Page 69 of Beacon

Aidan chuckles, although the fingers of his one hand are very careful as they work on her face. “Typical thanks for my selfless, heroic gesture.”

Breanna leans over to kiss him briefly, her smile so fond it makes my chest ache. “Thank you for saving my life for the hundred-millionth time.”

“Only fair, love, after how completely you saved me.”

I’m about to leave since Aidan’s murmur is so intimate, but Breanna reaches out to touch my knee. “Mack. He really came through for us.”

I nod, smiling with a lump of emotion in my throat. “He always does.”

I start searching for him again since he’s no longer on his bike. I spot him kneeling beside someone stretched out on the ground. I can tell by the hunch of his shoulders that something is wrong, so I pick up my speed to a run.

When I get there, I crouch down beside him, a sob catching in my throat when I see who it is stretched out on the dirt with a bleeding wound in his abdomen.

“Oh no, no, no,” I mumble, reaching over to touch Ham’s pale, freckled face. “No, no, no, no,no.”

Mack is holding a piece of bunched fabric over the wound, trying to stop the bleeding the way I was with Rose a few minutes ago. “It looks bad,” he tells me softly.

I’m fighting tears now. I’ve known Ham for years because he’s been part of the New Haven community since he was sixteen. He’s grown from a sweet boy to a brave, cheerful young man, and he’s always been one of my favorite people.

He’s only twenty-two.

I gurgle when Ham’s eyes flutter open unexpectedly. “Oh, hey there, Anna.”

“Hi, Ham. You’ve got to hold on, okay? You’re going to be okay.”

“Not entirely certain ’bout that. Feels like I’ve been ripped open. But I’ll do my best.” His face twists, and he glances over at Mack. “You sure saved the day, Mack. Does it look pretty bad?”

Mack grunts. “It’s not that bad. You’re gonna pull through.”

“Okay.” Ham apparently believes him because he sighs and closes his eyes. “That’s good to know. I think I’ll rest for a minute. Wake me up if anything happens.”

“We will,” I say, stroking his cheek, my shoulders shaking. “You rest.”

Tears stream out of my eyes as I meet Mack’s eyes over Ham’s torso. Mack’s face twists with emotion that matches mine.

“Oh God, please, no,” I whisper, stroking Ham’s face and neck. His pulse is still steady, and his skin is damp with perspiration. He’s not dead yet.

The thought propels me to my feet. I gesture over to Heather, who is finishing up with Rose’s shoulder. Heather runs over, calling for another woman to help her as soon as she gets her eyes on Ham’s condition.

Mack and I step away to let them work.

I look around again, trying to see if anyone else needs us, but the situation appears to be as under control as is possible to be after a gunfight like this one.

So with a choked sob, I grab for Mack and pull him into a hug.

He wraps both arms around me and squeezes me tightly. So tightly I momentarily can’t breathe. I don’t care. It’s exactly what I need right now. Mack’s strength. His big, familiar body. The warm, natural scent of him. The neediness I sense in his clutch.

When he finally loosens his hold, I pull back far enough to look up at his face. “You saved all of us, Mack. Again.”

He tries to speak but can’t immediately. Then he shrugs and manages to say lightly, “It was the right thing to do.”

An hour later, I’m helping some of the others gather up the stockpiled supplies from the storage rooms and kitchen in the building when Rachel comes to find me.

I give her a quick hug. I haven’t had the chance to catch up with her since the fighting ended. She’s smiling when she withdraws, but she also looks slightly concerned.

“What is it?” I ask.

“Cal and I need to leave real soon. We’re taking Ham. There’s nothing else they can do for him here, but if we can get him back to the clinic in the bunker as soon as possible, then maybe he’ll be able to pull through. It’s worth a try anyway. So we’re going to leave now and drive through the night until we get there.”

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