"Someone get the doctor!" Catalina screamed in alarm as she fell to her knees.

Emmett was lying on the ground. His eyes were closed, and blood was rapidly soaking the leaves beneath him. Her hands roamed over him, and she quickly found the source of the bleeding.

A bullet wound on the upper left side of his chest, but where had it come from? People were running in all directions around her, but she ignored them all. The only thing that mattered to her right now was her brothers life. She ripped off the bottom of her shirt and stuffed it into the hole before applying pressure to try and stop the bleeding.

She looked up in fear and saw Jax was on his knees on the other side of Emmett looking equaly terrified. Now, Stephon was beside her, his face pale. He checked for a pulse.

"He's alive. Catta, whatever you do, don't move your hands! Jax, help me lift him up just a little bit. If the bullet went all the way through, he should be okay," Stephon announced.

"Sir, we can't find the doctor. Word is, she went to a pack members private quarters to help with a difficult birth and won't be back until morning, " William, the second beta said sadly.

"And the shooter?" Stephon growled, never taking his eyes off of his injured son.

"Nicholas and some of the others are currently tracking a scent," Will answered before retreating.

"Ready?" Stephon looked up into Jax's worry filled eyes.

Jax nodded and put his hands against his brothers back. Together, they lifted him up enough to see another hole in his back. Jax pulled off his shirt and wadded it into a ball. He pressed it to the wound, and they lay Emmett back down.

Tears were pouring down Catalina's face, dripping onto her blood-soaked pants. The red stood out in a major contrast to the pure white they had been. It seemed to be a visible statement to the way her night and mood had just changed. It had gone from bright, happy, and full of love to dark, full of fear and rage. She desperately wanted Emmett to be okay, and she wanted whoever had done this to him to pay!

She felt the strong pull of something in the back of her mind. Without even thinking, she started to reach for it. Suddenly, Elliana was at her side. She laid her warm hand on Catta's cold shoulder to help grab her attention.

"Wait! No! Without help and the way your emotions are raging, that could be dissasterous right now! Let me help you. Let us help him," Elliana pleaded, gesturing to Emmett with her eyes.

Catalina realized then what that pull was and looked up into Elliana's eyes trustingly and nodded.

"We need to use a spell to focus your powers. Otherwise, your emotions could take hold, and who knows what might happen. I can feel your desperation and anger. If you release magic like that without a clear purpose, it could be like a bomb went off," Elliana said with a serious look.

"Help me help him," Catalina's voice shook as she tried to dry her eyes by rubbing them on her sleeves.

"What are you talking about?" Stephon asked, confused. Elliana ignored him, focused solely on the ticking time bomb that was Catalina and Emmett.

"Reach into your powers, center your thought on the only thing that matters. Healing Emmett."

Catalina nodded her head and did as she was told.

"Repeat after me. Ligabis ad solvendum," Elliana said before closing her eyes and moving her hands; one on top of the other in a circle over Emmitt's chest.

Catalina closed her own eyes and placed her hands slightly above Elliana's, following her movements. Their body's rotated in a circle with the same rhythm of their hands.

Stephan gasped and started applying pressure to the wound.

The women repeated the phrase in unison, "Ligabis ad solvendum."

Stephan and Jax watched on in confusion.

"Ligabis ad solvendum."

The air around them started to smell sweet and earthy. The hair on their arms started to stand on end as if electricly charged. Their ears seemed to be filled with a strange humming sound.

Slowly, the color started to return to Emmetts' cheeks. Stephon's hands were no longer being stained red. Cautiously, he moved his hands then bravely pulled the wadded up piece of cloth free. He watched in astonishment as Emmett's skin started to knit itself back together. Jax's looked up at the two women in wonder, his mouth hanging open.

"Why isn't he awake?" Stephon asked.

"My powers have limits. We've healed the outside but not the inside, and he's lost a good bit of blood. Give him a little bit to heal," Elliana explained.

"Jax, you wanna go get me a stretcher so we can carry him the house?"

"Sure th-" another voice cut him off.

"My own two legs work just fine. No need to carry me anywhere," Emmett said as he sat up.

All heads turned in his direction with smiles spreading across them.

"Would y'all stop staring at me like y'all just won the lottery? Don't y'all have better things to do than watch me sleep? And why does my shoulder burn like someone stabbed a hot poker into it?" Emmett asked before looking down at his blood-soaked shirt in confusion.

"You're okay!" Catalina threw her arms around him in extreme relief.

"You were shot. Catta and Elliana healed you," Jax explained, happyness almost overflowing in his eyes.

"Who shot me?" Emmett looked to his father for this answer.

"Nick and some of the others are looking into that now. I'm waiting to hear back. Let's get you up and to the house, and we'll worry about that later," Stephon said, getting to his feet.

Catalina unwound herself from him, and Jax put out his hand to help her to her feet. She swayed slightly once she was up. Jax glanced at Elliana in concern.

"Blood sugar drops after large spells. She just needs some food and sleep and she'll be fine. Speaking of which, I need the same. I'm gonna go see what's in the kitchen at this hour," she answered before wandering off.

"They've caught the would be assassin," Emil said slightly out of breathe as he walked up to them wearing nothing but a pair of boxers, sweat running down his finely chiseled chest and over his washboard abs.

Stephon nodded then proceeded with Jax's help to get Emmett to his feet. He was able to walk but was a little shaky from the blood loss, so Stephon walked on one side and Jax on the other in case he needed support. Emil took one look at Catta and decided he needed to help her home.

They were about halfway to the house when Catta stopped dead in her tracks, "Where is the assassin?"

"I don't know where they took him. We've never dealt with anything like this before. Why?"

"I need to see him," she said, a clear note of desperation in her voice.

"You don't need to worry about it. The pack leaders will deal with all that. If you're worried about your safety, don't. I'm sure he's locked up good and tight, and I can stay with you if you want," Emil responded.

"I'm not scared. I need to know why this happened to my brother," she said with determination.

"Of course you're not. Should've known better," he rolled his eyes and chuckled. "It doesn't matter, though. we don't know where he is, and you're in no shape to do anything until you've had some rest."

"Fine," she stomped her foot and headed towards the house again.

Fine is what she told him, but it wasn't. In her head, she was running through all the possible places to look for the intruder. She needed answers, and he needed to pay!

"You want me to make you a sandwich?" Emil asked as they reached the kitchen.

"Sure, PB and J would be great," she responded, pouring herself a large glass of apple juice.

Another wave of dizzyness shook her, and she went to sit down in one of the chairs situated in front of a large island in the middle of the floor. He placed a plate in front of her with a sandwich and some salty chips on it. She dug into hungrily.

They'd left the kitchen door open when they'd entered, and now whispering could be heard from the hall. It was the alpha and first beta. Catta finished the rest of her sandwich and crept towards the door to eaves drop.

"Bad idea," Emil mouthed.

She put a finger to her lips.

"Where did you put him? Has he told you anything of use?"

"We took him to the old barn about two miles out. We chained him to one of the wooden beam inside it. He hasn't told us anything yet. We don't even know what pack he's from, but we'll find a way to make talk."

"That's not going to work. He'll break the chains," the alpha said.

"No, Sir, we put silver laced cuffs on him," William answered sternly.

"Ah, okay. Let's wait on any more questioning, let the silver have time to sink in a bit. I'll come deal with it tomorrow when my mind isn't reeling from almost losing one of my children."

"Yes, Sir."

There was the sound of receding footsteps.

"I have to get to that barn!" Catta said and tried to rush out of the kitchen.

Emil grabbed her by the shoulders, "No, you have to get some rest. You can worry about all this after."

"No I-"

"You are going to bed! Right now!" he said demandingly.

"No!" she shrugged off his hands.

"Do we need to fight?" he asked with raised brows.

"You know you'll lose," Catalina said with a chuckle, already starting to circle him.

"No, Ma'am, not in your condition," he smiled micheveously at her.

"You wanna bet?"

"Yeah, I do," he reached out to grab her arm.

She tried to dodge but was too slow. He pulled her towards him, lifted her up, and tossed her over his shoulder. Her eyes went wide in surprise, and she started pounding her fists against his back.

"Put me down right now!"

"It's time for bed, Catta," he said, carrying her out of the kitchen in the direction of her bedroom.

"You put me the fuck down right now Emil!' she screeched, continuing to pound on his muscular back.

"Shhh, you're going to drawn attention and I'll have to tell alpha what you're up to. Do you think he'll let you go? I don't, but we can always find out," he said a deep warm laugh reverberated through his chest.

She huffed but stopped screaming and her assault to his back, "I don't like you right now."

"That's fine maybe you'll feel differently in the morning."

She heard a door squeak then she was plopped into her fluffy blankets. Emil reached around her and grabbed a blanket and pillow.

"What are you doing? I don't need to be tucked in," she said in annoyance.

"It's for me. I'm sleeping on your floor."

Her mouth fell open, "You're... You've got to be kidding."

"Nope. If I don't you'll just sneak off as soon as I'm gone," he spread out his blanket on the floor and laid down.

Catalina huffed then rolled over to face the wall.

"Goodnight beautiful," he said to her back, there was no response.

I truly hope you're enjoying my book so far 😊 Don't forget to like vote and comment. It really means a lot!