noun ~ a feeling of deep admiration for someone or something elicited by their abilities, qualities, or achievements

PHOENIX

The moment Nova sank her teeth into a comatose Calida, time seemed to freeze. My eyes widened with shock, taken aback by her motives.

She was going to try to turn her.

Nova has never done it before, and she knew nothing about it. What was she doing? Did she even know what to do?

My heart thumped in my chest as I stared at the frozen forms of the two women. I recognised Nova's wolf coming into play and ran my eyes along the heavily bleeding wound on her side. I itched to pull her away and have her heal it, but I dared not touch her in case I fucked anything up.

As she didn't move, my wolf watched her with anxious agitation. If it wasn't for the rise and fall of her breaths, I would've believed she had passed too. So, to distract my mind, I turned my focus to the others in the area.

Charlie was growling softly, his eyes locked on Nova. If it wasn't for Sean, I would've pushed him back already, but my gamma had a firm hand on Charlie's shoulder. I doubted Charlie would do anything to harm Nova, but his mate was... she was dead.

Fuck.

My heart hurt for him, a pity deep within my gut that scorned my soul. Charlie was practically a beast right now. I don't even know how he was still in his human form.

Hairs sprouted from his skin, his claws digging into his own thighs as he chewed down the need to harm Nova. His control amazed me, considering his past. His beast was a lot harder to control, and often impeded his sense of morale. But he was doing well, better than I imagined.

Sean's grey eyes locked onto mine, and I slowly opened my mind link to him.

'She's dead.' He muttered.

I know. I replied, swallowing the lump in my throat.

'What is Nova doing?'

Trying to change her.

Sean's eyes widened. 'Is that risky?'

I don't know. I breathed, shaking my head. She's never done it... I... I don't know.

Sean's eyes dropped to the beta on his knees. 'He's tense.'

He wants to kill. I stated.

'Nova?'

All of us, probably. Charlie's wolf is... more rogue than he cares to admit.

'We have done nothing.' Sean muttered.

His mate is dead. The wolf recognises Nova; his respect is the only thing stopping him from killing us all. I explained. You know what the mate bond does to us. Imagine if this was Rose.

Sean's grey eyes darkened with the expanse of his pupil, and a low growl escaped his chest. Charlie unknowingly growled in response, and our eyes snapped down to him. Nova had pulled away from Calida, the human's blood dripping down her chin. My jaw tensed, the intense need to rid her of it overwhelming me.

I wanted to take her home and wrap her in a blanket. Then we'd lie in bed with the twins and never leave, and none of this would even be happening.

The clouds rumbled, the scent of rain mixing with the heavy taste of blood in the air. Any second now, it was going to drown us.

I jostled when my mate bit into her palm and pressed it into Calida's wound, a soft growl building in my chest. I didn't like her hurting herself. Her side was already so deep and bloodied, and she didn't heal. The moment she finished this, I would force my blood into her system. I had zero doubt that she would be conscious after.

"Vivifica." Nova muttered.

Revive?

I frowned at her sudden knowledge of Latin, but after a quick glance at her face, I recognised Celimene instead. My mate was frowning, shifting her hand elsewhere. With a focused understanding, she smeared blood along Calida's face before squeezing a single drop into the human's mouth.

"Vivere, Calida."

I growled again, unwillingly, as the rain poured.

Live? She wanted Calida to live; she was trying to get Calida to live. My attention focused on Nova. I watched as she pressed her palm to the human's torn chest and covered Calida's mouth and nose with the other.

"Accept it and breathe, Calida." My mate whimpered. "Please."

All of us were tense as we stood waiting. The rain drenched us within moments, washing away the remnants of a fight. The blood would take longer, the copious amounts of it puddled on the floor. As a minute passed by, I stepped closer, ready to snap Nova out of it, when the strangest thing happened.

The once dull form of Calida Ramierz changed, and the hollowness of her chest thumped softly. We all paused, our heads cocked as we stared at the two women. A few seconds more, but it thumped again. And again. And again, until it captured a rhythm. I counted sixty beats before Nova pulled her hands away and Calida gasped for breath.

The human's head raised, dark eyes flying open for a split second before she fell unconscious again. Her heart remained steady as she slumped against the tree, and Charlie dived to grab her. As he pulled her head into his lap, I gazed down at her open wounds, and noticed them clotting. Nova's blood was working its magic, and I lifted my gaze to my mate with admiration.

She fucking did it.

She brought Calida back to life. She healed her.

As my mate raised her green eyes to mine, she smiled. I was beaming at her, but then I recognised the soft haze overcoming her eyes. Her soft smile turned down, eyes glassing over as her energy depleted. I cursed, but wasted no time in darting forward and grabbing her as she called my name. She slumped into my arms, unconscious.

"Fuck." I muttered.

My hands brushed her hair away from her face, gazing down at the paleness of her cheeks. She was getting cold, and I moved my hands down, searching for any breaks in her body. Her heart thumped loudly, overexerting itself.

I needed to heal her.

I needed to get her warm.

"Is she okay?" Sean whispered.

I shook my head. "No."

He muttered a curse, glancing at Charlie. "Do you need my help?"

Raising my gaze to him, I shook my head. "Stay with him. I got her."

Sean's jaw tightened, and he nodded. "Okay."

As he turned around, I adjusted Nova so that her wound was in my view. Peering down at it, I spotted various amounts of dirt in it. Muttering curses, I turned her onto her side so the rain would clean her skin as it healed. I did what I had to do, tearing open my wrist and forcing it into her mouth. I felt the warmth of it leave my skin, the cold air shocking my system.

But she wasn't swallowing, and as the blood trickled down her throat, she didn't even swallow or choke. It pooled in her mouth, overspilling down her chin.

"Shit."

Where was Pollux when you needed him? His blood healed so much faster.

A thought struck my mind, and I quickly scrambled for the mind-link.

Kate, do you still have Pollux's blood?

'Alpha? Is everything okay?'

No! Do you still have some of Pollux's blood? I snapped.

'Y-yes. In the hospital-

I'm on my way. I growled.

Scooping Nova up, I left without another word. Sean could handle Charlie now Calida was alive. I just hoped his beast didn't get too protective and try to kill Sean. He may have a mate, but he didn't bear Rose's mark, therefore he was unmated.

My legs never moved so fast, the run rather reminiscent of when Nova fought tooth and nail to get home after being taken. My damn stubborn mate, always using her own mind and seeing it through. I knew I would've stopped her from doing this, but only from selfish desires. I didn't want my mate to get hurt.

I burst into the hospital within a minute, leaving a bloodied trail in my wake. I scrambled to where Kate kept the blood, bursting into the small storage room. I rapidly searched for Pollux's blood, only to come up empty-handed. Just as I went to shout down the mind-link, Kate's voice came from behind me.

"If you had waited for what I had to say, you would know that I keep it in my office in a safe." She muttered.

My head snapped down to her, nostrils flaring at her appearance. She nervously eyed the two of us before leaving the room silently. I watched her scurry away as I took Nova to the nearest hospital room and lay her on the bed. I peered down at her wound, finding it mostly clean, but the sight of her ribs unnerved me.

"Here, here." Kate hurried. "Hook this up. I'll get the needle in."

I did as I was told, connecting the blood bag to the hook and tube. The moment it settled on the hook, Kate turned a nozzle and blood oozed down the pipe. It was rapid, a desperate crawl of life. Kate moved quick, and her expertise worked in favour today. I exhaled as the blood reached my mate, feeling my muscles relax slightly.

She was going to heal. It'll be okay, I reminded myself.

"Want me to look at it before it heals over?" Kate asked, arms full of supplies.

I swallowed, wanting to tell her no, but I knew it was best. Nova often reminded me that my alpha-stubbornness often got in the way, and I had to accept help.

"Okay." I mumbled.

We swapped places, and I eyed the chair beside my mate. I was wet and bloody, and didn't want to ruin it, so knelt on the ground. I was as naked as my mate, but didn't care. Placing my hand on Nova's cheek. She was cold, but over the course of a few minutes, I felt her warm up.

Pollux's blood being as magical as hers was good, and as it flooded her veins in a quick succession, I knew she would be fine in no time. It was a desperate time, and I was grateful he had offered a few samples in the first place.

Five minutes later, Kate rose and removed her gloves. "Okay, I cleaned it as it healed, so it will be fine. But it's mostly done now."

I blinked, astounded. "Really?"

"Yes, the blood worked." She smiled. "She's fine. I recognised some fractures, but they were healing as it closed."

I exhaled, my shoulders sagging with relief. "Thank you."

I recognised Kate's satisfaction through the pack bond and slowly closed it off. I had left it open to monitor any changes in her mood, but my mate was fine now, so it was unnecessary.

"If I may, Alpha... How did this happen?"

"Rogue attack." I muttered, staring down at my sleeping mate.

"Any casualties?"

"One." I swallowed.

Her eyes widened, and I recognised the quick scramble of nerves as she mind-linked her mate. He was a patrol-man who was working tonight on the south side. She wouldn't find anything interesting; I had already alerted the patrol of the situation. I have sent those nearest to the attack to scour trails, and the southern border wasn't a part of that.

I watched as Kate's body slowly sagged with relief and she sighed, blinking back to the present.

"Who?" she wondered.

"Calida." I stated. "You should set up a bed."

"Is she dead?"

"Not anymore." I shook my head.

"What... Anymore?"

"Nova's blood has healed her."

"I see," Kate mumbled. "In that case, Nova may not wake for some while. I should hook up some monitors."

"She'll be fine." I shook my head. "I don't plan on leaving her side."

"But... your children, Alpha." Kate swallowed. "Are they safe?"

"They are with their grandparents." I mumbled. "Who are more than happy to have them overnight."

"Okay, good." Kate breathed. "I apologise, Alpha, if I overstepped."

Shaking my head, I smiled softly. "It's fine."

She eyed me oddly, and I quirked an eyebrow at her strange expression.

"Sorry, but... Are you okay, Alpha?" She wondered. "Feeling normal?"

"Yes, why?"

Her eyes widened at my abrupt answer. "N-No reason, I just. You should rest too, shower, get dressed..."

My eyes narrowed, and I shook my head. "I'm good."

"Okay." She nodded. "I will go prepare another bed."

"You should probably prepare the theatre." I murmured and she squeaked with surprise.

I watched her leave the room, wondering why she was so surprised at my answers. Shaking my head, I gazed back down at my healing mate. She needed me now and gave me all of her trust as she passed out. I owed it to her to look after her, so I would not leave her side.

Never.