The One Who Came

Chapter 38

Karter's eyes bore into the bench in front of him. He has been sitting beside William in the same position for the last half an hour. Barely blinking, Karter replayed the whole day in his mind and reminded himself of the chilling cries of William when he told them everything. When he told them how Ivan was overpowered by 4 Alpha wolves. How his body couldn't handle the torture any further and had finally fallen in defeat. He remembered how he sobbed uncontrollably in Lucas' arms as the Alpha tried to calm him down. 

Guilt, pain, regret, and the desire to take revenge were coursing through his veins alongside the saline. There were no tears left to cry and he had barely any energy to move. But his mind and wolf couldn't handle it. He felt the bond he and Ivan had and felt how it almost slipped as his mate lay under the knives. 

Karter tried to sit up and placed his weight over the IV pole, mustering up the courage to move his body. William jerked in his direction and stood up to help him balance. "Where're you going?" His hoarse voice asked. 

"I'm going to the observation room." A flash of memories flickered in his mind. Not too long ago the situation was almost identical. This time with Ivan instead of Killian. This time too, he came out of it without any harm to himself. 

"Wait here, love." William gently said and held him firmly. 

"I can't." Karter's voice cracked. "I can't just stay here." Stinging tears dwelled in his eyes as he tried to push himself. Percy had been whimpering and whining in his mind ever since he got up. His will and desperation shoved him into making this discussion.  

They received the last news 20 minutes ago. The doctor inside graciously took some time to inform the three of Ivan's condition. They said that they were still trying to stop the bleeding and work on his broken bones while keeping his heart alive. The injuries were taking a toll on his battered body.

"Don't wear yourself out, son." Lucas also stood up and caressed his hair. "Let's-" Lucas looked at the sliding door where a nurse just entered the waiting room. 

"Um, I'm here to take the IV off." The nurse said as she slowly walked toward them. 

"Sure, honey." William sighed in relief and force Karter to sit. 

"Are you feeling any better?" She asked in a soft voice. 

"Yes." Karter briefly said and started ahead with a blank face.

While she was working the IV to stop, Karter's mind wandered to the night he first talked to Obelius. 

He recalled how honored he felt. How special he thought he was when he was chosen to carry out a purpose he had no idea of. Have faith in mother, Obelius has told him. He was having the hardest time even comprehending the state of mind he was in when spewing that kind of nonsense. He wanted to take back his words and the lost time that he could have spent being a normal pair with Ivan. 

All of these thoughts were interrupted by the bandage the nurse placed over his skin. Karter looked up and saw the nurse bow her head a little before taking off. William wrapped his arm around Karter and pushed his head over his own shoulder. He rubbed his arm gently which made him drowsy. Karter forced his body to move forward and get out of William's warm embrace. 

"I'm off." He mumbled and heard William sigh tiredly. 

Without any interruptions, Karter placed his hand over the scanner like Ivan did last time. He really hoped that it would work despite not knowing if his hand print was even in the system. A frustrated sigh passed his lips. The keypad under the scanner told him he can enter the observation room in another way. Karter thought for a minute and punched in Ivan's date of birth, when that didn't work, his own. Their mating anniversary, William's and Luca's date of birth, nothing worked!