Let Me Live

Chapter 10: King Titan's POV

King Titan’s POV 

I bolted out of the house and shifted, not wanting to waste time on a car, and sprinted down the hill towards the hospital. I mind linked Ryker: HOSPITAL! NOW! I hit the parking lot less than two minutes later and skidded to a halt, nearly crashing into Ryker who came from the other side. We shifted and ran while pulling on our gym shorts! We both took the stairs 3 at a time to the third floor. Even from the hallway, I could hear voices shouting and machines alarming in a frenzy! Goddess NO! I ran into her room to see everyone surrounding her bed and a nurse pressing on her fragile chest. I felt nearly sick when I heard her ribs cracking! I knew it was common for that to happen during CPR but that did not stop my wolf from wanting to reach over and snap the nurse's neck! 

“What happened?!” I shouted as I encroached closer but knew I had to stay out of the way.

“She had a seizure and went into cardiac arrest!” Dr. Marshall answered, not looking at me and continuing to pull out paddles for a defibrillator! 

Ryker laid his hand on my shoulder but I barely felt it. I sank to my knees and pushed all my strength and energy from the mate bond into her! Even though we hadn’t performed the marking ceremony and she didn’t understand the bond so ours wasn’t as strong as it could be. However, it was still there and I was putting my all into it. I would gladly sacrifice my life to save her, if that’s what it took! Please baby, please don’t give up! I tried to mink link her, I doubted it worked but I was hoping against hope that she somehow heard me. 

“Clear!” Dr. Marshall shouted and everyone stepped back from her as the paddles shocked her chest and I felt the zap in mine! I was overjoyed to feel it because it meant that, at least for that second, her heart was beating. 

“No rhythm!” One of the nurses shouted. Come on baby! Please come back! I can't lose you yet! Please! 

“Going again! Charging! Clear!” Dr. Marshall shouted again! Another zap shook my chest! The nurse checked her pulse but I could hear it and relief flooded through me!

“Got a pulse!” The nurse shouted and I released a breath I wasn’t aware I had been holding. The doctor started giving orders for different things but all I was listening to was that steady beat. That beat might as well be my own heart in my chest. I could no sooner live without that one anymore than I could live without mine. I heard footsteps and smelled another wolf enter the room. I turned to see the dark-haired soldier who had told us about her, Roman, I believe was his name. I realized I had never thanked him for telling us about the cells. The chaos seemed to have died down around my mate and her vitals were holding steady. 

“Is she OK, doctor?” I asked him. 

“For now, but stay close by. Her vitals seem to improve when you’re here.” He said, still tending to her. Well, that decided where I would be spending the rest of my time while I was here. I stood and gestured for Ryker and Roman to follow me into the hall. 

“I want to thank you for informing us about her and the cells. We most likely wouldn’t have found them without your help.” I said and shook his hand. He lowered his head.

“I am not worthy of thanks, your Majesty. I had been a coward for too long and just couldn’t take it anymore.” He said, sadly.

“How did you know about her? It seems outside of the alpha, beta, a few soldiers and the doc, no one else in the pack knew anything about her or the cells.” I asked him. 

“I was tasked with giving her scraps four years ago and making sure she was still breathing basically. I was only allowed to throw the scraps in and was instructed never to speak to her. Which I did occasionally, trying to get her to understand that she needed to submit and obey so she wouldn’t get hurt, but she would never listen. I’m not sure if it was because she was just that stubborn or she just didn’t understand me. I would try to sneak her extra food when I could but somehow the alpha knew and took two of my fingers as a reminder not to disobey.” He finished and then held up his left hand, his pinky and ring finger were stubbed at the second knuckle. 

“The doc said to ask you about what happens when people try to leave here. Did you try to run away?” Ryker asked him. His face grew even more despondent than it had been.

“My father was the beta to the former alpha, Alpha Ian. We had all assumed that I would be the next beta, but I could never get along with Drake. He was just plain arrogant and cruel like his father. However, my father was loyal to a fault. Although he knew what kind of man Alpha Ian was, and strongly disliked it, he stood by his side. When Drake turned 18 and took over as alpha, he chose Derek to be his beta. Honestly, I was fine with it, as I didn’t want to be his beta in the first place. Unfortunately, his father was irked about how Derek was not from a beta line. Then the following year, my little sister turned 18 and, in the most sickening turn of events, we realized she was Derek’s mate. That, of course, solved all their problems as far as breaking the lines. My father finally wised up because he knew Derek was just like Drake and knew how he would treat my sister. Our parents helped me and Amilia escape and we made it pretty far, but Drake has connections everywhere. Within two weeks, they had found us both and brought us back. They forced us both to watch as they executed our parents. Then they nearly beat me to death in front of Amilia. That broke her. She has never been the same since. That is what happens when anyone tries to leave against the alpha’s wishes.” He finished. I placed my hand on his shoulder.

“I am truly sorry for what you and Amilia have been through. I assure you, we are doing all we can to bring the alpha and beta to justice.” He nodded at me but kept his head lowered. 

“Why do you think they put you in charge of feeding her and looking in on her?” I asked.

“That was Derek’s doing. He caught me trying to talk to Amilia a few times and when beating me didn’t work to keep me away, he took me down to her cell. He said I needed a good perspective on how horrible it can be for women in this pack. Implying that if I didn’t back off, it would be Amilia in those cells. I hated myself, but Amilia is all I have. I didn’t want to push my luck any further. He also knew that having to look out for this poor girl, who I was also powerless to help, would break me down even further.” He answered and cleared his throat, trying to reign in his emotions. I knew one thing for sure, I was going to send the best wolf psychiatrists money could buy to this pack. Everyone here was in dire need of it. 

“But you weren’t powerless. You and the doctor got us here and you led us to her. You’re both extremely brave men.” I reassured him. He smiled a little but I could tell he didn’t believe me. 

“Do you have any idea what her name is or how long she has been down there?” I asked him. I so desperately wanted to know her name. 

“I don’t know her name but two days ago, while Drake and Derek were down there trying to hand feed her, Derek mentioned something about her having been in that cell since she was a toddler.” He answered. Just when I thought this whole thing couldn’t shock me anymore, it did! A toddler! No wonder she was half crazed and didn’t understand anything, she had been treated like an animal for the majority of her entire life! It’s all she has ever known! 

“Wait a second, Titan, if she's a mate to you, that can only mean one thing; she has to have alpha blood, right?” I nodded and looked quizzically at Ryker. He knew as well as I that lycans can only form mate bonds with werewolves who have alpha blood. What was he getting at?

“She has alpha blood and she’s been in that cell since she was a toddler. She’s at least 18 or 19 now, so that would have put the time of her incarceration here about 17 years ago!” His eyes sparked with the connection and I felt like a complete i***t for not realizing it sooner! 

“The alpha’s missing daughter from the Divine Moon pack…” I barely whispered as I felt like the breath had been knocked from me. We’ve got him!