Page 31 of Beast

“Oh, shut up, you whiny baby,” I growled, forcing my legs to move faster.“You’re responsible for the loss of my Doc Martens, and if you die on me, I’ll chase you straight into hell to get my revenge.”

He didn’t respond.By the time I reached the building, he was unconscious.My heart hammered as I raced up the stairs, taking them four at a time.

I laid him down as gently as I could once I gained the rooftop.His chest heaved unevenly, the wheezing louder now.Blood soaked the makeshift bandages, and I tightened the strap around his chest, trying to slow the bleeding.It wasn’t enough, but it was all I could do.

I brushed Garret’s hair from his forehead, then picked up my rifle.Resting my eye on the scope, I scanned the area below.Whatever was coming, I would protect Garret, and my mate, with everything I had.

King and the others were pinned behind one of the buildings.I scanned the camp through my scope, waiting for the next muzzle flash.When it came, I fired, dropping the man.Another flash, another shot.I ran the scope across the camp, searching for movement, but the only sign of life came when Labyrinth’s head popped out briefly.No gunfire followed.

The Warriors left their cover, pushing deeper into the camp.I tracked them as they approached the spot where Garret had gone down.No sign of Smythe.My stomach twisted.

“Fuck,” I whispered.

The look on King’s face when he bent down to pick up one of my tattered, bloodied boots didn’t help.He shook his head, and even from this distance, I could feel the fury radiating from him.

Oops.

He barked an order at Labyrinth, but I couldn’t read his lips from this angle.Maybe it was better I didn’t know what he said.A faint noise from Garret drew my attention, and I lowered the rifle, crouching beside him.His pulse was weak beneath my fingers.

“Can’t breathe,” he rasped, his chest heaving shallowly.

“I’ll get Axel,” I said quickly, but he groaned in protest.

“No time,” he gasped.His eyes cracked open, glassy with pain.“Tell him it would’ve been great.Please tell him.”

I slipped my clawed hand beneath his head, lifting it slightly.“You’re not dying on me,” I growled.“I just went through hell to save you, and the only chance I have of surviving King’s wrath is keeping you alive.”

His lips twitched faintly, like he might argue, but then his eyes rolled back, and he went limp.

His words replayed in my head, and suddenly, it clicked.This was why Axel didn’t trigger King’s mating rage.My mate had known, but of course, he hadn’t shared.I felt like an idiot for not piecing it together sooner.

Axel needed a mate, and Garret, apparently, had been the answer all along.I thought about what had gone through my head.Odd, strange,those were the words.I felt bad now because I hadn’t understood.Garret had to live.Axel deserved happiness just like the rest of us.There was no time to dwell.I lifted the rifle again, returning to my task of keeping Garret alive.

I found King in the scope and fired a shot over their heads, ensuring they saw my muzzle flash.Another shot followed, drawing their attention upward.Smythe could wait.Right now, Garret’s life was the priority.

The Warriors understood the message.King turned on his heel and charged back the way they’d come, heading straight for me.

“Hurry,” I whispered, my heart pounding.

Chapter Fifteen

King

I tore into the building where we’d left Marinah, my feet pounding up the stairs two at a time.The coppery scent of blood enveloped me on the last two flights.My heart was a drumbeat in my chest by the time I burst onto the roof.

She was kneeling over Garret, her hands stained crimson.

“He’s been stabbed twice in the chest, and he’s barely breathing,” she said as I rushed toward her.

I scooped her up and moved her away from the injured man.Beast stayed quiet, but I couldn’t help myself.Even for a second, I needed to feel her in my arms, to know she was safe.

“King,” she snapped, wriggling out of my grasp.“He’s injured, and we need Axel.”

“He’s a minute behind me.They’re coming up the stairs now,” I said, dropping to my knees beside Garret.I loosened the strap holding the bloody material pressed against his chest, my jaw tightening at the sight of the deep wounds.

Marinah was already moving, pulling a shirt from her bag and handing it to me.I stuffed the fabric beneath the strap and pulled it tight again.Garret’s face was turning blue, his breath almost nonexistent.

Axel erupted from the stairs, Labyrinth and Beck close behind.He didn’t waste a second and dropped to his knees, pulling his medical bag from his pack.Axel grabbed a short plastic tube from his supplies and tore away our makeshift bandages.

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