The Goddess alone was aware of the consequences if the forthcoming full moon failed to grant the man’s desires. Mason was aware that Caelan was worried about both him and her. MASON was entirely unconcerned about it. He had never regarded her in that manner. He derived pleasure from irritating his friend by allowing him to believe it was a possibility. It greatly amused him.
Mason was aware that everyone anticipated their union as Mates, yet he had not discovered his Mate despite years of searching, which further fuelled Caelan’s belief that he was a rival for Daisy’s affection. Only his mother expressed her disapproval, remarking, “I don’t perceive it, son.”
Mason’s head jerked upward as pain coursed through him, disrupting his thoughts. His chair toppled as he sprang to his feet, and then he fled from his Alpha’s office. She was in agony, excruciating pain; his heart raced, overwhelmed by the intensity of her suffering.
He heard Caelan call his name, disregarded it, and could concentrate solely on his urgency to reach her. Every fibre of his being was signalling peril, not merely agony, but peril; whatever it was, his connection to her was searing, and his cursed arm felt as though molten fire was being poured over it. The abrasions along the interior of his bicep were searing and tormenting him.
Mason observed it prior to reaching her. John lifted her off the ground by her neck, strangling her, while she exerted all her strength to free herself from his grip. Lark’s inner wolf surged with power, propelling him forward at full speed. He collided forcefully with the man, realising she was rapidly losing consciousness. He had evidently obstructed her airway; her hands fell limp, and she ceased to struggle by the time he arrived. Fear coursed through him.
John appeared unprepared for the assault, failing to brace himself, resulting in both of them tumbling over one another on the ground. He released her due to Mason’s intervention and subsequently restrained the scoundrel on the ground, his arms forcefully pressing against the man’s neck, obstructing his airway, to demonstrate the consequences of his actions.
“Rescue her or terminate me,” John derided him through the mental connection.
Mason’s gaze shifted to Daisy, who lay motionless on the ground, her stillness evident. He observed the blood on her neck, yet could not discern the rise and fall of her chest. She remained unable to breathe, despite appearing to attempt it. Propelled himself from John towards Daisy. Blood was emanating from several lacerations on her neck.
The assailant had his claws extended and embedded in her neck, with the handprints still vividly dark red around the area. He recognised that she was unable to breathe; excessive damage had already occurred.
He lifted her off the ground; she would experience intense pain from his touch, but there was nothing he could do at this juncture; she would have to endure it. He had no alternative means to transport her to the pack hospital.
She appeared to have a compromised windpipe, which was the reason for her inability to breathe. He implored her to remain with him, hearing her communicate through the mind-link that she was unable to breathe. He urged her to persevere as he sprinted at maximum speed, Lark providing him with every ounce of strength, fuelled by adrenaline. The utterance of his name, laden with sorrow, conveyed to her the certainty of her demise; she believed it was too late, instilling fear directly into his heart, which pounded within his chest. He could even sense Lark’s fear infiltrating his own, apprehensive that he had not acted swiftly enough.
“Maurice,” Mason bellowed through the mind-link to the pack doctor, “incoming, Daisy, compromised windpipe.” Apnoea.
“I will be there shortly; how long will you take?”He could perceive the man’s urgency conveyed through the queue.
“In two minutes, I will arrive at maximum velocity.”
“Cardiac pulse?””
Mason attuned his senses to her heartbeat, noting its erratic rhythm. It was pulsating irregularly within her chest, likely attempting to compensate for her respiratory distress.
“I will prepare the crash cart; is Alpha informed?”
Mason disregarded the necessity of informing Caelan, prioritising immediate communication with the doctor as crucial for Daisy’s survival at that moment.
“Correct.”
He arrived in under two minutes, where two nurses were holding the hospital doors open. He swiftly transported her and placed her on the awaiting gurney alongside Maurice. As she lay before him, his fingers pressed against her throat, searching for the precise location to incise and insert the breathing tube.
In the hospital foyer, the man was executing an emergency tracheotomy; he needed to be precise, but the procedure was taking too long. Mason shouted at the man, “Accelerate your pace.”
Received a sharp retort: “Silence, Beta; I must execute this correctly.”
“Caelan, proceed to the hospital immediately; Daisy is not breathing.” He ultimately informed Caelan about the crisis occurring within his pack.
What?A roar was directed back at him, then the connection was cut; Mason realised the man was approaching as swiftly as Mason had moved himself.
Mason observed as Maurice’s fingers made contact with her. She did not recoil from him. Her heart rate diminished with each passing second. He desired to vociferate at the man. Her body was attempting to compensate for the oxygen deficiency, yet it proved ineffective. Her lungs were unable to oxygenate what was not being received.
Ultimately, the man applied a scalpel to her neck and exerted pressure. Blood emanated from her neck as he inserted a tube following the extraction of the blade. A rush of air was audible as her body finally inhaled the oxygen it required.
He observed his heart rate gradually stabilising as he noted the rise and fall of her chest. Her unconscious body functioning autonomously. Observing Maurice examine the additional wounds on her neck, which continued to bleed, he raised his head and made direct eye contact with Caelan, who burst through the front doors. At that moment, Maurice signalled for his staff to transport her to the designated emergency treatment room for appropriate care.
What transpired?Maurice interjected before Caelan could articulate his thoughts.
John. Mason asserted unequivocally that the individual had been out of confinement for merely two days. Would have only recently achieved complete recovery. That scoundrel had returned for her once more.
Witnessed Maurice exhibit anger, an occurrence uncommon with their pack doctor. “I shall attend to her.”
Caelan seized the man. “Will she be alright?””
“She is exhibiting respiration.” The Beta was correct; the windpipe was crushed. However, she possesses severe claw marks encircling her neck, which are still haemorrhaging; I must examine them.” Subsequently, he proceeded after his nurses who were manoeuvring the gurney through a pair of double doors.
Mason shouted, “Women only,” receiving an irate and irritated glance from the doctor before he vanished behind the doors through which she had been escorted.
