Page 36 of Amaris Rejected (Stone Mountain Shifters #2)
Amaris
"Devon!" I scream as he hits the floor with a thud. "Don't be dead! Don't be dead," I hiss urgently, searching for a pulse on his neck. Thank the goddess, his heartbeat hammers away, still strong.
I may not be a surgeon, but I’m aware that silver is lethal to shifters. The longer that blade remains embedded in Devon's chest, the more poison seeps into his body. Allowing some blood to flow from the wound will help purge the silver already in his system.
Being careful not to touch the silver myself, and with no time to spare, I peel off my t-shirt and grasp the knife’s handle, pulling. I pause when it makes a sickening squelching sound, one that usually wouldn't bother me. But seeing Devon so pale and lifeless fills me with distress. I take a deep breath to steady myself and try again. Finally, I succeed in removing the blade, but the wound oozes with a faint, ominous glow, a sign of the poisoning spreading through his bloodstream.
As blood runs from the open wound, I race to the closet to grab my medical bag. Slipping on a pair of thick, silver-proof surgical gloves, I begin cleaning the wound with fresh gauze and saline solution. With urgency, I administer a pre-filled sedation pen to keep him still as I work on his injury. Once I’ve cleansed the wound, I see that the surrounding tissue has been compromised; it exhibits the same faint, eerie glow, indicating silver poisoning.
I open a jar of my newly developed antidote for silver poisoning. Mixing the powder with saline solution in a clean metal container, I press the paste deep into the puncture wound using a long cotton swab. As I work the viscous substance into the injury, I feel it coat the damaged tissue as it spreads. After finishing up, I pack the area with sterile bandages and call it good.
I realize there may be internal damage beyond my skill set. He needs to be transported to the hospital immediately. Just as I’m putting my supplies back in my bag, Mom walks into the room. "Oh, goddess, Amaris. What happened?"
"Mom, we've had an attack. Please call 911," I urge her. After she dials for help, she hands me a clean T-shirt, which I gratefully put on. Not wanting to leave Devon's side, I ask her to check on Zoe. I can't believe she‘s slept through all this commotion.
Just then, flashing lights and the blare of sirens snap me out of my shock. I hadn't noticed their approach, but suddenly my doorway is filled with EMTs and enforcers in black tactical gear. "That was fast," I breathe out, relief flooding through me as help arrives.
As emergency personnel take over, I step back to let them do their job. I update them with my diagnosis of silver poisoning and the treatment I administered, including my antidote.
The room buzzes with activity as they assess Devon's condition and the crime scene. Another set of EMTs zip Jeni into a black body bag and place her on a gurney, while the Enforcers take notes, snap photos, and secure the door.
The EMTs load an unconscious Devon onto a stretcher and rush him to the ambulance. I follow them outside, watching as they pull away. One team is taking Devon to the hospital, while the other heads to the morgue with Jeni. I feel a wave of sadness for the two shifters who were once friends, until Jeni became obsessed with someone else’s mate—someone she had no business pursuing after he married.
"I called Zoe's nanny," Mom informs me as I watch the emergency lights fade. "She’ll be here in a few minutes." I’m so grateful for Mom's recovery. Just yesterday, she was nearly catatonic, but now she’s alert and responsive. I never thought I’d be able to let her check on Zoe while I focused on Devon’s wound, let alone have her make these calls on her own. Now, all I have to do is wait for the nanny.
"Thanks, Mom." I pull her into a hug. "I'm so glad to have you in my life."
Her eyes moisten as she returns the hug. "Me too," she replies.
The hospital comes into view, a place I’m very familiar with. Knowing the caliber of the team of doctors who work here reassures me. I know Devon is in capable hands.
Once inside, since I am technically part of Devon's family, I stand by and allow them to continue stabilizing him.
They take him back to surgery, and I sit in the waiting room, trying to calm myself. A couple of Enforcers approach to take my statement. "Can you tell us what happened tonight?" one of them asks.
I nod. "I was about to go to bed when the doorbell rang. I checked the camera, but it was blocked. I tried looking through the window, but the light was out too." My breath catches. "Then, suddenly, a hand bursts through the window, and next thing I know, the door slams open, and Jeni Quinn is standing there with a silver knife in her hand." One Enforcer scribbles notes furiously while the other holds a recording device.
"She attacked me," I continue. "But Devon stormed in just in time and got between us. She stabbed him in the chest with the knife. At almost the same moment, he ripped her throat out to protect me. Then he collapsed. I thought he was dead." I whisper, my voice filled with pain.
"Jeni was already dead, so I immediately began treating Devon’s wound and the silver poisoning. There's not much else to tell." I shrug. "She broke in with the intent to kill me. Devon saved me."
"All right, Mrs. Wright. If you remember anything else, please don't hesitate to contact me." He hands me a business card, which I slip into my pocket.
"Okay," I reply. "What happens now?"
"We'll finish the investigation and write up the report. I don't believe charges will be filed. Jeni was a known escaped criminal who committed crimes to infiltrate the pack lands. She broke in with the intent to harm a citizen of the pack, and she kidnapped and physically attacked an Alpha. It's pretty straightforward."
"Thank you for the information. Have a good night."
"You too, Mrs. Wright."
After they leave, I’m surprised to see Alpha Blake walking down the corridor toward me, especially since it’s the middle of the night. "Hey, Amaris, how are you holding up?" he asks, sitting beside me and giving my back a reassuring pat.
Alpha Blake is truly a caring individual. My emotions overwhelm me all at once, and I begin to sob. "Goddess, Alpha. He saved my life. He took a silver blade for me. I wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for him. He might not survive it either. If he does, it's because he’s such a strong Alpha."
Alpha Blake pulls me into his arms. "Shhhh!" he soothes. "He's tough and will be fine. You mean a lot to him, and I’m not at all surprised by what he did."
Then, as if on cue, the doors open and Devon's surgeon approaches. "Dr. Amaris," he calls. I stand and rush to him.
"The surgery went well. Your antidote seems to be working great," he says with a reassuring smile. "We need to get that into production. Devon is stable and in recovery, but I want to keep him for a few days. With the lingering effects of the silver and the drugs administered to paralyze him still in his system, he’s severely weakened. He has a long recovery ahead. All of this has damaged his wolf. We won't know how severe it is until he wakes up."
Relief washes over me as I collapse into a nearby chair, utterly exhausted but grateful that Devon is alive and receiving the care he needs. "Thank you, doctor. When can I see him?"
"They’ll be placing him in room 203 when he comes out of recovery. You can wait for him there if you'd like." He yawns. "I'll be in an on-call room resting if he needs me."
I nod in appreciation. "Thanks again."
The low hum of the medical devices and Devon's steady breathing emphasize the silence in the room. They brought him in about 15 minutes ago, and now I'm alone with my thoughts. Devon had to know what he was doing when he burst through my door and leapt in front of that silver knife, risking everything. He killed Jeni to protect me. I close my eyes, remembering his selfless act of courage.
In this moment of solitude, I sense the stirrings of the mate bond I believed had perished within me. I thought these feelings were lost, yet something remains.
Sitting beside his hospital bed, I reach out and take his warm hand in mine, feeling the strength that is still Devon despite everything he’s endured. "Thank you, Devon," I whisper in his ear. "I promise to remember what you've done for me. Tonight, you chose me."
I'm not happy that Jeni is dead, but I hope she’s finally at peace. I crawl into his hospital bed, rest my head against his shoulder, and place my hand on his cheek. The touch comforts both me and my wolf.
As I keep watch over him, I vow to be his strength, to support him through his recovery.
Devon
"Did anybody get the tag on the truck that hit me?" I rasp. Laughter echoes through the room. Blinking in the dim light, I make out a shape in the chair next to my bed.
"I think you are going to be okay if the first thing you say after waking up from surgery is a joke." Amaris’s voice carries both relief and humor.
I take in my surroundings. Tubes and wires protrude from me in various places, including an oxygen cannula in my nose.
"Surgery?" I ask, confused.
"You don’t remember?" she exclaims, concern evident in her voice.
"No."
"What's the last thing you remember?" she asks hesitantly, leaning in, her hand caressing my chest. My heart races as I feel the warmth of her breath on my face.
I focus, trying to answer her question. The last thing I remember? I feel disoriented and uncertain, struggling to make sense of memories that are fragmented and elusive.
"Our wedding night… " I whisper hoarsely.