Damon's POV
"Shit! Shit!!" I cursed out repeatedly as I felt Lyla's limp body cold and pale in my arms. I didn't mean to mark her without her consent but the moment she bared her neck to me, my wolf took over.
It mistook her action for her submission and marked her without thinking twice.
"Lyla," I held her face close, calling out to her as I've been doing. I put the shirt on her, covering up her nakedness before anyone gets here.
"What the hell happened, Alpha?" Tunde barged into the room with Ashley and Dean right behind him. I'd mind linked him immediately it happened and also instructed him to come along with Dean
"You marked her by force! For goodness's sake" Dean yelled as soon as he sighted the huge mark that was a bit swollen on her neck.
"It was a mistake," I responded, growling at him. I was his Alpha, he has no right to speak to me that way.
"Forgive me, Alpha." He bowed his head in submission before going on to check Lyla further. Ashley was already on the other side of the bed, holding Lyla's hand and looking at her worriedly.
Tunde pulled me aside and asked, "What happened, Damon?"
"I do not know. My wolf took control of me and the next thing I know was her going limp in my hands"
Tunde looked confused for a while.
"Marking her shouldn't have led to this. Yes, she's human but she's not the first human to be marked by a wolf"
"Maybe the force triggered something. This is behind ordinary fainting. She's running temperature and her lips are having this weird discoloration" Dean interrupted, still examining her.
"What do you mean?"
"I think we should invite Gamma Raul into this. He was the pack's doctor for over twenty years before I took over. He might understand better that I do"
"You're fucking speaking in parables, Dean. What is wrong with my mate? Why do I need to invite that loser even after all he did?" I screamed at him.
"She is unconscious. She's in a state of trance. She might be here physically but at the same time, she's not"
"Could she be a wolf?" Ashley asked, interrupting the long silence.
"Gamma Raul would be able to answer that. If you want, I could go with you" Dean suggested.
"No! You'll stay back here and make sure nothing happens to my mate. Tunde will go with me" I pointed at my Beta who looked a little bit uncomfortable with my demand but was smart enough to cover up his expression.
"Where does he live?"
"About a mile away from here. He isolated himself after what happened and since then, he has been living alone in a cabin closer to the mountains" Dean explained. I could see Tunde looking at him suspiciously.
"And you know all of these, because?" Tunde finally asked.
"I didn't have a choice, I had to keep in touch with him. I needed guidance, counseling, and someone to teach me the right things at some point"
I hissed at his nonsense excuse for seeing that loser gamma.
"You're nothing but a betrayer, Dean"
He shook his head furiously, "Are you also betraying yourself by trying to get his help now?" He growled at me.
I took a hold of his collar and slammed him into the wall, ready to slash his throat. Ashley's scream stopped me from hurting him any further.
"Stop fighting like boys for Christ's sake. There's a girl here who needs your help, you can't start acting like a teenager when someone's life is on the line"
I was breathing heavily, my nose flared up in anger. I moved closer to Lyla and touched her forehead, she was sweating and running a temperature.
"D," she suddenly whispered out. "D," she repeated. I held her hand tightly, kissed her forehead, and whispered into her ears even though I knew she wouldn't hear me.
"I promise I'll make you better, Bunny. I promise" I kissed her forehead once more before standing up.
"Take care of her or I might end up killing you for real this time" I threatened Dean as I walked away from the room with Tunde behind me.
We got into the car, ready to drive a mile through the night.
"Dean sent the GPS already," Tunde announced as he entered the GPS. A few seconds after that, we drove off.
The night was cold, the pale crescent moon shone like a silvery claw in the night sky. We could hear the birds sing as we drove by, some wolves on patrol at the border saluted after recognizing the both of us at the border before they allowed us to drive out of the border.
"You're being ridiculously silent, Tunde. Say what's on your mind?"
Tunde is never the type to stay silent for that long.
"Is that your way of asking if I'm okay?"
I glared at him.
"No, Beta" I ignored his pressing look and looked out through the window as Tunde drove.
"You gotta be extra careful with her, Alpha. She's fragile. Don't end up hurting her and doing something you'll regret" I knew he was referring to Lyla but I refuse to give him a response.
I couldn't possibly hurt Lyla for any reason. She's my mate.
"Do you love her?" He suddenly asked.
"Who?"
His jaw dropped open at my question.
"Your mate, Lyla"
"No, I don't love her. She's my mate and that's all that matters"
"You're hopeless, Alpha"
"Not as hopeless as you are. Why did you let her go?" I asked about his mate. I hadn't expected Tunde to let go of his mate so easily when he'd attempted to murder me after I stopped him from marking her instantly he saw her.
"I didn't. I never let her go for once" he replied, smiling brightly at me.
"What?" I asked confusingly
He didn't answer but rather started humming and smirking at me.
When we finally located the house, it was a few minutes past nine. The dark roads leading to the house were covered with tree debris. The house looked isolated as if no one has lived there for decades.
"Gamma Raul," Tunde called out and knocked twice.
"Who are you?" A deep, old voice asked from the other side of the door. I folded my hands against my chest and leaned against the pillar located outside the old building.
"I'm Beta Tunde, Beta of the White Angel pack. We need your medical advice with something and we hope you could help us out" Tunde pleaded
The man went silent for a while after that.
"I'm sorry but I have no help to offer you"
I growled in anger and before I could move from my spot to break the door down, Tunde grabbed me and pushed me back.
"No violence, Damon. If you want Lyla to be safe, use your head" He bellowed at me.
"I wasn't going to hurt him. Maybe break down that door, yes, but I swore on my mother and promised her that his blood wouldn't stain my hand as long as I live" I yelled back.
"Damon, is that you?" The old voice asked from the other side. His words held so much guilty weight and regret. I knew it was years ago that it happened but never had I imagined myself ever forgive him for what he did.
From when he turned his back to my mother when she needed him the most to the moment when he dropped the scalpel and refused to save her, I've always been controlling my anger and not beat him up to a pulp.
This time also, I swallowed hard before responding.
"Yes uncle, it's me, Damon. Your sister's son"
I spat with so much anger and hatred as my mouth tasted bitter from calling him the name "uncle".