Alpha Erased (Alpha Girl 9)

Tessa didn’t wake up.

There was just the screaming of my wolf inside me, but he couldn’t do CPR. I needed this form.

So I shoved him down even when I wanted to scream and cry and smash each one of the candles around this stupid fucking circle.

Because I couldn’t feel any of the grief yet. I had a job to do. I had to keep giving her CPR because nothing else would save her right now.

“What now?”

No one said anything.

“What now?!”

Nothing but silence.

“I’m not giving up. Someone say something.”

Nothing?

“Come on! She would never give up if one of you were on the line. She would never—”

“Wait!” Samantha broke through the circle. “Wait!” She pushed me away, and because I was so desperate that someone could save her, I let her push me away from my mate.

“Fast.” I pleaded with her. “Whatever you do, do it fast.”

I counted seconds, knowing time was moving too quickly in my panic. I tried to slow my count, but I couldn’t afford to be too slow. I couldn’t afford to be wrong.

Samantha held her hands above Tessa, moving them up and down her body.

“Come on. Hurry.”

“I’m trying. Just…give me one more second. I just need—here it is.” She yanked something, and I felt like claws had punched through my chest and ripped out my heart.

“What are you doing!”

“This might hurt.”

“That already hurt!” And Tessa was turning blue. “Move!” I started to shove Samantha, but then she stared at me. And I froze.

Her eyes were two globes of fire.

What the hell was Samantha?

“I said one second.”

She turned back to Tessa and waved her hands. Then she yanked one hand toward her, and this time—instead of flying through the air and smashing into a wall like she had in her apartment—I felt like I’d been ripped from my body. Like something was missing from me. Like I was hollow and empty and all that was left inside my body was a sea of darkness.

She’d taken my soul.

“Bite her again. Save her. Now!” Samantha yelled. “I found your bond, and I destroyed it. Start the ceremony over!”

Okay. Okay. I could do that.

This had to work.

I bit my hand again and dropped my blood into her mouth. I bent down to her and bit her lip, just like I had the first time. Her warm, metallic blood passed my lips, and I prayed that this would work.

“What’s mine is yours, and yours is mine. From earth to air to fire to water. Moon and sun. I will be yours to the end of time.” The words came faster this time, one on top of the other, as fast as I could get them out.