Page 239 of Commanding Blood And Bonds

Freya’s hand lifted from the ground—pale, shaking. It fell toward me, no strength left to reach.

I snatched it up, cupping it between both of mine, bringing it to my chest.

“Real?” she mouthed.

I nodded frantically, flattening her palm over my heart. “Real. I’m real.”

She nodded—just barely—as Cali and Jo hit the dirt across from us.

“What the fuck happened?” Cali barked.

“Nix shot her,” Carr snapped. I still couldn’t speak. Couldn’t look away from the black bleeding from the wound through her veins, defiling her creamy skin. “Reaper’s bullet.”

“I see that. How long?”

“Sixty seconds? Maybe less.”

“Thank fuck,” Jo muttered, pulling something from her bag. “We have to get it out.”

Jax lumbered to Freya’s side, still looking a bit stunned. I couldn’t help but hate him for not putting her in the vest instead. But when her glossy eyes found his and started to stream, all I could do was watch as he knelt by her head, broad hands coming to cradle her face.

Jo shifted into motion, leaning over her with a light directed at the wound, barbaric tool in hand.

Freya bucked off the ground, her agonized scream snapping my mind into action. I tore my knife from its leather sheath, tossing the blade aside before stripping its case off my utility belt.

“You’re alright, Freya. You’re gonna be fine,” Jax echoed when she sucked down a breath, but her gaze flicked back to me.

I held up the sheath, jaw clenched. She gave the smallest nod, and I pressed it into her mouth.

“Freya, I need you to hold incredibly still, do you hear me?” Jo said. Another nod. “Three, two, one.”

Freya bit down hard as Jo moved. Her hand crushed mine with staggering strength—and it was the greatest gift I could’ve asked for. Because it meant she was still breathing. I didn’t have time to question why. Not when Jo was digging the bullet out and holding her glowing hands over the wound.

Freya met my gaze.

My fault.

My fault she was on the ground. My fault I hadn’t reached the weapon.

My fault I hadn’t realized why I couldn’t hurt her.

Why she kept saving me, to her own detriment.

Fate is a raging bitch.

Jo exhaled a breath of relief and fell back, her hands trembling. Only then did I inhale. I held onto Freya like she might vanish. Closed my eyes and counted all the ways this could still go wrong—and everything I’d have to do to make sure it didn’t.

Jo passed her palm over Freya’s forehead. Her eyes slid shut, head lolling.

“Carr,” I rasped. His head snapped up, jaw tight. “Get Nix to the brig. No one talks to him until I get back.”

Jo turned on me. “Somebody better tell me why I just pulled a goddamned slug out of our enemy in broad fucking daylight inside a cemetery.”

I met her glare, lifted my chin. “Because she’s my mate.”

The silence hit like a shockwave.

My sister, naturally, was the one to say what everyone else was thinking. “Oh, fuck.”