The Crystal Moon Curse: Book 5: TAKEN

Chapter 45. Death

VIGGO

"Quilla!"

I bellow as I twist and catch Quilla before she hits the ground.

Alpha, it's Tarik. We have his scent.

Costas links me with a growl and the air echoes with the sounds of shifting lycans and their thundering feet running into the woods. The world spins and resounds as screams and cries fill the air as the pack reacts to the unimaginable horror of witnessing their Luna fall.

Black despair sinks into my soul even before I lay Quilla down on the grass.

I know.

The distinct clap of gunfire, the burning scent of gunpowder and metallic blood in the air, and Quilla's limp body tell me, my nightmares have come to life. I have failed. I let my guard down, and the love of my life is paying again for my failure. I have broken every promise I have made to her.

"Fuck, no, please, Quilla. Baby, stay with me." Words, like a prayer, break through the chokehold of fear in my throat as I kneel over Quilla and press my hands into the blood seeping from her belly.

I hiss and flinch, the skin on my palms burning in contact with her blood.

"Quilla, no!" Neo falls beside me to raise Quilla's head into her lap, her face clouded with fear and streaked with tears.

"Alpha Viggo, it's silver," Astrid warns, grasping my wrists and tugging my hands away from Quilla's wound.

"Don't touch me," I growl, pressing down firmly into her belly as her blood singes the flesh on my palms.

"Let me help her, Alpha Viggo, every second counts," there is a firm focus in Astrid's voice despite how it cracks with emotion as she continues to tug at my wrists. "Please, I can save her but you have to let me see,"

"Viggo, let her help Quilla before she is beyond help," Sebastian grasps my shoulder and I raise my hands off Quilla's belly. Astrid quickly covers the wound with a bunched cloth.

"Alpha, your hands, you need to wash them quickly before the burn sets," I do not take my eyes off Quilla's as someone pours water over my hands. I do not even register the pain. It is incomparable to the rendering in my chest, the cracking in my soul.

Quilla looks like she's sleeping but for the pale pallor of her skin, the shallow drawing of her breath, and the red stain growing in her pink t-shirt. I reach into our bond, calling Kyra, willing her forward to give Quilla strength, but there is nothing but echoing darkness at the end. Ice seeps through my veins as I watch with absolute helplessness. Never have I felt more useless in my life.

"Alpha Viggo,"

"Alpha,"

"Viggo," Sebastian's hard grip on my shoulder shakes me to the present and I look up at Astrid who is staring at me.

"What?"

"The bullet has lodged inside her. We have to remove it without moving her and fast. I need you to extract it and we have to transfuse her with clean blood."

I stare at Astrid's hands covering Quilla's belly with the now red stained cloth.

"I'll hurt her even more."

"She will heal, but she won't if we don't get the bullet out now. We don't have time for precision surgery. If we don't get it out the silver in her bloodstream will kill her."

"What do I do?" I growl, frowning.

"Use your claws, follow the bullet's pathway. Remember it's silver it will burn." Astrid warns.