The Blue Blood Alpha

Chapter 22 - I'm Sorry

Emerging from the escape hatch, Christie follows Ava's lead and runs towards the cover of the nearby woods, Caspian hot on her heels. They head into a copse of native trees and shrubs, crouching low to hide. Soon they hear shouting and the heavy thud of boots coming their way. Ava makes hand signals to Christie, signalling her to stay low and hidden. There are too many CBC officers swarming the area, it seems impossible for them to break away without being seen. Caspian turns to Christie, with his wrists still bound, he brings his hands up to her face and caresses her jaw line.

"I'll lead them away, while you make a run for it" he whispers as he runs his thumb across her lips.

"But what about you?" Christie whispers back, suddenly alarmed at the thought she may never see this wolf again.

"It will be ok, nobody saw what happened in the tunnel, and I'll think of something to tell them. Stay safe Christie." Christie involuntarily trembles at hearing her mate utter her name. Caspian leans in and gives Christie the briefest feather-light kiss, before jumping up and running out into the open. Waving his bound hands and yelling "Help, help! I'm over here!" The CBC officers stop their search and run to him.

"Caspian you're alright! Did you see which way the Delta went? We've been instructed to capture Alpha Knight's mate at any cost" asked one of the officers.

"Yes I did, follow me. If we're quick, we can catch them!" exclaims Caspian as he uses his werewolf speed to lead them in the opposite direction. The officers thunder after Caspian, giving the she-wolves the perfect opportunity to make a break for it.

"Come on Christie, we need to go!" Ava grabs Christie's arm and tugs her to stand and run. Christie turns her head back as she runs, trying to see Caspian, but he's disappeared into the tree line. Her heart is thundering in her chest, she has only just met her mate, and now he is gone.

"I used one the pack's dirt bikes to get here, I have it hidden nearby" Ava leads Christie to a dense thicket of shrubs, where she stashed the bike. Ava swiftly gets on the bike and kick starts it, turning the engine over. Christie jumps on the back and clings to Ava; with a rev of the engine, they're zooming away. As the distance grows between them and the CBC quarters, so does Christie's heartache.

They've been travelling at full speed for about an hour when Christie feels something wet on her hands. She releases her grip on Ava's waist and looks at her hand, which is red with a smear of blood.

"Ava you're bleeding!" exclaims Christie.

"It's nothing, I'll be alright. We can't stop, we have to get back to Mystic Falls".

"But how?"

"Back in the tunnel, when the CBC officer fired off those rounds, and they ricocheted off the ceiling. A few of the bullets hit me."

"What, you've been shot?! Why didn't you say anything?  You're really injured, please stop the bike, so we can assess your wounds".

"No, we can't stop. The CBC will be searching everywhere for us. You heard what they said, they're determined to capture me at all costs, and they will kill you. That's why I'm staying off the main roads and using the dirt trails. They can't follow us by car, they'll need dirt bikes to use these trails, which I don't think they have".

After another hour of riding the off-road dirt trails, the bike begins to swerve. Christie looks down at her hands, which are now fully soaked in blood.

"Ava please, you're losing too much blood. You have to stop!"

With a final serve, Ava begins to slow the bike, until she final collapses it to the ground. Both of them tumble off it. Christie immediately crawls over to Ava, who is clutching her abdomen. Christie eases off Ava's tactical vest, and lifts up us her fitted T-Shirt, to take a look at the bullet wounds. It looks bad, Ava's been bleeding out for too long, and she's lost a lot of blood. Christie looks around the forest area, there are no houses around, and they're still about an hour away from Mystic Falls using the slower dirt trails.

"Ava do you have your phone?"

"No I left it behind at the pack. For security reasons my phone has a tracker on it, and I didn't want them to be able to follow me. I figured this mess was all my fault, and I didn't want to put anybody else in danger. I thought I could handle it all on my own. I'm sorry Christie, I've failed you and I've failed the pack". Ava's voice sounds laboured, as if she was in a great deal of pain.

"No Ava, this is all my fault! If I wasn't fooling around with Ryan this never would have happened. I'm so sorry Ava, all these years I hated you, and I had it all wrong. You weren't cheating and lying with Alpha Knight. He's your mate. I see now why you had to keep it a secret, it was necessary to keep safe from the CBC. I've been such an idiot!"

"Mates? My mate! Christie...find...mate...tell him...I'm sorry!" Ava was struggling to get her words out, her voice was so weak. She was trying to remove a black bandana from her wrist, with the last of her energy. Christie noticed her struggling and helped her untie the bandana, and Ava pushed it into Christie's hands. With a shaky hand she touched Christie's face.

"Tell...I love him...I'll watch over...I'll wait to cross over to the moon together. I'll...wait...for you too Christie" Ava was coughing and spluttering now. Christie grips both of Ava's hands tightly, tears were streaming down her face, her cousin was dying before her eyes.

"Ava please hold on. I love you so much, I'm so sorry for everything. Please stay with me! I can't lose you!" Christie pleads, clutching Ava's hands, and trying to will the life back into her. She could feel Ava's hands loosening, and her breathing becoming shallower. Christie felt the moment Ava's hands went limp in hers, and her life force leaving her body.

"No Ava, please!" Christie threw herself over Ava's body, clutching her and sobbing. She threw back her head and gave out a sorrowful howl. Her cousin was dead, and it was all her fault, she would never forgive herself.

This is an important chapter, albeit sad one 😥