The Luna’s Second Chance Mate

Larissa’s POV

“Kaden…Kaden please, Kaden!” I screamed in horror as he collapsed his entire weight on my body, feeling all the moisture drain from my throat.

The angry eyed alpha who had been standing in front of me a moment ago, snapping heads off laid limp in my arms, his eyes closed as if in death. I fell to the ground as well, crumpling the dried leaves that littered the forest floor and pulled him so that his head laid on my laps. Every so often, I felt him rouse in half consciousness; until he no longer flinched and both arms now sprawled on the dust.

I stiffened at the lack of movement, then moved to gently shake his head but he stilled didn’t move. “Kaden…Kaden, can you hear me?” I whimpered out, struggling to tap at his face again.

I felt time stiffen for a solid minute in that moment. How could this be happening again? It was all my fault! Fear had ridden my entire being and I could care less about the ringing in my head.

The viciousness of the attack had caused blood to trickle down his arms. It was like he was bleeding from every part of his body. Without thinking, I brought one hand to where the biggest wound was, pressing it down while tapping his face with the other.

I’d seen Dolph try to rip life out from him, and I felt my chest clench at the thought. “Kaden, please wake up. I’m sorry.” I sobbed quietly, in fear that Dolph’s men might be more than the decapacitated bodies of wolves lying around. If that was the case, we were in serious danger.

“If I hadn’t left the cabin…if only I’d tried to understand you better… I’m sorry, but please don’t die on me…” I choked out a string of sobs, clenching my eyes shut as I felt hot tars sear out of my eye rims. “I can’t afford for you to die on me as well…”

My hands were trembling as they ran through the blotches of dried and fresh blood on his face. He wasn’t healing; I felt my heart pounding out of my chest at this point. Crying wasn’t going to save any of us now.

Still shaking, I brought my hands to wipe the tears that had stained my cheeks. I pushed my hair back just enough for it to stay out of my face. Ignoring the sting that coursed through my body, I placed his head on the leaves and forced my legs to move. I rose to my feet, then reached down to pull his body from the ground. His head swung back painfully, and I heard a small groan escape him.

I pulled him with all my might, ignoring his dead weight. Swinging one arm over my neck, I gripped his abdomen and started for the cabin. But no matter how much I tried, I couldn’t stop myself from crying. I was mad at him, why did he have to come? What if something worse had happened to him? What if he…no. He couldn’t make Declan an orphan at such a young age. I couldn’t lose my mate a second time.

I continued to drag him as much as I could, straining to see in the growing darkness until we reached the gate to the cabin.

I hurriedly pulled him through the gates and to the front door. I reached for the knob with still trembling hands, but the stupid door wouldn’t budge. “Why won’t this fucking door open?!”

I pulled at the knob harshly again and it finally creaked open. Without thinking twice, I pulled him to the largest couch in the living room. His bleeding had caused a trail I’d only just noticed, just as soon as I noticed sobbing coming from an adjacent room. But finding a first aid box was more important.

I walked to the only cabinet in the large living room, frantically searching for the first aid box.

“Come on, come on! It has to be here somewhere!” I yelled out in frustration, rummaging through the wide cabinet and leaving blood stains all over. When I couldn’t find anything, I finally turned to the door to the room I’d heard the now quieted sobs. I twisted the door knob and pushed, but it was firmly shut. “What the fuck?!”

“Ma…Mat.” I heard his voice softly, followed by a heart wrenching grunt. I rushed to his sides, half relieved that he was awake and half horrified because the bleeding hadn’t slowed down in the slightest.

“Kaden, can you hear me?”

“Fuck it…” He muttered again, gripping the bleeding area with one hand. I felt yet another string of tears flow, and I pressed on the wound. “Fuck it.” He muttered again, but louder. His face was scrunched and his lips were parted. “The mat…Larissa, the mat.”

“What mat?!”

“That room…” He grunted again. I rushed back to the door that had refused to open, pulling the floor mat away. There was a single key there, it had to be the key to the room. I picked up the key and inserted it in the keyhole, twisting it and it finally open. But it opened to a red-faced toddler sitting on the floor in the center of the room, clutching a wooden knife for dear life.

“Oh God…” I had totally forgotten that Declan was here! I rushed to his side and pulled him into a small hug. Eyes closed, I cried. Not a loud sob, no tears. I just cried at the thought that I wasn’t enough to protect this innocent child in my arms. His father was bleeding and had almost died because of me. How would he have coped? What…

“I’m sorry, my love…” I sobbed quietly, rubbing small soothing circles into his back. I felt him relax as he nuzzled into my neck, grabbing my ripped sleeves tightly. I wanted to stay and comfort him, but his father’s life was on the line.

“Declan dear, don’t cry, hmm? But you’ll do Issa a big favor now. I want you to sit on the bed and wait for me. I’ll come back and sing you a song once I’m done with daddy. Alright?” I said softly, running a hand through his hair as he nodded. Flashing him a pained smile, I took him to the bed and continued my search for a first aid box.

I finally found one inside a drawer. Why did it have to be so far away in the first place? I picked up the box and did a little wave at the child before dashing out of the room and back to the couch where his father laid. I placed the box on the ground, fishing out a bottle of rubbing alcohol and some cotton balls.

Picking up some scissors, I tore open the shirt where it had stuck to his skin with blood. Placing some cotton balls in rubbing alcohol, I struggled to clean out the wound. My vision was blurry seeing him this vulnerable. He winced ever so slightly, but no sounds escaped him. The wound was deep, it was even worse that it appeared as a cluster from the Dolph’s claws.

“Why did you do that?” I whimpered again as I cleaned, and he roused. Startled, I looked up to see a pair of emerald eyes staring back at me. He looked almost confused, only wincing when I pressed the balls onto his wound.

“Are…are you crying?” He croaked out, one trembling hand reaching for my face. More tears fell with his action. “Why are you crying?”

“Nothing.” I muttered back, wiping at my eyes with the back of one hand.

“You’re clearly crying. Even if I look like death, I’m not blind. So, don’t give me that smug response.” He drawled out, clenching his eyes, from the sting of the rubbing alcohol.Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org exclusive © material.

“You almost died because of me.” I whispered as dryly as I could muster. He was awake now, there was no need to give him the satisfaction of my fear for the worst. My eyes however, betrayed me terribly.

“They would have come after the cabin even if I didn’t do that.”

“I know, and I’m thankful to you for saving my life a second time. But you don’t have to do such things for me.”

“What do you mean?” He groaned out, fluttering his eyes. His consciousness was slipping again.

“Why don’t you get some rest first?”

“I’ll heal regardless. So, explain yourself.”

“All I’m saying is, stop doing things like that for me. I’ll feel indebted to you if you keep doing things like that. I don’t want to be indebted to someone who doesn’t even give a shit about me.” I snapped but softly, dropping the scissors before reaching for a wire gauze. I looked back to meet his eyes, but they had closed again in slumber.

“Even now, you’re still act like you don’t care.” I whispered before rising to my feet and wiping at my now puffy eyes again. He was sound asleep and his breathing had stabilised.

I picked up the box and returned to the room where Declan had gone quiet. The toddler was sound asleep on the bed, desperately hugging a pillow with one hand and holding his wooden knife in the other. I reached down to kiss his cheek, smiling gently when he shrugged in his sleep.

“I’m sorry again.” With that, I walked out of the room and shut the door. Sliding down the door, I gathered my knees to my bosom and closed my eyes.

The greater danger had been averted, but I couldn’t help but blame myself for everything that had happened today. I let the tears that must have filled a bucket continue to fall.