Hunter's Secret
Chapter 53 - Gone

Hunter’s POV

He is dead. I lean against the wall and drop my head into my hands. My best friend is gone. He died because of me. I didn’t do enough to protect him. I didn’t do enough to protect anyone. I should have fought more. Oh my god, he is dead.

River howls sorrowfully in my head and more tears run down my face. I don’t allow myself to look at his body and keep my eyes on the floor between my feet. I hear chains being cut as commands are being given to get Titus down. People are scrambling around the room but the only sounds I can focus on are Emma sobbing and my own heart breaking.

Someone gently touches my shoulder, “Alpha?”

I growled out a warning and they immediately removed their hand and walked away. I can’t believe he is dead. He was only nineteen years old. He was going to be a dad. Now he will never even meet his children. He is dead. I didn’t get to say I love you back. And I will never get that chance again. He is dead. I am pulled out of my thoughts by a soft hand on my arm as someone sits down next to me. The sparks that flitter over my skin tell me it is Raine.

“Hunter?” she softly asks, and I hesitantly lift my head. When my eyes meet hers, tears spring to her eyes. I know she can see the pain in my eyes, and I am sure I look horrifying. I know my tears surely have mixed with the blood that was splattered on my face, probably leaving trails of red down my face.

“He’s gone,” I whisper, my voice breaking with pain.

“I know,” she whispers back, scooting closer to me, laying her head on my shoulder. I rest my head on hers, and she gently grabs my hand and holds it, trying to comfort me. A nurse comes back into view and crouches down in front of her.

“Luna? You really need to get medical attention for your foot. Can I help you get there?” Her voice is soft but commanding.

I forgot Raine was even injured. I forgot my mate. She needs to have her foot taken care of. She was shot for crying out loud! I can sense her internal debate about leaving me, so I lift my head off of hers and drop her hand, scooting slightly away. I don’t speak and I don’t look at her, placing my eyes back down on the ground. She is helped to her feet, and I hear her leave. Now it is just Emma, me, and Cameron’s bloodied body.

‘Elle, please come get Emma and take her home. You may need to bring Chris as well. Ask Dr. Fisher for our location.’

‘Yes, Alpha.’

When Elle and Chris enter the basement, their eyes widen at the horrors that litter the floor. Chris comes over to me and helps pull me to my feet. Chris never shows his emotions, but his eyes are misty. I know he is feeling the loss of Cameron too. Elle crouches down to Emma who is laying on Cameron’s chest, grasping his shirt in her hands.

“Emma, it’s time to go now. You need to come home. Chris and I are here to help you home,” Elle whispers and Emma just tightens her grip on Cameron’s shirt and shakes her head, sobs leaving her body.

Elle glances at me and I nod my head in encouragement.

“Emma, come on now honey. You are supposed to be on bed rest. You need to come home now,” Elle’s voice breaks as tears run down her face too.

“NO! I can’t….leave. He….needs….me,” Emma sobs, barely able to get the words out.

“He is gone, honey. He isn’t coming back. Please come home with us. Alpha will bring him back to the pack.”

Emma jerks her head up and glares at me, “Don’t. Touch. Him,” her voice dangerously low as she growls out each word. I respond with a gentle but commanding growl of my own.

She rolls her eyes at me before shouting, “He is dead because of you!”

“Emma. Don’t talk to me like that,” I warn. I know she is only lashing out because she is hurting but her words cut me, mostly because she is right. He is dead because of me.

“You need to go home, Emma. I am not asking anymore. Please don’t make me force you to go,” I tell her, trying to keep my voice even.

She glares at me again before leaning down to give Cameron one last kiss. She hugs him, tears falling again but allows Elle to help her stand up. She glances down at Cameron and another heart-wrenching howl fills the room and she loses her balance. Chris quickly catches her and lifts her off her feet, holding her tight to his body. He adjusts her so he can carry her bridal style and she soaks his shirt with her tears as she takes one last look at Cameron before disappearing up the stairs.

“Alpha? Do you need help? I can call for Keegan,” Elle quietly asks.

“No. Just leave. I will be back soon. Keep everyone else away. And check on Raine for me, please.”

“Of course, Alpha,” she responds, quickly heading up the steps.

I move over to Cameron and sit down beside him, pulling his body into my lap, cradling him. I don’t stop the tears from falling and I allow myself to just cry. I know this will be the last time I will ever get to hug him. I thought my heart had already broken but feeling the stillness of his body in my arms, completely shatters it. I brush the hair out of his face and lean down to place a small kiss on his forehead.

“I love you too. I’m sorry I failed you,” I whispered, my tears falling on his face. I let myself cry until I had no more tears left and then I just kept holding him. When my body started to give into the exhaustion that is pulsing through my body, I finally laid him back down on the floor and stood up. I took a deep breath before I stepped on his feet and used his arms to pull him to his feet, throwing him over my shoulders, securing him in the fireman’s carry. I adjusted him slightly, so his weight was more even across my shoulders and started the journey home.

I carried Cameron all of the way to the infirmary, only stopping when we got to the morgue. He is not exactly light, but I am absolutely not letting anyone else carry him. He died because of me. This is my burden to shoulder. I should be the one to carry him, exhausted or not.

Dr. Fisher met me in the morgue and helped me to get Cameron’s body situated on a table. I gently moved his arms, so they weren’t hanging off the edge of the table. I hope he is happy wherever he is now. I miss him so much already. Blinking back the tears that threaten to fall, I look at Cameron one more time before turning to leave.

“Alpha?”

I pause, not turning around. I can’t let myself turn around. Dr. Fisher continues, “I am truly sorry for your loss. I will make sure he is treated with respect and will start immediately preparing his body. Raine is in the private room, waiting for you when you are ready to see her. Her foot will be fine. No major arteries were hit and while there was some tissue damage, she should make a full recovery. Again, I am so sorry for your loss, Alpha.”

I mumbled out a thank you before leaving the morgue and my best friend behind. I wander around the infirmary for a while before I go replace Raine.

I stop outside the door and take a deep breath before opening it. She startles at the sound of the door opening and when she looks at me, my heart breaks for the millionth time today. Her face has deep purple bruises on it where that disgusting rogue grabbed her face. She stands up and balances on the crutches, but I just scoop her up and hold her. I moved her so I can carry her back to the pack house. I bend down a little so she can pick up and carry the crutches which she does. Neither one of us says anything as we make our way back to the pack house. I know that if I try to speak right now, I will completely lose it.

I still need to check on Emma, officially notify Cameron’s parents, check on Titus, check on Ash, and take care of Raine. I get to the pack house and quickly take Raine upstairs. I set her on my bed. I take a deep breath and break the silence.

“I will be right back. You are my number one priority, but I won’t be able to focus on you until I check on everything else first. Can I go?” My voice is somehow void of all emotion, and she just nods in response. I leave the room, quietly shutting the door behind me.

‘Chris please stay with Emma until I get back to the house. Do whatever you need to do to keep her from hurting herself or the twins,’ I command over mind-link.

‘Yes, Alpha,’ Chris replies, understanding the seriousness of his job right now.

I close that mind-link and when I reach the front door, I open a new one.

‘Elle, Chris is staying with Emma. You can leave her room now. Please go sit with Raine until I get back. She is in my room.’

‘Yes, Alpha.’

I close that mind-link and pull out my phone, calling Ash.

“Hunter?”

“Hi Ash. How are you?”

“Exhausted. Mentally and physically,” she replies, pain evident in her voice.

“I know the feeling.”

“I know. I am…”

“Stop. Don’t say you are sorry. I can’t talk about that right now. I am just calling to check on you. That was a big effort on your part. Thank you for everything you did. How is Titus?”

“I am fine. Titus has extensive internal bleeding, broken ribs, a deflated lung, facial fractures, and second-degree burns from the silver. He is in surgery right now to try to repair the damage to his organs. He is in really bad shape, Hunter. I am trying to stay hopeful, but it is bad.”

I swear under my breath, “I am sorry, Ash. Please call me as soon as you hear anything. Raine is okay enough. I took her home. I am on my way to notify Ryan and Emery. They probably already know but I want to be the one to actually say the words to them.”

“Hunter…”

“Stop. Just focus on yourself and Titus right now. I got to go. Bye.”

I hung up before she could say anything else. I reach Cameron’s parent’s house and try my best to swallow the lump that is forming in my throat. I raise my fist up to knock and realize that I still have his blood all over me. Oh well, too late. I barely knock once before the door swings open, and Ryan invites me into the house. Emery is sitting on the couch, tear stains on her face. Ryan sits down next to her, and she scoots closer to him. I stay standing because if I sit down, I will lose the tiny amount of resolve I have right now.

“Ryan, Emery, I am so sorry to tell you that…” my voice falters anyway and tears spring to my eyes again. I take a deep breath, “Cameron gave his life for me and for Raine today. I am sorry….” I take some more deep breaths and blink back the tears that are forming, “I am sorry. Your son has died.”

Emery lets out a sob and crumbles into Ryan. Tears stream down both of their faces.

I choke back my own sob, “I wanted to be the one to tell you. I am so sorry.”

Ryan stands up and walks over to me, trying to pull me into a hug but I back away from him saying, “Please don’t. Please don’t touch me. I need to get back to my mate now. I am so sorry.”

I turn to leave before either one of them can say anything else. I have destroyed their lives. I ran out of their house and let River have control. While he runs, I send out another mind-link.

‘Rebecca please switch places with Elle. I need Elle to do something for me, but I need someone to be with Raine.’

‘Of course, Alpha. I will head to the pack house now.’

I close that link and send out another one.

‘Elle, Rebecca is switching places with you. I want you and Keegan to go to the…you know…and I want you to burn it down. Take a few other warriors with you. But I want everything and everyone in there to burn. I will tell Keegan to meet you at the pack house.’

‘I understand.’

I close that one and send out one more.

‘Keegan, meet Elle at the pack house and follow her. I am sending you on an errand.’

‘I was already heading there with Rebecca. I will go with Elle.’

River takes us back to the pack house and lets me shift back. He doesn’t talk to me, and he blocks me out so I can’t feel what he is feeling. I walk back into the house and just seeing Cameron’s door absolutely crushes me. This just has to be a nightmare, right? I will wake up soon and he will be there. Teasing me again. Lighting up the room with his smile. Right? Please? Please?