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My mind went off in a million different directions. She could die. My Tori could die. She was losing too much blood and had burns from what looked like wolfsbane.
Every fearful and hateful emotion I could muster shook me beyond my control. I couldn’t lose her. I wouldn’t be able to survive it.
Aunt Lucille was right. The best way to know if someone was your true mate was to know that you couldn’t live without them. Tori was that for me. I couldn’t live without her. I wouldn’t accept her death.
Burying my face into her furry neck, I pleaded. “Tori, shift now. I can’t go on without you. Please, little wolf, shift back for me. I need you.”
Clawson’s hand rested on my shoulder as I cried and pleaded for my mate to do what I asked. There was no getting through to her.
My wolf snarled and forced his way out. I fell away, trusting my infuriated wolf’s instincts, and shifted the fastest I ever had. I wasn’t fully wolf before the saddest and most desperate howl ripped from my lungs. It was a mated cry as I’d never heard before, let alone executed myself.
At once, Tori startled and responded to the desperate cry, and she cried out in pain herself. Her wolf was feral, and she didn’t want to lose the control she had. She snapped at the medics and Clawson as she lay hurt and immobile. The wolf’s panic-stricken eyes ate at me as I shifted back and stroked her head to calm her down.
“It’s okay, Tori. It’s okay. They’re here to help you, little wolf. You need to shift now. Please, shift for me so we can take care of you. They can’t fix you in wolf form. Please shift.”
Tori licked at my hand, her eyes regarded me, and a little huff escaped her muzzle. Then, slowly, she shifted back into human form. Her tears and cries as she turned made me want to gut the librarian with my claws and fangs until nothing was left.
“Ridge?”
“That’s it, baby. You’re doing great. We’ll get you to the hospital, and everything will be all right.”
Her breathing was shallow as she panted.
“Ridge, it’s the librarian. I tried—”
“Shh, baby. We know. We have her in custody. Don’t worry about anything, okay? Let’s get you fixed up and resting.”
The medic handed me a medical gown from his pack, and I covered Tori in it as Birch and the other medic brought in the gurney.
The knife couldn’t be taken out of her yet, which had me gritting my teeth as she continued to whimper. The human medic held the blade in place so it wouldn’t cause more damage as I lifted my little wolf and placed her on the gurney. I didn’t want to let her out of my arms. She closed her eyes and rested as best she could.
Once she was settled, the medic started prepping her for transport.
Clawson gave me a pair of spare pants, and I tugged them on without taking my eyes off Tori. Instantly, her own eyes launched open as she frantically scanned the room.
“Ridge?” That one word was filled with fear.
“Here, baby. I’m right here.” I moved around the medic, grabbed her hand, and our eyes connected. She calmed down and tightened her hold on my hand. “I’m not going anywhere. I’m here with you. Don’t worry, just relax as best as you can. They’re getting you ready to transport you to the hospital.”
She nodded and rubbed her cheek against my hand. My heart fisted in my chest. We weren’t out of the woods yet.
“Okay, let’s get her out of here,” the shifter medic said.
They started moving her, but she wouldn’t let go of my hand, and I wouldn’t do anything she didn’t want me to do. I squeezed her hand tight as we shuffled through the library. All the deputies looked at her with concern, then shifted their anger toward Mrs. Marrow, who sat handcuffed in a chair, smiling calmly at Tori’s battered body.
Working to control my rage, I thought about Tori’s impact on the men and women around us. She had no idea of the impression she’d already made on the people of this town. There were others who wanted her here, not just me.
The three of us ran her gurney toward the ambulance as I held her hand, not sparing a glance at the onlookers or responding to any of the concerned shouts.
We settled into the ambulance, and the shifter medic didn’t ask me to move. He worked around me as I clung to her. There was nothing more reassuring and helpful for a wounded wolf than the presence of their mate. This medic knew that, so he didn’t force me away from her. My scent and touch were the only things keeping her calm and stopping her from lashing out at what she might perceive as potential threats.
A mate was a godsend during times like these. We all knew that.
The driver rushed to the hospital with the lights and siren blaring. Nothing would stop us from getting her the help she needed.
It didn’t take long before she lost consciousness again. I struggled with the sight, but the medic assured me that her vitals were good. “Don’t worry, Mayor, she’s a fighter. She’ll get through this.”
I nodded, my gaze never wavering from her face. In my peripheral vision, I caught the medic’s determined face.
