4: Shadows of Guilt
1505 Words
Javier's brow sparkled with sweat. The air seemed to be somewhat sticky, and he felt an inexplicable anxiety. His eyes fixed constantly between the woman's frail life and the road forward. If only he could just close his eyes and find himself at the hospital right away.
"Is there any way you could pick up the pace, Nick?" he asked, shifting his gaze between Nick and the stranger woman.
Similar to him, everyone in the car felt uneasy. Nick's complexion appeared noticeably drained. "I'm already driving at quite a speed, Javier. We’re lucky that it's nighttime. There's no traffic enforcer to interrupt us."
Jordan could not sit still. "Javier, I appreciate your willingness to serve people, but do you feel confident in your actions? Are you truly going to help this person? What about your mother? Your father is waiting for your return, you know?”
Jordan's sole focus was his well-being, which Javier knew. Regardless, he had firmly made up his mind. He was determined to help the woman, refusing to stand by idly. It made no difference whether she belonged to their kind or was a mere human. Compassion came without a price.
"We've already discussed this, Jordan. We should lend a hand to this human. Because if we don't, who will? This will be the last chapter of her life. She'll meet her demise, and the perpetrator responsible for her fate will wander without consequence," he declared, his voice laced with fury.
The Black Moon Pack adopted a free culture where every member expressed liberal ideas. Unlike other packs with strong convictions, they were more receptive and did not see humans as enemies. They lived alongside them and displayed actions that were exactly like those of humans. But he had to make sure this stranger woman would not know about them, since humans didn't know creatures like werewolves even existed.
There was nothing he could do if they failed to save her life. At least he attempted to help, though. That was the really important thing.
Not one person spoke following that. Though it was evening and there was no traffic on the road, Javier felt every minute to be one hour. Anxiety permeated every moment.
He became even more concerned as he saw the woman's pulse fade every second goes by. "Nick, hurry! Her pulse is really feeble. I hardly hear it at all!”
Nick said nothing more and turned his whole attention toward driving. After what seemed like an eternity, they arrived at the closest hospital in the village.
Jordan swiftly left to seek staff help. The medical personnel answered right away and pulled out a hospital bed. They moved the unconscious woman there.
Some nurses and a doctor arrived. "What happened to the patient?"
"Doctor, we came upon the victim in this state. She is barely living and unconscious. Do everything you can,” he said in a shaky voice.
The doctor yelled at the nurses, "To the emergency room!" They trailed after the woman was hurried inside the designated room.
“I’m sorry, but you cannot follow me inside. You can wait in the lobby. We will do our best to save the patient,” The doctor turned to them.
He bobbed his head. "Thank you, doctor." He was tired and worn out as the ER doors closed. He has lots of blood on his clothes from carrying the woman.
Jordan was on the phone, and Nick caught his breath from the fast-paced scenario. Javier briefly sat in one of the empty chairs.
Jordan came to him. "Javier, your father gave a call. He is wondering where we are.”
"What did you tell him?"
"I didn't say we hospitalized a human. I said we're on our way,”
He nodded. "Good. Okay, I'll visit Mom. Dad probably worries about me. Stay here, Jordan. Take care of the bill and update me, please."
His pal nodded in agreement. “Got it, Javier. Please update me too about Auntie,” Jordan was referring to Javier's mother.
He walked away after patting Jordan's shoulder. But before he could walk away from him, his friend called his name. "Javier?"
"Yes?"
Jordan looked at his face before asking what was on his mind. "Why must you help this woman? She's human, a stranger."
Javier was surprised by his friend's question. He fell silent, not knowing how to respond. Why indeed? Why was he so eager to help this woman? He couldn't explain his thoughts, despite knowing it wasn't plain pity.
His breath was deep. “I don't know, Jordan. It seems she doesn't want to die yet. You saw her fighting, right? I want to help her live. I won't be sad if she dies, but I'll regret not doing something." The words came out of his mouth naturally, surprising even him.
He saw how his friend smiled. “It's no surprise that you’re an Alpha, Javier. You deserve that title. You have a heart and compassion. You're persistent and brave. I'll update you on whatever happens here.”
He nodded at Jordan and hurriedly left the hospital with Nick to see his mother.
They soon got to the hospital, where his mother was under confinement. He looked right away at the private room she was occupying. He spotted his depressed father seated next to her.
He walked into the room, and his gaze locked with his father. Tears welled in his eyes. Joseph Romanov, his father and the temporary Alpha of the Black Moon Pack.
"Father..." he whispered gently.
When his father got up, he saw a brief flash of delight on his face. "You're here, my son! I thought you were not going to show up anymore… Oh, I understand how much it hurts to return to this village…”
That was true. Setting foot in their country and on their territory once more meant he could not flee the memories of his late wife, Beatrice.
He tightly embraced his father. "But that's not the justification for me skipping Mom's visit. I knew it made her so sad when I went to Europe,”
His dad took back the hug. "We were saddened without your presence, son. But as your parents, we understand why you needed to do it. You were grieving the loss of your Luna."
He made a conscious effort to avoid mentioning Beatrice in any conversation. It brought him nothing but anguish. He gazed upon his mother, who lay in the hospital bed. There was a hint of sorrow on her face.
"How is she, Dad? What was the doctor's diagnosis? What exactly happened?" he asked.
His father heaved a weary sigh and motioned for him to sit on the nearby couch. "The positive update is that your mom's condition is no longer critical. She suffered a cardiac episode, but luckily, we were able to bring her in promptly.
His brows creased in confusion. He couldn't recall his mother ever having any heart issues. "When did Mom develop a heart condition, Dad? How come we were never aware of this?”
His father c****d his head. "I was utterly clueless as well. It appeared that your mother was in good health. Well, that's what I believed, at least. However, the doctor mentioned that she has been struggling with depression. Since you went away and traveled overseas, she has been feeling down. She frequently experienced a lack of air and fatigue. During a council meeting, she had a heart attack when the pack elders said you had abandoned your responsibilities and that maybe you wouldn’t come back anymore. Your mother was adamant that you would return. But they insist you won’t return because of the memories of Beatrice and your new life in Europe. That's when your mother had a sudden medical emergency during the discussion…”
Javier found himself solely responsible for the situation. The pack elders have a point. He was the Alpha of the Black Moon Pack, but his father had temporarily taken care of his duties.
"Don't fret, dad. I have made up my mind. I won’t run anymore. I will resume the duties I abandoned," he declared with determination.
He saw the astonishment reflected in his father's face.
Meanwhile, in a different place, a mysterious figure was swiftly moving through the dense wood. It kept casting furtive glances over its shoulder, always on the lookout for any pursuers. The figure's form glistened with perspiration. The creature appeared pale, trembling, and filled with fear.
"I-I made the right decision!" The figure attempted to persuade itself.
But as the figure remembered the gruesome sight of Veronica's face, it felt a wave of nausea and emptied its stomach next to a towering tree. The shadow experienced a sense of stickiness and discomfort. "There's no need to feel guilty. She deserves that! Veronica needs to be gone from this world!”
The figure continued its swift sprint. It's best if what occurred remains unseen. "I f*****g need to escape from this place before it's too late!"
- Writer
