Page 52 of Amaris Rejected

I sit there in stunned silence as the news continues with the weather report.

Jeni is certifiable.

After the kidnapping this morning, she sent me photos of her and Devon from a phone, I assume is hers, along with a cryptic message saying that they were together. Even though the pictures were real, the text was just another lie. I hope he’s okay. I don't think Jeni would hurt him, but there’s no telling what he’s going through under her control. The authorities visited me earlier today and reassured me that his safe rescue is imminent, but seeing it all unfold on video is still jarring.

Beyond tired, I switch off the TV and head upstairs to my bedroom when the doorbell suddenly rings. Pulling out my cell phone, I open the security app, only to find the doorbell camera feed blocked.

"Wh--who's there?" I stammer into the mic, but silence follows.

I'm not foolish enough to open my door in the dark of night while my camera is compromised. Moving to the window, I peer outside. The porch light is off. I try the switch, but it won't turn on.Could the bulb be blown?

Without warning, a large object crashes through the sidelight window beside the door, shattering the glass. A gloved hand reaches through the jagged shards, fumbling for the lock. Immobilized with fear, I can't bring myself to move. The door slams open, banging against the wall. On the other side stands Jeni, brandishing a silver knife.

Her pupils are blown unnaturally wide, revealing a look of desperate need. I stagger back, realizing why she is here with a weapon in her hand.

"Jeni, what are you doing?" I manage to choke out, my voice quaking. I look toward the stairs, hoping the noise hasn't disturbed Zoe.Please, goddess, protect her from harm. Don’t let her hear this… don’t let her come down here.

Jeni doesn’t answer, her expression cold and unreadable. She approaches almost leisurely, kicking the door closed behind her. Each step punctuates the silence with the crunch of shattered glass underfoot as she gets closer, with the silver blade gleaming in her hand.

My heart pounds in my chest as I instinctively search for an escape or something to defend myself with.

Jeni lunges just as the door bursts from its hinges, and Devon charges through. He steps in front of me to block Jeni's attack. Horrified, I watch as if in slow motion as Devon sacrifices himself by taking the blade meant for me.

As he collapses to the floor, he pulls Jeni down with him. Rolling on top of her, almost as if she were a lover, grasping her hair to bend her head back and expose her neck. Sickened, I go to turn away, but her face reflects a crazed longing toward Devon.

Without hesitation, his wolf's maw snaps open, delivering the kiss of death as he rips Jeni's throat out. Throwing his head back, he howls, blood dripping down his chin and mixing with his own, while Jeni's eyes glaze over, her life stilled.

Wounded, Devon collapses beside her, the knife still protruding from his chest.

Chapter 35 - You Chose Me

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."

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