The Alpha King's Invitation

Chapter 16: The Accident

Callan’s POV

I heard her scream in her mind as she started down the hill, and it all went downhill from there, pun sort of intended. She tried to stop or slow down but she ended up flipping and then going into the woods. I started calling her name as soon as I saw her flip and when I saw her go into the forest I took off after her. Shortly after I took off I felt a pain on my head almost like something had stung me but I ignored it.

Nia. Go down and get a medical team up here asap. She’ll be hurt. I mind-linked her.

She nodded and took off down the hill, I hope she’s ok.

Nes came with me and together we made our way after her. We’d been boarding since we were kids so it really wasn’t that hard for us. But this was Raelynn’s first experience. I knew I should have convinced her to wait at the bottom for me.

My heart sank when I saw her. Her body was draped over a fallen log with her board stuck under it. As I approached I smelt blood and I saw the rest of her. Her hair was draped over her and one of her arms was pinned underneath her but the part that drew my attention was the crimson blood that was on the trunk of a standing tree and a pool of blood that was beneath her head.

“Raelynn!” I called but she didn’t move. Please don’t be dead, I just found you.

Nes and I both reached down and freed our feet from our boards then I went around the tree to support her head while Nes freed her feet.

She’d hit her head on the trunk of the tree, I knew it. As I lifted her I felt the blood and an open wound. I dealt with blood often so I wasn’t worried about me, I was however frantic because it was my Raelynn who was hurt.

“It looks like she’s got some injuries to her legs and that…. Head wound.” Nes assessed her condition by running his hands up the sides of her legs.

I tried to curb the protectiveness in me but I let out a low growl.

He ignored me. “They’ll have to assess her head but I don’t think that she’s seriously injured anywhere else.”

I couldn’t breathe easy because her head was still oozing blood. “What do I do?” I asked him. I really wasn’t of any use that I could think of. All I could do was stabilize Raelynn’s head and hold her until help arrived.

I moved some of her hair off her face and gazed at her. She was beautiful even when she was injured and bloody. There was blood that had run into her hair and scratches on her cheeks, but she was still the most beautiful woman in the world.

I started to hear a chopping sound that got louder and louder. “They sent a helicopter.” Nes said getting up and walking towards the slope.

“Should I bring her?” I called but no one answered, the helicopter was so loud.

Soon there were people in the deep blue snowsuits with a red vest with a white cross. They were carrying a beige stretcher and a bag of equipment.

“Are you her mate?” One of the men asked me, yelling to be heard over the helicopter.

“Yes. I don’t know what to do.” I wasn’t supposed to admit that, I was an Alpha and we were supposed to be sure and confident in all our decisions.

“We’re here to help. So I’m going to need you to put her down, slowly, on the stretcher. And be careful with her neck.”

I nodded and laid her down and paying extra attention to her head and neck.

“Thank you, now can you please step back so we can get to work?” The other called.

I took a hesitant step backwards while the paramedics got to work. They first put a collar on her to stabilize her neck and then took her pulse.

“I’ve got it.” Parametric one said. He pulled a blood pressure cuff out and took her blood pressure. “164 over 104”

“We gotta get her off this mountain now.” The second one yelled.

They each grabbed an end and lifted her, beginning to carry her towards the helicopter. I didn’t even think about the boards I ran with them and got into the seat next to Nes. They got her into the helicopter and hooked her up to a bunch of cables that they had to undo her suit and moving her shirt.

I let out protective growls every time they lifted or moved her shirt. I couldn’t help it. When they put a patch or something down her shirt I let out my loudest growl and Blaze strained at my control.

That’s the last thing that we need Blaze. If I faze here Ray would get hurt even worse, plus we’d crash. I reminded him.

He whined and sulked but didn’t retreat to the back of my mind because they were still touching ‘his mate’.

The whole way to the resort I was thinking about Raelynn. She was my world and we’d only known each other for twenty-four hours. I needed her by my side, my pack needed her to be their Luna, my wolf needed her now that we’d found her and most of all I needed to tell her that I was in love with her.

When we landed they rushed her towards their small hospital with me following close behind her.

“Ray?” I looked over towards the desk and saw Xavier and Owen, her brother. He was the one who’d called her name and he began to follow us. I didn’t mind, he’s family.

A nurse stopped both of us as they walked through a swinging door. “I’m sorry you guys can’t come in. Only medical personnel. You’ll have to stay out here.”

“I’m her mate!” I yelled unconsciously using my Alpha tone.

“I’m her brother!” Owen shouted.

“Be that as it may, the both of you will have to wait out here.” She bowed her head in my direction, “Apologies Alpha but those are the rules.”

I growled but I turned around and slammed my fist into the opposite wall. It was brick but it cracked. Whatever, I’d pay for it. But that was the least of my worries.

“What the f**k happened to my sister?” Owen asked, turning on me.

He wasn’t intimidating physically but he was her brother. I refused to look at him. “I took her boarding and she lost control and went into the forest. She hit a tree and when I found her she was unconscious.”

I heard footsteps and saw Xavier, Nia, Maya and William come into the corridor. “What happened? Is she ok?” Maya asked, walking to the door. She tried it but it was locked. “Hello!” she hit the door trying to get someone’s attention.

“Maya, princess, we’re not allowed in. They’ll come get us when we can see her.” Will said walking over to put his arm around her.

When he passed I could almost taste the smell of s*x wafting off him. It made me miss Ray more.

“What is wrong with you?” Xavier yelled at me, “You're her mate. Aren’t you, ya know, supposed to protect her?”

“He did as much as he could.” Nes said, walking over to me. “She said she wanted to do it. He couldn’t turn her down.”

“You have to turn her down sometimes.” Owen shouted at the both of us, “Thanks to you my sister could die. I hope you’re happy.” He turned towards Maya and will and Xavier glared at me and joined them.

I didn’t blame them. I hated myself. If she lived I’d spend the rest of my life making it up to her. I’d give her anything and everything she could ever want. I’d make it so she could watch TV every day if that’s what she wanted. We’d marked each other, and I couldn’t live without her.

Not anymore.

Raelynn’s POV

I was in blackness. It was like I had my eyes covered and I couldn’t open my eyes. I was so tired that I just wanted to sleep.

I wasn’t sure if I slept but when I wanted to open my eyes I could only see a little bit of light. I tried to move my arms and legs but they felt heavy. After what seemed like hours I finally gave into sleep again.

Third time’s the charm. I could see more light through my eyelids and if I tried to open them I could feel my eyelashes fluttering but didn’t think I could open them. I tried to move my arms and legs but I could only manage to move a few fingers.

I started to hear things; the beeping of machines, the whirl of the air that was probably the air conditioning. Then I heard something, a voice. It sounded, familiar. And angry, or was irritated the right word.

“I can’t tell you to stay away from her but she’s not staying with you. She’ll be staying with me so that I can keep her safe.”

“That can’t happen.” A man with a deep husky voice said, “I’m her mate. Mates, especially those who are marked, can not be away from each other for very long.”

“Raelynn is not your property. She’s my sister and I will protect her like I’ve always done.” Owen retorted.

I heard a door open and close, “Well, I called Eve. Unfortunately Brett was home and now they both are coming here. I told them it wasn’t necessary and I doubt they can get a room at the hotel but they said they’d sleep in the car for a week if it was for Ray.” Maya’s sad voice said.

Why was she sad? Why was Owen being so mean? And who was this man? Something inside me stirred. Charity?

Charity? Is that you? Are you ok?

There was no answer. But that something made me need to open my eyes. Since I’d heard his voice I needed to see his face. But would that be enough?

I tried to open my eyes and again felt my eyelashes flutter.

“Oh my goddess.” Maya gasped.

I wanted to ask her what but my head was pounding with the effort of trying to open my eyes.

“What?” Both my brother and the man asked at the same time.

“I swear I just saw her eyes move. It was like she was trying to open them.”

“Ray-Ray? Can you hear me?” Owen asked, taking my hand.

I couldn’t move anything except a finger. I tapped his palm once.

“She moved.” He gasped.

“Raelynn.” The male voice spoke softly. Would he touch me too?

“Don’t touch her.” Owen snapped.

No Owen, I want him to touch my hand. I thought desperately.

“You know,” Maya said slowly, “He might be able to help her. Mates are supposed to help each other. Like support and that includes giving each other strength.”

No one said anything but I felt a warm big hand slide beneath mine. I felt a warmth spread through my body and I felt my heart start to race.

A machine started beeping and I heard the sound of people in the distance. Was the machine hooked to me? Was I making this noise.

The door opened again and I heard people telling the two to step aside. I felt like I was surrounded and it scared me. The machine picked up again.

“Raelynn. Raelynn, my name is Doctor Cullen. I’m a doctor here. I need you to calm down alright, it’s not good for your head. Can you take some breaths and calm down for me?”

I tried to do what this Doctor Cullen told me to. I took a few deep breaths and after a bit I was able to calm down.

“Very good.” Dr. Cullen encouraged me. “Alright, can you open your eyes?”

I tapped my finger.

“I saw her trying and it seems like she can move her fingers.” Maya said.

“Mate.” Someone growled. I knew I’d heard that voice somewhere but I didn’t know where.

There were footsteps and the sound of kissing. Ew, really?

“Take it outside.” The Doctor admonished them. A smaller hand slid under mine. “One tap for yes, two for no. Do you understand?”

I tapped once.

“Do you know what has happened.”

I knew my head was killing me but I wasn’t entirely sure why, so I tapped twice.

“You were in a snowboarding accident. You hit a tree.”

I could almost feel myself hitting the tree again and I tapped her hand once.

“You remember that?”

One tap again.

“Do you know where you are?”

I could remember hitting a tree but I couldn’t remember how I’d gotten on the snowboard or where I was. I tapped twice.

“Do you remember your name.”

That was easy. One tap.

“Do you know the date?”

No clue. Two taps.

“Do you know the year?”

Pretty sure it’s 2018. One tap.

“Can you tell me?”

I tried. No dice. Two taps.

“Ok please tap the numbers out for the year.” She said kindly.

I took a deep breath. Two, Space, One, Eight.

“Do you mean 2018?”

One tap.

“Your right it is 2018. Very good. Now I’m going to talk to your family and friends, would you like to hear it?”

One tap.

“You have to stay calm alright?”

One tap again.

The door opened again and I heard Maya speaking, “Hey dodo brain, get in here, the doctor wants to talk to us about Ray.”

I smiled inwardly, Maya hadn’t called Owen that in years but it still brought back memories. When the door was closed and there was silence the Doctor spoke.

“Well it’s obvious she’s having a hard time controlling her body, that can happen sometimes. Her body hit a very sturdy tree so I’m not surprised. She’ll have to rest until she can communicate properly. I am worried about something. She seems to be hazy on the date and what happened to her. I’m sure she just doesn’t know how long she was out for but I’m worried that she might have something going on in her brain.”

“Wait, she’ll have to stay here?” Maya asked, “But what about the ball? And the beach party? What about her week with her mate?”

Mate? I didn’t have a mate. Why do people keep talking about mates?

“Oh? Wait, so you’re her mate?”

“Yes.” The male voice said again. He sounded, proud? Like he was proud that he was lying. I didn’t have a mate. I hadn’t even turned eighteen.

“Well then. I’d like to try something. Touch any part of her.” The Doc suggested.

I felt heat in my cheeks, if she gave him licence to do that then where would he touch? I felt the warmth again but this time it was coming from my leg, my calf to be precise. I felt my eyelids get lighter and my body get lighter the longer he touched me.

I tried to lift my hand. I could. I tried to move my leg, it hurt a bit but I could. I tried to open my eyes.

I was in some sort of hospital, I was in a hospital bed and at the foot of my bed were three chairs with four people in them. One held my brother who had a girl with bright pink scrubs sitting on his lap. She had light brown hair and hazel eyes. Her lips were pink and a bit swollen. Eww she’d been kissing my brother.

The next held Maya who looked totally relieved. Lastly there was a tall, chiseled guy with a strong jaw with five o’clock shadow and beautiful gray eyes. He was touching my calf and looked so happy that it almost broke my heart.

I asked the only thing I could at the moment. “Who are you?”