Chapter 28: The knife


    Fear and panic began to rise within me as I stared down at the knife that had struck Cain in the back,


    just below his shoulder. The de didn’t appear to be embedded too deep, but blood was now pooling


    around the wound. I didn’t know what to do, and my frazzled nerves were getting the better of me as


    my wolf howled with sorrow at the sight of our fallen mate. I leaned down and ced my ear to his


    back, listening for a heartbeat, and I almost cried at the relief I felt when I heard the faint sound of a


    beating heart. Reeling back, I did the only thing I could think of and pulled the knife from his back, then


    tore pieces of my shirt off and tried my best to wrap his wound, hoping to stop the bleeding or at least


    slow it down enough to get him home.


    After I had horribly wrapped him up, I stood to my feet and realized that Erik was still here. He was just


    standing there, appearing to be half dazed, but he also had a look of satisfaction in his eyes. My upper


    lip twitched, and a growl erupted from deep within my belly. “You fucking bastard.” I sneered at him,


    and his attention turned to me now.


    A sadistic smile spread across his face. “He doesn’t deserve to live, and he doesn’t deserve you,” Erik


    said, not giving two shits about what he had just done.


    My chest heaved, and I started to see red, only able to focus on Erik and the depths of his betrayal. I


    lunged forward and tackled him to the ground, throwing punch after punch. We struggled on the


    ground, fighting for dominance, battling each other for the win.


    Erik was stronger than me, there was no doubt about that, but I was fueled with anger and vengeance


    at this moment. He hauled his arm back and swung, hitting me right in the jaw, and I flew off him. For a


    brief moment, the impact left me feeling dazed. However, I quickly regained myself and jumped to my


    feet. Erik followed my movements, and now, we both stood there, staring one another down. As we


    continued to re at each other, something on the ground caught my attention. I looked down and


    noticed it was the knife; I picked it up, held it tightly in my grasp, and pointed it at Erik.


    He snorted, “Put that down before you hurt yourself, and we both know you won’t use it anyways.” Erik


    said cockily.


    I grinned wickedly. “You would be surprised at what I would be willing to do for those that I love,” I said


    in a cold tone, hoping that Erik would catch on to the hidden message that he was no longer one of


    those people.


    His face fell, and those blue eyes of his darkened, telling me he caught onto the hidden meaning in my


    words. Erik’s lip tilted up in a snarl, and he narrowed his eyes. “You used to love me until that monster


    brainwashed you.” He said harshly, and Iughed at his words. Erik furrowed his brows and was taken


    aback by myughter as he stared at me with a bewildered expression. “I never loved you, Erik, not like


    I love Cain. I just cared deeply for you and loved you on a different level. Now, I feel nothing but hatred


    towards you.” My words were like venom, striking him in the chest as he sucked in a deep breath and


    held onto it. I could see the hurt on his face and the heartbreak in his eyes. However, Erik quickly


    masked those emotions, and fury took over his features now.


    I had once thought I knew the man standing before me, but it was clear to me now that I never really


    did. Today I had seen a side of him that was dark and sinister, a side that he had hidden from me and


    everyone else.


    That was the difference between the two of them. Cain didn’t hide his dark side; he didn’t give people a


    false sense of character. Instead, Cain showed everyone precisely who he was and ruled with that side


    of himself that people feared. Cain was so much more than that, though, and there was more to him


    than the fearsome monster everyone saw him as.


    We stood there, ring at each other, and I tightened my hold around the handle of the knife, prepared


    to strike as the rage coursed through me, wanting revenge for what he did to Cain. Just as I was ready


    to plunge the de deep into his chest, a noise to the right of us grabbed our attention. Both of us froze


    where we stood, and our heads whipped in the direction of the noise.


    I stared off into the distance, trying to find the source of the noise, and as I focused on the trees,


    Gunnar finally emerged, looking like something from a nightmare. Gunnar was covered in blood, and a


    thinyer of dirt covered his skin. As I continued to look him over, I noticed a few scrapes on his body,


    but nothing too serious. I was ecstatic to see my brother, even though he looked rather intense and


    furious right now. However, the angry beast would work in my favour in dealing with Erik.


    I turned my attention back to Erik, but to my dismay, the little fucker took off when he had the chance


    because my dumbass was distracted. Sighing in frustration, I rubbed a hand down my face before


    ncing around me again to look for Erik, but he was nowhere to be seen, and I felt stupid for letting


    him get away. I turned back around and rushed over to Gunnar, wrapping my arms around him in a


    hug. He returned the hug, squeezing me tightly, before pulling back. “Are you alright? Are you injured?”


    Gunnar asked while inspecting my body.


    I put my hands up and shook my head. “Stop, I’m fine. Are you alright? Like you are standing here


    covered in blood?”


    Gunnar’s expression turned neutral. “It’s not mine, they scratched me a few times, but it’s nothing that


    won’t heal. One of them got away, though.” His lip twitched at his own words, clearly angry with himself.


    I pursed my lips, understanding his frustration. “Do you know which one it was?” I asked him.


    He gently shook his head. “No, I don’t know. Now, you need to tell me what in the fuck is going on


    here? And was that Erik I just saw a moment ago?” He questioned in a dark and demanding tone.


    I sucked in a deep breath. “First, I need you to help me get Cain back to the pack house. He needs a


    doctor and, on the way, I will tell you everything.” I told him.


    He hesitated for a beat and ground his teeth together, telling me he didn’t want to do this, that he didn’t


    want to help Cain. Then, finally, his features softened a little. “Fine, where is he?” He asked me in a


    huff.


    I started to walk in the direction of where I had left Cain. “He is over here,” I told Gunnar.


    We reached Cain, and he was still lying there, looking lifeless. But I could hear the faint beats of his


    heart still, which eased some of the turmoil that stirred within my belly.


    Gunnar furrowed his brows. “I don’t see any major injuries that would immobilize him. So, what


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    happened?” He questioned me, and I realized I was still holding the weapon responsible for Cain’s fall.


    “Erik stabbed Cain in the back with this,” I said, raising my arm and showing him the knife.


    His eyes widened, and his chest rumbled. “Get that fucking thing away from me!” He snarled.


    I lowered my arm back down. “What is the big deal?” I remembered bits and pieces of Ad''s


    information regarding the danger that the de posed for supernaturals.


    He frowned. “That de was forged by a Volva, Freja. It is perilous, and you shouldn’t even be holding


    it.” Gunnar said as he scowled at the knife in my hand.


    I looked down at the de curiously and wondered why it was created in the first ce. When I was


    younger, dad had told me stories about Volva’s or also known as witches. He said that they were good


    people, and they helped our kind. So, why did one create such a deadly weapon and what made it so


    lethal?


    I turned my gaze to Gunnar and then down at my mate, knowing that my questions would have to wait


    untilter. Right now, I needed to get Cain some help. “I need you to carry him back to the packhouse,


    please?”


    Gunnar exhaled heavily. “I will do my best, but he is a big boy, and it may be difficult for me to carry him


    that far.” He told me truthfully, and I knew it would be a struggle, but if we could get close enough, then


    I could try to mind-link with someone in the pack to help.


    He bent down, then flipped Cain over and onto his back before picking him up bridal style and standing


    to his feet. Gunnar scowled at me, “You fucking owe me big for this shit!”


    I snorted and gave him a frivolous expression. “Yea, yea. Nowe on, we need to hurry.” Gunnar


    gave me a deadpan stare and shook his head at my impatience; before we started to walk. Now, we


    faced a new dilemma, finding our way back to the pack house as neither of us was familiar with this


    As we continued to walk through the dense forest, Gunnar peered down at me. “You still haven’t told


    me what the fuck is going on, Freja?” He said while struggling to carry my mate.


    “So, I had told you that there was someone who was nning to kill Cain and me, right?” I asked him.


    He nodded slowly, ncing between me and the path ahead of us. “Yes, why do you think I showed up


    tonight? Since you told me that, I feared even more for your safety. So, I decided toe back and on


    my way there, was when I heard themotion. I was just d that I decided to cut through the trail


    that connects ournds.” Gunnar confessed, and I was thankful that I had such a caring and loving


    brother even though he was a pain in my ass and a big goofball at times.


    I smiled cheekily at him. “Aww, that’s so sweet.” I teased, and Gunnar just red at me. “Well, I


    discovered that it was Cain’s brother, Calyx, that was devising this n, but I also found out that there


    was someone else working with him. At first, I had an idea of who it might have been, but I was very


    wrong.” I looked up at Gunnar, giving him amiserating look. “Lazarus and Ad had been working


    with him the whole time,” I choked out, still distraught over my own sister’s betrayal.


    Gunnar stopped in his tracks, and his body tensed. “What? Ad was working with him to kill you and


    Cain?” He questioned with an incredulous tone.


    I sighed heavily. “Yes, and Erik was working alongside her. Ad said she hated me, that I made her


    an outcast and made her life miserable. So, she wanted me dead, hoping it would make things better


    for her, that she would be the favourite finally. Erik just wanted me back, said I belonged with him and


    not Cain. When I told him no, he snapped and tried to kill me, but….” I looked at Cain and closed my


    eyes, holding onto the memory of his confession before he fell. My throat began to tighten, and the


    words now lingered on the tip of my tongue, unable to get them out.


    Gunnar’s features softened. “Come on, let’s keep going.”


    We continued walking through the forest, beginning to feel a little lost and hopeless, when a figure


    emerged from the shadows. Both of us stopped and remained silent as the figure came closer towards


    us. We were both on edge, waiting for the person to reveal themselves, but I was relieved to see that it


    was one of Cain’s pack members, Ryder.


    I finally released the breath I had been holding in and pped a hand to my chest. “Ryder, I am d to


    see you,” I said.


    Ryder stopped a few feet from us and took in the situation inquisitively. His eyes slightly widened upon


    Following his line of sight, I looked at Cain. “We were ambushed, and the Alpha needs urgent medical


    care,” I said in a rush.


    He went silent for a moment, and his eyes zed over, telling me he was mind linking someone. A few


    momentster, four other men arrived. Ryder looked towards a few of the men that gathered in front of


    him. “Take the Alpha and get him to the medical wing immediately.” Then, he turned to one of the men


    that stood by his side. “Mind link with Doctor Stephens, inform him of the situation and tell Nurse Rose


    that the Luna ising in as well.” The man then nodded before his eyes zed over.


    The other men came towards Gunnar and me. We were both still on edge, and we took a cautious step


    back, suspicious about the idea of strange men approaching us. I had never met any of these pack


    members before, aside from Ryder, which made me uneasy about trusting my mate’s life with them. I


    stood in front of Gunnar, protecting him and Cain, and the men all stopped, looking at each other


    unknowingly. Ryder then pushed his way through and stood before me now. “Luna, they have to take


    him so that they can help him. I promise he will be in good hands, and nothing will happen to him.”


    My jaw clenched tightly, and a growl rumbled in my chest at the thought of them taking Cain from me.


    But deep down, I knew they were only trying to help Cain, although my wolf and I were against the idea


    of being separated from our mate at such a crucial time. I peered around my shoulder at Cain, taking in


    his state, before squeezing my eyes shut and nodding in agreement. I moved aside, and the men


    stepped closer to us, now urging Gunnar to hand Cain over. However, Gunnar looked down at me


    hesitantly, needing his own confirmation. I nodded, assuring him it was alright, then the men took my


    mate and rushed off into the distance, taking a piece of me with them.


    Ryder then approached us. “Luna, we need to get you to the medical wing as well; you are injured and


    need to be examined. You will be of no good to him if you are injured and unwell” His tone softened as


    he noticed that I continued to look off into the direction that Cain had been taken.


    Reluctantly, I turned my gaze to Ryder. “He’ll make it, right? Promise me that he will be alright?” I


    choked out, my voice deceiving me.


    Ryder’s expression became neutral. “The pack Doctor will do everything he can to save the Alpha.


    However, he will need your strength, if you are strong, he is strong, and you need to be taken care of


    for that to be achieved.” He told me sternly, and he was right; I needed to have faith, and, most of all, I


    needed to be strong for Cain.


    I sucked in a deep breath, trying to calm my overactive nerves. “You are right, and I am going to try my


    hardest to be strong. So let’s head to the medical wing.” I said, agreeing with Ryder.


    He gave me a curt nod and then turned to Gunnar. “Do you need attention as well?” Ryder asked my


    brother.


    Gunnar just shook his head. “No, I am fine and already healing, from what little damage they did.” He


    looked down at me, getting my attention. “She is the only one you need to be concerned about right


    now,” Gunnar told Ryder in a concerned tone.


    I looked at my brother, grief and worry consuming me. Gunnar wrapped an arm around my shoulder,


    pulling me into him and attempting tofort me. I felt better knowing Gunnar was with me, that he


    stood by my side and fought to protect me, as well as Cain. I knew his thoughts and feelings towards


    my mate, that he and Cain, were enemies and yet, he had put all of that aside for me because he knew


    that I was in love with Cain.


    Suddenly, the realization of everything that had just happened hit me like a cannon ball, discovering the


    truth about Ad’s feelings towards me and killing her. The betrayal of someone who I thought to be a


    true friend and him trying to kill me, as well as my mate. Now, Cain’s life hung in the bnce, and I


    didn’t know whether or not he would survive. My chest began to heave as the dark thoughts swirled in


    my head, my vision became blurry, and my ears started to ring, everything spinning around me now,


    before it all went dark.