When I woke up in the pack clinic, my head was pounding. My face throbbed, and I could taste blood in my mouth. I could feel my wolf working hard to heal the injuries.
I tried to sit up, but my body wouldn't cooperate. Everything hurt.
"You're finally awake." James's voice was cold, emotionless.
I forced my eyes open. He was sitting in a chair by the window, watching me with those cold eyes.
The memories flooded through my mind, and tears welled up in my eyes. In our eight years of being mated, James had never hit me before, until now.
"James," I whispered. "How could—"
"Apologize to Mia."
"What?"
"You heard me." His eyes were hard and dark. "Apologize to your sister for attacking her."
"I didn't attack her!" I tried to sit up again, ignoring the pain. "She was taunting me, saying horrible things—"
"I don't care what she said." He stood up, eyes flashing—his wolf was still on the surface. "You put your hands on a pregnant she-wolf. You could have killed her pup."
"She threw herself down the stairs!" Tears streamed down my face. "She's lying, James. She's always lying—"
"Apologize."
"No." I said firmly, my wolf rising even with her weakness.
His expression darkened, his eyes flashing gold. "No?"
"I won't apologize for something I didn't do."
He stared at me for a long moment. Then he smiled. It was a cold, cruel smile that made my blood freeze.
"Fine."
He grabbed my arm and dragged me to my feet. I stumbled, my legs were too weak to hold me up.
"What are you doing?" I gasped.
He didn't answer, he just dragged me out of the room, and down the clinic hallway, his grip was tight and painful.
"James, stop! Where are we going?"
He kept dragging me, till we approached the ICU wing.
My stomach dropped.
"No," I whispered. "No, James, please—"
He ignored me as he dragged me to Room 304. Alice's room.
"James, what are you doing?" I was sobbing now. "Please, don't—"
He kicked open the door to Alice's room with force, breaking it off completely.
To my dismay, she was still lying there, pale and unmoving, surrounded by machines. Her heart monitor beeped steadily. Asher hadn't moved her yet.
A healer looked up, startled. "Alpha, we—"
"Turn off the life support," James commanded coldly.
The healer’s eyes widened. "Excuse me?"
"I said turn it off."
"But Alpha, she—"
"Do it." His eyes flashed full gold, demanding obedience.
"Alpha, the patient will die within minutes if we—"