Axel POV

I stumble over a rock, and Elara quickly steps in and stops me from falling.

“You’re sweating profusely,” she says, frowning and touching my forehead. “Are you sure you’re all right?”

“Yes,” I grunt, pushing forward.

“Axel, I think you need more of my blood,” she says, concerned. “Or maybe you should shift.”

“It won’t help,” I say, my voice filled with fear and sadness. “This is the other side of the coin.”

“I don’t understand,” she frowns.

“Kane and I have an exceptional bond,” I explain. “Besides mind linking, I can sense his thoughts and ideas. I don’t know how to explain it, but I just know what he’s about to do or say next. And it’s the same for him. But we feel the bad the same as the good. Kane is weakening, Elara, and I’m feeling it.”

“Oh, Goddess, no,” she whispers, looking at me with big, sad eyes. “I can’t lose either of you, let alone both.”

“I won’t die if he dies,” I say softly, swallowing hard on the overwhelming sadness. I am desperately clinging to hope that Kane will pull through, but I am the only one who knows how hurt he truly is. “I would want to feel like dying, but I won’t. I’m just ...”

“You’re trying to prepare me that Kane won’t make it.” Elara’s words are stripped of all emotion, and her eyes are hollow with sorrow.

“Yes,” I admit, even though I do not want to. Saying it out loud feels like a curse.

“I won’t allow it,” she says stubbornly and steps in front of me. “I’m going to shift, you’re going to tie Kane to my back, and I’ll carry him.”

“It’s okay, Elara, I can do it,” I smile weakly. I love that she cares so much, but Kane is three hundred pounds of heavyweight.

“This isn’t a discussion,” she says firmly. “I’m not an ordinary she-wolf, I’m a hybrid. I’ll carry him as fast and as far as I can, and when I can’t, you can take over.”

She shifts before I can protest further, and I bite back my fear and worry when I lay Kane on her back and strap him to her with our belts.

“He’s secure,” I say, and step back. “But if you feel his weight shift, stop and I’ll adjust him.”

“Okay,” she replies, and she waits until I shift before she starts running.

Elara POV

The cottage finally comes into sight, and I could not be more relieved. My legs are numb, and my lungs are burning. I have not run so fast and so far in a long time. Add Kane’s weight and you have a boot camp workout.

“We should stop here,” Axel mind links. “I’ll inspect the area and make sure it’s safe before we go closer. Running into a test subject is the last thing on my bucket list.”

“Okay, hurry,” I reply, grinding my teeth to hide my exhaustion. My legs are minutes away from collapsing. I cannot even sit down and rest because I am afraid, I would not be able to get up again.

It feels like an eternity until Axel mind links me that the coast is clear, and I master my last strength to carry Kane into the cottage. Axel has already shifted and dressed when I enter the living room.

I try to sit down gently, but my legs give in, and I collapse on the floor.

“Elara, why didn’t you let me take over?” Axel asks angrily.

“Because I couldn’t carry you both if you fainted along with your brother,” I reply, and close my eyes.

“I’m going to untie Kane and carry him to bed,” Axel says as he fumbles with the belts. “Can you walk to the bed, or should I carry you?”

“I can walk,” I reply, and shift the second as he carries Axel to the bedroom.

My legs are completely jelly and I support myself against the furniture and walls until I reach the bed. I lay down beside Kane and looked at him. The blood has dried, and he is looking worse than before.

“Don’t move,” Axel orders, covering me with a blanket. “I’ll get the stuff for the transfusion.”

Axel leaves the room, and I turn on my side, laying my head on Kane’s chest. I calm down a little when I hear his heart beating. He is alive, and there is still hope.

“I hope I do this right,” Axel says as he enters the room. “I didn’t pay much attention in school.”

“Have you ever donated blood?” I ask softly, sitting up.

“Of course,” he replies, looking at the cannulas and needles with consternation.

“Let me,” I say, sitting up and taking a strap. “Help me get this on.”

“How do you know how to do this?” Axel asks, putting the strap around my upper arm and pulling it tight.

“I don’t,” I reply, taking a swab, sterilising my arm, and another for Kane’s. “So, you’d better start praying with me.

I stick the needle into my arm, pumping with my fist until my blood runs down the tube and out the needle. I quickly nick the tube, find a vein on Kane’s arm, and carefully insert the needle.

“Please, Goddess, let this be right,” I pray softly as I release the tube, and my blood flows into Kane.

“How long do you think this will take?” Axel whispers.

“I don’t know,” I reply.

I lean back against the headboard, and Axel takes my hand in his. We sit in silence, our eyes glued on Kane.

“Please survive,” I whisper.