Page 267 of Halfblood Deceived

CHAPTER 51

Zeydan clenched his hand into a fist, breaking the tablet he was holding. Pieces of crystal and a clump of metal landed on the white floor of the hospital surgery waiting room.

Rage burned in his veins. His head pounded and his stomach twisted like an old rag.

He would never be able to erase that fucking video from his mind. It was slightly blurry and had short interruptions caused by the blinking Aella couldn’t control. But it was clear enough. He could hear every disgusting threat those bastards launched at Aella, her accelerated breathing, and the beating of her heart.

Zeydan couldn’t even choose the worst moment. It was all fucking horrifying. But the way that blade was poking out of Aella’s stomach…

She will be fine, he reminded himself. She will heal.

He’d arrived at the hospital about an hour after Aella. Aylana had gotten him into the OR immediately. The sight of Aella on that table—pale as a sheet, with a tube down her throat to help her breathe, connected to three different machines, her stomach half open—had almost sent him to his knees. Mari was operating on her with the help of Kamilla and Nurse Jasmine. She had placed a catheter into Zeydan’s arm and infused Aella with his blood again.

Andreas had tried to heal her with his blood, but it didn’t work, Mari had explained. And Aylana had done her best to neutralize the acidic poison in the wound, but there had been a lot of it. Still, without Aylana’s healing magic, Aella would have likely died on the way to the hospital.

Zeydan’s blood had healed Aella as effectively as before, despite the burned, infected tissue that Mari had removed. Mari, Kamilla, Nurse Jasmine, and he had stared in mute awe as Aella’s gut regenerated and the wound closed itself without the need for stitches.

Mari had kicked Zeydan out of the OR as soon as she was sure Aella was out of the danger zone. And she hadn’t allowed him to enter the room where Aella was recovering. She claimed he’d interfere with Aella’s healing with his rage, and maybe she had a point.

Aella is safe now, he thought. She’s safe.

It did nothing to calm the nauseating fury burning in his stomach.

“That was a very expensive tablet,” Evan commented from his position in a chair.

Zeydan lifted his gaze to stare at the werewolf.

Evan flinched at whatever he saw in Zeydan’s eyes.

Andreas didn’t look even slightly remorseful. He crossed his arms over his chest and gave Zeydan an emotionless look, one booted foot against the wall.

Zeydan held back the impulse to break Andreas’ jaw. But barely. He didn’t want to be kicked out of the waiting room.

Aylana sat on the sofa with her head in her hands. Sebastian was beside her, rubbing soothing circles on her back.

Kamilla stood by the window, leaning against the wall across from Andreas. She looked much paler than usual in blue scrubs and white slippers. She was exhausted after healing Jessa and helping Mari stabilize Aella. Mari was just as tired.

Lex stood a few feet to Zeydan’s right, leaning on the wall by the door. The werewolf darted worried glances at Zeydan every few seconds and was tense from head to toe. He was ready to protect his twin from Zeydan’s rage if need be, the same way he’d always protected him.

“How could you let her risk her life like this?” Zeydan asked, his voice icy to his own ears.

“It was her choice, mate,” Evan said. “She wanted to clear Diana’s name, and—”

“She could have died,” Zeydan all but growled. “She almost died weeks ago. Hasn’t she been through enough?”

Aylana lifted her head to look at him with red-rimmed hazel eyes. “It seemed like a sound plan. It was a sound plan. Aella figured it all out but there was no evidence, so she went and got it. She loves Diana—”

“And I thought you loved her,” Zeydan interrupted. “And yet you let her risk her life in such a stupidly reckless way.” Aylana flinched. Zeydan could see genuine remorse on her face, feel her pain even through the aching storm of wrath in his chest, but he wasn’t feeling charitable. “You should have known better.”

“I would have done the same in her place,” Aylana said, eyes glassy. “And I am not her fucking handler. I’m her friend, and I’ll support her even when she wants to do something dangerous because I won’t overprotect her and suffocate her.”

“Are you implying I am overprotecting her?” Zeydan asked.

Aylana half shrugged. “You sure are doing the alpha male bullshit routine right now.”

Zeydan growled. “We both know that if I had risked Sebastian’s life, you’d be just as angry, Aylana. So don’t fucking bullshit me.”

“Watch your tone, Zeydan,” Sebastian warned, upper lip twitching.

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