The Alpha's Hunter

Chapter 45

Chapter 45

Hailey

Oh god, he's dead, isn't he? I couldn't even move I was so stricken with fear and panic. The image of his eyes folding shut and his breathing slowing flashed through my mind every waking second, and all I wanted to do was give in and join him. But I couldn't, because he was still breathing, but barely.

I wanted to scream and yell for help, I wanted to beg for mercy from whatever higher power or some shit decided to do this to me. But I couldn't, because I was practically paralyzed.

There was no energy in me to move or even speak-- I just held Chase's hand as tightly as I could in my own and focused on not passing out as my leg and other various scratches continued to bleed profusely.

Maybe I was wrong, maybe he did hit an artery.

Joel came up beside me, "Shit, Hailey what do we do? What do I do? Hailey? Hailey! Look at me, stay with me here. Fuck. Hailey come on, I need your help!"

I couldn't even look at him-- couldn't even manage to turn my head and meet his eyes.

Every muscle and bone in my body ached, and I felt like I was being pushed down into the earth by a hot, steaming pressure plate. I wondered if I was feeling some of Chase's pain, because there was no way I felt this from a few scratches and an arrow through the thigh. No way.

The world began to move in slow motion, and I could hear Joel still yelling, trying to get me to look at him, move or say anything, but right now I was immobilized, lying on my stomach and staring at Chase's too-pale face.

His color was steadily being drained and his breathing decreased and grew more ragged and harsh as it did so.

And there was absolutely nothing I could do to save him right now.

I felt tears drop down my cheeks, and I honestly couldn't tell if I had been crying the whole time or if they had just started again.

I squeezed my eyes shut, only to relive the events of the past five minutes.

David, shooting his gun at me, Chase leaping in front of me and taking the bullet, Joel shooting and killing David, my father waking up and training his gun on me, then shifting it to Joel, me killing my father.

No, I chided myself. He's not my father. He was the Chief, and nothing more to me.

Nothing more.

Maybe I should just be nothing, and give into all of the pain and pressure. Maybe I should give in to the boiling feeling that spread throughout my entire body. But then I looked at his face, and knew I could never do that. I have to be strong, if not for myself, then for Chase.

"Help," I mustered up a whimper. I winced at the pain but continued, my voice growing louder tenfold, "Help!"

I sobbed, a strangled cry coming from my lips that I didn't even recognize. I shrieked once more, "Somebody help!"

Joel had stopped yelling now and sat beside me, holding my free hand and I knew it meant I was royally fucked. He had given up because he knew I would probably die from blood loss any time soon now.

"You're gonna be fine, Hails," he muttered, "You're both going to be just fine."

It didn't matter that the words were most definitely not true, they comforted me somehow. They got me through the next few moments of pain, where I felt as though a white hot barbed wore wrapped itself around my heart.

I knew I was feeling Chase's pain, and this must mean that the silver has reached his heart-- that the bullet shifted and is now piercing his heart, killing him.

Tears silently escaped me as I stared at his face-- despite all of this pain, he still looked so peaceful. Probably because he passed out, and isn't feeling any of this.

Picking up my hand and dragging it across the ground, I rested it on his face, cupping his cheek.

I whispered, "Fight, Chase, please. Please, I need you to fight. I know it hurts and all you want to do is give in to it and let it consume you, but you can't. Please don't leave me, ple-ease."

My voice cracked at the end and I let out a small sob, sniffling to cover it up as I heard twigs all around us snap.

"What the fuck?" A voice questioned, and I never though I'd be so glad to hear his voice.

Luke's face appeared across from me, hovering above Chase as he looked at me in panic, "Hailey I need you to tell me exactly what happened so we can fix this."

"He jumped," I hiccuped through the crying, "He jumped in front of me, and took the bullet. It's piercing his heart and I- I can feel it. I can feel everything."

Wiping a stray tear away from his face, Luke nodded, "Thank you. Doc's almost here, okay? So you and Chase, you gotta hold on just a little bit longer. You have to be strong for him, Hailey."

"I'm trying," I croaked.

He nodded, "You're doing great."

The next few minutes were the longest of my life. Joel and Luke both spoke words of encouragement as I pushed through the pain, trying just to stay awake and offer some of my strength to Chase through our bond.

I understood now why werewolves were so protective of their mates, and why they were so angry if they managed to live after their other half died.

It drains you, emotionally and physically. Chase was the one on the brink of death here, but I might as well have been on my death bed too.

Finally, Amman with a large bag of supplies burst into the clearing, looking frantic. He was sweating, although his breathing seemed steady enough.

Luke sprung into action, pointing every which way, ordering all the wolves around and yelling in the man's face. He didn't seem bothered at all by it though, as he trained his eyes on Chase, and then on me.

He walked over, kneeling down on the other side of Chase and looking at me, "Luna, I am going to do everything I can to save him, okay? But I need you to let go and back away. I need space to work."

I nodded in understanding, but I didn't have the strength to move. The man, Doc, looked over to Luke, who walked over and picked me up, sitting me up against a tree in a position so that I could see everything they were doing to him. I squirmed as I watched the man drag a blade down the front of his chest.

Luke squatted in front of me and I looked at him, shaking my head. He wasn't going to make it. I wasn't going to make it.

The earth began spinning, the edges going black, and I could feel myself slipping into the depths of unconsciousness.

Goodbye.

~
A/n: howdy. I love writing sad chapters :)

QOTC: do you think Chase or Hailey should die or both or neither? (Ps: the answers won't change my plan ;) )