Heart of Stone - Book 2: Hearts Collide
Chapter 28 - Aubree (Part 1)

The silence and darkness of the empty house only added to the dread that filled Aubree’s heart.

She could tell something was wrong. Terribly wrong. There was an ache within her that she didn’t understand the source of, but the way Stone growled, jumped out of bed, barked commands, and stormed out of the house told her that something happened to someone in the pack. And that couldn’t be anything good.

Rosemary hurried in from outside about half an hour later and rushed to Aubree’s side. Aubree tried not to stare at the woman’s naked body and the thick scar across her stomach as Rosemary ushered her out of the living room.

“What happened?” Aubree asked as Rosemary dragged her to the sunroom. “What’s going on?”

“Gwen’s been severely injured and is stuck in her wolf form until she can heal enough to shift back,” Rosemary said as they rounded the corner and flicked the light switch on. The lamp in the corner lit up and filled the room with a yellow glow. “I’ve been asked to move you in here since you haven’t seen her other form yet.”

The front door banged open with a resounding crack, making Aubree nearly jump out of her skin.

“What happened? Will she be okay?” Aubree asked as fear and panic squeezed her heart.

Not Gwen! It will destroy Stone if something happens to her!

She gripped Rosemary’s arm, willing her to say something good. That she would be okay. It was just a flesh wound. Gwen will be back on her feet in a few hours and be back to normal. She’ll be laughing and teasing Stone like she always does. She’ll be back to lighting up the room with her spirited personality.

Gwen can’t die!

Rosemary’s green eyes softened. “I don’t know. She’s been shot in the back with a silver bullet. You know about, silver, right? How it burns us? We can’t heal from silver wounds like we normally do. We can, but it takes much longer, and only if properly treated. We’ll have to dig the bullet out before it burns through a major artery. But we have to get her stomach sewn up first. She’s been slashed open with a silver knife.”

A deep, guttural groan of pain rumbled through the silence as Rosemary’s words sank in.

Aubree’s head spun. She eased herself down on the wicker loveseat to avoid fainting from all the blood rushing from her head.

This couldn’t be happening.

Alistair poked his head around the corner, concern flashing in his dark brown eyes. “You okay, babygirl?”

Looking over, Aubree stared in horror at his blood-drenched torso. His dark brown hair was sticking up in all directions and he ran his blood-soaked hands through it to tame it, though nervousness was the true culprit.

Aubree couldn’t respond. All she could muster was, “Gwen?”

He forced a smile on his face that didn’t meet his eyes, the corners of his lips twitching a bit. “Nah, she’ll be fine. Right, Rose?”

He was lying, but it sounded like he was trying to convince himself it was true.

Rose didn’t respond and instead turned to Aubree. “Wait here. I’m going to help them with Gwen in the kitchen while Alistair and Hector guard the house.”

“And Stone?” Aubree asked.

“He’s in the kitchen. So is Gavin. She needs them both right now.”

Aubree nodded and watched them both leave.

She struggled to stay calm. Struggled to think about anything else to keep her mind off of what was happening in the kitchen. She could hear grunts and growls, faint yowls, and whimpers—all of which made her skin crawl as she clamped her eyes shut and covered her ears in an attempt to drown out the sounds of Gwen struggling to stay alive.

She was Stone’s baby. She still had so much to live for. She couldn’t leave them now. Aubree needed her.

An ear-splitting howl of pain erupted through the house before it fell silent.

Aubree pulled her hands from her ears and listened.

Silence.

Her stomach clenched as dread filled her.

No.

She couldn’t be dead, could she?

Gavin, wearing a pair of black shorts with blood splattered on his chest and his hands coated in blood, hurried into the sunroom. “Bree!” he called, his voice urgent and strained. “We need you! We’re losing her!”