33 A Rescue and a Death

James swallowed the noodles slowly. He'd been distracted since Beta had said those words, then even more so after Alpha had told him something he did not particularly want to hear.

"You were there. You saved her, you saw what she'd been through. You owe it to her to treat her with respect, it would be the honourable thing to do. You saw it all." He'd said while Beta had been waking the human from her screaming fit.

'You, you, you…' He muttered in his mind, but his thoughts were now lost in recollection of those events.

He'd gone on a scouting mission the day before, and he'd spotted what looked like the entrance to the Elves lair. He was positive it was; their stench was written all over it.

He wrinkled his nose at the memory. He looked at the ceiling when he heard the human shuffling about.

His mind flashed back to the battle. He'd had a sickly lioness latched into his shoulder. He'd just removed the beast and crushed its neck.

-You three, with me.- Beta's voice entered his mind. He looked to his left and saw the silver wolf. Two other wolves drew near and Beta took off in a run towards the lair.

James followed after, his claws gripping the rock as he climbed after his Beta. The night air was thick with the scent of blood and shifters fighting. The growls, yowls and howls filled his senses.

He didn't really remember much after that; his memory blurred. The stench of Elves was everywhere, it clung to his bones as he ran through the dark lair the Elves called home.

Beta had ordered the two other Lycans to search out one hallway, Beta turned to him and said, -You're with me.-

The words echoed in his mind.

He finished his meal and dropped his plate in sink.

The dark halls came back to his mind. The dank and cold feel overwhelming his senses. He searched, his nose low to the ground as he tried to make out a scent different from the sickly ones pervading his senses.

Beta let out a bark and he looked up, the silver wolf bolted down the hallway and turned at the end. James followed, understanding that Beta had found his mate's scent.

He shook his head, returning to the present.

He cleaned up the meal, the human's input had made it taste better. Walking up the stairs he remembered he had to go to Montreal tomorrow. He sighed.

He'd had some dealings with Alpha Kratos's pack. They were certainly cocky and arrogant, he expected their Alpha to be the same.

His feet landed on the top of the stairs and his gaze wandered to hall at his left. He wondered why she wasn't moving.

She was probably sleeping, he answered. They had to wake up early tomorrow.

He walked to his room and pulled out his suitcase. His mind continued to drift back to that time.

Beta had spoken to his mate, trying to wake her. James remembered feeling a sting of jealousy. He missed his mate.

Before he could discern why the human had said, "No." An Elf had swiped him aside. He'd been too distracted by the sharp scent of blood to notice the Elf.

He shifted, "Beta, look out!"

A fight followed, Beta momentarily gained the upper hand. But as soon as the Elf's fist came down on Beta's lungs, James knew that he had to help.

As soon as he stepped forward the order that haunted him echoed in his mind, -Get her out of here!-

He hesitated for a moment. But he quickly scooped up the bloodied human in his arms. He sprinted out of the room, his bare feet hitting the damp rock floor.

She writhed in his arms as she screamed in her hoarse voice for him to take her back, "No! Let me go! No! Raph! Raph!"

Beta called that he would be right behind them but James knew he wouldn't. He blinked and stopped running when he heard the Beta's heart stop.

The human screamed in his arms, her hand outstretched to the door behind them, tears streaming down her face.

He blocked the image from his mind. He didn't remember how he'd gotten out, it was all a vague mess. The human had passed out cold after Beta had died, her blood soaked rags, staining his own clothes.

As soon as he'd arrived at the medical tent they'd set her on the table. The cold metal seemed to arouse her and she began to feebly fight the hands of the healers. He remembered thinking how ridiculous she was acting.

Then they'd put her under and began healing the numerous wounds that marred her body. He stilled in his movements when he thought back to that afternoon. After her panic attack when she'd exited the bathroom in nothing but a towel.

Alpha had just told him that he knew what she'd been through, if only a little.

And James had watched her, his mind still distracted with the past. But as soon as she'd dropped the towel his jaw had dropped. It wasn't just the fact that she'd revealed her naked self, but that every inch of her pale skin was covered in scars and bruises as though they'd only just been inflicted.

He sighed as he zipped up his suitcase. He didn't even know a word for it; broken, hollow…

They were both messed up, that's for sure.

He changed into his pyjama pants and laid on his bed, wide awake.

He drifted to sleep, his mind replaying the past, over and over again.

Alpha had walked up to him after the battle was won, "Where is Raphael."

James was at a loss for words, he glanced to the medical tent, then to the Elves lair. Swallowing, he said, "He didn't make it."

Alpha's eyes went wide with shock and James watched as he fought to hide the sadness.

"And Brooke?" Alpha asked, "What of her?"

James nodded back to the tent, "She's in there."

He'd felt so angry at her, if it hadn't been for her, Beta would not have died, that battle would not have occurred.

He eventually passed away from these never ending thoughts and into a deep slumber.