Savior of the Wolves
Chapter 18

Jess’s POV

I should be terrified. I was falling from a cliff, clinging to a wolf who just saved my life. He was still trying to save my life. I had absolutely no doubt of it. Even though none of this was possible...I still knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that this wolf was trying to protect me.

I buried my head into the wolf, not wanting to face death. My mind flashed back to the abuse that I endured just before Aiden found me. That night, I knew I would die. I was angry that the fates would allow that weak form of a man to take me from this world. I despised him having that much power. But he failed. I survived…him.

I realized that I wasn’t angry at death now. I was content knowing that my last moments on earth would feel like this. Weightless, warm, and protected…the opposite of what I once thought was my end.

I let my head fall deeply against the wolf, not even aware if I was breathing or holding my breath now.

I waited.

I felt like I knew before he even moved, but suddenly the arms of the wolf tensed as though he knew as well, and almost immediately after, a force as though we were hit by a truck radiated through him and lightly through to me.

I heard his breath escape his lungs and I didn’t hear it go back in. His hold on me was released and I was immediately terrified…for him.

Water began to cover him and then me. The river was engulfing us. I began pulling on him, trying to get him back on top of the water. With his weight, it felt more like quicksand than water. I was fixated on his face and all I could think about was, “Keep his head above the water.” He was unconscious and now he needed me to save him.

I began screaming, begging for help. Over and over as I tugged on his body. Trying to force us to shore.

I had a clump of his fur in one hand and his arm in the other. I clung to both and pulled desperately as tears streamed down my face. The water bit my skin all around, but my hands were oddly comforted as they were intertwined on the wolf, pulling with energy I was sure I didn’t have. It had to be the adrenalin because as I looked onto his face, I knew, “We would both make it, or we both wouldn’t. I would not leave him.”

I fought against the water, even harder than I had once fought my worst enemy. I choked on the rushing water that flooded in my mouth as I gasped for air. It impeded my yells for help.

Then, as though I summoned them myself, men ran from the woods, onto the bank, and began swimming towards us. I was still fighting to keep the wolf’s head above the water as a man said, “I have him. You can let go.”

I didn’t want to loosen my hold. What if he slipped away because I let go? What if they had to struggle in the water too and their need to keep him alive wasn’t as strong as mine? What if they failed?

We were being pulled towards the shore by this group of large men when the same man gave me a soft smile and simply nodded his head. I could feel my feet touching the ground now and I let my hold on the wolf go.

I felt frozen the second my grip left my protector. The water was forty degrees and biting at my skin as two other men grabbed me under my arms and began pulling me to shore.

“Take Aiden to the infirmary. As fast as you can,” the man directed from the bank, looking sideways towards me.

“Yes Ron.”

“Her too,” he directed towards me as one of them scooped me into his arms.

“Aiden?” I gasped. But somehow, deep down, I felt him. I knew when the wolf turned to look at me. I don’t know how I knew. But I felt him.

I heard howls through the woods near us and feared nothing anymore.

Except for Aiden’s safety.

I felt my head grow horribly heavy and everything suddenly went black.

***

I felt the warmth of the layers against my neck as I slowly opened my eyes. I was no longer shivering as I last remembered so vividly. I jolted up on the bed, looking around to see that I was covered with plush white bed coverings and the room had little else in it. I wasn’t in the infirmary. I was in a regular room. But not the same one that I had been in before.

“Aiden!” I screamed, jumping from the bed.

I stumbled to the door, flinging it open as I ran out, and stopped abruptly in my tracks. I recognized nothing. I had not been here before. Where was I?

I had to find him. I was a few steps into a frantic run when a voice from behind me called my name. I spun around and found Josh standing in the hall...in front of an opened door, right next to where I had just come out.

“It’s okay, everything is okay. He’s right in here,” he offered softly, his hands outstretched towards me.

I ran to the opened door and stopped abruptly, my hand over my mouth as I looked in and saw Aiden lying there with thick white gauze around his entire upper body.

“Why isn’t he in the infirmary?” I hissed. It was probably the only time I had shown anger towards Josh.

Josh looked away, as though it pained him to say it, “He wanted to be close to you.”

“He’s been awake?” I asked urgently. The fall. We fell so far. I had seen the water below and I realized I was going to die. But then, the wolf surrounded me and hid the approaching impact...from my vision and my body.

“On and off. He’s been asking for you, but you were still asleep.”

Nothing made sense. I knew Josh could see the confusion on my face, but rather than explain any further, he only said, “You can go in.”

“Is he going to be okay? Please God, tell me he’s going to be okay?” I asked before realizing that I was crying.

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