Page 68 of Fated
“No,” I said, gripping her hand more tightly in mine like if I could physically hold her hand I could keep her with me.
Curtis studied me for a moment.
“You love her,” he said. “Love her enough to let her go.”
Shock and anger at his words rushed through me and I wanted to hit something or somebody.
“Keeping her alive like this isn’t for her, it’s for you,” he told me, his voice hoarse with his own grief. “Let her find the peace she deserves.”
I looked at him with disbelief. He stood there for a few more moments before he turned and walked out, leaving me alone with Keri. I slumped down in the chair and breathed in a deep breath, trying to process everything he’d just told me.
Let her go? I couldn’t let her go. I needed her.
Cade?I called to him through our mind-link.
I’m here, he answered seconds later.
I need you in the medical center, I told him.
I’m on my way,he replied.
In my mind I was already formulating how I was going to keep Curtis from switching off the machines. I wasn’t taking any chances that someone would do that without my consent.
What’s wrong?Cade asked through the mind-link as he walked into the room and saw my expression.
“Curtis doesn’t think that Keri is…going to wake up,” I explained, trying to keep my emotions from bubbling over.
“He wants to turn off the machines,” I told him. He didn’t look shocked, but I could see the sympathy in his eyes when I looked at him.
“What do you need me to do?” he asked despite the fact that even logically he knew that in some way Curtis was probably right.
“I need you to keep watch over her to make sure no one tries to switch off the machines,” I told him. Cade was the only one that I truly trusted with this.
Despite the fact that Kyle was just as devastated about Keri as I was, I was scared he would be swayed and I wasn’t taking any chances with the life of my mate. Any mistake I made now would have a lifetime of trying to live as half a person.
“I’ll watch over her,” he promised me and I felt a small amount of relief that I had someone on my side. I was putting my whole life in the hands of my friend who’d earned a lifetime of my trust.
Kyle walked in and he looked between the two of us.
“What’s going on?” he asked. He frowned at the tension.
“Curtis is talking about turning off the machines,” I managed to say without breaking down.
Kyle glanced at Keri in the hospital bed for a moment and I saw the determination set into his features.
“Over my dead body,” he swore and he stormed out of the room.
He was probably on his way to tell Curtis that same thing. I did feel slightly more relieved that he felt the same way I did.
“I know you have a lot going on,” Cade said, “but this pack needs a leader.”
I looked at him with slight puzzlement. They did have a leader—they had Keri.
“It’s been three days and we have no idea how long it will be before she wakes up,” he explained softly. “Curtis is too busy with the medical center and watching over Keri to fulfil his role as the beta.”
Everything he was telling me I already knew.
“Keri loves this pack enough to have put her life on the line for them,” he said softly, and I nodded. “I know that you want to spend time with her, but this pack needs someone to pull them together.”
