Dark Woods

Chapter 10

Nick's car pulls up, and Kylie practically falls out, panic written across her face. Her usually perfect appearance is disheveled—hair messy, makeup smudged, like she threw on whatever clothes she could find and ran out the door. She's wearing sweats and a hoodie, which is so unlike her that it makes the whole situation feel even more surreal.

"Where is she?" Kylie's voice cracks as she rushes toward our group, her eyes wild with fear.

"She's inside with Jasmine," I say gently, stepping forward to intercept her before she can see the blood still staining Lucas's clothes and knuckles. The last thing we need is for her to see that and completely lose it.

But Kylie's not listening. Her gaze has already locked onto Lucas, taking in his disheveled appearance and the fury still radiating from him in waves. His shirt's torn, his knuckles are bloody, and there's this dangerous energy coming off him that makes everyone give him space.

"What happened? Nick just said there was an emergency and—" She stops mid-sentence as the reality hits her. "Oh God, someone hurt Sarah."

Fuck. She's putting the pieces together.

"Kylie," Max says carefully, "she's gonna be okay, but—"

"Where is that bastard?" Kylie's voice turns deadly quiet, her hands trembling with rage. "Where's Jacob?"

We all exchange glances. We've heard the stories about Kylie's protective streak when it comes to her friends, but seeing it firsthand is something else entirely. There's a coldness in her eyes that reminds me she's Black Eclipse royalty—we might be allies, but her pack's always been the most vicious when it comes to protecting what's theirs.

I can see the war going on in her head—part of her wants to hunt Jacob down herself, while the other part just wants to get to Sarah. It's the same conflict I'm feeling, except my protective instincts are split between Sarah and Jasmine.

"His friends took him to the regular hospital," Keaton says. "Luke did some serious damage."

"Good." Kylie's response is immediate and vicious. "I hope he never walks again."

Damn. Remind me never to get on her bad side.

Lucas looks up at that, something shifting in his expression as he studies Sarah's best friend. "You really care about her."

"She's like a sister to me," Kylie says fiercely, her voice shaking with emotion. "And if you think I'm just gonna let this slide—"

"Neither am I," Lucas interrupts, his voice carrying a weight that makes everyone pause. "He touched my mate. He's lucky I didn't f*****g kill him."

Kylie's eyes widen. "Your mate? But you're not even—"

"Eighteen yet, yeah. Everyone keeps saying that," Lucas says, exhaustion creeping into his voice. "Doesn't change what she is to me."

Holy s**t. This is real. Lucas's wolf actually came early because of the mate bond.

The implications of this are huge. If Lucas's wolf manifested early because of the mate bond, what does that mean for the rest of us? I think about the way I've been reacting to Jasmine, the possessiveness, the need to protect her. Could that be...?

No. Don't go there. Not now.

For a moment, Kylie just stares at him, processing. Then something in her posture shifts, acceptance replacing shock. She's Black Eclipse—she gets pack bonds better than most humans would. "She's gonna need time to heal from this. Both physically and mentally."

"I know," Lucas says quietly, and I can hear the pain in his voice. "I'll wait as long as she needs."

"You better," Kylie says, but there's less hostility in her voice now. "Because if you hurt her on top of everything else—"

"I'd rather die first," Lucas says simply, and I believe him. The way he's looking at Kylie, with this desperate need for her approval, shows just how much Sarah means to him.

I watch the exchange with interest. Sarah's gonna need her support system, and it looks like Kylie's willing to work with Lucas rather than against him. That's good—Sarah's gonna need all the help she can get.

"Can I see her now?" Kylie asks, her voice softer.

"Room 203," I say. "But Kylie—she's pretty banged up. Just... be prepared."

Kylie nods and heads inside, leaving us standing in the parking lot with the weight of everything that happened settling over us. The night air's cool against my skin, but I can still feel the rage burning in my chest every time I think about what Jacob did.

"So, what now?" Jamie asks, breaking the silence.

My expression hardens. "Now we make sure Jacob gets exactly what happens when someone hurts a member of our pack. And we make sure Sarah knows she's safe."

And I make sure Jasmine knows she's protected too.

"What about the mate bond?" Max asks, glancing toward Lucas. "The pack elders are gonna wanna know about this."

"Let them ask their questions," I say firmly. "Right now, our priority is Sarah getting better. Everything else can wait."

Lucas nods, grateful for my support. "Thank you, Gabe."

"Don't thank me yet," I say, my voice taking on a dangerous edge. "Thank me after we've dealt with Jacob."

That piece of s**t's gonna pay for what he did. I'll make sure of it.

The thing is, this isn't just about pack justice anymore. It's personal. Seeing what Jacob did to Sarah, watching how it's affecting Jasmine—it's awakened something in me that I didn't even know existed. A need to protect, to claim, to make sure nothing like this ever happens again.

After talking strategy with the guys about how we're gonna handle Jacob, I go back inside to find Lucas standing in the corner like a caged animal, his hands clenched into fists as he watches helplessly. The raw anguish on my best friend's face makes my chest tighten—I've never seen Lucas look so shattered, so utterly broken.

Kylie and Jasmine flank Sarah's hospital bed, their voices soft murmurs of comfort as they try to soothe their friend. Sarah sits propped against the pillows, her face a devastating map of bruises—deep purple around her swollen eyes, angry red marks on her throat where Jacob's hands had been. The sight makes my wolf snarl with renewed fury.

I should've let Lucas finish the job.

Since Sarah's not eighteen yet and hasn't gotten her wolf, healing's gonna take days instead of minutes. Every mark on her skin will be a reminder of what she went through, what we failed to protect her from. The guilt eats at me—I should've been watching, should've made sure she was safe.

Jasmine looks up when I enter, and the pain in her blue eyes hits me like a physical blow. She's been crying—I can see the tear tracks on her cheeks, the way her makeup's slightly smudged. Seeing her hurt makes something primal rage in my chest.

I need to hold her. I need to make sure she knows she's safe.

But I can't. Not here, not now, not with everything that's happening. So I stay back, watching as she comforts her friend, wishing I could comfort her the same way.

"How's she doing?" I ask quietly, not wanting to disturb Sarah.

"She's been better," Jasmine says, her voice thick with emotion. "But she's strong. She'll get through this."

Of course she will. She's got you looking out for her.

The way Jasmine's handling this—staying strong for her friend while clearly falling apart inside—makes me want her even more. She's exactly what a Luna should be: fierce, protective, willing to put others before herself.

The doctor enters with discharge papers, his expression professionally gentle but his eyes holding the grim understanding of what happened. "Miss Deacon, you're cleared to go. Your wounds will heal, but I want you to follow up with your pack doctor in a few days. Take it easy—no crazy activity."

"Thank you," Sarah whispers, her voice hoarse and fragile, barely more than a breath.

I catch the doctor's arm before he can leave. "Doc, could you keep this between us until I handle Jacob? I need time to deal with this the right way."

"Of course, Alpha," the doctor nods, his tone conveying he gets exactly what 'dealing with it the right way' means.

Good. That gives me time to make sure Jacob gets what he deserves.

Lucas immediately moves to Sarah's side, his hands hovering over her like he wants to touch her but doesn't know if he should. "Can I...?" he starts, then stops, unsure.

"It's okay," Sarah says softly, and Lucas gently helps her to her feet. She winces as she moves, and I can see Lucas's jaw clench with barely contained rage.

"I've got you," he murmurs, supporting her weight as they walk toward the door.

Jasmine falls into step beside them, her protective instincts on full display. She keeps shooting glances at Lucas, clearly trying to figure out whether he's trustworthy enough to be near her injured friend.

"Where should we take her?" Kylie asks, grabbing Sarah's bag from the chair.

"My place," Lucas says immediately. "It's closer, and I can keep an eye on—"

"Like hell," Jasmine interrupts, her voice sharp. "She's coming to stay with me and Kylie."

There's my fierce girl.

"Jasmine's right," Kylie agrees. "Sarah needs familiar surroundings and her best friends around her."

Lucas looks like he wants to argue, but then Sarah speaks up. "I... I wanna stay with you guys. Is that okay?"

"Of course," I say before anyone can argue. "Lucas, you can check on her tomorrow. Give her tonight to process with her friends."

The gratitude in Lucas's eyes is immediate, mixed with understanding. "Thank you."

As we walk out to the parking lot, I can't help but notice how Jasmine keeps herself between Sarah and any potential threats. She's in full protector mode, and it's both impressive and incredibly attractive.

She'd make an amazing Luna.

The thought catches me off guard. I've never thought about anyone in terms of leadership before, but seeing Jasmine take charge, watching how she cares for her friend—it makes me realize she'd be perfect for the role.

The night air's cool against my skin, carrying the scent of rain and something else—something that makes my wolf restless. Everything's different now. Tonight changed us all, but especially me. Because now I know what it feels like to want to protect someone with everything I have.

And I know I'm not gonna be able to stay away from her much longer