Chapter 49 - How Precious Is Life?

There was this crucifying pain in my gut. It felt like something had ripped my guts open, gnawed them out and left them bleeding. I felt like a dying bird that is killed for fun by hunters solely for their own pleasure. There was so much pain that I was afraid to look down but I did. I looked down on my stomach.

There was nothing there. Absolutely nothing.

I touched myself in disbelief but I was completely fine.

What?

What is happening?

Where is this pain coming from?

My eyes were still down when I noticed the blood dripping on the ground, it had already formed a tiny puddle there but it wasn’t from me, but from the man who covered me.

I looked at Yohan, his sky blue colored dress shirt was dyed in red around his stomach. I raised my head further up to his face while a single drop of blood dripped down his nose yet he was standing his ground..

His arms on either side of my body to keep me safe.

“Yohan.” I began to tremble, “Let go.” After seeing him it felt like all of my own pain had vanished.

“No…” He whispered, “Not yet.”

“Let go!!” I yelled, “We have to take you to the hospital!!” I grabbed his shoulder and began to pull him down but he wouldn’t budge.

“Stop!!!” He yelled at me and I froze. He yelled at me? He’s never yelled at me. I looked at his face in terror, “Maya, just stay there. Just till Ruda comes.” His eyes drooped, “A few minutes.”

A few minutes?

“You’ll bleed out.” I didn’t think I could be any more scared than I already was but as I looked at the dripping blood terror struck my heart.

“I’m not human.”

“You’re still a person!!”

“He’ll be here soon. I’m an alpha blood. I’ll be fine.”

“Yohan…”

As I worried about him, nothing else crossed my mind. Not even why this happened. I just kept staring at his wound

“Maya look at me.” He said and I raised my head, “It’s started healing.”

“Huh?”

“For wolves, the healing process is fast and it gets faster if their mate is with them. So, I’ll be fin-” Before he got to complete his words I heard something hit him. Not once but thrice.

His body froze for a minute then he coughed. Blood came out of his mouth and tainted his jaw and clothes. I stared at him wide eyed even though the warm red liquid had fallen on me as well.

Yohan?

Something inside of me was unnerving while my hands got cold and clammy

I looked down and noticed the blood coming out of his chest. The red dye on his shirt kept getting bigger and bigger till all of his torso was crimson.

There was so much of it that it seeped through his shirt like water.

“Yohan?” I placed my hands on his wounds, not sure what else to do, I tried pressuring it with my trembling hands. “Yohan?” I looked up at him but he didn’t reply.

The minutes he spoke of were terribly long and all I could do was stand there and stare at the puddle on the floor get bigger and bigger and bigger...

.

Finally, after what felt like hours, the door burst open and Ruda came running. He shot his head around looking for us and just as his gaze met ours Yohan collapsed on the ground.

“Yohan!!” Ruda and I screamed together. I slumped down next to him while Ruda ran over.

“I’ve called the ambulance!” Ruda said, “Just hang on for a few minutes!”

Yohan turned his head to Ruda, “Did you...get it?” I turned my head to him too and only then I noticed he had blood around his mouth. I looked down, a few splatters of it on his shirt and pants and some stuck in his nails.

“I got it and I got him.” He was panting, “Do you think you can come down- Wait...” Ruda finally noticed how much blood Yohan had lost, “Why?” He was confused, “You can heal fast so why are you so badly damaged???”

“Silver…”Yohan shook his head, “I...can’t heal.”

“Alright then.” Ruda stood up, “I’ll bring the medics here.” He then ran out again.

With the little exchange of words they had, there was one thing stuck in my mind that I just couldn’t help but say.

“Do you know who was behind it?’ I asked as I looked at him.

“I have an idea.”

“Who?”

“I’m scared to-” He paused, “Tell you.” It was getting difficult for him to speak, “I fear... you’ll hate me for... my kind.”

“I can never do that.”

“Even if... my kind were behind... this?” I nodded my head as tears dripped down my eyes. I had been keeping them in but I had exceeded my limit a while ago and I could no longer stop them.

“It’s because all my efforts to push you away are useless, I feel like I’m bound to you. On the contrary, I’m scared, I don’t want to lose you. Ever. So, even though I’ll probably never like wolves or your people, I still choose you.” I hiccuped as my tears flowed down my cheeks, “Somehow you were an exception from the start.”

Tears dripped down non stop as fear refused to leave my side, “I didn’t want to be involved in any sort of relationship but somehow,” I sniffled, “Through twists of fate I kept meeting you and each time, I was more drawn to you.” I gulped, “So don’t leave me. Hmm?” I held his hand in mine even though it was covered in blood while I kept the other on his wound and brought it next to my face, “Please stay with me.”

He smiled through the pain, “Of course…”

“Don’t talk!” I told him, “Just stay with me. Help is on the way.”

He closed his eyes and tried breathing but just that gesture made my fear spiked.

I didn’t want him to close his eyes, it was scaring me even more. Just then the door burst open again, the paramedics team came in with a stretcher.

Ruda was right behind them, he came over to me and helped me up while the team did their work.

At that moment, as things somehow felt slow and hazy, I prayed.

I prayed for this weird situation, this weird binding of pain to come to an end.