Part B: Chapter 25

I watched as Carter and Aidan went at it. Just what the hell was going on? Was Carter saving me from his best friend and Alpha? I knew he was a good guy but after he found out about what I had done, he didn’t look at me the same way as before and it had hurt because I only had Ivan now.

I didn’t know what to do so I just stood there watching.

“Calm down,” Carter said as he tackled Aidan to the floor but Aidan pushed him off of him and rolled back to his feet. “You don’t want to do this. Come back to us man.”
Aidan growled at him and leapt at him, catching Carter by surprise and he fell to the floor with a loud thud. Aidan was on top of him, growling down at him as Carter held him off but he looked like Aidan was too strong for him. I had to do something but I didn’t know what I could do. Aidan was not only stronger than me and no doubt than Carter.

*Think Jemila, you have to do something to help him after he helped you. It’s the least you can do to show him that you were grateful for his help.*

Finally coming back to my senses, I moved to where they were rolling around on the floor trying to get the upper hand over the other but Aidan was winning. I used all my strength and pushed Aidan off of Carter making him fall off and lose his balance, seeming not having anticipated that. I helped Carter to his feet.

“Thanks, now get out of here. I can handle him,” he said to me as we watched Aidan get to his feet and growl at us. “Come on, go.”

But I hesitated, I couldn’t leave him alone with a raging Aidan after what I had seen what he was capable of doing. I bit my bottom lip and stood my ground. I was going to stay, after all, I was the cause of this and I just couldn’t leave someone to deal with my problems.

“I’m not leaving you, this is all my fault,” I said, sounding more confident than I actually felt on the inside. I was going to stand my ground.

Carter sighed, his eyes not leaving Aidan’s glowering form. “Look I know you just want to help but I don’t think there is anything you can do. You saw what he almost did to you and it’s my duty to protect you until the ceremony,” he said sadly. “So please don’t make my job any harder than it already is.”

“I know I’m not as strong as either of you but if I leave you alone with him, he might kill you and that will be because of me. I won’t do that,” I replied stubbornly.

“Fine, if you want to help, then I want you to find one of the tranquilisers in one of the cabinets back there and give him one while I keep him distracted.”

As he said those words, I was already shaking my head. I wasn’t going to do something as heinous as that to him. I loved him despite everything he did.

“Jemila, come on, we don’t have much longer before he practically kills all of us and then that will be on your conscience,” he said more sternly, snapping me from my thoughts and inner guilt I was already feeling.

I reluctantly nodded my head and made a beeline for the cabinets that I had gotten familiar with during my training with Ivan, I rummaged around them looking for the tranquilisers that Carter had told me about. I didn’t find anything in the first or second ones I opened and the more I searched, the more panic began to engulf me because I couldn’t see them. What if they didn’t have them and I had screwed the only chance we had? I tossed a quick glance behind me but fear consumed me as I watched Carter being thrown against the wall. He hit the wall with so much force that there was a loud thud followed by a crack.

I immediately looked away, now tossing things on the floor. There was nothing in the third or fourth cabinets but to my luck, I found some in the fifth one and breathed a sigh of relief as I turned around and sprinted over to Carter’s body that was still lying lifeless on the ground.

“Carter, I found them, get up,” I said, panic laced in my words. “I can’t do this without you.”

But I didn’t have much time to try and get him to wake up because Aidan had me by the crook of my shirt, pulling me to my feet. He spun me around slowly until I was looking into his dark eyes. Everything felt like it was moving in slow motion but I held on tight to the tranquiliser, afraid if I let it drop then that was going to be the end.
“Mine,” he breathed.

I fumbled with the cap and finally managed to get it off. This was the only chance I had and I wasn’t going to waste it. Slowly, I lifted the hand that held onto the tranquiliser, making sure he wouldn’t see it or notice my movements. I kept moving it until I was close enough to his neck. It was all or nothing as I plunged it into his neck and watched as his eyes flashed red and then his hold on me loosened until he completely let go. His eyes rolled to the back of his head and then he collapsed.

I picked myself up and rushed over to Carter who still hadn’t moved. “Carter, get up,” I said, the panic still evident in my voice. “Please.”

Carter moved slightly and then groaned as his eyes fluttered open and his hand flew up to the back of his head. “Fuck, that hurt,” he said as he sat up and I helped him. “Seems like you did it without me after all.” His eyes strayed over to where Aidan’s unconscious body lay and my eyes followed his action.

“Yeah well, I guess there is a lot I can do when I’m about to die,” I said as I helped him to his feet. “Are you okay?”

He waved me off with the hand that had been holding the back of his head. “I’m fine. See, no blood,” he showed me the hand. “Let’s get him back to his room.”

Carter walked over to Aidan and picked him up with ease, slinging him over his shoulder while I watched. “C’mon, let’s go. I’ll have the doctor look at him and then you.”

We exited the training room and Carter used a path I hadn’t seen before. The path was empty and hidden and made the best way for us to carry Aidan without arousing any unnecessary questions. We walked in silence all the way to Aidan’s quarters and I opened the door for him. Carter walked him over to the bedroom and placed him on the bed
.
“I’m sorry you had to go through that,” he said as he walked out of the room and I followed after him. “I know I was hard on you earlier but you don’t deserve that and I’ll make sure I talk to him when he wakes up.” He looked around the place, his eyes anywhere but on me. “I’ll call the doctor to come look at the both of you. Sorry.”