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Raphael's POV

Watching Ariel fall down the stairs was worse than the iron they stuck inside me. Watching her body crumple from it strong, fearsome figure had my heart break. I didn't even have the energy to call out to her.

She looks at me, her gaze both full of pain and fire. They were ablaze, anger swirling within her irises. Ariel... oh that's my Ariel. Her family is quick to be at her side and I can't do anything but watch as she's faced with the man who wants to murder her.

Everything inside me wants to go to her. Wants to ignore everything else and wrap her in my arms and hold her close. I want to feel her touch, her fingers through my hair. I miss her playful remarks and her constant 'fight me' mood. I want to laugh. She's so close, we're almost touching again... yet we're so, so far.

The iron is pulled out and they start to heat it up again. My wolf I hardly felt. He was either helping heal my wounds as fast as he could, or moping about Ariel. Which I also did more often than not.

There's no words between anyone. Just anger between us. Pent up anger and frustration and revenge. All this emotion created air thick with tension, it is becoming difficult to breathe.

And then it all happens so fast.

Ariel lurches for my captor, and as she does, the iron rod is stuck into me again. Her scream of agony joined with her second stumble and that is her downfall.

I watch a silver blade go through her midsection.

I hardly hear myself scream, I just feel the pain. Pain all over. Everything suddenly hurts ten fold. It hurts more than anything ever has in my entire life. I hardly notice Aubrey and Darren who are at her side in seconds, yet frozen in shock.

Ariel stands awkwardly, looking at her... murderer. The blade left in her body, but suddenly, the pain fades. Or at least, hers does. Her eyes containing a mixture of black, showing how close her wolf was to the edge.

Maybe... maybe he didn't hit any vitals. Or at least, that's what I use to hold on to the fact Ariel is still with me. She isn't leaving. No. Ariel and I have a pact. We'll always be together. Torture? A blade through the midsection? Please. We're mates, we stick it out for each other.

I watch the opposing alpha notice his mistake and he runs.

It's because he knows.

Ariel will kill him. She's one of the strongest wolves I've ever known and this is the angriest I've ever seen her. Aubrey chases after him, catching him easily, there's no where to go in the prison! Ariel's blocking the only exit.

The men tormenting me run out of the cell to help their alpha. Darren makes quick work of them before going back to support his daughter. The blade still inside her.

She closes her eyes as Aubrey wrestles her opponent to the ground.

They're leaving the kill for Ariel... And she's won. There's no way...

"You're not the alpha." Ariel whispers. "You're a stand in."

The man looks at her, his face so full of surprise. I don't understand what Ariel means, he is the alpha! He has to be...

"I can smell it on you... it's like you have alpha scent rubbed all over you but you're not the alpha. You don't have the power. You don't have that strength..." Ariel says, her voices smooth despite the sword through her. She didn't have much option with it. Leave it in, it prevents more damage but leaks the silver poison into her. Take it out and risk bleeding out...

His gaze meets Ariel's, her chin held high as she looks down on him. "You did well for a simple pack member, your alpha did well for concealing you fairly well. I take it no one really has met the real alpha of your pack. He's hiding somewhere, watching this take place from the sidelines. Because if it doesn't work, he can strike again."

Slowly I understand what Ariel is saying. This man does not radiate the power of an alpha, sure he smells like one. But he doesn't have the persona, the whole package.

She turns to me and Darren helps her into the cell. Her fingers hover over my chest, my skin. So close to touching me but she looks scared.

"Is this real?" Comes her tiny whisper. Her eyes searching mine.

"Yes, Ariel." I reply as soft as I can with my hoarse voice.

She lays her hands on my chest and just that touch makes everything feel better. Darren undos my bindings and I carefully wrap my arms around Ariel, avoiding the silver blade.

"We have to leave," Aubrey says softly. "Ariel we have to get that thing out of you."

"Yes," I reply. "Come on." Though as soon as Ariel is pulled away from me I stumble. Darren catches me and he wraps on of my arms over his shoulders.

Ariel reaches out to me as Aubrey picks her up and carries her away. "No, no please." She cries, her hands reaching out.

"It's okay, Ariel. It's okay. I'm not going to leave you again." I tell her as we follow slowly behind them.

Aubrey shushes Ariel as she's carried further and further away. Her cries echo the area and finally Aubrey circles back around.

By this point it's clear the silver is weakening Ariel. She keeps shivering, the silver making her sick.

"Aubrey you have to get her to the medics." Darren says.

"Please," I add. "I'll be right behind you." I promise Ariel when she protests.

Aubrey jogs off and Ariel is out of my reach. Only for moments... I'll be back with her in moments...

"Raphael," Darren says slowly, wolves coming to back us up. I see Parker and Justin among them. My thirds who never failed. I could see my betas ahead, holding hands as they looked over a fallen wolf.

"Yes?" I bring myself to say, my voice breaking in awkward spots as I have hardly used it.

"I want you to know the Ariel needs you." Darren says. "Needs."

"I know," I reply, seeing her getting treated ahead by a pack doctor. Her eyes kept opening and closing as her body convulses and Aubrey paced at her side. I've never seen silver react like that...

"What is it?" Darren asks nervously.

"She was poisoned on top of the silver," Aubrey exclaims, his hands in fists. "Wherever that damn alpha is, he's probably watching."

"I can't identify the poison," The doctor says frantically. "I need to get to an office."

The closest one happens to be the pack we just infiltrated.

"Get her in there." I demand, voicing what everyone was thinking, I find myself holding Darren harder.

It's a quick frenzy, people are fending off the remaining wolves our opposing pack offers while Ariel and a group of others are taken into the pack hospital. I follow aways behind since I cannot quite keep up. I'm weaker than I've ever been in my life, understandably so. But I will not and cannot be weak for Ariel.

I'm put on a bed next to Ariel's and I watch her body do strange things as she's sedated. Her body going limp makes my heart throb. It's only a matter of time... what if they don't have an antidote.

"This... this is snake venom mixed with some kind of silver compound..." I hear a doctor say in surprise.

"Do something for her!" I growl.

By now, Ariel's family has gathered around the two of us. Parker and Justin at the end of her bed.

"Oh my gosh," I hear from the other side of the room, most likely another doctor. "They're trying to solidify her blood with silver in it."

"If we don't get the antidote she won't survive," Parker whispers.

I find myself drifting into my own world. Ariel you just got back into my arms, you cannot leave. You just can't.

"We need to identify the snake venom." Says a doctor in and frenzy of typing things in the computer and lots of people talking- I gather they have found it and are working towards the antidote. Though apparently they need the snake venom to do so. Of course.

I take Ariel's hand. "Ariel," I whisper. "You aren't allowed to leave me. I just got you back... I just got you back..."

***

My eyes snap open to find I'm back at home. Well, sort of. My own familiar pack hospital buzzing around me.

Ariel.

Where is Ariel?

I get up and despite being weak I feel much better... how long was I out? What happened? Ariel's alive... I feel it. But I also feel her pain. She's in pain.

I make my way into the office of a doctor and she gasps. "Alpha!?"

"Where's Ariel!?" I growl.

"Sir... we took her to a human hospital." She says softly. "They can cure something with snake venom much easier than us."

I growl and punch the wall, walking out of the room. There's still that damned alpha out there and my Ariel is at a human hospital!?

I freeze... my link... my link is back!

'Ariel!?' I call to her. 'Are you there princess?' No response. 'Parker?'

'Alpha,' comes a hearty response.

'Ariel. Where's Ariel?' I demand.

'Sleeping. She's had a long morning. The humans fixed her Alpha... she's just weak right now.'

Suddenly I feel like I can breathe again. Ariel's okay. I run out of the pack hospital and to my vehicle, calling my betas to join me while

I'm at it.

I'm going to see Ariel.

The ride there is painful. Every second feels like a second wasted. Every minute feels like an hour. I feel like the world is closing in on me.

I get out as soon as the car is stopped and ask for Ariel's room number. To which they take yet another few minutes to tell me. My heart is racing. And then I'm almost running to her room. I get to the door and stand outside.

For some reason I couldn't open it. Why? Everything in me wants to see her... but I'm also scared. I'm scared she's not going to want to see me? I know I don't look like I used to, I know I'm not as strong as I was. Will she still love me for me?

The door is opened from the other side and I find myself face to face with Parker.

"She's waking up," Parker says, almost in a whisper and I walk in.

Ariel doesn't look any different. Its like the venom and the silver did nothing to her. She looks beautiful as ever.

Her eyes meet mine and I watch as they light up. "Raphie," She says.

I take two big steps and I'm already there. Clutching her in my arms and hers find their way to hugging me back. I sit on the bed to make it easier for her. And then she starts to cry. I know why she's crying, her emotions strong over our bond. She's feeling so many things. Happiness... fear. Mixes of motions from her find their way to me.

"Ariel I love you. I love you so much princess." I say, pulling back and putting my forehead against hers.

"I love you too, Raphael." She hiccups. "I love you." Ariel puts a hand on my cheek.

"I've missed your touch." I whisper.

"Me too." Is her response.

And we sit together. We must stay like this for hours. In each other's arms. Holding each other close. Trying to catch up on our time together that was so rudely taken from us.

All I can do is hold her and thank the moon goddess she saved me.