She's My Choice (Part 1)

Sebastian’s POV

I couldn’t describe the fear that gripped me when I saw that bastard standing in front of Thea. She was trembling, tears streaming down her face. When she closed her eyes, seemingly accepting her fate, I nearly collapsed to my knees.

I roared, red consuming my vision as my wolf took over, slicing his throat in an instant. If not for considering her condition, I would’ve let that werewolf live a little longer, just to make him experience what true pain felt like.

When I crouched beside her, Thea’s voice was weak: “Aurora needs medical attention immediately, Sebastian.” I’d already contacted Beta and Damien through the mind link. The medical team would arrive within minutes. Not that I didn’t care about Aurora—I did—but I cared more about Thea.

Her clothes were stained with blood, her hands covered in it, and her outer arms and elbows were scattered with small scrapes and cuts. “Did they hurt you?” I asked through clenched teeth.

She flinched, then lowered her head. Fuck! Her condition cut me like a knife. I just wanted to kill every bastard who tried to harm her.

“That’s not important… just scratches from escaping. Aurora’s situation is more urgent right now,” she insisted, trying to stand up, but her body clearly wouldn’t cooperate.

I gently pressed on her shoulder, continuing to check her injuries. Her wrists were raw from the ropes, the blood already dried; her ankles were severely swollen and covered in bruises. The more I saw the extent of her injuries, the higher my fury rose. More importantly, she was carrying a pup, and those fuckers dared to treat her like this.

“Sebastian, are you listening to me?” Her tone was filled with resignation, and I knew that if she weren’t so exhausted and injured, she would definitely have said something sharper.

“I’m listening. The medical team will be here soon,” I answered. “Now tell me who hurt you.”

She sighed deeply, her body slumping against a nearby container. “One of Graves’s men. He tried to hit me when I talked back,” she told me tiredly.

“Describe what he looks like,” I commanded, already deciding in my heart to personally end the wolf who dared to touch her.

“No need,” her voice suddenly gained some strength. “During our escape, he was the first to find us. I kicked him in the groin, took his gun, and gave him one bullet in each leg as a gift.”

I was somewhat surprised at how well she had handled herself against a male werewolf without a wolf of her own. I couldn’t help but let a small smile play at my lips. This was Thea now—no longer allowing herself to be bullied, a she-wolf fighting for herself and those she loved. I liked this side of her.

Before I could ask her why she thought escaping was a good idea, the sound of an ambulance came from the distance. Damien, Roman, and the medical team soon appeared in our line of sight. The paramedics immediately transferred Aurora carefully onto a stretcher.

“What happened?” one of the doctors asked. I saw Thea hesitate before answering.

“She was shot when we tried to escape. I did my best to stop the bleeding, but as time passed, she lost consciousness.” Her gaze remained fixed on Aurora.

“Will she be okay?” Her voice was filled with fear. This was one of the things I loved about her. Despite Aurora’s constant cruelty toward her, it didn’t stop her from worrying about her sister. She was a fucking angel, and I cursed myself for taking so long to realize it.

“Yes, her pulse is a bit weak, but once we get her to the hospital, she’ll be fine,” the doctor answered before they wheeled the stretcher away.

“Thea, are you alright?” Roman stepped forward, concern in his voice.

“Fine,” her answer was low as she struggled to stand up. “Go with Aurora. She needs you more right now.”

Roman nodded, bending down to place a light kiss on her cheek. If this had happened before, Thea would have pushed him away, but now she just tiredly accepted the gesture.

After he left, I signaled Damien to follow him. “Need help?” I asked, watching her futile attempts to stand.

“Yeah, please,” she looked up at me, the exhaustion in her eyes breaking my heart.

I bent down, slipping one arm under her knees and the other supporting her back, lifting her gently as I began to walk.

“I just needed someone to lean on, not a princess carry,” she protested, but her voice lacked its usual edge, sounding more like a habitual response.

I didn’t answer, just held her tighter. The feeling of holding her in my arms felt so natural, as if my wolf and I had finally found our mate. If this moment could last forever, I would accept it without hesitation.

As I carried her toward the car parked on the perimeter, a thought suddenly struck me—why had I never allowed myself to truly get close to her? Why had I always hidden part of myself, never letting her see it? If I had set aside my prejudices earlier, let go of my obsession with Aurora, would I have experienced this sense of completeness sooner? Like she was the missing puzzle piece of my soul?

Just as I reached the car, Beta Rayne intercepted me. “What is it?” I growled at him. Couldn’t he see how precious the person in my arms was?