Chapter 2

CHAPTER 2

brIAR

" B astian!" Malachi barks. Bastian jerks his head up from where he's focused on his twin. "Xander's still alive. He's passed out, but you're not doing the bullet hole any favors by shaking him."

With wide eyes, Bastian glances back down at his twin. When he looks back up at Malachi, his eyes shine with a guarded hope. He opens his mouth to say something, but he's distracted by a woosh behind me.

Looking over my shoulder I see… a rip in the fabric of the universe. There's a hole with purple sparks spinning around it just behind us. Instead of the parking lot, I see what looks like part of the Wyldhart mansion.

Oh good. Things weren't dire enough. Now the whole universe is unravelling.

Fantastic.

Instead of cosmic chaos pouring through, Uncle Vale confidently strides through the rip in space and makes a beeline for us.

A red-haired woman in her forties follows him. She's wearing a floral sundress that reminds me of my mom. Her green eyes scan the parking lot before meeting mine. The woman gasps as she breathes my name, and tears spring to her eyes as she looks me over.

I wince, guessing this is another person I'm supposed to remember but don't.

Dragging her gaze back to mine, she takes in my confusion. "That's right, you don't remember us. I'm sorry, sweetie."

"Um, it's okay?" I ask more than state. I don't really know what she's apologizing for.

"Why did you bring a mage?" Malachi growls at his father as he stiffly moves between his brothers and me and the woman walking toward us.

Oh shit. She's a mage?

That's so cool.

Hopefully she's not here to kill us. That would be less cool.

"Malachi Wyldhart," Uncle Vale snaps, irritated with his eldest son, "that's Briar's aunt. Show her some respect. I brought her to get your brother help as fast as possible. Stop growling at her and get out of the way."

To my shock, Malachi listens to his dad without complaint. He's still glaring at the woman who's apparently my aunt, but he's not blocking her from Xander.

When she gets a look at Xander, her face contorts in sympathy. "That poor boy," she mutters before whispering something under her breath. A purple glow surrounds Xander's limp form. Once he's fully coated in the purple light, his body lifts off the ground and he floats toward the wormhole chilling out in the parking lot.

Turning back to the woman, I see her face scrunched in concentration. Her hands are outstretched and shaking a little as she slowly guides Xander across the parking lot.

Glancing around, I wonder how no one from the bank noticed the shooting and now this. That's a problem for another time. Hopping up, I make a move to follow Xander.

Uncle Vale puts his hand on my shoulder to stop me. "Let her get him through the portal first, Bee." Uncle Vale squeezes my shoulder comfortingly as I watch Xander slowly go through the portal.

When the redhead woman follows him, I shrug off Uncle Vale's hand and jog to the portal. Hoping I won't get lost in another dimension, I step through. It's sticky and dense. The air clings to me like tree sap. After a moment of slogging through the strange atmosphere, I pop out on the other side. Malachi, Bastian, and Uncle Vale follow me closely behind.

Turning toward Xander, I see him lying on a hospital bed. A nurse, the redheaded woman, and an old man in a white coat are tending to him.

The nurse has long brown hair, a pretty face, and short stature. With wrinkles lining his weathered face and sparse white hair, the man in the doctor coat looks to be quite a bit older than even Uncle Vale.

As the nurse starts to wheel Xander down the white tiled hallway, we all move to follow him, but the doctor puts an arm out to stop me. "Sorry, miss, only family is allowed back with him."

"He's my fucking mate," I growl at the doctor. At my anger, something bubbles in my chest and slithers through my veins. It infuses my next words. "Get out of my way."

My voice doesn't sound like it normally does, coming out deep and growly instead, and my words vibrate with a resonance that slams into the doctor. His eyes widen, and he immediately steps aside.

I once again move to follow Xander, but a hand grabs my shoulder. Turning around with a snarl, I prepare to lay into whoever is keeping me from my mate, but it's just Uncle Vale.

He's not looking at me. Instead, he addresses the doctor. "Go on ahead, Stone. We'll be there shortly." The doctor gives Uncle Vale a curt nod and scurries off after Xander. "Bumble Bee, I need you to calm down."

"How can I calm down?" I scream, heartbreak making me lose control of my emotions. "Xander's dying, and it's all my fault." Tears well up in my eyes at saying it out loud, but I battle them back. I don't deserve to cry over him when it's my fault he's fighting for his life.

"Oh, Bee," Uncle Vale murmurs as he wraps me up in one of his signature bear hugs. "Xander's not dying, and it's not your fault."

"He's not?" I ask, a hiccupping sob making its way out on the last word. Clamping my lips shut, I refuse to let any other sound out. My shoulders shake with silent tears as I bury my face in Uncle Vale's chest.

"No, he's not. Xander's injured, but he's going to be fine. Wolves heal much faster than normal humans. Give it a week and Xander will be good as new." Uncle Vale smooths his hand over my hair as he talks. The motion is comforting and familiar.

Taking a moment to get myself together, I focus on shoving down all my feelings. Now's not the time. Once I know Xander will be fine, then I can drown in them. When I'm sure I'm done crying, I pull out of Uncle Vale's arms. I don't deserve his comfort, not after Xander got shot because of me.

As I brush a few stray tears off my cheeks, Uncle Vale looks at my blank face and empty eyes. His brows dip in worry, but he doesn't say anything.

"Can we go see Xander?" I ask flatly. Either I feel everything or nothing. There's no in-between for me.

"Yes. Bee…." Uncle Vale trails off like he can't figure out what to say.

Before he has a chance to ask about the change in me, I turn on my heel. Striding toward where I saw Xander heading, I follow the voices drifting from my left. It doesn't take me long to find Xander's room.

When I step inside, the doctor is snapping off his bloody gloves. Xander's hooked up to an IV and covered by a hospital sheet. His shoulder is clean and stitched up. Instead of pained, Xander's face looks peaceful—maybe the most peaceful I've ever seen it.

The doctor looks up and gives me a bright smile. "You'll be pleased to know Xander is healing quicker than expected. The bullet nicked an artery, but it was already almost healed by the time I sutured his wound. We gave him a sedative to help his healing along. He should wake up in about twenty-four hours."

"That's good," I stammer, unsure why the doctor isn't pissed at me for yelling at him earlier. It freaks me out that he's being so nice. I don't really know how to react.

Yelling and screaming?

I know exactly how to respond.

Niceties?

Not so much.

There's definitely something wrong with me that pleasantries freak me out and rage doesn't.

"I apologize about earlier. I never would have gotten between you and your mate had I known," the doctor tells me as he checks over Xander one last time.

"Um, that's okay," I mumble, embarrassed about my behavior. There wasn't any reason for me to yell at the man just doing his job.

"Well, I'll get out of your hair, then. I'm right down the hall if you need anything. I'll be back in a couple of hours to check on him." The doctor gives me a kind smile and a friendly pat on the shoulder before leaving.

"I need to head out as well," Uncle Vale informs us. "We need to clean the scene before anyone stumbles on it." He gives me a kiss on the head before nodding at Malachi and Bastian. "Let me know if you need anything. Your mom should be down soon." He strides out of the room, and the door closes behind him with a soft snick.

"How are you, pretty girl?" Bastian pushes his golden hair out of his face as he looks at me from Xander's bedside.

"Fine," I manage to choke out.

Of course I'm fine.

I always am.

It's everyone around me who isn't.

First, I got my mom killed. If I hadn't been born, Patrick couldn't have blackmailed her. Then, I put Ava in danger for the past seven years. If I were a better sister, I would have gotten her away from him sooner. And now, I got Xander shot. The only reason he was in the parking lot and almost died was because of me.

I hurt everyone around me, and I'm so fucking sick of it.

It wouldn't surprise me if Malachi and Bastian hate me now for what happened to their brother. It was always bound to happen. No one stays around for very long. But, goddamn, does it hurt. My heart is so battered and bruised I wonder how it can still function.

The walls of the infirmary start to feel like they're closing in on me. My heart gallops in my chest, and my breath saws in and out of my lungs in harsh pants. Blackness creeps into the edges of my vision as I try to get my breathing under control.

It takes me a moment to realize I'm having a panic attack. Fuck. Leave it to me to make someone else getting hurt about me.

Will I ever stop being so selfish?

I don't know. But I do know I need to get out of here before the Wyldharts witness my breakdown. They don't need to deal with me losing it on top of worrying about their brother. Without looking at either of them, I manage to whisper, "I need some fresh air."

Keeping my head down, I turn toward the door. Heaving the surprisingly heavy slab of wood open, I calmly walk into the hallway. As soon as the door shuts, I take off at a sprint. I don't know where I'm going, but I know I need to get out of here.