Chapter 14

Bastian

My lion is throwing himself around, trying to claw his way out. We need to put eyes on our mate to check him for any injury, and until then we won"t be calming down. It takes everything I have to not stand on the front porch of the main house and just wait inside for Wes to bring me my mate.

Grey has been sending teams out and taking care of everything security-wise while Cole runs around comforting the scared pride members. I doubt either of the betas had wanted to create hysteria, but when Wes called Grey, we were at a meeting with some of the community leaders, and they heard everything, even with Grey stepping away from the table as he answered his phone. Word had spread like wildfire after we rushed from the room, abandoning the meeting. Both Nik's and Jasper"s families arrived at my doorstep within minutes.

Tom and Mary were easier to redirect because they had two more sons racing their way here. Darren and Vi were much harder to assure since Jasper was their only son and the oldest of their six children. Jasper"s younger sisters, seventeen-year-old twins, were as panicked as their parents but were doing a great job holding it together for the three-year-old triplets playing in the corner of the living room of the main house with no understanding of what was happening.

Even though I"m staring intently out the window facing the entrance to pride lands, I hear gravel crunching before I see the car. I"m out the door, ignoring the shouts of my men, needing to be closer. My breathing picks up when the car rolls into view. I take in the bullet holes that riddle the side, and my stomach squeezes painfully at the sight, not knowing if they ran into more trouble on the way here. Not seeing Theo in the car, I open my mouth to shout for my mate as my heart pounds in my chest, when I see his head pop up from under the window like he had been lying on the floor. Good job, Wes.

The car jerks to a stop, and the two men exit the vehicle in a rush, the car still rocking. Theo turns to Wes and says something that has a faint smile tugging at the shifter"s lips. The slam of the door smacking into the wall sounds behind me, and I turn to see Mary as she sprints to her boys, kicking dust up behind her. She rocks Wes with the speed she hits him at, but he just wraps her in his arms and holds her as she breaks down sobbing and babbling questions. Tom joins them at a slower but still hurried pace. Eyes glassy, he hugs his son tight and looks at me, nodding in thanks right before my arms become very full with my shaking mate.

I smash him to my chest, probably crushing him, but I need to feel the weight of his reportedly unharmed body against my own. He"s okay. I don"t smell any blood on him, just the strong scent of Jasper on his front. My lion moves to grumble, but I nip that in the bud. He was saving our mate. Shot twice for his efforts, and Theo would not have recovered like Jasper will, so we will be fucking thankful.

"Shhh. I"ve got you. You"re okay. Shhh, love," I murmur to him, pressing my nose into the crook of his neck.

"He—they—" He hiccups, stuttering between sobs.

"We"ll get them home, Theo. You"re okay. They"ll be okay." I hope I"m not lying to him.

Grey jogs out to us, checking on Wes and Theo with a quick sweep before giving me an update. "Ryker took down the remaining guy successfully, but the sniper was gone by the time Solomon found his perch. They're on their way now with Jasper and Nik. Jasper will need to shift again once they get here but was able to shift in the car while they were loading Nik, so he"ll make a full recovery."

"And Nik?" Theo asks tearfully.

Grey sighs, shaking his head. "Nik still hasn"t woken up, but we"re hoping he responds to our alpha"s command to shift, because his pulse is thready at best. He needs to shift at least once or he won"t make it."

"What are his injuries?" Mary asks, now tucked under her mate"s arm, voice catching. Cole must have joined them, because both he and Wes are crowding around their mother, offering comfort.

"A single shot at the base of his neck. We"re hoping it hasn"t severed his spine. There was too much blood for Ryker to get a good look; they didn"t want to stay exposed any longer than they had to. They were extremely careful moving him, though. That"s why it"s taking so long for them to get here," he answers before addressing my mate"s beta. "Good job with the evasive route, Wes."

Grey turns, ushering us all toward the house. "We need to get supplies ready. I was thinking we can turn the sitting room into a little med area. The healer"s not due to be back for another week, so there"s no use going to his offices when in here will work just fine if we hurry."

Needing no further encouragement, we rush into the house and get to work. Theo goes to talk to Jasper"s family, who is hovering but no longer frantic, so they must have heard the update on their son"s condition. The little ones are herded further down the hall by their older sisters, assuring us they will keep the toddlers occupied and away from the bustle.

We end up just throwing a sheet over the dining room table since it would give us the most room, and Nik can lie on it comfortably instead of hanging off the end. The chairs have all been stacked and pushed against the wall. Every first aid kit and medical bag has been brought in and set on the counter. A kettle is put on the stove for sterile water, with a second, electric version plugged in on the island.

The crunching gravel reaches my ears again, and I let everyone know to make room. Wes must have been standing outside, because as Theo and I reach the front door, we watch as he and Solomon cradle Nik"s top half with Ryker carrying his feet. I send a quick thanks that the alpha who built this house had the foresight to install double front doors, because they're the only reason it's fairly easy for the men to squeeze in without repositioning Nik and aggravating his injuries.

Once Nik is arranged on the table, I place my hand on his chest. I"m horrified as I struggle to find a pulse or feel his mountain lion. As alpha, I should be able to sense and connect with his animal, and I don"t feel anything for far too long.

There! A wisp of feeling. Having proven that his animal is still holding on, I push as much force and energy into my voice and hand as I can, needing him to listen.

"Shift!" His inhale means he heard me, but there"s no change. I repeat my demand, desperation coloring my tone. Nothing.

I shout a third time, willing him to hear and obey me. Not even a twitch. Theo places his shaky hand on mine where it presses onto Nik"s chest, and demands for us to try again. "SHIFT!" Our voices mix, stronger together than apart. I feel the extra energy and want to marvel at it but refuse to break focus. Nik"s hand twitches before fur sprouts along his arms.

In what has to be the most painful shift I"ve ever seen, he slowly becomes a mountain lion, still barely breathing. His tail thumps once, proving he"s not completely paralyzed. Thank God. I sigh in relief before addressing those watching with bated breath. "Let"s let him rest. He"ll shift back when he gains a little strength. He"ll live, but it will be a long and hard recovery."

Mary and Tom are the first to step forward. Normally we don"t let anyone touch a healing animal except family and mates, so I"m glad the rest of those gathered respectfully file out of the house. His parents pet him gently, whispering words of love and encouragement. Then his brothers do the same, looking at Theo and motioning for him to join them. Theo kisses Nik"s cougar nose, choking back tears. I don"t hear what he says to the unconscious man, but his brothers give wet chuckles, so it must have been an inside joke. We let everyone get their time in with Nik, but he cannot be comfortable here on the table with all the hovering.

Theo hugs his family, promising that they can return in a few hours to visit Nik again, but that we need to get him into a room and they need to rest. They reluctantly agree only when we promise to update them on any change and swear we will have someone sit with him at all times. When the front doors close, Theo and I sigh heavily with relief and exhaustion. It"s not even noon and we need a nap too.

"Let"s get Nik settled, and then you can watch over him all you want," I promise him quietly before taking his hand and leading him back toward the dining room.