Chapter 281 - Damage

The bullet escaped the gun and the sound of recoil echoed through the tent. Aria had shut her eyes immediately after firing the bullet. So, she did not know who she had shot. But Ethan knew who had been shot and thankfully, it was not him. Aria had shot Kevin on his head and man, that was one hell of a good shot for a person who knew nothing about guns. Ethan had to praise her for her marksmanship. The woman was good.

Kevin fell down dead and Ethan sighed in relief. Though he was sure about his death, he still checked Kevin's pulse and then checked his shirt and pants to see if he had something that was worth it for him. But there was nothing he could find. Ethan then shifted his attention to Aria who was shaking like a withering leaf on a breezy day. Her eyes were still shut tight and she was grasping the gun with both hands using all the strength she had.​​

Ethan rushed to her immediately and held her gently, trying to bring her out of the shock she was in. "Aria, Aria. Open your eyes. You are fine, everyone is fine. Aria, please open his eyes." He coaxed her gently as he gradually took the gun from her hand. 

Aria heard his gentle voice and opened her eyes and seeing Ethan stand before her, she stared at him dumbfounded. "You, you.."

"Yes me. You did not kill me. The bullet did not hit me. I am perfectly fine."

"What about Kevin?" Aria asked, her voice shook as she spoke and it was nothing more than a whisper.

"He is dead, Aria. You are safe, we are safe. Okay?" Ethan looked at her concern as he soothed her, trying to calm her stiff nerves.

"He is dead?" Aria asked and the realization hit her. She turned towards where Kevin's body was lying on the floor and she burst out crying. "I killed him." That was all she said before she fainted in Ethan's arms.

"Aria," Ethan screamed, petrified on her seeing collapse suddenly. He tried to wake up her up, but nothing worked. Her eyes were shut tight. Having no other choice, he picked her up and went to the medical camp where the soldiers were being treated. As soon as he stepped out of the tent, everybody around him stopped, their eye-widening in horror. The scene they were seeing made their jaws drop.

Ethan had stepped out of Aria's tent with Aria in his arms and the lady was lying unconscious. Also, there was blood on her neck that had trickled down her c_h_e_s_t. Ethan did not care about the questioning gazes, he had other pressing matters to attend to. He sprinted towards the medical camp as fast as his feet could carry him and Aria. 

Ian was horrified seeing Ethan carry an unconscious Aria in his arms and just by looking at Ethan's face and Aria's injured neck, Ian was sure that something serious had happened. Not wasting another moment, he went to them to treat her personally. Ethan laid her on the bed while Ian took over and checked her condition. 

Ian finally released the breath he was holding after doing a thorough check on her. Aria's injuries were not severe and she had just fainted out of shock. She was not in danger and she would wake up in a few hours. He treated her wounds with utmost care. Aria was not only his friend's girlfriend, she was also his friend and his junior. There was no way he would allow anything to happen to her, not in his presence at least. He cleaned the wounds and treated them before covering them with a bandage. 

Only after he had checked her again, did he turn his gaze towards Ethan who was silently observing him. "What happened to her?" He almost seethed. He was angry now, on Ethan as well as himself. How did she even get wounded when there were so many soldiers around the area and especially when the war had ended? Aria's injuries were anything but accidental. Someone had inflicted them on her and this was making him angry, furious even.

Ethan could also sense his anger and he had every right to get angry. An innocent person had got injured and it was his mistake to not have protected her. "I'll explain everything later. How is she?"

"She is fine. She is just tired, that's it. Now, tell me what happened to her."

"Can we talk in private?"

Ian narrowed his eyebrows, but he still followed him to Aria's tent. Kevin's body was still lying on the ground and Ian did not have to second guess what might have happened here. "So, Kevin is one of the traitors, is it?"

"Yes."

"How did Aria get injured?"

The next ten minutes were spent with Ethan recapping the scenes that had taken place in the tent and Ian's expression changed from anger to horror. "What the hell!!" He exclaimed in desperation. He did not know what to do now, but he was having a bad feeling, a very, very bad feeling. He was sure that Aria would be affected by whatever that had happened here. What he did not know was how far it would affect her. He just hoped that she would come out of it eventually. 

Also, he had another problem to face and it was the devil himself, Noah Allen Carter. The man would go bonkers when he would find out about Aria's state. There was no way he could hide the things from him, not when they were returning home in three days. Since the war had ended, the medical staff was called back and they were to leave the border after three days. There was no way Aria's injuries would heel in three days. No.

Ethan saw the situation Ian was in. He could only apologize to him. "I am sorry. It was my mistake."

"I don't blame you, Major Ethan. Whatever happened just happened. We just need to let go. I am more worried about the future."

"What do you mean?" Ian words confused Ethan greatly. He did not get what future he was talking about.

"I don't know how Aria will take the news once she gets up. Though she might have killed a traitor, she still murdered a person and there are chances that this might affect her to some extent."

"Oh no." Ethan now realized why Ian was this distressed. He had never thought about this aspect. All he was worried about was Aria's superficial wounds, he had not given a thought about her emotional well being.

"Yes and another thing to worry about is her boyfriend. That man will go berserk if he finds out that the woman he loves is injured."

"Aria has a boyfriend?"

"Yes and that man is very possessive and caring about her. I am not sure how to face him now that I have broken my promise." Ian pressed the space between his eyebrows thinking about the upcoming hurricane.

"What promise?"

"I promised him before coming here that I would look after Aria and that she would return unscathed."

"I'll take the blame for everything. It was my mistake anyway."

Ethan left the tent and called his men to take Kevin's body outside. It came as a shock to everyone to find out about the traitors in their squad and Kevin being one of them was even more shocking. Most of them found it to be just a dream, a very horrible dream. But no. It was no dream and Kevin's dead body was the proof to it. The man had betrayed them and because of him and his team, they lost many of their friends and their country was almost about to lose the battle. This was unacceptable. Friend or not, nobody was allowed to harm their motherland. No.

After Kevin's body was buried, Ethan went back to convey the news to Luis Truman. A lot of things had happened in the day and he himself was not sure what more was awaiting them. Kevin's involvement was a huge shock to him and he was yet to come terms with it.

"I am worried about Aria." Stuart said as he rubbed his arms. He had taken a loo break when the incident had happened and he had been utterly spooked seeing Aria's condition. She was lying unconscious with bandages around her neck. He had heard what had happened on his way back and now he was very worried about her.

"Me too. I just hope she does not take it too strongly." Ian voiced with a loud sigh. Aria was completely different from Ivy. If it was Ivy in this situation, he would not have been this worried as the woman was quite strong. That was what he had felt from all the meetings with her. But with Aria, that could not be the case. She was also strong but in a different way and he just hoped that everything would be fine.

"Doctor Ian, Dr. West is awake." A nurse came panting towards them. This was all they needed and the next moment, Stuart and Ian ran to meet her.

Aria was sitting on the bed with her eyes spaced out. Ian and Stuart's hurried footsteps gained her attentions and she turned to face them. As soon as her eyes met Ian's, she broke down and started crying. "Ian, I killed him. I killed him Ian. I am a murderer. I killed him."

Ian hugged her the next second, trying to assure her that everything was alright. But the woman continued crying hysteriaclly. Seeing her state, Ian confirmed his fears to have become true. The damage had been done.