Page 2 of Rejected By The Alpha Heir

Going after Austin like this is tantamount to a declaration of war. I shiver and then try to focus.

The war will be dealt with by our Alpha and his men. I wasn’t called down here to deal with that. I was called to attend to a severe injury. I wish my mentors were here to guide me. Our pack is fortunate to have several gifted healers, but they have been loaned to one of our allied packs to conduct a training exercise. Even if they called them immediately after Austin was injured, they were still at least thirty minutes away. It’s up to me to at least start the treatment.

I take a deep breath to remind myself that they believed in me. They were the ones who left me here, confident that I could handle whatever was thrown at me.

The eyes of all of Austin’s men track me as I dash out of the room and into the small apothecary. I hurry, flinging open drawers and pulling out thick white rolls of bandages and healing tinctures. Being the one to attend Austin is a lot of pressure, and I have to remind myself to stay calm.

By the time I’ve gathered an armful of supplies and returned to the small room, it feels like my heart is going to beat right out of my chest.

I set them down carefully and look down at the unconscious body on the table. He’s important to us. Not just as the son of our beloved Alpha Malaki and Luna Elizabeth, but to me personally.

My intended mate.I can’t lose him. I won’t.

“Oh my Goddess!” I whisper, looking him over with a lump in my throat.

There’s blood everywhere, but the gashes on his arm and his abdomen draw my attention first.

“I need some clean water in a basin and the tin of salve!” I call out, my eyes never leaving him. Someone behind me hurries to comply and a small basin is thrust onto the table next to me, sloshing over.

The gash in his arm is bleeding heavily, with a small pool of blood appearing on the floor. Someone has already tried to bandage it, but without the healing salve to assist in closing the wound, it has already bled through.

With shaking hands, I open the tin and start to spread salve on the clean bandages. If I can get the wound closed, he might heal faster.

Austin’s eyes start to flutter and I lean forward, eager to see those silvery orbs.

“Austin,” I whisper to him, “can you hear me?”

He doesn’t respond verbally, but the fingers on his hand start to twitch. I reach out to tug on the blood-soaked bandage wrapped around his arm.

He doesn’t move as I carefully unravel it, revealing the huge gash underneath. My wolf keens in my chest, anxious and worried, as we look over our intended mate. Her instinct is the same as mine: we want to soothe our mate, to use my skills to nurture, comfort, and heal him.

Once his arm is unwrapped, I carefully dab at the wound with a clean cloth. He winces, but still doesn’t respond.

“Quickly please, Miss,” Jason says gruffly. “The Alpha and the Luna will be here to see him shortly.”

I nod and reach out to touch the angry red skin. The second my fingers touch his arm, his eyes fly open.

“No,” he growls, low and commanding. “Don’t touch me!”

I pull back and look at him. “It’s me, Austin,” I plead. “I just want to help you.”

His eyes are bright and angry and I lower my head and take a deep breath.He’s hurt. He probably doesn’t mean it.

“You need to have your arm bandaged properly,” I begin slowly. “It will make your healing much faster. Please, just let me help you. I insist.”

I reach for him again, but he pulls his arm away, groaning in pain.

“Austin?” I plead, my eyes welling with tears.

“Get out!” he roars, clutching his arm to his chest and struggling to sit up. Blood oozes from the wounds. “Get out, right now!”

I stumble to my feet and take several steps back. The men in the room look between Austin and me, and I feel the tell-tale tendrils of shame start to rise up my neck.

“Here, you can—just wrap these on his arm,” I mumble, shoving the prepared bandages toward Jason. “Make sure to pull them tight and apply the salve. It will speed the process.”

No one says anything when I turn and flee the room, but I can feel the heat of Austin’s hostility and the stares of the menburning into my back as I run out of the bungalow toward the safety of my cottage.

Several of the packmates are gathered in the courtyard and they all start to shout when they see me.

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