Fate’s Design

Broken

Kelsey POV

This was bad. Really, really bad. This wasn’t my wolf pouting or hiding. Something was wrong. Very wrong. I couldn’t link anyone at Harvest Moon, since I technically still wasn’t a member of the pack, and I didn’t have my phone on me to text or call someone, since I had left everything in my room when I shifted for my run. I did the only thing I knew to do. I linked my brother.

‘Jordan, I need help. Fast.’ I said. Nothing. I couldn’t feel a block on his end. It was more like I was just thinking to myself instead of linking.

I looked around. There wasn’t much I could do. There was no way I’d be able to carry Mason. He was still breathing, but it was labored. I had to figure something out. I had to. I couldn’t just let him die like this. It was then that it hit me. I cared what happened to Mason. Like, really, really cared. Something changed when he marked me. Now I couldn’t imagine living my life without him in it. I had hurt my mate, and the weight of that came crashing down on me. Tears started to fall, and I was pleading with the heavens to send help and trying to somehow reason with Mason to stay with me.

“You can get through this. You have to.” I sobbed, putting a hand on his chest to feel his faint heartbeat. I looked around again. There had to be something I could use.

Seth POV

‘Seth, you need to get to the pack hospital. It’s Mason.’ My dad’s mindlink came through with a sense of urgency and dread pooled in my stomach. I hurried to the hospital, not even bothering to try to figure out what had happened.

When I got there, my dad was waiting for me.

“Kelsey brought him in about thirty minutes ago.” He told me, looking and sounding ten years older than earlier that day.

“What happened?” I asked.

“According to her, they both decided to let their wolves out for a bit before the ceremony and happened to run into each other at the watering hole. They’ve marked each other.” My father’s grim tone told me it was every bit as bad as we had feared.

“Can I see him?” I asked.

“Right now, Dr. Porter says it’s best for Kelsey to be the only in there other than the medical team.”

“Kelsey?! You can’t be serious! This is all her fault to begin with. Why is Dr. Porter letting her in his room at all?” I knew better than to raise my voice to my dad, but right then, I didn’t care. Thankfully, it seemed he understood.

“Son, I know it isn’t fair. But Dr. Porter says that if anything can help him recover, it’s having his mate there.” My dad replied.

“She doesn’t even want to be his mate!” I protested.

My dad shook his head. “You didn’t see her, Seth. She’s heartbroken over all this. It took him marking her, but she’s finally taking this seriously.” He told me.

I wanted to object some more, but I knew how powerful it was to be marked. It wasn’t entirely implausible that Kelsey had had a change of heart about the whole thing.

“Well, it’s about time.” I grumbled. After a moment, I found the courage to ask, “How bad is it?”

My dad sighed. “They’ve stabilized him for now. But that’s about the end of the good news. Dr. Porter isn’t sure what exactly to expect. She said that the next 24-48 hours will be crucial. If they can keep him stable through next couple of days, she says he’ll pull through.”

I nodded. “They at least give him something to help him sleep through the worst of it?” I asked.

Dad shook his head. “Didn’t have to. He’s in a coma, Seth. Kelsey says as soon as they marked each other, he seized up and went unconscious.”

Before either of us could say more, Elder Jackson and Elder Carter came through the doors of the hospital.

“We came as soon as we heard. We need to decide what to do about the ceremony, whether or not to proceed. As Beta, it’s your call, Adrian.” Elder Carter told my dad.

He ran a hand over his face. “The way I see it, she’s his marked mate. And there’s no question that Mason would want us to go through with it. I don’t see how we can do otherwise.”

I didn’t like it, but he was right. If we hadn’t made Kelsey Luna by the time Mason woke up, he’d want to know why. But I could see on Dad’s face that he was tempted to banish her while he had the chance.

Elder Jackson nodded. “Very well. We’ll make Kelsey Luna and you Acting Alpha right away. Given the circumstances, I suggest making it a smaller ordeal than originally planned. Introducing her to the pack in a celebration would be in poor taste.”

“Agreed.” Dad said. “Just the Council and my family.”

“I’ll link Dr. Porter to send Kelsey out.” Elder Jackson said, before his eyes briefly glazed over.

Kelsey POV

I wasn’t sure how long I sat there by Mason’s side, holding his hand and bawling like a baby. I hadn’t cried like that since I was a kid. I was sure I was quite a sight, but I was beyond caring. It felt like it was my own life hanging in the balance. The difference was that, unlike before when I would have welcomed the thought of simply going to sleep and not waking up, I couldn’t bear the thought of this. My mate was in a coma, hooked up to machines just to keep him breathing, and it was my fault. I did that to him. I hardly noticed when the door opened, until I heard Dr. Porter’s voice. “The Council is asking for you. They’re ready to make you Luna.” She said.

Confusion was the first thing I felt. Why would they make me Luna now, without Mason pushing for it? And why on earth were they even thinking about that when my mate was here fighting for his life? Then confusion gave way to mild panic. I still hadn’t been able to communicate with Tanya. They would realize that as soon as I was made Luna and couldn’t link anyone.

“Now?” I asked, glancing at Mason, who was sleeping anything but peacefully. “Can’t it wait until he gets better?” I asked.

“They want to do it tonight, as planned. It’s what Mason would want.” She replied. Her tone sounded like she didn’t like the decision, but wasn’t going to openly oppose the Council.

I nodded. Wolf or no wolf, I had to do this. For Mason. He deserved to have his wishes honored. “Can they do it in here?” I asked hopefully, not wanting to leave Mason’s side. Dr. Porter glanced at Mason’s unconscious form, then nodded. “I’ll ask. Keeping you here, especially for these first couple of days, gives Mason his best chance.”

Not long after, a small entourage came into Mason’s room. Beta Adrian, Seth, and Beta Addie I recognized. Five other wolves I didn’t know, but had seen around since arriving at Harvest Moon, filed in as well. Seth rushed to Mason’s other side.

“Come on, man. You gotta come back to us. We need you here.” He pleaded, his words barely audible. I looked up, almost expecting Mason to snap back to life at Seth’s words.

When it didn’t happen, one of the wolves I didn’t recognize, but must be one of the elders, said, “Kelsey James, as Alpha Mason’s mate, you are the rightful Luna of Harvest Moon. Do you vow to put your pack and your Alpha above yourself, to honor the stories of our ancestors, and to raise up the next generation to add to the story of our people?” He asked, cutting right to the chase.

After a brief hesitation, I lifted my head high. In spite of everything, I was determined to this right. “I do so vow.” I told him.

The elder held up an ornate chalice, and a matching blade. He cut a small slit in my palm and in Mason’s, then joined our hands around the chalice.

“Drink of the cup of our people, and be forever a part of Harvest Moon’s story.” He said, putting Mason’s hand gently back down. I took a drink of whatever concoction was in it, and braced myself for the Council’s realization that something was wrong with my wolf.