Chapter 64: An Uneasy Truce
Bradley
Bradley felt his momentum slipping away, the world blurring at the edges as blood loss took its toll. James had clearly honed his fighting skills since their last encounter. Despite the circumstances, a bitter thought twisted in Bradley’s gut, accompanied by an unexpected flicker of satisfaction. At least James cared enough about his pup to improve himself, to be ready should Trishelle ever face danger.
As her face drifted through his mind, a sharp, familiar scent cut through the coppery tang of blood. Vanilla and something warm, uniquely hers - a scent he would recognize anywhere. He could have sworn the fragrance grew stronger, though she’d been in the vicinity since his arrival. This wasn’t the faint trace he’d detected earlier. This was potent, overwhelming. This was distress.
The distraction, this single moment of focusing on her instead of the fight, gave James the opening he needed. He lunged forward, his jaws clamping down on Bradley’s already-injured shoulder. Pain exploded through Bradley’s body. He shook James off with a snarl, jumping back and shaking his head to clear the black dots dancing across his vision. His legs trembled beneath him, threatening to give way.
He and James lunged at each other one final time, both knowing they needed to deliver the decisive blow, to end this battle once and for all. Trishelle’s scent washed over him again, a wave of lavender and fear so potent it stole his focus for a crucial heartbeat. James seized the advantage without hesitation. He swept Bradley’s legs out from under him, sending him crashing to the ground with bone-jarring force. The grey wolf pounced, teeth bared, aiming for the vulnerable throat when a woman’s high-pitched scream tore through the air.
Both wolves froze, their bodies going rigid, every muscle coiled tight with sudden dread. They recognized the voice instantly, though their minds refused to accept what it meant. Turning in unison, they saw Trishelle slumped to her knees, her body trembling violently, her hands clutching her swollen belly. Another scream ripped from her lips, a sound of pure, unbearable agony. The scent of her blood coated their tongues, dousing their rage with ice-cold fear that gripped their hearts like a vise.
The shift came instantly - painful, bone-cracking transformation happening in a split second. James and Bradley rushed toward her, shoving through the shocked crowd of pack members who parted before them like water. Bradley arrived first, his heart hammering so hard against his ribs he thought it might break through. He scooped her up, cradling her against his chest. She felt impossibly fragile in his arms, her head lolling limply against him. Though he was grateful to hold her, overwhelming fear that something was terribly wrong overshadowed everything else. His hands shook as he adjusted his grip, trying desperately not to jostle her.
Turning to James, he saw the same fear and concern mirrored on his rival’s face. For once, they were united in something beyond hatred.
"Where is the infirmary? Doctor?" Bradley demanded, his voice shaking, raw and broken in a way he’d never heard it before. Every instinct screamed at him to run, to get her back to his territory, to Lorenzo, but he knew there wasn’t time. She needed help now.
James pointed down a corridor with a trembling hand. "This way." They both rushed toward his medical wing, James linking the doctor as they ran. *Dr. Stephen! Medical wing, now! It’s Trishelle!* The urgency in his mental voice was palpable, tinged with barely controlled panic.
They arrived within seconds, though it felt like an eternity. Trishelle remained unconscious, her face pale and drawn, lips tinged with an unhealthy grey. The sight made Bradley’s heart twist painfully in his chest, as if someone had reached in and squeezed. James looked no better; a sick feeling overcame him, and a sour taste coated the back of his throat. He swallowed hard, fighting the urge to vomit.
The doctor arrived moments later, a middle-aged wolf with kind eyes that quickly assessed the situation. He indicated where to lay her on the examination table. Bradley’s wolf snarled in his head, refusing to relinquish their mate, every protective instinct screaming against letting her go. James laid a hand on his blood-slicked shoulder, the touch surprisingly gentle. "Please, Bradley. Let my doctor tend to her. She’s bleeding, and we need to stop it." His voice cracked on the last word.
Bradley nodded, his throat too tight to speak around the lump of fear lodged there. He gently released his mate onto the table, his hands lingering on her for a moment longer than necessary. The doctor and his assistant immediately began their examination, checking her pupils and monitoring her breathing with practiced efficiency. After calling for additional assistance, the doctor shooed both men toward the door. "Alphas, I need space. Please, wait outside."
Bradley stumbled backward against the wall, his legs feeling weak and unreliable beneath him. He could feel his body starting to heal, the skin knitting together slowly, but the deeper wounds still throbbed with each heartbeat. A shy, young omega woman approached hesitantly, holding out a pair of shorts. He took them with a mumbled thanks, pulling them on with mechanical movements. James did the same, his actions stiff and jerky, as if he too was operating on autopilot.
Clearing his throat, James spoke, his voice rough with emotion. "I know you can’t stand me, but we need to put things aside for now." He paused, seeming to struggle with the next words. "If you like, you can send for your doctor to take a look at her, if that would ease your mind. I think having another opinion on her condition will ease us both."
Bradley nodded, his jaw tight with tension. He limped outside, each step sending fresh pain shooting through his battered body. He found Sam directing the Goldmoon warriors to stand down, his Beta’s voice calm and authoritative despite the chaos. Bradley motioned for him to approach. "Get Lorenzo over here. Now."
Sam lifted one side of his lips in a grim smile. "He’s already here. Thought he would be needed, but not for this." The unspoken meaning hung heavy between them - they’d expected to treat battle wounds, not this nightmare.
Bradley sighed, feeling like his world was shaking, or perhaps it was just his trembling legs threatening to give out. He turned to go back inside, then paused, half-turning toward Sam. "I think you should let Samuel know and ask him to come over as well. Having him here will help Trishelle." The words came out softer than he’d intended, revealing more vulnerability than he liked.
Sam pressed his lips together and gave a quick nod. Now wasn’t the time to mention that Sammy was already on his way, having felt Trishelle’s pain ripple across the pack lands like a shockwave.
Bradley made his way back to Trishelle’s room, finding James in the exact position he’d left him. He leaned against the wall and slid to the floor, arms resting on his knees, his fingers raking through his blood-matted hair. The metallic scent of his own blood mixed with the antiseptic smell of the medical wing made his stomach churn. An omega passed by and handed him a bottle of water. He sipped it carefully, not trusting his stomach to behave. James sat in a chair several meters away, his elbows on his knees, his head buried in his hands. Both men maintained a clear view of Trishelle’s door without crowding in front of it, a silent agreement to give the medical staff space to work. Someone hurried past with an ultrasound machine, the wheels squeaking against the polished floor. When the door opened briefly, they caught a glimpse of the doctor moving around, but Trishelle appeared unchanged - still unconscious, still frighteningly pale.
Lorenzo appeared a few minutes later, rushing over to his Alpha and immediately checking his wounds with practiced hands. Most had nearly healed, the nastiest being the deep gash on his neck. Thankfully, the bleeding had stopped, though the wound still looked angry and raw. Bradley waved him off impatiently, growling for him to focus on Trishelle instead. Lorenzo looked to James for permission, and at his nod of approval, he knocked and entered the room, medical bag in hand.
An hour crawled by, each minute stretching into what felt like an eternity. Finally, both doctors exited the room, their heads bowed together in quiet, serious conversation. Bradley and James jumped to their feet, rushing toward them with identical expressions of desperate hope.
"Alphas, please calm down," Dr. Stephen said, holding up his hands in a placating gesture. "The young lady is stable and resting now. We gave her a mild sedative so she could rest properly without stress." He paused, letting that sink in before continuing. "We were able to stop the bleeding, and the ultrasound showed no major harm to the little one. The heartbeat is strong and steady."
James and Bradley both released sighs of relief, the sound a shared, ragged breath that seemed to deflate them both. The tension that had been coiled so tightly in Bradley’s chest loosened just enough to let him breathe properly again. It felt like they could finally draw air into their lungs without the crushing weight of fear.
Lorenzo spoke next, his gaze firm and professional. "I think you both should get cleaned up. You look like death warmed over, and when the patient wakes, I’m certain she wouldn’t want to see you looking like that." His tone left no room for argument.
James nodded and turned, waving for Bradley to follow him. Whether he liked it or not, his enemy had become his guest under these circumstances. Bradley paused, his brows furrowing with concern. "Doctors... do you know what caused this? Why my mate collapsed like that?" He saw the way James’s fist clenched when he said ’my mate’, knuckles going white, but he didn’t care. Right now, all that mattered was Trishelle and the pup being well.
Dr. Stephen exchanged a meaningful look with his older colleague, Dr. Lorenzo, before answering. "Gentlemen, Trishelle was exposed to too much negative stimulus. It caused her heart rate and blood pressure to spike to dangerous levels." He paused, his expression grave. "To put it simply, seeing her mate and the father of her child fight to the death in front of her created extreme stress - more than her body could handle in her condition."
He let his words sink in, watching both Alphas carefully. "Now, I’m not a relationship expert, nor am I trying to be, but I think you both need to find another way to sort out your situation or come to a mutual understanding, at least until the pup is born. Another episode like this could be catastrophic for both her and the baby. We might not be able to save them next time."
He turned to Lorenzo, his expression softening slightly. "Doctor, if you will join me in my office so we can continue our discussion on our patient’s care." He walked down the corridor, Lorenzo trailing behind him, leaving the two Alphas alone with the weight of his words.
James and Bradley looked at each other, the silence stretching between them, thick with everything unsaid and all the history that had brought them to this moment. What the doctor said was a hard pill to swallow - bitter and difficult to accept. But what other choice did they have? The alternative was unthinkable. They could hate each other all they wanted, but losing Trishelle wasn’t an option either of them could bear.