C7 FINDING MATE

But returning home with no problems pleased him enough to keep his mouth shut. I tried to hide my smirk as he lifted his head back to howl. But before we could get the sound to fill our throats, a scent filled our noses. And everything felt as if it had frozen.

The black night sky was cracking, and the stars were falling on us as the beautiful scent invaded our senses. Aero stumbled back for a moment as we sat on the ground and breathed in the smell. I could feel my own body pulsing with life. The lovely scent in the air was with a sickening iron scent. That lovely scent that seemed clouded by something- before I could even concentrate on what was wrong, Aero let out a vicious growl, one I've only heard once before.

The sound lingered in the air and instantly made me obey his command as we ran. What is going on, Aero? I asked frantically as we continued to search for that smell.

He spoke once we were close to the river, and he stuck his snout in the cold water, 'Mate.' His voice was not happy or excited, and as we ran towards the delightful smell. It wasn't until he stopped walking did I understood why.

A few feet ahead of us was a black bag that had been thrown in the river. And in the stream was blood that was seeping from small holes in the bag. My stomach dropped at the sight, but ever so slightly, there was faint movement. Aero splashed in the water and got as close as he could.

His head dipped towards the plastic bag as he inhaled the scent. It was her, inside this bag- was my mate. Our mate, 'You need to do this.' Aero said as he shifted back. Never has he backed down from something, but I could tell he couldn't do this. He whined loudly in my head as I was left naked on a rock he was standing on.

Quickly, my hands grabbed the cold, wet back and ripped it open. Blood splattered onto my skin as her scent filled my nostrils.

With the bag now opened, I could only smell her blood and a horrible stench of males covering her lovely scent. My mouth went dry as I looked at her wounded body. I had opened the bag beside her arm that was covered in bruises and claw marks.

A thin strap of material was over her hips, just above thick and deep wounds. The material was nothing but straps now, but looked to have been denim.

The river water had turned to a deep shade of blood with the bag now opened. It pushed the blood out, but it was also filling the bag up.

Slowly, I opened the bag wider, and the more I saw of her body, the more I knew she was seriously injured. There were multiple large wounds and whip marks on her flesh.

The skin that looked to have been ripped from whip wounds had small pieces of silver stuck on the flesh. My wet hand slowly touched the blood that continued to fall as I stared in horror at the sight. The whip marks started from her neck and traveled down to her ankles. I could tell the whip was wrapped around her as some traveled around her arms and others around her torso.

Her wounds reminded me of red snakes, with how they wrapped around her arms.

She was unconscious, her mouth slightly opened as I moved her closer to the land. Once I had her on the cold land, I pulled the bag away from her face. Her pale face shone in the moonlight. The first thing I noticed was the deep purple bruises forming under her eyes.

There was a cut on her eyebrow and wounds around her scalp. Her brown hair was wet, and water dripped from her right eyelashes.

She rips along her thick, parted lips. Her bottom lip was busted, and her left cheek was severely swollen. I stared at my mate until I noticed her lips turning a blue hue. I laid her on the ground and placed a hand on her heart, feeling the shallow beats and quickly memorizing them as I counted them in my head.

She wasn't dead yet, but I knew if I were a few minutes late, she would have been. She couldn't have been in the water long, which was relieving to know. But part of her face was, did she take in water? I pressed down on her chest and was relieved to get movement.

My hand lifted from her body as she spat water out of her mouth. Her eyes stayed closed, but she rolled her head back in my hand, "I'm going to get you help."

I said in a small voice as I mind-linked the pack doctor and slowly picked her up.

Her body hung limp in my arms as I carried her away from the lake. Her wet hair was uneven as it clung against my naked body, her blood continued to fall from her wounds, covering my arms and chest.

As I got closer to the pack, I couldn't help but bring her naked body closer to mine, shielding her from anyone who could see her. I wanted to keep her warm, I wanted to protect her.

We NEED to protect her.' Aero claimed as he growled towards some warriors that were getting closer to us. My body shook with rage as I sprinted towards the small white building.

We will. I said in a stern voice as a nurse opened the door and covered her mouth, looking at the woman.

"Alpha." She said after a moment and then ran to grab a bed, "Doctor Linn will be in here any moment. But, I think you should step outside." She said as she grabbed a pole with wires and tubes and started to attach them to my mate's bare chest.

Instantly, I could hear the slow beating of her heart and stared at the screen in shock. I knew I needed to leave; I shouldn't be here. But, I stood by the bed protectively as I looked down at her sleeping face, "I'll stay here." I said in a hard voice. The nurse only nodded as she turned my mate on her side to look at her back. She then looked up to me, her fingers touching the aged mark on her back.

Aero howled in pain as we stared at the mark on our mate. I clenched my teeth as the nurse grabbed a cap and stuffed all of the woman's hair in it.

"You will have to leave when the doctor comes in. Do you know her mate?" The nurse asked.

Aero growled at the order she had given, and the question, I only shook my head.

"No, I don't." I said through my clenched teeth and touched the burning mark, "But, I'll have to find him." I said in a small voice, Aero added to him, 'And kill him’.