Page 110 of Red

Chapter 31

My tired legs carry me through the woods, far enough away from where the packs are lining up. The formation designed to keep the humans from charging them worked. If they didn’t know where we were coming from, I knew they wouldn’t risk running out into the unknown forest.

I drop into two feet and my legs can’t keep up. I slam right into a tree. My face burns from the bark. The taste of my victims’ blood fills my mouth, mixing with my own. I lurch over and vomit. Surprisingly, it’s a better taste than the blood.

When I stand back up, a shooting pain starts at my shoulder. I sink onto the ground and grip onto a tree branch. I need to get back to him.

I let the fire burn, starting deep, like holding myself over a fire. It grows hot, and with no water to cool the tree’s bark, it dries to a crumble in my hands. The burning tips over the edge before dissipating, and I pat my newly healed shoulder blade. Adrenaline still courses through me, and I start running back toward where the packs are.

When I get there, a few are limping. Some have changed back into their human forms. The tingles pull, and I run past a group of others. Hendin, the West cohort Alpha, is being carried by two others.

“Aloka,” someone calls, but I keep going. I need to find him.

Stark’s back is to me, huddled over top of a small man’s body. Hudry. My stomach twists and puke rises back up my throat. No. He should never have been sent to the front. I step over and rest my hand on Stark’s back. He flinches, then turns his head toward me.

Kiya pumps on Hudry’s chest. “Breathe, kid. Breathe.”

I squeeze between Stark and Mitus. Hudry’s long human frame lies on the sodden leaves of the forest floor. He has two shots to the chest, a twisted limb, and another shot in the leg.

I tuck closer into Stark. “I can heal him.”

His head nods slightly, though the rest of him motionless.

Stark, he’s running out of time.

Stark’s eyes narrow, turning his head right at me. “Everyone move.” He grunts as he stands. Blood streaks down a huge gash in his leg.

“We can’t stop. He’s not breathing,” Kiya pants.

“I’m taking him. Move or I’ll make you.”

Mitus takes her shoulders and pulls her back. “Kiya, you did all you could.”

She fights him for a moment, then her body drops. She hugs Hudry before Mitus lifts her out of the way.

Stark scoops Hudry up into his arms and takes off. I push forward running after him.

“Aloka, where are you going?” Kiya says.

I ignore them and focus on my feet. Stark is faster than me.

“Vehicles?” I ask.

“Four hundred feet off,” he huffs, and keeps running.

When we reach his truck, I lower the tailgate. “Put him in the trucks bed.”

“Where do we go?”

“My house,” I say.

I climb back into the truck bed and hold on to the ledge. He pauses before lifting the tailgate, but whatever it is he’s thinking, he moves on quick. The driver’s door slams closed and the tires spin on the gravel. I slide myself over to rest Hudry’s head under my legs, wedging myself against the bed walls to keep from sliding. If I can just get him to where he can breathe, I can do the rest after.

I flood my hands with magic and hold them to his bare chest. Blood coats them as I try to focus on his lungs. It sounds like he’s drowning. My arms start to burn, and I try to pull in a breath as a small scream escapes me. But it’s worth it—Hudry’s chest rises under my hands, and I collapse down onto him.

I’ve used so much magic today. I didn’t consider that I’d need to heal after, but I should have.

His heart stutters beneath my ear. I run my fingers over the wound and find a small crevice where the other bullet went. It must have touched his heart. I hope I didn’t make too much of a promise to the others. This surpasses anything I’ve ever done before.