AllFreeNovel
Share Us
It got quiet now that the fighting ceased. For a second, I wondered what happened to the guys, but they stormed through the clearing only to skid to a halt at the sight of the large werewolf surrounded by the corpses of his prey. The guys bared their teeth at him, which had me worried the werewolf would go for them next.
"Don't," I shouted. "He helped us. He's not an enemy."
It seemed that they were going to completely ignore me, but after a few seconds they relaxed their stance and shifted back to their human skins. Once he was back to his human self, Kao ran over to me and pulled me into his arms. Never mind the fact we were both naked, surrounded by my brother, our friends, and a strange monster. "Are you hurt? Are you okay? You're bleeding." Kao fussed over me when we broke apart.
"Stop, I'm fine," I said, swatting his hands away then turning my attention to the monster in the room. The monster who bore my mark, the mark of the Wolf Moon's gift.
Sensing no danger, the werewolf's body shuddered before shrinking down a foot or two and shifting himself back to a regular human. He was in fact a man, an older one at that. The silver hair and matching beard had me thinking he was maybe somewhere in his fifties. Though he was no senile old man, that was for sure. The man was ripped with bulging biceps and firm pectorals. Even when he wasn't in werewolf form, he was hairy all over, but it looked good on him. His chocolate-brown gaze was on me with intent.
Then he spoke. "Are you the one who was chosen by the Wolf Moon?"
BYRON
"By the fucking moon, Joaquin," I growled as I continued my new daily routine of wiping him down, then stitching and bandaging his wounds. He was getting weaker by the day, and it wasn't even because of the wounds or the blood loss, though they sure as hell didn't help the matter at hand. It was all the wolfsbane gas he was inhaling. Despite the doses being small, it was deteriorating his immune system and shortening his breath more and more. Not even waiting for his healing to kick back in was enough anymore. The poison was doing him in. His skin felt cold to the touch, yet he was sweating profusely, and his eyes were out of focus. He's mentioned feeling nauseous and there was also the obvious issue with his breathing.
That wasn't even counting for the silver turning his wrists into charcoal. It was amazing that his hands were still attached to his arms, but I wasn't sure if he'd be able to use them anymore. I was afraid to touch them for fear that his wrists would crumble at my fingertips. This was madness, and I felt like shit for not doing something more to help him. Joaquin was technically no longer pack, but I grew up with him. He was still pack in my eyes and seeing him in this state was tugging at my heartstrings. This went far beyond what we normally did to prisoners. If they didn't have the information we needed, we'd either kill them or set them free. We sure as hell didn't torture them for days on end until the poison inevitably killed them. No, this wasn't about getting Rosie's location out of Joaquin anymore. This was torture for Pierce's own amusement, even I could see that.
"Why bother," Joaquin wheezed with a weak voice. "It's not like closing my wounds will help."
He was right, but what else could I do? I technically wasn't supposed to be treating his wounds anyway, but I reminded Pierce that Mordred wanted him alive for whatever reason. It'd been over a week, which meant it wouldn't be much longer before Rosie's wolf would force a shift and run after her chosen mate. When she did return, it was game over. Pierce would be waiting for that moment and kill her, taking the Wolf Moon's gift and using it for whatever else he planned to do with an army.
I finished stitching up the nasty gash from the top of his collarbone to the space where his neck and shoulders met, then said, "Because if I didn't, you'd be coated in blood and you'd end up looking like Carrie."
Despite the agonizing pain he must've been enduring, Joaquin somehow managed to curve up the corner of his lip. "Remember when we were eight, and we secretly watched that movie in the middle of the night after your parents went to sleep?"
"How could I forget? You were so scared, you begged me to let you sleep in my bed. You know, my mother looked in on us early in the morning while we were still sleeping, and saw you curled up at my side? I had to spend the next three days assuring her that you and I were not dating." I laughed at the memory, loving the simpler times in our life when we were idiot kids getting into trouble and having adventures. Even back then, I believed he was alpha material. He was always the one instigating the plans, and I followed along without a care in the world. Until I got home and got in trouble every time. In a way, Carly reminded me of Joaquin when she was still alive.
I was never good at thinking, solving problems, or making decisions. I was a follower, not a leader. That was why I got along with Joaquin and my ex-wife. If it wasn't for Fate telling me that Carly was fated to me, I would've thought she'd been perfect for Joaquin. Both were the adventurous types, the problem solvers. The kind of wolves who were born to lead. But Fate had deemed her a fit for me. Opposites attract and all that shit.
"I didn't know that," Joaquin whispered. "Those were good times, buddy. I'm going to miss them."
"Don't start talking as if you're about to die. You're still here, Joaquin," I assured him, though the pang in my heart told me that it knew Joaquin's death was near. I didn't want to think about it, but it was a real possibility. Honestly, Joaquin had maybe a couple days left before the poison ended him.
"I think you and I both know I probably won't make it out of here alive," he said.
"Don't say that. You're going to make it out of this, Joaquin."
"The only way that'll happen... is if I escape," Joaquin whispered, struggling to keep his eyes open.
He had a point. Time was running out for him, and if he continued to be locked up in here, he'd die for sure. The silver chains were locked, and only Pierce had the key. Joaquin would never be able to pull free from them and me struggling to do so would only injure me. I'd need to cut him down, but could I do that and sneak him out of the pack without drawing attention to people?
"By-Bryon," Joaquin forced out my name softly.
"What? I'm right here, Joaquin. Stay with me."
"Promise me something. If... I don't make it... find Rosie. Protect her... and tell her how much I loved her."
My lips quivered as fresh tears spilled from my eyes. I hadn't cried since Carly died, and now my best friend was barely hanging on for dear life. No, I couldn't accept that. I wasn't going to let Joaquin die, not like this.
"No," I said through gritted teeth. "I won't tell her that because you'll be the one to tell her when you get out of here. Do you understand, Joaquin Santiago? You will not die here."
Joaquin didn't respond in words. Instead, he gave me a weak smile and closed his eyes. For a moment, I panicked, thinking he died right then and there. To my relief, I could see he was still breathing, but barely. I couldn't wait much longer to break him out. I needed to do something tonight. I gave myself a few minutes to wipe my tears and pull myself together. I needed to act as if I wasn't fearing for Joaquin's life.
Or Rosie's.
I wish I had the opportunity to have gotten to know her better. To see for myself what Joaquin and the twins saw in her. Even I could admit she was a beautiful and fiery young woman, who would face down anybody she needed to for the sake of her mates. I couldn't imagine how much she was suffering from Joaquin's absence. Mother Moon chose her to bear the Wolf Moon's gift for a reason, and if those three men were that devoted to her, she must've been something special. I hope I'd get to find out for myself soon enough.
Once I was composed enough, I climbed up the steps and entered the halls, closing the basement door behind me. The automatic lock latched on. I was about to walk up to my room to devise a plan but halted when I almost bumped into Whitney.
