Page 149 of Pack Rivals: Part Two
We hear footsteps racing through the house and then Molly calling her brothers’ names, her scent so tense it’s bitter in my mouth.
Axel and Angel are sprinting into the house, everyone else but Hardy behind them. I try to follow, but Hardy blocks my path.
“No,” he says sternly, “stay here.”
I glare at him. “It’s Molly,” I say, trying to shake off his hold. “Hardy!”
He relents, letting me go, and together we run through the house, following the sounds of the others’ footfall and voices. We find them in Mrs. Stormgate’s bedroom. Molly and Axel are on their knees, next to the still body of their mom.
I gasp, rushing forward to help.
“Is she breathing?” I ask.
“I don’t know,” Molly cries, tears cascading down her face, her body shaking.
Axel gathers his mom up into his arms.
“Mom?” he says. “Mom, can you hear me?”
Her eyes flicker open for the briefest of seconds and we all take a collective sigh of relief.
“We need an ambulance,” Axel says. Angel already has his phone to his ear, barking instructions at someone down the line. I sink down next to Molly and wrap my arms around her as Angel’s words grow angrier.
Finally, he tosses the device to the ground.
“Twenty minutes! Twenty fucking minutes until an ambulance.”
“A doctor?” I ask. “Is there a doctor nearby?”
Angel shakes his head.
“Then, you need to take her in yourselves,” I tell them.
“No,” Angel says, “we’ll wait for the ambulance.”
Molly sobs and crumples in my arms. Her mom gasps for breath in Axel’s arms.
“You can’t!” I cry. “You have to go now!”
“You’re about to start your heat, Bea. We’re not leaving you alone.”
“I won’t be alone. I’ll have the others with me.” Angel scrubs his fingers through his beard, indecision and pain clear on his face. “You have to take her, Angel. You and Axel. Now. She’s your mom.”
He screws up his eyes. “We’re not letting you down again, Bea. We made a promise to you–”
“Don’t be ridiculous. This isn’t letting me down. You have to go. You’re her sons.”
He shakes his head and I turn to Axel, gripping onto his arm.
“Axel, my heat hasn’t even started properly yet. You’ll be back before it does. I’m sure of that.”
“Bea …” he groans.
“Please,” I say, “please take her.”
“We’ll be here for Bea,” Silver reassures them. “She wants you to go.”
Axel gazes down at his mom, his face drained of all blood. He hesitates, then he nods.
