Chapter 3

Liam

I walk into the hospital and most if not all the staff that recognize me bow and greet me as I pass.

"Good afternoon Alpha Liam." A nurse greets me.

"Good afternoon. Where is my sister?" I ask getting straight to the point.

"She is in the first ICU." She responds. "Let me show you the way." She quickly suggests while moving from behind her desk.

I follow the nurse to the ICU. She stops and speaks to the nurses at the nurse station outside the ICU ward.

"This way Alpha Liam." Another nurse says leading the way inside the ward.

"She is in here." She stops at the door and then bows before she leaves.

I softly open the door and then walk in.

"Liam." Camila gets off the stool and quickly wraps her arms around me to hug me.

"Hey, Cam." I greet her with my arms wrapped around her.

After a minute or so, Cam lets go of me and then looks up at me with sad eyes.

"How unfortunate can one be to discover their mate on a hospital bed dying?" she says with tears in her beautiful green eyes.

I smile at her, "He will pull through." Is all I manage to say then pull her closer for another hug.

I look at the man lying in the hospital bed, he is badly injured with so many claw marks and bite marks on his neck and arms. I surely hope he survives this.

"When did you get back?" she asks when she pulls away and then wipes her tears off using the back of her hand.

"Just a few minutes ago," I say while focusing my attention on her mate.

"Isn't he a wolf?"

"He is." She responds.

"So why is he taking time to heal?"

"The doctors said he was poisoned. Whatever poison was used on him, he couldn't shift to fight back and that has slowed down the healing process." She explains.

"That's strange."

"You can say that again, but he will be fine. The doctors said there is hope he will be fine in a few days."

Even as Cam is trying to sound hopeful, there is little hope for this guy.

"Ever since I discovered he is my mate, I haven't been able to leave his side. I want to be the first person he sees when he wakes up." She says.

Where are you? Joel asks me through the mind link.

The ICU ward with Cam and her mate. I respond.

How are they both doing? Joel has always had a soft spot for Cam and she also had a huge crush on him growing up, I guess that's over for her now that she has found her mate.

He is in bad shape, Cam is devastated. We need to find a way of helping him. He is not healing like a wolf.

Then we should prepare to leave in a few hours, it's a long way. The warriors are leaving now then we can leave with the second group.

Sure thing. I will be with you in a few minutes let me spend a few minutes with Cam.

Okay, I will get the Jeep ready. He says then ends the mind link.

"Who were you linking with?" Cam asks.

"Joel."

"Oh, how is he?" she asks in a low voice.

"He is alright, I bet he is bummed that you are now taken." I tease her to lighten up the mood.

She chuckles low.

"Scott will not be happy to hear this Shushi," She whispers.

"Oh is that his name?" I smile.

Cam starts to blush.

We go on talking for a few minutes before I leave her to join Joel.

***************

I didn't realize the Lotus pack was this far. Every time my parents traveled to visit this pack, I never came with them. I was either busy with my things or out of town on duty.

Joel, I, and the second group of warriors left home 3 hours ago. The sun has set now and darkness is looming everywhere. When we arrived at the border a few minutes ago, our warriors were already done cleaning up the mess. From the blood splatter, you can see they put up a good fight.

"Beta Joel, we have checked almost everywhere. There isn't a single soul that is alive. Also, there aren't any rouges. Whoever did this is long gone." One of our pack warrior leaders gives Joel a report.

"Are you sure about there being no rouges?" Joel asks.

"Yes sir." The warrior responds sounding very confident and frightened at the same time.

I wouldn't blame him. All our pack warriors respect Joel a lot. I mean look at him, he is huge. He should have been a bear instead of a wolf. His large size intimidates a lot of people. Well except for me, I have known him his whole life, if I hadn't I would also fear him because of his size, but I am the Alpha. I am stronger than he is regardless of his size.

"Have you thoroughly checked the packhouse?" I ask.

Mom was so sure we would find someone alive.

"We did but not thoroughly." He responds.

Do you want to check it out? Joel links me.

Yes. I have a feeling we might find something or even someone.

Okay.

"Please lead us to the packhouse," Joel instructs the warrior.

We follow him as he leads the way. Their pack was equally as big as ours. There are so many bodies none of which are in wolf form. I need to figure out the poison they used on them because it is lethal.

"What's the plan for all these bodies?" I ask.

"Beta Convel instructed we just load them in the trucks as we wait for a decision to be made if they shall be buried here or not." The warrior responds.

This was a mass murder and whoever did this needs to be caught. Who knows how many other packs are living in fear of being next but never my pack? I will snap all their necks.

"Here we are."

The moment he says those words I feel a weird pain in my chest and pick up a beautiful forest and lavender scent.

Derek gets alert and jumpy.

How is this possible when there is so much blood.

Are you okay? Joel links.

Something is strange. Derek is jumpy but at the same time, I have a weird feeling in my chest.

Stay alert. Joel says then walks into the packhouse before me ready to attack.

We walk through the packhouse and there are lifeless bodies everywhere. The feeling in my chest keeps growing stronger with every step I take further into the house.

Joel turns into a room that looks like a family room. There are sofas side tables, a huge fireplace, and of course more lifeless bodies. But in this room, the forest and the lavender scent get stronger.

"Calm down," I command Derek but he is too hyper for him to listen to me.

"What's wrong?" Joel asks when he turns around to face me. He has already made his way to the other end of the room.

"Derek is too hyper," I tell him while holding my head with one hand.

I don't understand what is going on.

"Could it be...." Before Joel finishes his sentence Derek growls out loud as he takes control of me.

"Mate!!"

*************

Tara

I don't know how long I have been like this. The sun has long set a while back and I have stayed in the same position holding on to my mother and sister's bodies. My body is weak, and my throat hurts from the crying and screaming for help. My eyes are sore I can barely open them.

Everyone I love is dead, I might as well just die right here. No one will find me, no one will come looking for me.

No Tara don't give up. Someone will find us.

Ruby, we have lost everything.

No, we haven't, there is hope that someone will come looking for us.

No one will come, Ruby, this is the end.

Tara gets up!!

Ruby tries to get control over my body but fails. I am too weak and broken to shift, she can't take control.

Get up Tara, we need to get help.

No Ruby, give up. I say then close my eyes to block Ruby out.

Before I completely pass out, I pick up a scent I have never come across in my life. Where can this be coming from?

Ruby is now giving me a headache. She has become forceful and jumpy suddenly. Within a few seconds, I hear a wolf shout mate and then strong arms lift me off the ground separating me from my mother and sister's lifeless bodies.

"Is she the one?" I hear a voice that belongs to another ask.

"Yes, I think so. I can feel the bond and Dereck is too excited I am failing to calm him down." The person carrying me responds.

Bond? Could this be the person I am mated to?

How am I not feeling anything if this is my mate?

"Let us get her out of here." He says again in a commanding and dominating voice.

"Let me check if there is anyone else that is alive." The other voice says.

I open my mouth to say something but nothing comes out.

"Relax little Luna, we are going home." He says before I completely pass out.

***********

Liam

"How far is the fucking helicopter?" I growl.

"It's coming, just a few minutes." Joel tries to calm me.

I am holding her lifeless body in my arms sitting on the ground outside their packhouse. The best option out of here was to call for the helicopter to come. It will move faster than cars.

Shifting into my wolf form would have been faster but then I wasn't going to be able to run 350 miles on four legs and carry her unconscious body, so I settled on the helicopter which has taken longer than expected.

My mother always tells me about how beautiful the mate bond is. I have only spent less than 2 hours with her and the need to protect her has consumed me. Derek has been trying to talk to her wolf but there is no response. Derek hasn't stopped whining and howling low in my head he has given me a headache.

She will be fine. Hang in there.

I look down at her, all covered in blood but beyond that, I see the beauty I have never seen. I have been with several women, especially this last trip I took with Joel and none of the women including Beth come close to the beauty right in front of me.

Long ginger red hair, long straight eyelashes, a perfectly shaped nose, heart-shaped lips that I can't wait to taste, and an amazing body. I can't believe the woman in my arms right now is my mate.

The moon goddess has her way of picking our mates for us. I just want her to survive this because I will be Alpha of the Blood eclipse pack and she will be my Luna.

The anger to catch whoever is behind this is now growing stronger. I need to get revenge for her pack. What happened here is a catastrophe. I will get justice for them even if it's the last thing I do. I never imagined I would find my mate in such a place covered in blood amongst all these dead bodies.

I can't imagine the confusion when she wakes up and finds herself in a different packhouse. Now I have an idea of how Cam is feeling, her mate being unconscious and fighting for their life.

Like Joel mentioned the helicopter arrives in a few minutes. With a pilot and a nurse that is ready to attend to her. I get off the ground and walk toward the helicopter. Joel slides the door open for me to get in and lay her body down on the stretcher. The nurse quickly starts doing her work.

"She will be fine." I hear Joel say as he jumps in and sits next to me.

I stay silent.

I want the head of the bastard that is behind all this. I link him.