The Lost Mate

32 Crying

Max

Everything happened between one second and the next. The vampire leveled the gun towards Lillian, some indecipherable expression caught between hatred and longing on his sharp features. My wolf wanted to rip that expression from his face.

I lunged towards the threat, still in my human form, with Nash beside me as a wolf, but we were too late. He pulled the trigger and the blast assaulted my ears, and I looked in horror towards my mate. She was sprawled on the ground, her father's brown wolf on top of her, blood pouring from his midsection like a river. She scrambled out from underneath him, crying as she worked to put pressure on his wound.

Nash wasn't as distracted as me, and he lunged for the gun and wrestled it away from the vampire. It hit the floor with a clatter, and I had the presence of mind to kick it across the room before Wulfric had a chance to get it again.

Then, turning my attention back to the threat at hand, I saw him throw Nash with surprising strength. Weren't vampires supposed to be weaker than werewolves? We all knew they had speed on us, but in theory, we could overpower them. Maybe it was true that they grew in power with age.

I studied his movements, trying to gauge his abilities and find his weakness, as I moved to get closer to Lillian. Nash picked himself up and rejoined me with a low growl. We had the vampire cornered, and he watched us with a cocky amused expression that made my wolf want to recklessly attack.

Then he looked over towards my mate, and I growled. His voice was loud and clear. "I've decided to grant you mercy, pretty mutt, since you'll have to live the rest of your life with your father's death on your conscience. But don't fear, I'll remember this even when your descendents have forgotten."

Was he threatening Jonas? I growled again, and rushed towards him.

But the vampire was too fast. He smirked, and so fast I could barely follow what happened, he opened the wall, and disappeared inside. I slammed into the hard solid surface as it closed behind him. Magic? A secret passage? I didn't know. But he was gone. I growled furiously as I tried to figure out a way in with no success.

I cursed, and gave up. Chasing the bastard was not my priority now, no matter how much my wolf wanted to.

"Stand guard," I ordered Nash, before I rushed over to my mate. In the seconds while my attention had been occupied, her father had shifted back to human, and he looked disturbingly pale. Lillian was holding down a ripped piece of her dress over his wound, trying to stem the blood flow, tears running down as she furiously blinked them away.

"It's okay, Lillian," he said. "I've been waiting to see your mother again for a long time."

"Don't talk like that, Dad..." Her voice trailed off in a hiccupping sob.

I brushed her hands away to took a look at the gushing wound, before I took over putting pressure on it. He was losing blood fast.

"We've got to get the silver out," I said. "Nash, find something we can use to dig it out."

"No," Lillian's father said, his eyes only on his daughter. "I'm just glad that you and Jonas will be free of this place." He turned his attention to me. "Max, don't waste time on me. It's too late. Get her out of here and to safety, like you promised. Tell Hannah I love her."

I was conflicted, but I nodded as I pulled her up. He closed his eyes. His heart was beating fast, trying to keep up with the lack of blood, but it was only pushing the blood out faster.

"My dad," she whimpered.

I pulled her next to me. "He wants us to survive for Jonas, and this is our best shot while things are in chaos."