Page 99 of Hayden's Haven
“The DSA is expecting a white wolf. Give them Chitman. Especially since he’s responsible.”
“Heal him only to let them kill him?” Drake grinned. “Your female is growing on me, Hayden.”
Hayden growled. “Callen, take her. Go.” He said, forcing the words out as his vision blurred.
“I’m not leaving you, Hayden!” she said, but then she was pulled away from him, only to elbow Callen in the gut. He whispered something in her ear, and she stifled a cry, but nodded, and fell to her knees beside Hayden.
Her lips were warm and sweet and reminded him of home. Because that’s what she was to him. Home. His Mila would be safe, Hayden thought as her fingers caressed his cheek. At last, she had forgiven him. All was right with the world once more.
“Please, sunshine. I need you to go back, to be safe. To finish the work you started.”
Her hands shook as she moved his hand from the wound. “I’ll stay and heal you.”
From what Tess had told Hayden of lack of medical supplies on hand, there was nothing here she could do for him, other than watch him die. Either his wolf would heal him or not.
“I need to know you’re safe, Mila.”
Beautiful green eyes clouded with tears. She understood. Now she needed to accept.
“I love you,” she said.
“I’m coming home to blood-bond you, Mila.” It was a dream he had been striving for ever since he met her, and if he lived, he’d make it happen. For now, though, he wanted to believe she was in his future.
“I’m going to hold you to that, Hayden. Don’t fail me.” And then she was gone, pulled away from him before he could touch her face one last time.
Hayden didn’t have to fight anymore, but he forced his eyes open to watch Callen lead her away. She was crying. She didn’t expect him to survive. Maybe she was right. There was no more pain now. In fact, he couldn’t feel much of anything.
His wolf had gone silent.
Drake leaned over him again.
“I tried to save Reina,” Hayden forced the words out with what remaining strength he had. “I tried to save her for you.” Hayden’s eyes closed, his lids too heavy to keep open. He was so tired. Mila was safe. He could rest now. His sunshine was safe.
“I know, brother,” came the whisper in Hayden’s ear as the cold slowly overtook him. “I’ve always known.”
Chapter Twenty-Two
MILA
Mila hated being called into Damien’s office. He never had good news, well, except for two weeks ago when he had told her that Hayden had been spotted alive and well at Liam’s pack mere hours before the DSA’s deadline. As the story got handed down from Liam to Blade, who ran messages back and forth, to Damien, a group of ten shifters from Drake’s pack had arrived.
Hayden had done all the talking, handing over all the research and remaining stockpile of HEV—and Chitman—to Agent Sloan. Despite doing everything the DSA had requested, words were still exchanged, but an uneasy truce had been reached. Damien was waiting for Liam to meet with him soon to go over the details, but Liam had said it wasn’t a good time. There were problems in his pack. No further explanation had been given. The DSA was gone and that was all Liam had to say on the subject for the time being.
“Come in, Mila,” Damien said when she knocked on his door. The last time she had been here, he had told her Hayden would be staying with Drake for a while. No definition of what a ‘while’ constituted or why he was staying there, or even if it was by choice, though she suspected it was.
Callen had gone down to check on Hayden, to confirm he wasn’t being held prisoner as Mila had feared. Hayden appeared to be working at Drake’s side, as his second. The news hadn’t surprised Damien, but even Damien seemed dejected. As for Mila, she had been crushed by the news. Hayden wasn’t coming back. He was mending his relationship with his brother. That had always been at the heart of Hayden’s own personal hell, and now he had a way of making amends, fixing his past and regaining some of what he had lost all those years ago.
“The vaccinations are complete,” Mila said. Anna had finished her tests for Mila in her absence. Soon after Mila had returned, they had made the breakthrough. They had a live vaccine that worked against the SEV-2 virus. If only she could share her joy with Hayden. That wasn’t meant to be. Hayden was gone, focused on repairing his relationship with his brother or maybe he was still searching for something else he didn’t think she could give him.
Shehad turned him down.Shehad said no to the blood-bond.
Mila worked hard during the day, running tests and ensuring the vaccine was safe, only to go home at night and cry herself to sleep. Aloe had yet to return, but Mila couldn’t stay there any longer. Aloe’s house felt too big for just her, and Mila liked being in Hayden’s cabin. It was smaller, quaint, and still held his scent. Which made her cry more, but she couldn’t let go. She didn’t want to let go.
“I’d like to complete a few more tests before we send it out to the other packs,” Mila added as he waved her to sit. She didn’t want to sit. Sitting meant a long conversation. Bad News.
“Truman contacted me again. Said he’d even build you a lab if you returned.”
“As if that was the reason I left,” she scoffed.
