The Mark of an Alpha
Chapter 31

Ever feel as if your heart is about to be ripped out of your chest?

As if it may stop because of all the pain or panic that courses through you.

I shift right at the steps of the packhouse. My heart beating hard against my chest running inside the house naked not caring if anyone is around.

My mind is in a frenzy as my body urges me to get to him as quickly as possible.

My lungs beg for more air but at the moment I do not have time to even breathe correctly. I run up the stairs taking them two at a time and head straight into the pack's infirmary.

Walking inside I run into Drake and his mate she looks at me straight in the face and there is some hurt in her eyes.

It is my fault that he is like this. If anyone would hurt Andrew, even though he is not my mate, I would kill them in a heartbeat but the person that put him in the position to get hurt would feel my fury.

I stop in my tracks and look at Drake asleep on the bed a needle attached to his arm as a dripping liquid goes into his body.

“How is he?” My voice is stern with an undercurrent of concern. He is part of my pack and I worry about his well-being.

“He’s fine for now, he had a couple of broken ribs and his leg was cracked clean through which made it heal faster. Now he just needs to rest and then he’ll be back on his feet by the morning.”

I nod, "I'll come by later to check-up on him. If you need anything let me know." I walk towards the back, towards the private room made for the alpha.

Ken is sitting outside the door his head in his hands. My footsteps tell him someone is coming and looks up when Ken sees that it is me his cheek flush as he takes all of me in.

“Sorry alpha!” He clears his throat and looks away.

“How is he?” I do not have time to be shy, I am naked get over it.

“Your doctor wouldn’t tell me-” His worried eyes hit me hard. He is not okay!

I’ve heard enough and walk inside the room. The beeping in the room seems eerie in the silent room. Hunter is laying on the bed his eyes close, he has these plastic tubes in his nose helping him breathe, and all these cables connected to him.

Dr. Graham! Where the hell are you?

I need answers.

The air seems to be thinning in the small room. There is a chair next to Hunter and I let my body drop onto it.

The gravity around me seemed to intensify as I fight to get enough air into me. I have never been great when someone gets hurt or needs to be in the infirmary. I feel sick and my body becomes weak at the sight before me.

“Yes, Alpha Blake?”

I cannot seem to muster a word so I point at Hunter gesturing to her, ‘What happened?’

She is not fazed with me baring it all in front of her. She walks to the edge of Hunter’s bed and grabs the chart that I did not see before.

“Well,” she walks closer to the machines on the other side of him.

“What is it?” I cannot help but yell at her since she is prolonging the torture.

“Alpha Hunter seems to be having two types of battle going on within him. He seems to be fighting his wolf not allowing him to heal him at all.”

The doctor uncovers Hunter's chest and I see that his chest is bandaged up and his cuts are still bleeding.

What is he doing?

“Can we do anything?”

“We can but if he doesn’t allow his healing to happen there is little we can do. His wolf has sent him into a mental unconsciousness that nothing our medicines can do. I called in the pack's healer but when she touched him he practically paralyzed her with his pain.”

“So he is in some deep sleep?” I eye Hunter searching for a sign that lets me know that he is responsive.

“Yes,” she extends the answer as if unsure if that was the right answer. “Does he have a mate? His mate might be able to guide him back to consciousness.”

“She died,” is all I say to her.

“He needs something or someone to hold onto to pull him out of this or else-” she stops and sighs.

“He’ll stay like this forever?” She nods and I feel as if the gravity around me has become stronger once again and I sink lower into the chair.

“I’ll be back to see if there is any change.” She gives me a saddened look as she walks away, closing the door behind her.

Mel, how is he?

I don’t know.

I talked to Ken and he said that he seemed weak but he didn’t want you to know.

Thanks, Andrew.

Ken said you were naked so I brought you some clothes they are outside the door. I’m going to get you some food.

I’m not hungry, thanks anyways.

I curl up in the chair and stare at Hunter as the beeping continues.

The beeping means he is alive. My wolf tries to see the brighter side of things.

Yeah, but he is not awake.

There is a soft knock on the door and then silence. I get up and walk to the door. Andrew left me warm clothes on the ground and at the top of my clothes is a sandwich with a handwritten note.

~Eat it! You know Hunter wants you to stay healthy and strong~

I bring in everything and change quickly into my warm sweats and sweater. When I put on the sweater the fabric covers my ears for a moment, muffling the sound, sending my heart into overdrive thinking that Hunter’s machine has stopped beeping.

Everything inside of me stops as well my breathing, heartbeat, and I swear I think my pulse stopped as well. When the noise resume I take a deep breath of relief and my body relaxes. I take my seat next to him he is not going to be alone throughout this.

I spent the next couple hours sitting by his side as the doctor comes in and checks up on him routinely. At first, they stared at me and then when nothing changed with Hunter I resume my zombie mode by his side.

My fingers skimming the back of his hand as I indulge in his warmth.

There is a knock on the door and I know that it is not the doctor since she does not knock she just walks in.

I get up to stretch my legs and open the door. Andrew is there looking at me worriedly.

“Mel, it is past midnight." His tired eyes weigh heavy on me, "maybe you should head to bed and come back in the morning. If anything changes you’re not that far away the doc can get you.”

Andrew’s eyes are on me and I can feel my exhaustion getting the best of me as well.

“No!” I try to sound firm but that does not work when my eyes are getting heavier with every blink and the no is cut off halfway with a yawn. “I’m not even tired. I left him once and look what happened! Now I don’t have an excuse so I am not leaving.”

“Hunter understands, he’s also an alpha, your pack comes first at times. Plus you were there for him and he knows it. That’s why he has your best doctor with him.” Andrew has a point.

I nod and Andrew does not fight me anymore he turns to leave I can feel his worry radiate off of him.

I head back to the chair and curl up again. Before I know it my eyes stay close and my mind allows the darkness to take over.

Darkness envelopes me and I let my wolf rest as well. If I fight my feeling there is no way for me to fight my wolf’s emotions as well and she feels just as worried for Hunter as I am. My body sways in a rhythmical pace sending me into a deeper slumber.

The burning sensation makes my eyes scrunch tighter trying to keep the light out.

The light is not what wakes me but the eerie silence, no more beeping.

No beeping means...

My eyes shoot open as the sunlight burns my irises.