Chapter 82

“Wolf poison?” I demanded. “Wolf poison?! How the hell did she get wolf poison in her system!”

“Not now.” Sawyer bit out as he frantically began to search his bag for something. “Just shut up for a minute and let me find what I need!”

I held Grace’s hand and tried to breathe. She was going to be okay. She had to be okay. There was no other option. I had been with her all afternoon. How could this have happened right under my nose? I had so many questions, but Sawyer needed me to be quiet, so all I could do was sit there and try to provide some comfort to my sweet Grace.

All of the sudden there was blood coming from all of Grace’s facial orifices. Her eyes, her nose, her mouth were all pouring out blood. I grabbed a cloth and started trying to clean her up a little. But at this rate, she was going to bleed out before we could do anything.

“I can help.” I offered in panic when he was taking too long. “What are we looking for?”

“I have it,” Sawyer answered, pulling out a small vile, “But hand me those dried leaves that are next to you!”

“These?” I asked as I picked up a small bag of dried herbs, my hand shaking slightly.

“Yes.” Sawyer’s urgency didn’t help ease my worries.

I handed Sawyer the herbs and he instantly began to mix them. It felt like forever before he was placing it in a syringe and attaching a needle to it. Goddess, I needed this to work. I needed Grace to be better.

“Turn her so I can put it near the bruise,” Sawyer demanded.

I did as he asked, and he injected her with the supposed antidote that I had no idea where he had even got.

“Did it work?” I asked eagerly. I couldn’t seem to calm my racing heart. There was a feeling in the pit of my stomach telling me our troubles were only just beginning.

“Only time will tell,” Sawyer answered, but the bleeding from her nose, mouth and eyes had already started to cease.

“That’s a good sign, right?” I asked as I began to clean Grace’s face gently, so she wasn’t a bloody mess. I didn’t want her to wake up and be scared by the sight.

“Yes -”

But Sawyer never finished his sentence because Grace gasped once and then she stopped breathing.

“Grace!” I screamed as Sawyer searched for a pulse. “WHAT DID YOU DO!”

“Her heart stopped.” Sawyer said sadly after a minute. “I’m afraid there isn’t anything else I can do.”

“Do CPR! Do something! Anything! You can’t just let her die!” I shouted at my brother.

“The poison has reached her heart, Rhys, CPR won’t bring her back.” He explained, fighting tears himself.

“Please!” I begged him. “Do something.”

“Rhys-”

A rattling sound came from Grace as tears filled my eyes. I wasn’t a big crier. As the Alpha King that wasn’t a choice. But losing Grace I feared would destroy me, and the tears would never stop.

Grace sputtered and then another rattly breath came from her. Sawyer and I stared at her in shock. She had been dead not 30 seconds ago...

“Check!” I shouted, but it was unnecessary, Sawyer already had his stethoscope to her chest, and his fingers on her wrist checking for her pulse. And I could see her chest rising and falling ever so slightly. Her breathing becoming stronger by the moment.

“She’s stabilizing.” Sawyer said after a minute of listening to her chest. “Amazing. And not possible...” He then began to check all her vitals and hook her up to an IV and several other machines.

I rested my hand against her cheek and realized that her fever had broken as well. I was no medical expert, but I had a feeling that this was more of a miracle than anything we had done. My girl was a survivor.

“Grace, hunny, wake up. Please wake up.” I begged as Sawyer gently placed his hand on my shoulder.”

“Let her rest. Her body has been through hell tonight.” He said kindly. “I think she’s out of danger, but now she needs to rest.”

I hated that answer. I wanted her to open those pretty little blue eyes. I wanted to tell her how strong she was and how much she scared me. I wanted to hear her say my name. I loved the way she said my name. I just wanted her to be okay already.

But then my thoughts took a darker turn as I began to wonder who did this to my sweet Grace.

“I bet Ethan did this.” I growled. “We literally just released him, and he’s already betrayed us!”

“I know he’s the easy answer,” Sawyer said calmly as he began to clean up the mess we had made earlier when we rushed in here. “But everything he got was from us. And wolf poison is very rare and even harder to obtain. He had no way of getting it while in the dungeon and he went with Leon to search the city.”

I sighed taking Grace’s hand in my own and rubbing circles with my thumb in what I hoped was a calming matter.

“I mean, the only other person we really saw today was Allison... Would she really stoop this low to kill Grace?” I asked, my voice trailing off because I knew the answer... She had betrayed her own family in an attempt to get close with me and earn my trust... She had killed her own mate... She saw Grace as a threat, and I doubted she would stop at anything to take her out...

“You already know my answer,” Sawyer said cooly. “You should have killed the bitch a long time ago.”

“Sawyer, stay with Grace. Do not leave her side, do not let anyone into the hospital. Do not move. Are we clear?”

“Yes, but where are you going?” Sawyer asked looking startled.

I had to set everything up. I needed more men, more help. No one messed with my family and got away with it. Sawyer knew this. But more than that, no one messed with my mate and got out alive. The answer to his question was simple: I was going hunting.