32

~Arian Storm~

I sat at my desk, lost in thought, leafing through files.

I couldn't concentrate on work at all. Rather, my thoughts, as usual, were with her the whole time.

Lou.

After yesterday I felt even worse than before. This spark of hope that I felt completely destroyed me.

Why does it all have to be so difficult? Why can't we just find Lou soon? I don't want any of that anymore.

"Arian, if this doesn't get better soon then I have no choice but to make Steven Alpha." My father, noticing my absence lately, was now standing in front of me trying to reason with me.

"I know, father. But what should I do? I just can't go on without Lou..." Exhausted, I leaned my head against my clasped hands that were resting on the desk.

"You made the mistake, so you're going to fix it. The pack needs a sensible leader. Other packs notice that we are weakening. The Shadowlake pack and their Alpha, Maddox, have been keen on our territory for ages, but he hasn't dared attack until now. He could try to seize the opportunity."

I know all this I'm alpha myself and I know everything. He didn't have to explain that to me, too. But it was probably because he was worried about his pack.

“The pack represents the strength of the leader. So if an alpha is weak, then so is the whole pack."

"I know," I let out, annoyed. "I fucking know Dad. But tell me what can I do? How do I find my Luna again?"

He sighed. "As much as I hate to say this right now, I think you have to choose between her and the pack. Your full attention is on their quest right now, not the pack. But as a leader, you also have to focus on the pack."

I closed my eyes. Inside I almost expected such an answer, but I didn't want it to be true. Could I ever give up on Lou?

"I'm sorry, my boy." With that, my father disappeared from his former office.

I sighed again before getting up in frustration and walking outside. Arrived at the front door of the pack house, I transformed and ran towards the northern border. I've already searched the area for her everywhere. But the northern border was still left.

If I didn't find her today...

No, I just had to find her now.

I ran long, I ran for hours. Then, when I saw Luan's house in the distance, a rosy scent suddenly came over me. Although I didn't expect anything like that.

No sign for weeks and now this.

Even if I didn't want to raise my hopes anymore, they came back now.

She must be this way. There isn't. Could I finally have found her now? This is the first hot track in a long time. My hope was already gone.

I ran and ran.

I left Luan's hut far to my left because the trail led past his house.

Finally. Never in my life would I have thought that I would really track her down now. Why didn't I search the northern area much sooner?

In fact, I hadn't crossed the border that far and her scent was already growing stronger.

It just had to be Lou. Nobody else had that smell. It just doesn't exist. My Lou, finally I find you.

Just as I recognized white fur in the distance, I felt a pain that ran through my whole body.

Instantly, my legs failed and buckled under me. I flew nose first into the foliage of the forest floor and rolled over a few times. The pain only made its way deeper into my body.

I tried to transform back, but something blocked me. My insides hurt. It felt strange.

My body was getting weaker and just as I was about to close my lids, an angel appeared over my eyes.

Storm gray eyes looked at me. An angel flew over me and smiled. All around her was bright light.

Lou picks me up.

Now we are united forever.

"Stay with me Arian," I heard her distant voice.

That had to be a dream. A very beautiful dream. Actually I've only had nightmares lately, but not this time. This time it was different.

"Please Aryan. Do not give up. Be strong for me."

A strong pain made my eyes widen. Whatever was blocking me from transforming was removed and so seconds later I was lying naked in the foliage staring at this beautiful person I was imagining.

She wasn't really here. That's why I wish she was.

"I love you." It slipped from my lips before closing my eyes for good.

At least the torment is over now and I'll be with her soon...

~Lou Wilson~

I'm pregnant. I was expecting a puppy, from Arian!

I have to tell him today. He deserves to know the truth after all that happened. I owe him that.

But right now I was still in my wolf form, not far from Luan's hut, roaming through the forest and trying to organize my thoughts. Should I just burst into the pack house? Does he even want to see me? How will it be between the two of us now? Last time we had a fight and I broke his heart.

He probably hates me.

But then why is he looking for me? After all, it was his order to drop me off at the border.

Sometimes I really wish I could see the future. Just now.

A heartbreaking squeak and whine made me startle and all the alarm signals inside me flashed red. Why did it break my heart to hear that?

I looked in the direction the sound was coming from and saw a black shape lying on the ground. I didn't have to guess to know that this very wolf was my mate.

But what is he doing here? Much worse, what happened?

I ran up to him in no time and realized what the problem was.

O goddess! No!

Hysteria swept through me as I recognized the long silver spear or arrow, whatever that long thing was, pierced through his entire body.

Oh no, oh no, oh no.

Arian!

Is this really happening right now? I have to dream this. Everything was just fine.

My heart ached to see him lying there, more dead than alive.

In the next second, I was kneeling in my human form next to Arian and stroking his silky, blood-stained fur. I had to help him.

He couldn't die.

"Stay with me, Arian."

No no no.

He can't leave me. I need him.

Tears blurred my vision as I somehow tried to feel the wound. What could I do now?

"Please Aryan. Do not give up. Be strong for me."

It couldn't all be true. This must be a dream. Just another bad nightmare.

I grabbed the silver spear in my hand and pulled it out. Even though the silver burned my hand a little, it had to get out or it would just poison him.

As soon as it was removed, he lay beneath me as a human.

"Luan. Please help me... doctor!" , that's all I could get out. Even through the mental connection, I had a hard time finding the right words.

Please just be a horrible nightmare!

I kept slapping Arian to keep him awake, but then he just started smiling happily, which scared me. Don't people who are about to die always have a smile on their face?

NO! He wasn't allowed to die away from me here!!!

"I love you." The words were soft and faint, yet I heard them loud and clear.

"Me too, Ariane. Do you hear? I love you too. So please don't leave me alone now."

I pressed my hands to his profusely bleeding wound, which was on the side near his heart. When I saw that his eyes were closed, I burst into more tears and sobs, and rested my forehead on his like that warrior had done to his mate earlier.

"I love you, Arian," I whispered to him, hoping he would hear and gain new strength. But he didn't move.

"LOU!"

My head snapped up when I saw Luan rushing toward me. Beside him were other men who looked like warriors, broad as they were. I didn't care why they were all there so quickly, the main thing is that they are here.

The men spread out around Arian and one of them got bandages out of a bag. His warm brown eyes were focused solely on my mate as he concentrated on his work.

"I need adrenaline!" he said, looking at another man, who pulled out clear liquid from the small bag they were carrying and a syringe, which he then used to fill it up. He then handed it to the man in front of me , who on closer inspection looked a lot like Linus, except that his hair was already gray instead of blond.

But all that was of very little interest right now. I just knelt anxiously next to my mate and stroked his cold hand.

In such a situation, the experience in the hospital was of no use. When it came to my mate, I just couldn't keep a cool head.

"Luna, I'm sorry, but could you take a step back, we have to take him to the hospital and operate on him." The man in front of me now looked at me expectantly. But I couldn't quite catch his words, so much was circling in my head head around

"I'm Dr. Lukas Malcolm, I promise I'll do whatever it takes to save our alpha. But you have to let him go now. Can you do it?" he continued.

I nodded absently and let go of his hand. Not a second later, my mate's lifeless body was loaded onto a stretcher and the strong men standing around us lifted it up.

"Luan?" The doctor now turned to Luan, who was also standing next to us, a little shocked and helpless. He turned his attention straight to us. "Take care of Luna, she is pregnant and all this excitement is not good for her ."

With that, he followed the other men, who ran to a pickup truck parked next to Luan's house.

"You're pregnant?" Luan addressed me. But I was still squatting in the same place, completely shocked, and staring down at my bloody hands with wide eyes.

What if he doesn't survive?