“I do” She answered, and sat up “And no, I’m not allowed to tell you what happens, you can’t change the future”
“But you could end this all right now” I pleaded “If you just tell me where Fenrir’s gone, we can go after him”
“I don’t know where he is right now” She told me “I only know when I’ll see him again”
“When?”
“After my molt”
“When’s that?” I asked in frustration.
“Soon” She said evasivly.
“What about your thread?” I asked “Who did you gift it to?”
Maddie groaned, and closed her eyes for a second.
“What’s wrong?” I panicked “Are you in pain”
“I’m being pulled home” She told me gently “Listen, you have to lie to Maddie, she’s not ready to know about me yet. Tell her that there was no poison, it was just a sleeping liquid, nothing more, and tell her Fenrir killed Troy for failing to bring on Maddie’s molt, you have to do this for her. The guilt for what happened to Jax will eat her alive if she knows”
“I’ll lie” I promised her.
“Thank you, Cody” She smiled and kissed me softly on the lips “Oh, and have someone check that hut” She pointed in the direction of a hut “That b*stard took my mother’s ring, and I never got it back, we never found it, I think it’s in here”
“I thought you couldn’t change the future” I pointed out, but she just laughed.
“This is why I love you” She touched my face gently, but then there was that strange sadness again, and moved her hand to my chest again “Please remember that Cody, I love you, I will always love you”
“Why are you saying it like that?”
She didn’t respond, she just smiled “Be there for Maddie, she’s been through a lot tonight” She told me “She’ll pretend she’s fine, but she’s not, don’t believe her”
“Okay”
She groaned again, and leaned onto my shoulder, and closed her eyes “I will see you again soon, my darling” She said and passed out.
“Maddie?” I gently shook her, but I got no response, so I linked Cole “Come back, I need your help to carry Jax”
“Coming” He said quickly “You’re father’s helicopter is coming”
“Great, thanks”
KODA’S POV
When Cole and Noland reached me, Jax was groaning more.
“The two of you carry Jax, and be careful” I ordered, and gently passed his over to Cole, who squatted down.
“How’s Maddie?” Noland asked in concern, and reached out to touch her, but I pulled her out of his reach, and growled in warning.
“Stay in your own lane, Noland” I warned “I appreciate your help finding her, but she is still mine and Jaxson’s, and we will damn well talk about your comment about loving her, when she and Jax are well again”
“He said what?” Cole asked, angrily.
“Enough Cole, just pick my brother up” I ordered, and as carefully as I could, I lifted my baby girl into my arms, and felt instantly sick when I felt the open wet wounds on her back. These new cuts would disfigure her back further, and I knew that would cause her so much pain.
As I walked her out of the clearing, I remembered her comment, and ordered one of the guards waiting outside, to come in and search the hut for Maddie’s ring, and soon enough, a guard, Ruby, came passed me, and I pointed to the direction she needed to go to.
When I reached the rest of the guards, I could hear the chopper landing, and the wind around us started to pick up, so I quickly covered Maddie’s eyes, and walked towards the clearing where it was landing.
“Where’s Fenrir?” My dad asked, as he jumped out of the chopper and ran over to me. His eyes widened, as he took in Maddie’s state, and there seemed to be a genuine concern for her.
“He vanished” I quickly explained “I don’t know how, one second he was standing there, and then he was gone”
“He was using astro projection” My dad growled “It drains a lot of his power though, and he can’t do it for long periods of time, and he has to be within a mile of his location” He turned to guards “Fan out, and search for him”
“What’s the damn point?” I snapped, and walked past him to the helicopter “He’s probably gone”
“Then they’ll waste a few hours, it’s not a big” He stopped speaking when he turned and saw Jax “WHAT HAPPENED?!”
“Poison, but he’s fine” I answered angrily as I turned back to him “Look, can we just go, Maddie needs help!”
“Okay” He nodded, and surprised me by helping me get her and then Jax into the helicopter “GO!” He called out to the pilot, once we were all on board “Who are you?”
“Noland” I answered my father’s question “He’s a tracker, we asked him to help us”
“Oh” My father nodded, believing the lie, or maybe he just didn’t care, as he was fussing over Jax, checking his pulse “Are you sure he’s fine? Is the poison out of his system”
“Yes” I nodded “But we’re lying to Maddie, she passed out thinking Jax had died, so I’m telling her that it was a sleeping draft and not poison”
“Do you think lying to her is best?” Noland asked angrily.
“I think that I will decide what is or is not best for my girl” I growled at him, and he looked down.
Jax started groaning again, and his eyes began to open and close, while I explained everything that had happened to my father, only lying about what happened after Jax drank the liquid.
I said that when Maddie passed out and didn’t molt, and that Fenrir was furious and tossed me an antidote and killed Troy for his failure.
“It’s not like my brother to just give in like that” My dad looked at me with suspicion “Did he say anything else?”
“No”
“Madelyn?” Jax started whispering beside me on the seat, Cole and my father had sat him up to put him in his belt, and he was leaning with his head against my shoulder while I held Maddie in my arms, so I picked up Jaxson’s hand, and placed it on Maddie’s so he’d feel the connection. It worked because he stopped moaning and fussing, and seemed to fall asleep again.
I closed my eyes and pressed my forehead against Maddies. I nearly lost them both tonight. I was exhausted and emotional, and I felt like breaking down, but I knew doing that in front of my father would not end well for me, so I held myself together while we returned to the city.
The helicopter landed on the roof of the hospital, and together we all exited the chopper, and placed Maddie and Jaxson on stretchers that were waiting with the healers, who took Maddie directly to surgery.
I stayed with Jaxson while he was examined, but I continued to pace around nervously, until Julia arrived with a bag full of clothing, I thanked her and informed her that Molly was dead.
When Evet showed up, she stayed with Jax while I showered, and I just stood under the warm water, trying to remember to breathe and assure myself that my brother and mate were both going to be okay, but I couldn’t help the images that continued to run through my mind.
When I was dressed in fresh pants and a shirt, I walked out of the bathroom drying my hair. Evet was sitting on the side of the bed, brushing Jaxson’s hair up into a bun.
“Always the hairdresser” I tried to joke, but my voice was emotionless.
“No cousin of mine is going to lie in a hospital bed, looking unkempt” She smiled “You could use a trim too”
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