Chapter 138
Arthur & Iris
Arthur
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I check my watch for the third time in as many minutes as I sit in the conference room. The meeting was supposed to begin nearly
twenty minutes ago, and Iris still isn’t here. Even her lawyer arrived before she did.
Maybe she’s decided against this, a tiny voice in the back of my head says. I try not to give myself false hope, but I can’t help it.
The last thing I ever wanted was this. I just wish she would listen to me.
“You know, this can all go away if you just sign the papers,” the lawyer says, pushing the contract toward me—the one that
would relinquish any and all custody of Miles forever.
not trying to steal our
rson. I want
1 grit my teeth, refusing to do it. No. I shouldn’t have to sign a paper to convince Iris that I’m not
both of them. My family. Just then, my mind buzzes with an incoming Mindlink from Ezra.
“Alpha, there’s been an accident.”
My blood runs cold, and I sit up straight. “What kind of accident?”
“It’s Iris. She was in a cab on her way to the meeting. Another car ran a red light and T–boned them at the intersection of 5th and
Maple.”
The world tilts beneath my feet, I don’t remember jumping up. I don’t remember rushing out of the building or speeding down the street in my car. The only thing I’m aware of is the pounding of my heart and the desperate prayer running through my mind:
Please let her be okay. Please let her live.
The hospital is even more mazelike than it should be. I bulldoze my way through, ignoring the startled glances from staff and patients alike. Nothing matters except finding Iris.
Ezra is waiting for me outside the ICU.
“Where is she?” I demand.
“Alpha, you need to prepare yourself. She’s in critical condition.”
I push past him, but he grabs my arm. “Listen to me,” he says firmly. “The doctors say she has internal bleeding and a traumatic head injury. They’re trying to stabilize her for surgery, but…” He hesitates.
“But what?” I growl.
“They’re not sure if she’ll survive it. Her blood pressure keeps dropping.”
The world narrows to a pinpoint of light, everything else fading away. I can’t breathe. I can’t think. Iris, my Iris, my light, my
fate, might die.
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“I need to see her,” I say, my voice barely recognizable to my own cars.
Ezra nods, releasing my arm. “I’ll take you to her.”
We’re met by a doctor outside the trauma room. “Alpha President,” she says, looking surprised. “I didn’t realize you were
“How i
is she?” I cut her off.
The doctor’s expression turns grave. “She sustained severe injuries in the crash. We’re doing everything we can, but her
condition is critical.”
“What are her chances?” I ask, dreading the answer.
“It’s touch and go. We’ve managed to slow the internal bleeding, but she’s lost a lot of blood already. Her body is going into
shock.” She glances at her chart. “Unfortunately, we’re facing a shortage of her blood type in our blood bank”
A wild, desperate hope seizes me. “What blood type does she need?”
“She’s AB negative, which is extremely rare. We’ve put out a call to other hospitals, but-“9
“Take mine,” I interrupt. “I’m a universal donor.”
The doctor hesitates. “Alpha President, with all due respect, werewolf blood is different from human blood. The compatibility
isn’t always—”
“We’re fated mates,” I blurt out. “My blood will help her.”
Her eyes widen, recognition dawning on her face. Right now, I don’t care if word gets out about Iris’s identity. Iris and I are
bound. My blood will heal her in a way no other transfusion can. It’s a known fact that a mate’s blood can heal the other.
“But she’s a human,” the nurse points out,
I clench my jaw. “I don’t care. We have
to try.”
Without further question, the nurse ushers me into Iris’s room. I catch my first glimpse of her then, and I feel like I’m going to be sick. She looks so small, so fragile. Her beautiful face is marred by cuts and bruises, and there’s a ventilator tube snaking down her throat. The sound of the monitors beeping sounds like gunshots going off in my head.
Goddess, I don’t even want to look at her. Bile rises up in my throat just at the thought of something happening to her, and I have to look away to keep myself from retching
The nurse slides the needle into my arm, and I watch as my blood begins to flow through the tube. Let it heal you, I think desperately. Let it bring you back to me.
As the transfusion continues, Ezra steps closer to my side.
“I’ve been looking into the accident,” he says in a low voice, “Something doesn’t add up.”
I tear my gaze away from Iris. “What do
you
vou mean?”
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“The driver who hit her cab ran a red light at high speed, then fled the scene. Traffic cameras caught part of the license plate, but It was covered with mud. Almost as if someone was trying to hide it.”
