Page 55 of Fated to the Warrior Wolf

When I slammed open the atrium door so hard the glass rattled inside the frame, I finally saw her and froze. Leigh was pale and listless, lying motionless on a hot pink yoga mat. She had none of her color, none of herglow, and the sight stopped my heart. I couldn’t move until her chest rose, and it was like someone unlocked my muscles.

I crossed the space in a daze and dropped to my knees at her side, not caring about the hard stone floor.

“What’s wrong? What happened?” I asked. My voice sounded hoarse and guttural to my own ears, but I could barely restrain my wolf. It was no surprise he was pushing, trying to connect with her so she’d shift, fix whatever this mystery malady was.

“She’s going to be okay,” Olivia murmured, resting a cool hand on my forearm, but I flinched back. My wolf would accept no female’s touch but ours, and Leigh wasn’t capable of thatright now. Brielle’s head was bowed, shoulders taut as she leaned over my female, both hands pressed flat to Leigh’s cheeks. Yet still, Leigh lay pale and lifeless.

Terror was a second pulse, burning in my veins. I wanted to shake her, grab her up, and bolt from the danger. But I couldn’t take her away from her ownbody. I was completely, utterly helpless.

I carefully lifted one of her hands, chafing it between mine. I didn’t want to disturb Brielle, but Ihad to touch her.It was the only way I could lend her my strength, and physical touch was powerful for wolves. Maybe my wolf could bolster hers.

Kane slid to the ground behind Brielle, and I watched anxiously as he lifted the hem of her shirt, sliding both hands flat on her back, giving her skin contact. Her shoulders tightened for a second, and then it was as if her entire body relaxed, leaning back into the strength he shared with her. The frown line between her eyebrows eased, and Olivia spoke quietly again.

“Brielle said her blood pressure was low, and she’s working to restore some of her blood volume. She’s stable, but until she wakes up…” Olivia bit her lip.

“What would cause that? Low blood pressure,” I asked, even as I kept my eyes fixed on Leigh’s face, willing her to wake back up.

“Well, pregnancy can cause it. Dehydration, overheating, or overexertion would be the most common.”

Pregnancy.

The baby.

Goddess, please don’t take them from me. I couldn’t bear it. And I didn’t eventhinkabout the baby when Shay came running in. I only thought about Leigh and that I couldn’t let anything happen to her. But if this was a pregnancy complication, something hadalready happened to her.

And it was my fault.

I was the one who got her into this. I’d knotted her, and I was responsible for this.

The weight in my chest turned crushing, and my hands began to shake.

“Gael do you need to step away?” Dirge asked. I hadn’t even noticed when he’d stepped up to my side.

“I’m not leaving her. I’ll be fine.”

“Your arms have fur, and your hands are shaking. I don’t want you to shift and hurt her by accident.”

“I’m fine,” I snarled, voice unrecognizable.

Then Kane’s alpha dominance hit me like a fucking elephant sat on me. “Hold your shift,” he commanded as I struggled to stay upright.

All the air rushed out of my lungs, but I didn’t let go of Leigh’s hand. As soon as the fur receded, some of the weight on my chest eased.

Dirge gripped the back of my neck, and at first, I wanted to shrug off the contact, but my wolf didn’t balk, and I realized what he was doing. Reed slid in next, gripping my shoulder just as hard. Kane’s dominance slowly pulled back as I was surrounded by my pack.Supportedby my pack. And all at once, the wolf receded, and I was back in the driver’s seat.

“I’m okay now, thank you,” I whispered.

Dirge and Reed both eased up, but didn’t stop touching me. Brielle swayed under the pressure of the magic, and then Leigh gasped as her eyes popped open, and it felt like I took my first full breath in minutes.

“Thank the Goddess!” Olivia cheered, hugging herself in relief.

Brielle slumped back against Kane, looking pale and clammy. “She’s going to be okay. The baby is fine, but we can do an ultrasound?—”

“Later,” Kane interrupted her. “You have to rest first. Unless Olivia can do it, we’re going to wait awhile.”

“I can do it, if you want to see the heartbeat for some reassurance?” She looked between me and Leigh.

“Yes,” we both said at the same time, and then locked eyes. Hers were brimming with worry, and while I trusted Brielle, I knew I would feel better seeing with my own eyes.

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