Primal Law (Alpha Pack #1)(74)

"Jax?"

No response. He lay horribly still as Mac cut his shirt up the middle and parted the flaps, exposing the wound. Blood was streaming from the hole located high on the left side of his chest, inches above the nipple, close to the collarbone.

"I'm pretty sure the bullet missed his lung," the doc said. The relief in the vehicle was tangible. Quickly she checked his back, and put a damper on the good news. "But it's still in his chest and he's losing too much blood."

"Let me do my thing." Placing a hand over the wound, Zan pressed down firmly. A blue-tinted glow lit his hand, and Kalen sucked in a breath, eyes wide.

"You're a Healer?"

"Yes, but it's not working." Zan, holding his friend's head in his lap, removed his bloodied palm and swallowed hard. "Why the hell isn't he healing, Mac?"

"I've got a theory, but it's privileged information."

"What? That's bullshit! Is he dying or something?" Zan barked at the doctor, dread stamped on his handsome features.

"Or something," she agreed, her gaze flicking briefly to Kira.

Who felt like a steaming pile of shit.

"He'll recover, though. Right?" Zan asked.

After a pause, Mac nodded. "I believe so."

"You believe so? What the-"

"Easy, man." Kalen touched Zan's shoulder. "Let the doc get to work so she can help your friend. Okay?"

For a few seconds, Zan visibly struggled with himself, perhaps to keep from snarling at the newcomer. In the end, however, he just sagged against the side of the van. "You're right."

Mac kept working, placing a pressure bandage on the wound. Next she hooked up an IV, and Kalen held the bag of fluid aloft for her. "Thank you."

"No sweat," he said softly.

Kira wiped the tears with her shirt, but they wouldn't stop coming. She'd never felt so helpless. And the guilt ate her guts like a worm pushing through rotten soil. She clung to Jax's hand, brushing the rough skin with her thumb, contemplating whether his team would blame her for this.

But they couldn't possibly hate her more than she hated herself.

His sternum had been cracked open with a rusty screwdriver and a mallet, liquid fire poured into the cavity.

He opened his mouth to yell, or thought he did, but couldn't make a sound. Nothing worked the way it should. He knew where he was, though. In the speeding van, head in someone's lap, every bump in the road jarring his pain-racked body. A small, feminine hand held one of his tightly. Kira.

"Jax?"

He knew it was her, but he couldn't scent her anymore. Couldn't speak or move at all, not even to squeeze her fingers, let her know he was alive.

For how much longer?

Goddamn, he didn't want to go out like this. He struggled to breathe, thinking it shouldn't be this hard. When he'd been hit, he was certain the bullet had missed his lung. It had, right? He'd been shot before, and the wound should've healed with no problem.

Instead he lay as if dead, along for the ride, unable to communicate in the slightest. He was aware of Kira and a couple of other voices speaking to him in soothing tones, telling him that he'd be all right. He tried to take heart, to push back the encroaching fear, but wasn't entirely successful. Something was very wrong, besides the gunshot wound. The talking around him grew even more worried as the vehicle stopped and doors opened.

People were shouting. His body was jostled and he couldn't cry out.

Something hard slid underneath him. A backboard.

Then he was out of the van, being carried fast. Loaded into another transport. He remembered the helicopters and realized they must be at the hangar. Two hours to home.

And the truth flooded in-he wasn't going to make it.

It shouldn't be possible, but it was becoming a reality. His body was shutting down, like the lights in a house winking out one by one. He hung on as long as he could. Counted in his head, and when he lost count, tried to concentrate on the loud drone of the engines. Imagined the compound getting closer with every mile, whisking him to safety.

"Breathe, Jax! Come on, buddy!" Zan shouted next to his ear.

"Jax? Please, stay with us." Kira. He heard her tears. "Don't leave me."

He tried to obey. Really f**king tried.

Made it all the way to landing before their frantic calls began to fade. His last awareness was of being lifted, flying. Wishing he could see the stars, shift into his wolf, and run.

Make love to Kira.

And then it all vanished into mist.

"He's not breathing? Mac!"

Kira bailed out of the helicopter after the doctor. Zan and Kalen were already out, holding each end of the backboard, hurrying up the walk toward an entrance marked EMERGENCY. The other woman didn't answer or spare her a glance, just ran, shouting orders at the nurses and other medical personnel who met them at the double doors.

Heart pounding in fear, Kira rushed after them. She would've followed them all the way into the ER had strong arms not wrapped around her waist, hauling her back.

"You can't go in there, honey," Nick said, voice full of regret.

"Let me go!"

"Can't do that. He's in good hands, though, I promise."

"He needs me! Nick, please."

"I'm sorry." Gently, he guided her to a chair. "Come on, I'll wait with you."