TTMA [Complete ✔️]

15. Gone

Knox's P. O. V

I pulled away from our hug, letting my gaze linger on Zane's worried one. His eyes scattered around, not daring to look at me.

"Do you blame yourself?" I suddenly asked, catching him off guard. His heavy sigh gave me the answer before his mouth could. My arm rubbed his as I attempted to be supportive. I hadn't done this in a while, reassure someone. It was weird, but I knew it was who I was becoming and I tried to embrace it. No change was easy, but most were worth it. This one definitely was.

"Don't, Zane! None of this is your fault! My sister will be alright." He sighed again, not even slightly convinced. "The fact that you got attacked may not have been your fault, but wasting time here instead of helping her is so suck it up! She needs your support and you can't give it to her if you can't even support yourself!"

He nodded and turned to head back to his mate, but I stopped him.

"Give me a moment to let Dalia know I'm leaving," I said, a small smile curling on my lips when her name rolled off my tongue. The name of my mate, which I get to pronounce every day for the rest of our lives.

"Dalia, huh?" He smirked, attempting to put the bad mood and guilt behind.

"Back off with that filthy smirk of yours!" I smacked his arm, earning myself a chuckle.

"Whatever you say, Alpha!"

My friend was back. I hadn't screwed this up. Now, I was sure, if I could earn his forgiveness, I could also earn my mate's trust. Everything would work out in the end.

I opened the door gently, hoping I wouldn't scare her, but that was impossible since she was already scared. She was still huddled up in the corner I had left her in, her attention snapping to the door the second It opened.

Her heartbeat fastened again, I could hear it beating, jumping, out of her chest. Her breath hitched before our eyes met and she slightly... relaxed.

I guess you could call it light at the end of the tunnel. Perhaps a glimpse of hope. Maybe she was very afraid instead of terrified, but it was still progress. Progress, I was so proud of her for.

She let her shoulders relax and grabbed her hands to pick on her nails. They were practically non-existent, surrounded by bloodied skin. They were her way of calming herself down through the years of torment and abuse.

I pulled myself together, peeling my eyes away from the gentle, red skin, and was about to speak when I heard the most perfect voice, the one of my beautiful flower.

"Is-is ev-evrythin-everything o-ok?" She asked, worry laced In her voice. She looked like she was surprised by her own actions, hurrying to apologize again.

"My sister is a healer wolf, when she heals someone it exhausts her energy, the deeper the wound, the more energy it takes to heal." I looked at her, observing as she took the information in before continuing. "The night you woke up, Zane, my Beta, got attacked by rogues, which injured him badly. When my sister, Zane's mate, and I, found you and Zane he was bleeding to death so Rose healed him. Usually, she wakes up around twenty-four hours after healing a bad injury, but she still hasn't woken up."

Dali had hugged her knees, the information becoming too much for her. She nodded, letting me know she had listened to me, but kept her gaze focused on the floor, moving to the sheets of the bed from time to time.

"I need to go check up on her with doctor Lucile and you need to get some sleep. You aren't a prisoner here, I won't have anyone watch you, just please stay in here and rest. I'll be back soon." I pleaded, hoping that by leaving her unsupervised she would begin to trust me a little bit more.

Knowing that no one was hovering over her, she might also be able to get a bit of sleep, which would help her recovery so it was worth a try. While she learned to trust me, I also had to learn to trust her.

"O-ok." She whispered quietly. I nodded with a smile, closing the door behind me, forgetting that Zane was watching for me outside.

"What a love-struck pup our Alpha has become!" My Beta mocked, causing me to roll my eyes.

"What's your problem, man?" I groaned playfully. He shrugged, his expression changing to a more serious one.

"How's the Luna?"

"She's making progress. Perhaps when Rose feels better she could keep her company."

***

Doctor Lucile was taking her time examining my sister, while Zane and I watched her, sat on two chairs, same as the one in my own mate's room. My Beta was watching his fiancée with pain in his eyes, shifting slightly each time the doctor moved or caused Rose any discomfort.

After a while I could feel his frustration grow, Zion threatening to take control.

"Zane?" I called, trying to keep his attention on me for a while, even though if roles were reversed I would have killed someone a very long time ago. He finally turned to me, looking more exhausted than ever, but I probably wasn't one to say that.

"Keep your wolf in check! Rose will be ok, but I can tell you she won't appreciate Zion tearing the room to shreds." He nodded, but my words had no effect on him as he went right back to how he had been moments before.

The doctor finally turned to us with an apologetic look on her face. Whatever she was about to tell us wasn't anything we were going to like to hear.

"My apologies, Alpha, Beta, but there's nothing wrong with Beta Rose." If Zane was upset before he was furious now. By the time I blinked, he had Lucile pinned against the wall with a hand clasped around her throat. She struggled to breathe, pushing his hands away from her and kicking her feet.

Zion had taken control snarling and tightening his hold as Lucile choked, becoming blue.

"That's enough Zion, give Zane control!" I snarled at him, a glimpse of hope sneaking its way into the doctor's eyes. The wolf, however, had no intention of backing down, tightening his grip even more.

"Zion, back off!" I growled, using my Alpha voice, which he couldn't resist, but submit to. The wolf dropped Lucile to the floor, where she scooted away, choking as she regained her breath. Zane's blue eyes returned as he took deep breaths to take control of himself.

I shook my head at him before going over to the doctor and helping her get back to her feet.

"Are you ok?" She nodded with a thankful smile, still trying to catch her breath. Zane apologized and sat back in his seat, guilt eating him up.

Lucile finally managed to calm down, dusting her scrubs and checking her neck for bruises. There were red fingerprints along her neck, bruising her skin, but if it bothered her she didn't let it show because she went right back to examining my sister.

"As I was saying, Beta Rose, is completely healthy, there's nothing stopping her from waking up. Obviously not much is known about her kind since very few wolves have her abilities, but as far as I could see our Beta female is in perfect health."

Zane nodded his head repeatedly, the information sinking in. He then buried his head in his hands and I could tell he was tearing himself apart, blaming himself for his mate's condition, perhaps even for not being strong enough to fight for himself.

I had spent a lot of time doing the same-tearing myself apart for things out of my control. I had spent years fighting personal demons fed by the guilt that never went away. Deep down I had always known that I wasn't the one responsible for my mother's death, I was a child and children couldn't stop death. Unfortunately children often had to sit and watch, while their loved ones' blood was spilled right in front of them. I was one of those children.

Not only that, but it had been drilled into my mind that it was all because of me, and being as young as I was I chose to believe rather than fight it because I had no other choice. I could either spend day after day fighting what I was being forced to believe or accept it and live with the guilt.

Even after so much time, I could still hear his cruel words, feel his breath, hot against my ear as he whispered "Do you see the body? You could have helped her! How does it feel to have blood on your hands, my dear son?" Or when he would humiliate me in front of the pack, telling them how my mom screamed my name, begged me for help as she took her final breath.

None of them knew the truth, therefore, for the longest time the pack believed him. My pack members thought I let my mother die, their beloved Luna. It took years for them to notice what was right in front of their noses, but of course, it was easier to hold a child accountable, when there would be no consequences.

For the longest time, I was completely alone, pushing even the few that still loved me away. Then I built my shield, hid behind it, and never peeked out. One day the pack members saw the truth, even if it took a while, but by then any and all respect we had for one another had long since been forgotten.

I became Alpha and led the pack to where it was today. They forgot what they did and started respecting me as their leader, while I stayed hidden behind my shield, completely alone. Until she came along.

Suddenly I wanted to forgive. I wanted to find myself again, forgive those, who hurt me so I could have a fresh start. So I could give my sister the brother she deserved, give my mother the happiness of watching me grow into a man she would have been proud of, give my mate a wolf worth loving, and let him see how wrong he was to think so low of me.

So I knew exactly what guilt felt like. I had fought it all my life and I was still fighting it. Zane chose to stay even when I pushed him away, now I would have to return the favor.

I got up and walked over to him, patting his shoulder. Time slowed down, hours felt like days until we finally got answers.

"Alpha, Beta!" Doctor Lucile squealed, snapping our attention to her. We both stood up and were next to her in seconds.

"Beta Rosalie is pregnant! Congratulations, Beta Zane, Alpha!" Pregnant. My younger sister. My friend was just as shocked as I was, tears forming in his eyes.

"P-pregnant?" He asked, unable to believe the news.

"It's taking her longer to wake up because healer wolves aren't supposed to use their abilities while carrying a pup. We were lucky our Beta is early on, but healing wolves could kill her so she can't risk healing anyone else until she gives birth!" Lucile warmed and left, giving us a moment.

"I'm going to be a dad!" Zane finally let the tears flow, hugging me tightly. I looked back at my sister with a smile before hugging my friend back.

"And you're going to be the best one!" I pat him on the back happily.

"I'll let you get some rest, my mate has been alone for a while I need to check up on her," I told him as I pulled away. He smiled, walking over to my sister's bed and kissing her knuckles.

"Why can't we do that!" Kane whined.

"The kiss or the pregnant part?"

"Both." He replied shamelessly, a smirk on my lips.

"One day we'll do both." Now was his time to smirk. And mine to roll my eyes.

But walking closer to her room I didn't smell her scent. I had been so excited to share the news with her that I brushed it off, practically skipping off to go see her. I hated leaving her and walking wasn't fast enough. My sense of smell wasn't wrong though, she was gone, only a faint scent left, indicating she had once been here.

I saw red. I couldn't lose her. Not now, not ever. Not until she looked me in the eyes and told me she rejected me as her mate.

Only one thought was on my mind-finding my mate before she got hurt!

A/N: Hi, Treasures! Thank you for the support and for suggesting the name! You can now join my f-a-c-e-b-o-o-k group called Teddy's Treasures for discussions and extra content!

Also someone guessed that Rose was pregnant and I was like omg how I thought no one would guess it ?