I can not even feel my hands and legs, nor my soul. It feels like I'm floating in the abyss. Into nothing.

Everywhere is black. I can't feel or touch a thing and it's scary. No, I don't like where I am so I try to focus on moving. My body can't move, as if I'm in space or something.

Hell, I can't even open my eyes. But I know that everywhere is dark. And I want out.

~~~~

This time, it's much better.

I can feel my hands now, but I can't move. Like I am stuck in a position. I can also hear, too. I've not been to the hospital before, but I've binge watched enough doctor shows to know that the sounds I hear means I'm in the hospital.

But why?

The place isn't so dark anymore. But not bright either; I can tell from my thin eyelid.

“When do you think she'll wake up?” A voice asks. 

I recall that voice, it's not one to miss —but from where? And the reactions I get from it makes it harder. Who's that? I suddenly want to hear that voice again. No, I want to see the face behind it. I bet he's handsome.

“Soon. She's already showing signs of consciousness.” A voice responds.

I feel myself fading, but I don't want to go yet.

That voice!

~~~~

Landon.

Six weeks.

That's how long she has been asleep for. And it's torture watching her like this. I've barely moved from this room, not wanting to be far away from her. And besides, this is my room.

Over the past weeks, I've had time—more than enough to process what happened. And all I feel is guilt. Maybe if I wasn't so snappy at Billie, we'd have seen her and avoided colliding with her. But then, I wouldn't have met her. So maybe that's a blessing brought through an unfortunate event.

The tension rolls off me in waves as I hold her hand and interlock our fingers together. Looking at her pale and lifeless face, I feel a sting before kissing her hands. “I can't wait to formally meet you, mate.”

Nothing was found on her except her crashed phone which I've managed to repair but it can only be opened by a passcode. I wonder why she was running at that time of the night.

I have so many questions.

Sighing, I kiss her hand again. My lips rest on there and enjoy the sparks that come alive before letting go. I need to get some work done.

Getting up, I leave my bedroom and walk into the adjacent room connected to my room. My private study, where I know Billie is already waiting for me. 

I give her a nod as I take my seat, stretching my legs from sitting on a spot for too long. “What did you find?” I ask the same question I've been repeating for the past weeks.

Each time, we are hit by a block end.

This needs to be resolved. If there's any danger to my mate, I need to act fast.

“We found something.” Billie says, placing a file in front of me. 

My eyebrows shoot up. Now that's good news. But wait— “we?”

“Ha, Logan accompanied me this time.” She explains.

 I narrowed my eyes at that information, I didn't know about that. Sensing my confusion, she carries on. 

“Logan didn't like the distance. Lisa and Angus acted in our stead when we were away.”

“Hmm,” I nod. “So what did you find?”

“Somehow, we missed the dashcam from the car we loaned. It took some time before we could find the car and we managed to revive the video of that night. It's all in there,” she nods towards the file on the table.

I lean into my chair and gaze at the brown envelope, not making a move towards it. Maybe because I don't want to relive the accident even though it's all in my head. Clearing my throat, I send her a tight smile. “Thanks, Billie.”

“How's she?”

I itch to soothe the ache in my heart as I think back to her face. “Fiona said she will come around soon.”

“And you?” Billie asks with a tilt of her head. Something she does when she notices something.

That's why she's my beta. Very observant, although I hate to be the subject of that. Like right now.

My shoulders lift up in a lazy shrug, “been better.”

“Well, I'm here for you, Landon. Anytime.” Her gaze softens. 

Suddenly, I hear the spike of the heart monitor connected to Brooklyn.

 “Call Fiona. Now!” Scrambling out of my seat, I rush back into my room.

~~~~

Brooklyn.

Light. Confusion. Disorientation. Numbness. Pain.

It comes after the other.

My eyes snapped open as I gasp loudly. Everything becomes clearer and sharper. Especially my ears. The loudness of the heart monitor makes my heart leap, making it spike some more and I so badly want to shut it. My ears can't take the noise.

My claws extract and I find myself blindly reaching to the noise.

A door slams open.

I let out a loud growl.

I don't want to hear anything! Make it stop! 

When the noises can't seem to quiet down, I bring my hands to my ears and begin to claw at them. Desperate for some quiet. The ringing in my ears makes me blind to everything. I just want it to stop. My head hurts, make it stop.

“Shit,” a voice swears. “She's bruising herself. Hold her down.”

I feel something crawling on me. I growl again, trying to get it off. My heart won't stop hammering in my chest and I feel my stomach roll in waves. Like a fog over my eyes, all I see is blurry white. I'm not in control.

Scared. I'm scared.

I whimper. 

“We need to knock her out, she's too unstable right now.”

Something pinches me and I whine loudly. 

As if I've been hit with a train, my body begins to droop which scares me even more because it's so unfamiliar and I hate it. I shake my head, trying to know what's going on, trying to be awake.

“Don't fight it, mate.” That same voice that I've come to love speaks up, swabbing the stands of hairs away from my face. 

“Sleep. I'll be here when you wake up.” He kisses my forehead.

And for the second time, I find myself listening to the voice.