The Calm before the Storm

Chapter 4

Chapter 4

I don't know how long I was drifting in the water but somehow I managed to wash up on the river bank. I could feel river rocks against me face and the water still lapping by me feet. I tried to open my eyes but my head pounded each time I tried, so I just gave up and let the darkness take me again. Not long after I could hear soft laughter coming from somewhere around me. I tried harder this time to open my eyes forcing myself to push aside the waves of nausea and the searing pain in my head. I was successful this time though, I could only see a small dot's worth of my surroundings as tunnel vision was apparent to me. My head injury was really bad, probably a major concussion I thought to myself. It looked to be around sunrise as little streaks of yellow, and orange were coming up in the horizon. The laughter was still soft, like it was a little farther away into the line of forest in front of me. I tried to call out nothing but a small barely audible help escaped my lips. It took so much effort to make, I wanted to give up and sleep again. I tried to push myself up to a sitting position but when I pushed up on my right arm, a searing pain like fire shot down from my shoulder to my fingertips. I collapsed instantly at the pain, letting out a small whimper and my breathing picking up. I could feel my heart pounding in my ears again as my head throbbed again. I gritted my teeth and tried again, forcing myself to push through the pain. My left arm wasn’t injured so that helped a lot as I put more of my weight on it while sliding my legs up underneath me so my butt was resting on top of the heels of my feet. As I leaned up in a sitting position like this, I could feel the same pain in my shoulder radiating from my left side. I glanced down to look at it and I realized this was one of the places I got shot in. I slide my fingertips over the wound wincing as I touched it. It felt like it went through and through but I am pretty sure this is why it was so hard to breath. I was still taking in short shallow breaths, each one more difficult than the last. The voices were getting louder now and I could make out what they were saying now if I concentrate really hard, which with my head the way it was made it a little difficult but I pushed through the pain again.

"Hey Thomas, when do you think you will let the Alpha win one of these races?" a young man was saying to the Thomas fellow. "When the Alpha can beat me then he can win, I won't make it easy for him." the Thomas guy chuckled along with what I presume was the man who started the conversation. Then a voice called out to the others, it made me more alert and calm for some reason. "Who told you that I couldn't beat Thomas?" the voice was husky but friendly not like the that Marcus guy. His voice drew me in like I was the only person he was talking to. "We have never seen you beat him before, so I assumed you couldn't Xavier." So that was his name, the sexy voice was Xavier. This made me smile, but soon I realized I was zoning out thinking about the mystery man and not calling out for help. I mentally scolded myself for getting caught up like a school girl when I was literally dying right now. I propped myself up against a bolder on to my left to try and stop myself from falling back onto the ground and I tried again to call out, this time I was able to get out a small cry for help. It also maybe me start to cough uncontrollably and soon I couldn’t catch my breath, it was too hard and my eyes started having black spots again.  "Oh no, stay awake Waverly." I was saying this to myself when I heard them speaking again but a lot closer this time.

Xavier's POV

Our group was out doing our morning run around the pack territory. It's always my Beta Isaac, my Delta Kaden, my Gamma Luke and our two best warriors and trackers Kali and Thomas. We never missed a morning, we would run to the river bank take a break there and then head back to the pack house for breakfast. I always took up the rear, letting the others go ahead of me. Thomas is the fastest of everyone except me, even though it may not look it I am still an Alpha and can wipe the floor with Thomas but I don’t like to through around my title and abilities like that, I let them have their fun.

I am 20 years old and the Alpha to the strongest and largest pack on the west coast. I am pretty laid back and not the ruthless or dominating Alpha that most packs have. I find it works better to lead them with honesty and to show mercy when needed. They shouldn’t fear me, I am here to protect them not force them to obey and live a life of fear. I am 6'1 with broad shoulders and a muscular body that is well toned. Something I am quite proud of as an Alpha ladies love my body, so I try to stay fit to show off when I can. I guess I am little arrogant in that way. I have forest green eyes, but when my wolf Romulus is out they are a brighter green that glow. My hair is black and I keep it short on the sides that fade into the longer part at the top to do the hipster look. We were about to be at the break point near the river when I overhead Thomas and  my Beta talking about how I couldn't out run Thomas. I took off from my spot behind the group and caught up to them. "Who told you that I couldn't beat Thomas?" I said while picking up my pace and getting in front of him. Isaac, Thomas and Kali all look at each other, and Isaac says "We have never seen you beat him before, so I assumed you couldn't Xavier." I scoffed at that, maybe I need to go all Alpha more often so no one underestimates me, but then again it is a good advantage if they do.  All of sudden Romulus started pacing back and forth in my head.  "What's up Rom? Why are so anxious?" It took him a few minutes but then he finally answered. " I am not sure, but I feel like something big is going to happen. Something good, but I just don’t know what it is or will be." he said this but I could tell he was getting excited at the same time.  "Xavier did you hear that?" Thomas caught me off guard and I had to slow down my pace before I collided with him. Since I was talking to Rom I didn’t notice he has stopped just ahead of me. "No, why what did you hear?" I asked him. "It was faint but I swear I heard someone calling for help." Thomas was scratching the back of his neck while saying this. That one statement though made Rom more alert and demanding. "The river Xav, we must go there now!" Romulus was almost taking over when he said that. I don’t know what has gotten into him. "Alright we will go check out the river bank just calm down." Damn if he wasn't trying hard to take over.  Then there was a faint sound coming just in front of us through the trees. "Did you hear it this time? I am for sure they said help!" Thomas was anxious now and took off toward the sound with the rest of us trailing behind.

Waverly's POV

It was too hard to keep my eyes open, but I kept shaking my head to stop the darkness from consuming me again. I needed help and if I pass out now I know I will die. Obviously the world still had bigger plans cause I didn’t die when I jumped from the waterfall so it was my turn to fight and make sure I survived. If not for me but to avenge my parents and friends. Just thinking of them made my heart twist in pain, and my eyes started to water. "No Waverly you can't cry now. You have to save your energy!" I was mentally yelling at myself and starting to lose the battle with the darkness, when a man came out from the forest in front of me. He was tall, lean but he had some muscle. He had light blonde hair and light greyish blue eyes. Soon after him five more people came into view, they were all pretty tall except the girl. She looked like she could be my height and thin build like me as well. She definitely was more toned and muscular than me but it looked pretty sexy to be honest. She had long blonde hair like the first guy and the same colored eyes. I am guessing they are related. The others were all about the same height except the one who was intently staring at me. His were changing color from a forest green to a glowing green. He had broad shoulders and the sexiest body I had ever seen. I mean don’t get me wrong they were all really good looking but this one I just couldn’t tear my eyes off of. He sniffed the air, which I would think was weird if the crazy Marcus dude hadn't done that when I was fixing to jump. So I knew they were not human, but they didn’t make me feel scared like Marcus did. "How did you get here?" his voice send a wave a calmness over me and drew me in, just like his eyes had me locked in place. I couldn't answer at first, but eventually found my voice and forced my half open eyes to open up more to get a better view and maybe they wouldn’t think I was dead already. "T…The wat..er..fall" I was stuttering now and could really feel the effects of my blood loss. "I jum…jumped and th…the river wash…washed me down str…stream." I was out of breathe now and the darkness was beckoning me to give in. I could tell my chest was heaving up and down harshly and the pounding in my head started making my ears ring. The guy Xavier I am assuming took a few steps toward me smelling the air again, he bent down and lifted my head up to look at him more clearly. His eyes softened and I couldn’t tell what feeling they were expressing. It seemed like he was happy, sad and angry at the same time. "Who did this to you, my mate?" those words we so soft and filled with worry and anger. The place on my chin had sparks erupting all over my face making it so hard not to give in to sleep. He made me feel safe and I don’t know why. "I…don't kn…know who th…they were." I said it was barley a whisper and I couldn’t stay awake any longer, my eyes were closing and the darkness was wrapping around me, so I let it. I let go, I was safe and could stop trying so hard. I knew deep down to my bones he was going to save me and with that I let my exhaustion consume me.

Xavier's POV

I stood there just looking at this beautiful girl in front of me. Her scent of cherry blossoms filled my senses taking over, she was my mate. Pulling myself together I asked her how shoe got here. She was weak and I could tell she was hurt badly. He right shoulder had some blood running down her arm, her right side of her head was bloody her hair mated to her face on that side. She was slouched by a boulder to keep her upright. Her voice was hoarse and just a little louder than what we heard on our way to her. She was saying she jumped from the waterfall and was washed down stream. Even with that she still shouldn’t have the wounds she has. I bent down in front of her pulling in her alluring scent, Romulus was going crazy yelling mate and then whimpering at the sight of her so broken and vulnerable. I lifted her head to get a better look into her eyes, and when I did I felt the sparks  shoot up my arm and the world around me stopped as I got a look at her bright blue eyes. I had never seen eyes that color before she was perfect even if she was human. She was MINE and that was I needed. I will find out who did this to her and I will rip them to shreds for harming my beautiful mate. Rom growled in agreement letting me feel his hate towards those who dared to harm her. I asked her who did this to her, and in a small whisper her breath fanning my face as she spoke. "I…don't kn…know who th…they were." she said and then she went limp and I snatched her up from the ground. "I am taking her to the pack doctor now, Isaac go up to the waterfall, it is still in our territory and see if you can't pick up anyone scent that could tell us who and what did this to her. Take Thomas with you, in case you are able to pick up anything I want you track it and see where it leads or ends." They didn’t hesitate and with a yes Alpha they were off. "What should we do Alpha?" it was Kali this time. "Kali go ahead of me and make sure the Doc has everything ready for when I get there. I don’t want to jostle her to much in case it causes more damage. I have already like the Doc to let her know I am coming with your Luna." I finished that turned to Kaden and Luke go to my office and wait for me there." With another yes Alpha, they were off and I was heading to the pack hospital with my mate in my arms. I wished it would've been a better way to meet her but now that I have her I will NEVER let anything like this happen to her again. I will protect her with my life and so will the pack. "You need not worry mate, I am here now and nothing will harm you again. Just please stay with me." I was pleading with her to not let go to stay with me. I know she has lost a lot of blood by how pale she is and by the injuries I can see she has been shot at least once. "Hang in there baby girl."

I made it to the pack hospital and as soon as I entered Kali  and the pack doctor Anna was waiting with a bed and a team of nurses. "Doc, please help me!!" now I was panicking she wasn’t breathing, my chest felt like someone was ripping into my heart. "She's stopped breathing!!" now I was yelling at the top of my lungs and the pain in my chest was almost unbearable. "What is happening Rom?" I needed to know what was wrong with us. "Mate is dying, we are feeling her die." he was whimpering and then went to farthest part of my mind where I couldn't feel him. He was in pain, seeing her like this only able to see her and not have her was killing us both. "DOC!!" I was back to screaming and letting my Alpha aura pour our causing the nurses to shack from fear. "Alpha you need to calm down, I am going to do everything I can but you have to calm down. You aura is too strong the nurses can’t work like this."  after Anna said this is started taking in deep breaths to calm myself and Rom the need to be with her was overwhelming. Doc turned away and started CPR on her and soon she said she had a heartbeat and to take her into the OR stat. I watched as the wheeled her away and I wanted to protest but I held myself back. If she doesn’t live through this everyone will have to deal with a grieving Alpha and I can’t promise I won't rip someone to shreds if that happens. All I can do is wait and so I sat down in the waiting area with my heart in the OR praying to the moon goddess she lives. 

Author's Note: 

I am sorry if this chapter is a little short, but I really wanted to get one more out today for you guys, Let me know what you think so far and thank you for reading my book so far! I can't wait to see where this journey goes.