Forever in the Past and Forever in the Future
Chapter 142

Chapter 10

Without a second thought, I dive in the water. As my feet leave the ground, time seems like it slows down, almost stopping. Just as suddenly as it slows, it speeds up to triple speed, then back to normal. I feel like I'm being jerked back and forth on a wooden roller coaster. The sensation is disorienting but I can't move to stop it. As the speed of time keeps fluctuating, I realize Kas is instinctively trying to save herself by using her powers, but she's freaking out so she can't control them.

As lam stuck in mid-air, another concern comes to mind. When Kas gets too stressed out, she has premonitions. When that happens, she turns catatonic. Sometimes it's for hours at a time. It's unnerving to watch her go through it. Stuck in her own mind, watching traumatic events that haven't happened yet. If lam frozen in mid-air and she turns catatonic, she is definitely going to drown and I won't be able to do anything but watch it happen.

I watch helplessly from above as she slides completely underwater, desperately trying to kick and paddle. As she sinks, time finally stabilizes, and I hit the water. I pull myself down to the bottom of the pool and grab her by the waist. She is still trying to struggle, but barely. I push off the bottom and kick as hard as I can until her head is above the surface. She sucks in as much of a breath as she can while she wraps herself tightly around me. She keeps coughing and gagging on the water, still trying to call out for help. I keep one arm secure around her while I use the other to get us back to the side of the pool.

Besides her violet aura glowing brightly and not being able to control time like she normally can, the surge in her energy is making her hands blistering hot on my back.

As I grip the edge of the pool, Milo reaches out for Kas to help her get out.

"Milo! Be careful! Her hands are burning up," I warn. He gives me a little nod of understanding.

"I got you, Little Sister," he reassures her. He reaches out and takes her by the armpits instead of her hands and tries to lift her out of the water, but she won't let go of me. I carefully pry her arms and legs from around me, reassuring her she is safe, as he pulls her up.

As soon as her feet are on dry land, she turns to see Milo is the one holding her. She becomes hysterical all over again and wraps her arms around Milo while Reggie gently places a towel over her.

A painful look crosses Milo's face as his back burns from her touch, but he hugs her back anyway. As he does, I can smell burning flesh. I need to get her off of him before she really does some damage. "You're okay now, Kas. Look, Bronx is right here and Reggie. See? Lenora and Ashley are coming too," his voice cracks from the pain as he soothes her. In the distance, Lenora, Ashley, and the pack doctor are running toward us from the back door of the packhouse.

"Kas?" I climb out of the pool and I sit on my knees. I reach my hand out for her, but I don't know what kind of mental state she is in right now. Does she even want to see me? Does she want to be comforted by me? I don't want to make things worse.

She pulls her face away from Milo's chest, pushing her hair out of her eyes, and looks at me like she is just realizing I am there.

"Bronx?" Kas's sweet voice is scared and shaky. A complicated look comes over her face, as if she doesn't believe she is actually seeing me. My heart thuds in my chest, worried that she won't take my hand. That she won't want to be with me. After what seems like an eternity, she lets go of Milo and throws herself into my arms.

"Don't let me go, Bronx. Don't let me go," she cries into my chest. I fold my arms tightly around her and breathe a sigh of relief. The sparks of our mate bond are more powerful than ever.

"Don't worry, Kas. I'll never let you go again, Baby," I whisper as I settle her into my lap. My skin is blistering on my ribs under her hands. I close my eyes and concentrate. I don't want to let her know she is hurting me. It doesn't matter how bad it hurts, she's back, and I'm not letting her go.

о

Reggie and the doctor finally kneel next to us. The doctor is huffing to catch his breath, looking in disbelief at Kas in my arms.

"The doctor is here, Kas. Are you hurt?" Reggie leans forward, addressing Kas carefully.

"I don't know," she whimpers from under the towel she's wrapped in.

I feel a towel being draped over me. I look up to see Lenora and Ashley with confused looks on their faces when they realize Kas is in my arms.

The doctor kneels next to me and quietly asks permission to examine Kas. I motion to give me just a minute.

I unwrap my arms from around her and whisper softly in her ear, "Kas, can the doctor check you out? We want to make sure you're not hurt."

"A-am I home? The lady that looks like Lenora said if I-I drank from the cup, I could go home," she hiccups as she calms down in my arms. Her voice is small and shaky. It reminds me of when we first found her.

"You're home, Kas. You're safe now. I need you to concentrate and pull some energy away from your hands, okay?" I try not to grimace as I make my request.

She looks at me, confused for a moment, then looks down at the blisters she has inadvertently created on my chest.

"Oh, my Goddess! Bronx, I'm so sorry!" she blurts out when she realizes what she has done. She pulls her hands away and tucks them against her own body like amummy.

"It's okay, Kas. Saint will heal me. Let's get you to the hospital wing and get you checked out. Alright?" I say to her gently as I push the rest of her hair out of her face. "Okay, but stay with me?" she sniffs.

"Of course, Baby. I'll be damned if I'm letting you out of my sight again," I kiss her forehead as I hold her tightly. 5

"Alpha, we need to get the Luna to the hospital as soon as possible to make sure she hasn't ingested poison," the doctor speaks softly but urgently in my ear.

I pick Kas up in my arms and carry her to the hospital wing. "Ashley, make sure the film crew is still here at nine a.m. No script necessary. Someone just put a price on their own head for this and I'm making sure the message is crystal clear."