Page 26 of His Fated Luna

”Got you!” I stated, grabbing the small child in my arms just as the dark-haired girl lost consciousness. The poor thing had probably already been here for a while before I arrived. Refusing to think what might have happened if I hadn’t arrived just in time, I took in our surroundings, holding Tanya’s limp form. I decided that there was nowhere to go but down. Jumping fromthe rigging, I jumped onto the safety net laid out below for the safety of an acrobat who might fall while doing tricks in the air.

Tanya was safely ensconced in my arms. Bouncing up and down a few times in the cocoon of the safety net, I rolled out of it, landing agilely on my feet, my grip still strong on Tanya. Surprised at my own nimble movements, I wasted no time in trying to make it towards the exit but the fire, by now, had completely ravaged the area inside the tent. Everywhere I turned, towers of fire rose up and the heat was getting beyond bearable. If not for my werewolf genes, I might have already gone unconscious or burned from the heat. My skin was already succumbing to the heat radiating off the raging fire around me and my dizziness was increasing steadily. I began to stumble, disoriented, trying to find a way out as I clutched Tanya close to me.

“ROSE!” an inhuman voice growled from the right side of the tent.

There were sounds of the thick tent fabric ripping. I turned my head, trying to follow the sounds and immediately took a step back, amazed at what I saw. Aiden stood there half-wolf, half-man, his claws extended and ripping the tent fabric enough to make a passage for me. His back was hunched as he stood upright, and his nose was an elongated snout. His eyes glowed yellow, lips pulled back in a snarl with canines out. It was actually quite a horrific sight and something I had never seen anyone master before. To be able to stop yourself mid-turn and suspend your body in a semi-human, semi-wolf state seemed to have been an impossible feat to achieve, until now.

Before Aiden could move into the tent, I rushed towards him with the remaining vestiges of strength left in my body, Tanya was still cradled against me. No sooner had I come within Aiden’s reach that those very same claws reached out, pulling me unceremoniously out of the tent. Faintly, I realized he wasgrabbing me ever so carefully to prevent his claws from hurting me. Stumbling out into the open air, I finally allowed my legs to give way. Tanya was pulled out of my arms as I took in big gulping breaths of fresh air, trying to rid my lungs of the awful burning sensation. It wasn’t working.

I opened my mouth to ask for water but there was no voice. I couldn’t speak. It seemed as if my throat had completely closed up. Someone held a water bottle up to my mouth and I sipped it greedily only to spit it out. It felt like acid was poured down my throat.

I felt myself being lifted bridal style into someone’s arms. No not just anyone…my blurred vision discerned a dark head of curls and amidst all the soot and ash was the scent of Aiden. His muscular chest was hard against my cheek as I allowed my head to rest against him. If I closed my watery eyes, I could almost pretend that he cared about me…

“Stay with me, Princess,” he spoke softly, carrying me over to the paramedics in a nearby ambulance. “Don’t quit on me just yet.”

As my eyes closed I quirked my lips up at his order. Always so bossy.

Aiden's POV

With shaking hands, I delivered Rose to the paramedics so they could check her out thoroughly. Something inside of me was reluctant to hand her over. I knew why. My wolf wanted to keep her in my arms. I closed my eyes, fighting my primalurges and reminded myself that my mother and little sister were also hurt. When the fire had occurred, Tanya had been walking around the stage where the acrobats were supposed to perform. I could understand how a six-year-old might have panicked and decided that best way to go was up when people began screaming and trampling each other due to the fire. But it had nearly cost everyone.

Mom recovered almost instantly, thanks to her werewolf regenerative abilities. Tanya, still a child, hadn’t fared as well. It was best to let the paramedics take her and Rose to a human hospital so they could both be properly examined.

“We’ll follow in my car,” I assured my mother, who climbed into the ambulance with Tanya, her tear-streaked face full of worry.

“Aiden,” Josie croaked, her voice still hoarse from the smoke inhalation. “Look after Rose. She saved my baby.” Her voice cracked slightly at the last part.

I gave Mom a jerky nod as she disappeared into the ambulance with Tanya.

I wanted to growl at everyone because Rose was hurt. She had risked herself to save my sister. Didn’t she know how dangerous that was? What on earth had possessed her to put her life at stake like that? And yet, beneath all my anger, all my scorn, there was a sliver of admiration.

As I drove to the hospital with Tony, I couldn’t shake my frustration at Rose. Never mind that if she hadn’t come when she did, I might still be trapped in that tent. Even with werewolf powers, girls like Lexia weren’t reckless enough to risk their lives like that.

My hands twitched on the steering wheel. How did Lexia come up with this argument in my head? I turned as Tony spoke from the passenger seat.

“Lexia agreed to take the kids home,” he informed me, glancing at his phone.

I swallowed audibly, unable to respond.

When we arrived at the hospital, Ezra and Hilda were already in the waiting area. Hilda had her head in her hands, and Ezra had a comforting arm around her. My eyes narrowed. He was holding her too intimately. Rose had no idea what was going on between those two. My suspicions were confirmed when Ezra quickly pulled away the moment he saw me approaching. They were hiding their relationship.

“Rose is fine,” Ezra said with a heavy sigh. “They’re keeping her under observation overnight to rule out carbon monoxide poisoning. The medics are surprised she didn’t get burned or need oxygen.”

“Her werewolf abilities probably protected her,” Tony murmured.

“Do you know anything about Tanya?” I asked, running an agitated hand through my hair. I refused to show how relieved I was that Rose was okay.

Ezra nodded. “I just saw Josie. She said Tanya’s doing much better. She’s awake now and asked for chocolate chip cookies.” He gave a small smile. “Both girls should be fine. I told Josie to get checked out too. She hit her head pretty hard when she fell from the platform. She was trying to get Tanya onto her wolf’s back so they could jump down.” Ezra proceeded to direct me to Tanya’s hospital room.

Once we’d met with our mom and sister, Tony voiced exactly what I had been avoiding.

“You should go see Rose.”

“I should? What about you?” I asked, irritated by the expectation. I thought at least Tony would stop pressuring me to make Rose Luna.

“You’re the Alpha,” he said matter-of-factly. “It means more if you do it. She risked herself to save one of our pack’s pups.”

Realizing he had a point, I went to find Rose’s hospital room. Bracing myself for the strange effect her presence had on me, I stepped inside.