30

B E A U

✿

"Oh hey Beau! Also on your way to the conference room?”

"Mmm," I muttered. Not again. Since Rowtag was promoted to officer, his boundary crossings and mine have become more and more intertwined. And I hated it. He babbled at me like he just did. I would like to smack his talkative face off his face. Wasn't there a fucking power off button for this quaselbrain?

He walked beside me through the corridors of the packing house. "Maybe Joy put us in the same patrol unit."

"Possibly." I said and he kept talking. And further. I wasn't even listening anymore. When we finally made it into the conference room, I let out my breath. Not to endure this rambling.

Arya and Aramis chatted together over the map laid out on the long table while tapping on different spots.

"Where's your sweetheart, Aramis?" Rowtag said cheerfully, throwing himself into one of the conference chairs.

Arya moaned and rolled her eyes while Aramis pierced Rowtag with a death glare. “What makes you think you can ask about her?”

Rowtag laughed lightly and shifted uncomfortably in his chair. wimp. "Uh... don't even answer that, stupid question."

Aramis kept his warning gaze on Rowtag for a while longer, but then said, "She's in kindergarten with Koray," and turned back to the card at hand.

The door slammed behind us and Xenos joined us. He placed some more cards rolled up at the other end of the table.

I was about to unroll one when he asked quietly, "You yelled at one of your students?"

I looked up from the map. "I rather-"

"And pressed against the wall?" he interrupted me calmly.

"He-"

"And beat him up?"

"Damn, now let me finish!" I snapped and the card curled up again. "He deserves it."

Xenos crossed his arms. "He deserved it?"

"Yes," I said simply.

"Oh, is that so? What did he do to deserve something like that?”

"He beat up Georgie," I growled.

"Mm." He nodded, his eyes narrowing. "Out of practice?"

"No.... In the ring." Ah, how I hated that fucking lecturing look. I clenched my hands and leaned across the table as I remembered Isaac's fist hitting Georgie. I should have hit harder. 'Damn, he's gone too far. He knows the rules, he didn't follow them. His punches were way too hard.”

Xenos eyed me like an eagle. "Is there anything I should know?"

I slowly got up again. "No."

"How bad is it?" he prompted.

I growled. "I already told you I can handle it."

"I don't see as much as it needs to." He grabbed two rolled cards and threw one at me. “Catch. They have to go in the back room.” When he closed the door and the others couldn't hear us anymore, he asked me, “How many transformations this week?”

My hand tightened on the fine parchment. "I. have. Under control."

Now he was angry. "Damn Beau, you beat up one of your students for fighting a girl you like in the ring!"

"He hit me first!"

"Are you listening to yourself? Beau, you are my best officer, I need you with a clear head. I know this month has been a particularly tough one for you, but you have to tell me if it gets worse. Otherwise I'll have to remove you from the cast."

"That's fucking bullsh-"

Xenos growled and let go of his dominance. "How terrible?"

My lips pressed into a line. "One month left."

His angry expression faded. "What? I thought you had one sun orbit."

I rubbed my face roughly. "She told me three days ago."

"The healer can be wrong." Xenos grabbed my shoulder and looked me straight in the eyes. "We will find a solution."

I said nothing and we rejoined the others. Senn there was nothing to say. We both knew my fate was inevitable, already set in stone. If I had met Georgie a hundred years earlier, it might have been different. Then this dark, deadly sword would not hover over us, making it impossible for me to take her as my mate.

The door swung open and Joy burst in. Her eyes wide open. "There was a fire!"

"Where?" Arya asked, alarmed.

Joy's breathing was rapid. "Western part of our territory. Harrow territory.” Her eyes flicked to Aramis, and he went rigid at her next words. Everything about him changed.

"At the kindergarten."

A R A M I S

✿

"Western part of our territory. Harrow area' Her gaze flicked to me. "At the kindergarten."

The blood in my veins froze. Then there was a gentle presence in my consciousness. It wasn't a voice, nor were it words. Another consciousness touches mine. It felt like someone was calling my name without saying it out loud.

And that feeling came from her. She called for me. Mentally reached out her hand to me. Just for a second. Then everything broke off.

No.

"Aramis!" Xenos called after me, but I was already gone. Jumped over the table and stormed out of the room.

The band was still there. I felt it, but she didn't seem to be wrong. So the fire hadn't been able to harm her yet. She was alive and so was Koray. But the smoke... My wolf roared, and so did I, as I heaved open the front doors and stormed out.

Claws scraped against my skin from the inside, wanting to break out. The trees hissed past me as I rushed through the sun-drenched forest. I could smell the smoke from afar. And as soon as I saw the colored house wall flash between the trees, a little wolf pup ran towards me.

I sprinted across the kindergarten meadow and caught the little black wolf. I hugged him tightly. "Koray." I let out a silent prayer. "Are you all right? Are you hurt?” My hands ran over his wolf's body, searching for burns or any other sign of injury. Nothing.

Koray whimpered and his little head buried itself between my upper arm and my chest, pressed against my leather suit.

I had to clench my teeth hard to tame my wolf. “It's okay, Koray. Dad's here now,” I said harshly, my eyes feverishly scanning the entire field.

Koray's green wolf eyes looked at me helplessly. There were words in them that he could not pronounce. Mom.

I turned to Xenos who had followed me. "Take good care of him."

Xenos expression was iron and he took Koray in his arms. "With my life."

"I'll be right back, Koray." My wolf raged inside me and my claws shot out. I then fixed on the brown-haired werewolf who was also standing in the middle of the meadow and stared at the burning house with tears streaming down her cheeks. "Brenda!" I yelled, standing in front of her in a moment. I grabbed her shirt. "Where is she?"

Her eyes widened in shock. “Aramis, what are you doing here? There's no one inside!"

My wolf growled so loudly and I let dominance erupt out of me. It flooded Brenda, forcing her into blind obedience. "Where is she?"

"No, nobody-" She clapped her hands to her mouth. "Oh God. Zaira, she..."

I exploded. I roughly yanked Brenda off the floor. I shook her. "WHERE THE FUCK IS SHE?"

Her teeth chattered. "In the basement! She's in the basement."

I dropped her, ran straight into the flaming house. Opened the door and fire hit me. I held my breath, fighting my way through the flames. My leather suit was sizzling and I smelled the stench of my own burned skin, but the pain didn't reach me through the thick wall of despair. Then I found the stairwell. I fought my way through the flames, descending into the smoke-filled basement. And then I saw her. Lying on the ground in the farthest corner.

With three steps I was with her and only then did she direct her dull look at me. She took the golden hand from her mouth and held it out to me. "Aramis."

'I'm here baby. I'll get you out of here.” I cupped her hand, pressing it to my mouth as my mind raced. The fire hadn't penetrated that part yet, but it would. It was only a matter of minutes or even seconds. I couldn't carry her out through the fire the same way, she would burn herself. I looked at the broken window above us and made my decision.

Not a second later, thrashing found my fist against the brick wall. WUM. Hard, fast and with irrepressible, divine power. My skin ripped, my knuckles sticking out. The flames came closer. Rock crumbled. BAM, WUM, BAM. I didn't stop until the window hole had widened enough.

Then I slipped my arms under her body, which was dangerously weak, and pulled her to me. Pressed her soot-covered face into the pit of my neck, shielding it from the smoke before heaving her through the opening.

As soon as we were outside, I ran across the meadow with her, away from the threatening flames. I actually crouched down at the edge of the forest to lay her down, but I couldn't let her out of my arms. Instead, I leaned against the tree trunk, feeling her body. "Where does it hurt?" I asked harshly.

"Aramis." Her voice was a faint rasp. She lowered her hand from her mouth and wanted to put it on my face, but her strength wasn't enough. "Koray?"

"He is fine. He's with Xenos."

Her purple eyes were glistening with tears and she gave me a shaky smile. A few tears rolled down her cheeks.

I stifled a growl. "Tell me what the fuck hurts."

But she ignored my question and her eyes darted across my face, then continued down. Her brows drew together. “You have burns. Everywhere.” Purple eyes looking at me with pain. She shook her head. “I didn't think you'd go in there yourself. Oh God, Aramis... the fire... What were you thinking?”

"What, you didn't think I'd come get you? What was I thinking? How the hell can you ask that?” I cupped her face. "You're my woman."

"It could have gotten you bad," she said through tears, trying to heal me with the bond.

"Stop it!" I saw her struggle to keep her eyes open. "You're not supposed to give me strength, you're supposed to bloody well take it yourself!"

Then I felt a gentle tug on the band. My wolf calmed down until her head fell limply against my chest and she went into a fit of coughing.

My arms around her body pressed her even more against me. Then I looked up and yelled, “I need a healer werewolf! NOW!"

"Aramis..." she blurted out so softly I almost didn't hear her. The tape flickered.

"Hey, hey, stay awake, baby." My pulse was racing. "WE NEED A HEALER!" my voice cracked with anger. From anger and from the underlying frustration. Anger at the fire, frustration at not being able to do anything for the woman I had to protect so badly. And then there was fear. Sheer fear that the smoke had caused more damage than expected. “Take my strength, Zaira. Now do it!”

She looked at me through heavy songs and her breathing slowed. "I love you."

My fists shook at her back. "XENOS!" I yelled before looking down at her again. I gently rocked her back and forth. "What is it? Is it the trachea? Does your airway hurt?”

She nodded slowly.

A smoke inhalation. Airways could be damaged, resulting in low oxygen. And she was too weak to use her abilities to take my power and heal herself.

I clenched my teeth so hard it cracked. “I'm not a healer werewolf. I don't know how to give you my power.' Large purple eyes twisted with pain looked at me. Threatened to close at any moment. My wolf bared his teeth.

"Aramis, I..." Zaira's hand on her stomach, clawing at the sky-blue fabric.

I wanted to hit something. My mental powers built up inside me, like unbridled anger. I put my hand on her cheek, leaned down and kissed her soft lips. “Please take what you need. I'll give you everything."

A small, soft sob on my lips that ripped me apart. Bare hands splitting my chest. "Baby, please..."

"I..." she tried to stay awake. "I'm pregnant."

Time stopped. My rocking motions stopped. "What?"

She smiled at me as the bond between us weakened. "I think it's a boy," she breathed. Then more tears stole from her eyes. 'I don't want to lose it. Don't make me lose it.” She cried. “His color is fading, Aramis. don't make me lose it don't make me lose it."

"Xenos," I growled ominously, my hand on her stomach. I wiped away the wet tears that kept pouring in and the soot smeared across her face.

She didn't stop crying.

I resumed my rocking motions. With my eyes fixed on Zaira, I boomed, "Xenos, I need a healer werewolf."

"Jordan is on the way," he replied.

Traveling. That was too late. Her breathing grew weaker. The tape flickered faintly. I felt the small tremors of her body as she cried and I exploded a second time that day. "No, dammit, you're going to stay awake!" I growled - commanding her. It was pure, desperate will that shot all my strength over the belt. I didn't know what I was doing or how I was doing it. Except I couldn't stop doing it.

Then there was a gentle pull that grew stronger and stronger. He came across the bond, tapping into my powers, but it wasn't Zaira.

It was the most terrifying seconds of my life. Not knowing if she would open her eyes. complete solitude. She swallowed me, pulled me deep into the darkness.

Until she finally opened her bright purple eyes.

My mental powers burst out of me and thick fallen branches rose from the ground and slammed against tree trunks as she wrapped her arms around my neck with a tear-choked gasp and whispered, "I knew you'd save us."

Colorful autumn leaves trickled down on us. I closed my eyes and put my hand on her head, squeezing her so tight it must have been way too tight. But she didn't complain about it. "That was not me."

She leaned back to look at me. "What? But then who?'

I brushed her dirty gray hair away from her face. "Our kid."

Both of her hands went to her stomach. "He..." Stunned, she looked down at herself before looking back at me. "He healed me?"

"The little one will take after you."

A little laugh escaped her and her eyes sparkled when my lips were already on hers. i kissed her Again and again and again. Until we heard an untrained wolf howl.

"Somebody wants to see you there." Xenos set Koray down, and he padded towards us.

Zaira stretched out her hands and picked him up. She looked at me, still on my lap while holding Koray with one arm to her chest and the other hand interlaced with mine and placed on her stomach. She blew a kiss on my chin. "You've got us by the cheek now, darling."

It was such a pure moment that my eyes watered. I was about to grab her neck and kiss her and let her know I would never forget how much she gave me when a loud horn call rang out.

"What was that?" she asked, automatically moving Koray closer to me.

I didn't take my eyes off my family for a moment when Xenos and I answered simultaneously, "Warning call."

There was an attack. And I knew that Xenos and I were thinking the same thing. The fire was just a distraction. And we played right into their hands.

The packing house stood almost unguarded.