The Headmaster Alpha's Mate
The Headmaster Alpha’s Mate Chapter 46

The smell of disinfectant permeated Chloe’s nostrils, as she sat beside an unconscious Ethan. Fear for her friend, and sadness that he was going through this washed over her, her emotions threatening to overflow. Zander stood beside her, in low-slung jogging bottoms, the dried b***d of his enemy still on his hard muscular body.

“Is there anything more we can do?” Chloe asked, wiping a tear from her eye.

“Luna, we are doing everything we can, it is up to Ethan now, all we can do is wait and see.” Dr Keto responded softly.

Zander placed his hand on Chloe’s shoulder. This was the reality of wars and battles, often caused by those who wanted power for themselves, without thought of the ones who would suffer. Sometimes those you loved or cared for fell foul of others. The cost was high, he knew it, he had paid the price when his parents were taken from him, and now after 18 years of not losing a member of his pack. He now stood watching over the still body of a 16-year-old boy, who had shown so much bravery and promise, who was fighting for his life and there was nothing they could do to help him. A young victim of the tragic circumstances of those who seek to destroy for their own selfish needs.

Cheryl sat in stunned silence, as Nicki held on to her. She had faced so much in her life, and she screamed internally, ‘When will it end? Where is my happy ending?’. Josh wrapped his arms around both women, Nicki was his mate, and Cheryl her mother, and he would care for both of them, in every way possible. Cheryl’s pain was Nicki’s and therefore it became Joshua’s. He understood his mother-in-law was going to need a lot of care and understanding, as he watched the devastated woman staring into space in shock.

“Any news on Ethan?” Nicki whispered to Josh. She longed to visit her friend, but there was no way she was going to leave her mother, not when she needed her the most. Her heart was filled with sadness, that once again her mother had fallen victim to a man’s selfish desires.

“Not yet, I will let you know as soon as I have any news. I promise my little froggy.” Josh whispered softly in Nicki’s ear.

Robin sat next to his mate, his heart breaking apart. Although he knew she was going to be absolutely fine, seeing her so pale, laid on the hospital bed with b***d dripping into her veins, told him of how close he had got to losing her for good. He owed everything to the young boy, Ethan, who was fighting for his life in the room next door. Lacey blinked, opening her eyes; she began to lick her lips. Robin let out a held breath of relief.

“Hey, welcome back.” Robin smiled, placing a soft k**s on her hand he was holding.

“Thirsty” Lacey’s voice croaked out, her mouth parched. Robin reached for the glass of water and sat on the bedside table.

“Small sips” Robin smiled, his heart, although filled with happiness for his mate, still broke a little inside. Soon he would have to tell her what happened to Ethan, and he knew his mate would be devastated. She would rather lay down her life, than see that of a young man lose his because he had saved her.

“Did we lose anyone?” Lacey whispered.

“No, but one of us is in a critical condition.” Robin sighed; he wanted her stronger before he told her, knowing the guilt she would feel.

“Who?” Lacey asked, her eyes locking with Robin’s.

“Robin, tell me, who?” Lacey insisted. She could see by her mate’s eyes and the feeling of remorse that was filtering down the mate’s bond, that it was someone close.

Robin sighed, then looked up at Lacey.

“If I ask you to rest a while first, will you? Robin asked, already knowing what her answer would be.

“No, Robin, who is it?” Lacey whispered.

“Ethan”

Upon hearing Ethan’s name, Lacey began to cry, that brave young man, who had not long found his wolf and talent, was in a critical condition, and she knew it was because of her.

Chloe blew out a breath, if only she had gotten to Ethan before he disappeared to help on the battlefield, then he would be okay. However, as soon as she thought about that, then she would have lost Lacey, so she felt guilt washing over her. She wanted to have them both safe, but maybe that would be an impossibility. Sometimes, life is so unfair to good people.

“This is so unfair,” Chloe whispered to Zander.

A tear fell down her cheek, and she dropped her head onto the bed, beside Ethan. Chloe’s tears fell unchecked, wetting the sheets of the hospital bed. Zander’s heart broke because of the pain his mate was going through, but she needed to grieve, to cry, so that she could be strong enough if the worst happened. Chloe lifted her tear-streaked face up from the bed, she took hold of Ethan’s hand and held it up to her face. As the tears that ran down Chloe’s cheeks touched his skin, his finger twitched.

“He just moved his finger” Chloe said, looking round at Zander, her eyes wide, hope began to fill her heart.

“It could be a reflex action, Chloe,” Zander explained, not wanting her to get her hopes up only to have them dashed again.

Suddenly, Ethan sat bolt upright in the hospital bed, his eyes wide open.

“Woah, st, that hurts like a b*h!” he declared.

“Sorry, Alpha, Luna.” Ethan looked at his friend and her mate, who stared back at him open mouthed. He really needed to watch his language in front of his Alpha and headmaster if they were going to look that shocked at him.

“ You are awake, you are okay?” Chloe stammered, gone was Ethan’s pale skin, he was sitting up like nothing had happened, perfectly healed. She could hardly believe her eyes, and wondered if she was dreaming.

“Yeah, perfectly fine, why am I here?” Ethan asked, looking around the hospital room.

“Ethan, you were in a coma, you were dying.” Chloe said, her voice elevated from the shock.

“What? No, I am as fit as a horse.” Ethan shrugged, thinking his friend and Luna was overreacting.

Chloe looked at Zander in shock, who just shrugged his shoulders slightly, then gave Ethan a smile.

“You young man, saved your beta female, although you should not have been with us, I have to tell you, now you are okay, I am very glad you were. But next time, get yourself to a saferoom.” Zander both praised and chastised Ethan.

“What was that electric shock that I just had?” Ethan asked, his brows furrowed.

“You did not have an electric shock, Ethan.” Chloe explained to him, her brows knitting together in confusion.

“Sorry Luna, but I beg to differ, it started on my hand and went straight through my body!” Ethan protested.

Chloe looked up at Zander, who smiled down at her. He could not help but wonder if her tears had shocked Ethan awake, knowing she had many gifts that were yet to manifest themselves, it was not beyond the realms of possibility.

“That was the power of a Luna who loves her pack, and her friend.” Zander grinned down at Chloe, pride filling him, his mate was special, very special.

A small clearing of a throat behind them made Zander turn around.

“I see my patient is perfectly well, but if you excuse me Alpha and Luna, I need to do some checks on him.” Dr Keto smiled.

Chloe nodded and stood up.

“I will see you soon”, She whispered to Ethan.

As Chloe and Zander walked out of the hospital door, Zander wrapped his arms around his mate.

“Have you linked everyone and let them know that he is okay?” Chloe asked as she hugged Zander back.

“Yes, good news, Lacey is awake a well.” Zander let out a sigh of relief.

“We should go see her.” Chloe tried to escape his embrace, to head to the room Lacey was being cared for in.

“No, my Luna princess, it is gone 2 am, you need to rest, and I need a shower” Zander smiled down at her.

“Ewe, yeah, actually just realised I am hugging you covered in that stinky b***d, gross” Chloe stood back from him, scrunching up her face.

“Come on, bed!” Zander chuckled. One moment she was a strong leader, the next a heartbroken friend, and then, just like that, she turned into the teenager she was, and he would not change a single thing about her.

“Maybe I should check on Cheryl”, Chloe sighed.

“No Chloe, you need rest, and Cheryl is sleeping, Nicki and Josh are with her, now you can go up to bed on your own two feet, or I can carry you, still covered in b***d.” Zander stated, feeling protective of his mate. It had been a tough day for all of them.

Chloe nodded her head and walked hand in hand with Zander.

“Oh, I nearly forgot, Sheba was shouting she wanted to shift to go fight alongside you, when I said do it then, she said there was a block. Do you know what she means?” Chloe asked.

“No, but it is something we may need to try and work out, but not tonight, tonight I will shower, and you sleep!” Zander ordered. He knew his mate was running on adrenaline, but soon she would crash, and he wanted her tucked up in bed when she did.

“I am not tired” Chloe protested, and Zander scooped her up into his strong arms and strode to Barbie’s bedroom, laying her down on the bed, removing her high boots from the fancy dress, then began to unzip her trousers, pulling the off her body, then her satin blouse.

“Shower first” Chloe giggled at her mate.

Zander laughed, placing the covers over her.

“Not tonight, princess.” Zander chuckled as Chloe pouted slightly. She knew they had a lot to deal with, but the need to feel her mate hold her, k**s her, love her, even if he could not mate with her, she really wanted him beside her, to know he was safe.

“Good night princess”, he smiled down at her, then headed for the shower.

Zander entered the steaming hot shower, the water turning red as it pooled at his feet, his thoughts were focused on the attack, it was clear to him the leader of the rogues who had attacked was not the brains behind the operation, and he needed to find out who wanted to tear his pack apart, and more importantly, why they wanted to do it? Did someone other than those he trusted know about his mate’s royal lineage? Or was this something not connected with her? He needed to answer these questions too and as quickly as possible, but first he needed to recharge, to rest, then let his brain compute everything, and tomorrow he would conduct a full investigation. After scrubbing every last inch of skin, Zander walked into the bedroom, and just like he thought, Chloe lay softly snoring. Gently getting into bed beside her, he moved a strand of her hair from her face and softly kissed her forehead, before wrapping his arms around her, and exhausted from the battle, he drifted off to sleep himself.