The Midnight Foxxx

Chapter 13

MADDOX

‘We’re heading back,’ Asher’s voice fills my head.

‘I want a report as soon as you get back,’ I grunt in response, and quickly end the connection, in too much pain to concentrate on keeping the link open. Every step is excruciating, sharp metal scraping against bone as I make my way back to the pack house. The blade lodged in my shoulder at too awkward an angle to bite and pull out in wolf form, and shifting right now would cause more damage. Muscles and ligaments would rip and tear as they tried to rearrange around the sharp, foreign object.

When the large manor comes into view, I head straight for the infirmary. The doctor turns at the sound of the door opening and her eyes go wide.

“Alpha?” Natalie rushes over to me but I snarl when she starts fussing.

“Alpha, I need to treat this right away,” I snarl again, pushing past her to look over Wilder laying on a hospital bed.

“He’s stable and resting. I’ve done everything I can for him at the moment. Will you please let me tend to you?” The doctor speaks softly, but firmly. Reluctantly, I turn away from my Gamma and nod to the doctor. She approaches and begins examining my shoulder.

“Someone did a number on you,” the doctor hums. I huff in annoyance.

“It isn’t near any major veins or arteries, so I’m going to pull it out, okay?” I grunt my approval. She grabs the handle of whatever the f**k is stuck on my flesh and braces herself.

“Okay, one… two… three!” She yanks, hard, and the axe is ripped out of my shoulder. An embarrassing yelp comes out of me that I will deny ever happened until the day I die. Natalie smirks, but doesn't say anything, instead tosses the weapon onto a nearby table.

"Now, if you don't mind shifting? I'm a doctor, not a veterinarian," she throws a medical gown at me before turning around. I roll my eyes but do as she says. The transformation is painful. The shredded muscles and sinew move in unusual ways before settling into their human positions, or as close to it as they can in their damaged state. I sit on an exam table and just throw the gown over my lap before signaling the doctor.

"It's unusual for someone to get the jump on you," the doctor hums as she starts cleaning the wound.

"I was stupid, I let my guard down," I seethe, still mad at myself for letting them get away.

"What was it? This wound is pretty deep," Natalie is fixated on my shoulder, seemingly in awe.

"Warlock I think, some type of magic wielder," brown eyes look into mine, questioningly. "What?"

"Standard human strength won't do this kind of damage to a shifted wolf body, let alone an Alpha," she says matter-of-factly.

“Strength charm or something probably,” I say dismissively. Natalie pricks my skin more aggressively on the next stitch. “Ow! f*****g watch it!”

“That's not how it works," her voice is clipped.

"And how to hell would you know?" annoyance saturates my tone.

"My mother is a witch," a quick glare is thrown my way before she continues, "a strength charm is more like... taking a steroid or shot of adrenaline. It increases the caster's strength, but not to a superhuman level like a shifter's or vampire's."

"Then what do you think it is? Any ideas on WHY he attacked my Gamma would also be great," I growl in frustration.

"Well, there are demons, skinwalkers, fae, and merpeople to name a few possibilities. Hell, even Sasquatches can use magic. As to why, I couldn't tell you," she shrugs impassively. My gaze moves to Wilder laying on the bed next to me. He's covered in gauze and bandages with bruises peaking out around them. It’s hard to believe anyone would want to do this to the fun and bubbly gamma.

“Madds?” I turn my gaze to the door where I see Asher standing, looking exhausted and disheveled.

“You look like s**t,” I jibe.

“Like you look any better,” he snorts back with a light laugh. We smile half -heartedly at each other.

“Tell me what happened so we can both go get some sleep,” I finally say after a short awkward silence.

"We did eventually find him. He was at the highway that skirts the northeastern border," Asher reports.

"But he got away?" The blonde scowls but nods in affirmation.

"He just... disappeared. We searched up and down the road but couldn't find him again." I groan in frustration, rubbing my hands over my face.

"Any insight on why he targeted Wilder?" Asher furrowed his brows and hesitates before answering.

"I'm not sure why they would go after Wilder... but this whole situation bares resemblance to those dead rogues."

"How so?" I quirk my brow.

"The assailant had no scent, used magic, and," he walks over to the table holding the dislodged axe and picks it up, "used a similar weapon to what the autopsy reports hypothesized." I hum in thought. He had a point.

"But Wilder isn't a rogue obviously, so why? What's the connecting factor?" Asher shrugs, just as stumped as me.

"We'll talk with him when he's conscious," signing, I stand from the exam table, "We should both get some rest."

We walk to the pack house in silence and go our separate ways, heading to our designated rooms. I contemplate a shower. Realistically, I really need it, but I’m too tired. Instead, I flop face-first into the blankets, the warm and plushy comfort a welcomed sensation. Before I pass out, I check my phone for the first time in hours and see a text from Inaya.

‘Hope everything’s alright. I enjoyed dinner with you. Hope to do it again soon.’

A smile sneaks its way onto my lips before frowning, suddenly feeling guilty about leaving her so abruptly.

‘I enjoyed dinner to. I’m so sorry I had to leave, I’ll make it up to you once I get everything sorted out.’ I sent my phone down to charge on the nightstand, not expecting a reply at this hour, but hear the device vibrate just before I’m able to fall asleep.

‘I’d like that a lot. Glad to know you’re safe.’ Again, I find myself smiling at my phone and set it off to the side once again. Sleep finally takes me, wrapping its arms around me in a tight embrace, but the sleep isn’t peaceful. Red eyes and crimson blood haunt my dreams. A nagging in the back of my mind tells me they’re familiar, but my sleep-addled mind can’t place it.