The Heart of the Shadow

21. I Love You

*•*
Luke's POV
*•*

The last thing I see is my beautiful daughters face. I didn't want to, but I had to let go, it's my time. A white light appears, I follow it to a meadow full of lilies. I sit calmly in the flowers and wait for something to happen.

   "Is this heaven?"

   "Not even close. This is a middle ground, not heaven or hell." Sitting by a pond, is a woman in a white robe. I walk over and sit next to her, dipping my fingers into the mesmerizing water.

"Luke?" Her melodic voice asks.

"Yes?"

"It wasn't your time. Why did you let go?"

"I just felt like I should."

"You need to go back. They need you now more than ever, look at what's happening." The water changes, showing an image of Maria running and collapsing on my corpse. A tear falls down my cheek at the sight of my mate in pain. Maria clutches onto Ryka as they both sob.

"Get me out of here! Take me to my family!" The woman shakes her head.

"They have to do it themselves. I can't interfere." I look to the image in a moment of panic.

"No! No! There has to be a way to save him! This can't happen!" Maria yells. She clutches onto my slowly chilling corpse. Ryka pulls her off, stopping the blood from spreading.

"Mom, there's nothing we can do. Wait! My powers!"

"You haven't practiced that yet!" Avery yells.

"I have to try." She places both of her hands over my still heart, concentrating on flooding her power into my veins. My body warms as power surges through me, golden light shoots from my veins. I feel the power take over my body, my heart beats slowly. She continues to immerse me in her power, even when she looks as if she's going to pass out. My wound slowly closes, my heart beats stronger now, even then she doesn't stop until my eyes open. She jolts to a standing position as her hands disconnect, falling back into Ryder's arms as she passes out.

"Get them both to the hospital, now!" Maria yells. I am hauled onto a stretcher, watching Ryder sprint to the hospital, my daughter hanging limp in his arms. He knows running will get her there faster. They seem to have a mate type of bond but we won't know until next year. I'm secretly rooting for them, they would be good for each other. The responders wheel me into an ambulance, hooking machines to me as we drive to the pack hospital. I look to my left and see Maria, sitting there sobbing. I lift my hand and place it on her cheek, she only cries harder.

"It's going to be okay." Her tears abruptly stop, her hand shoots out to slap my cheek.

"No it won't you bastard! Your idiot ass just had to go die! And now my daughter is dying because she saved you!" She slaps my cheek again.

"Ow, that hurts."

"Don't you complain to me about being hurt! You're fine! Our daughter is dying!" When we reach the hospital, I am wheeled through the emergency room doors. Just before they take me back to another room, Maria leans down and pecks my lips.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

They lift me onto a standard hospital bed and begin to examine me. The doctor checks my temperature, draws blood, and does all the other examinations he needs. After about an hour, he determines I am fine and will just need some rest. I am released and able to walk out to the waiting room, only to find Maria sitting on a chair next to Ryder. My mate runs up and hugs the life out of me.

"Don't ever scare me like that again."

"How's Ryka doing?"

"Not good, she's in a coma. They've got her on life support, said she could wake up in the next hour or the next year. They have no way of pulling her out of it." Ryder answers. He lifts his head out of his hands and nods towards a doctor standing with a clipboard in his hands.

"If you all will follow me to Ryka's room we can go over the results of the tests." As we follow him to the room, I latch my arm onto Ryder's shoulders for support. The doctor opens the door, the sight of my daughter breaks my heart. Seeing such a courageous warrior on her knees, is too much for me to take. I break into sobs as I realize this is all my fault.

"Honey, Luke, it's not your fault. She chose to save you, and even if I'm angry at both of you, I'm glad you are both still here." Maria comforts. Yet even my mate can't heal the hole, half of my heart is stolen by my beautiful daughter.

"It is my fault! If I had just watched my surroundings then I wouldn't have gotten hit! I could've kept us both alive!" I go to punch the wall, but Ryder holds me back. He grips my shoulders and forces me to look him in the eyes.

"Luke, you couldn't have prevented this. It was her choice to save you. All you can do now, is keep your head on straight. So, when she returns, her life will be the way it was before. You have to promise her, that she comes back to a normal life, not one with a messed up father. You have to be her rock, get through this knowing she's will come back to you someday." He lets me go and sits on the chair next to Ryka's bed. The doctor steps into the room and all eyes snap to him.

"Ryka's wolf is currently dormant, due to the energy she used to save you. Meaning, our machines are the only thing keeping her alive. She can hear everything you say despite the coma. She could wake up this month, or maybe six months from now. We're not sure, the only thing we can do is keep her on life support. You may stay until visiting hours are over." I look over to Ryka and see that Ryder is kissing her hand.

"Come back to me Sweetheart, I love you."

*•*•*•*•*•*•*
3/6/19
11/13/19