Six

 Damien

I refused to declare my beloved aunt dead. This was surely a nasty joke of the universe. A cruel prank from the moon goddess. I released a bitter laugh because nothing made sense. 

I shook her body, begging her to come alive, but she remained still, peaceful,as if to mock the agony in my heart. As if she was playing a prank on me from beyond.

My trembling fingers shut her vacant eyes, shielding her from the harshness of the room's light and my arms cradled her delicate body. 

It was too much for me to bear. Rocking her back and forth, I hoped that somehow, moving her would jolt her back to life. 

My aunt was gone and her death was my fault. 

Hera never fell sick. She was a healthy and robust woman, who went about her activities peacefully. She never liked to burden others with her problems; instead, she carried the weight of the world on her shoulders.

I couldn't bear to lose her. She was my only remaining family after the loss of my parents. She had been a powerhouse of strength and activity, so her sudden death was a shocker, my heart banging harshly.

"Hera! What are you doing?" I let out a strangled sob. "Why are you doing this to me?"

My hands gripped hers tightly as if by sheer force of will, I could bring her back to life.Paralyzed by hopelessness and guilt, my entire body felt icy and numb. Regret washed over me, and I blamed myself for her death.

I should have visited her more, called to check on her well-being, and been there for her before illness tightened its grip. 

But the deepest regret stemmed from a crucial mistake—I shouldn't have let her bite my omega mate. That decision took her life.

Katana stood in the background, trembling, her mouth opening like a fish as she took in the sight of Hera's still form. I wanted to yell at her, to blame her for Hera's death, but I couldn't bring myself to do that.

My hands trembled as I carefully disconnected the wires from her body and lifted her as if she were a baby. It was a cruel irony that I had Katana in my arms, barely alive, into this room just minutes ago, and now I was carrying Hera, lifeless, out of it. 

Katana blinked rapidly, rooted to the spot. Sweat beaded on her forehead as she rubbed the back of her neck.

My feet thundered on the staircase rapidly as I ran down the stairs, my heart pounding with grief, where Xena waited at the bottom.

"Damien, what's going on?" Her voice trembled. "What's wrong with Hera?"

"She... she's not breathing. I don't understand. I need to take her to the hospital," my voice came off in fragments.

Xena shrieked, her eyes bulging like two boiled eggs, horror written all over her face. Hera's maid screamed, and Katana's mother's hands flew to her mouth while her daughter rushed into her arms.

"I need to be sure," my voice choked with unshed tears. "I'm taking her to the hospital."

"Oh no," Xena cried. "This is a nightmare."

Hera's maid threw herself to the ground, her sobs wracking her body. My throat tasted like bile as I rushed outside, cradling Hera.

Katana held her mother tightly, the two of them clinging to each other like shipwreck survivors on a deserted island, trying to hide from the fear that surrounded them.

"Get in the car," I snapped at them. Her mother looked so guilty like they were responsible for Hera's death.

My hands were in a tight grip on the steering wheel as I drove at breakneck speed, my foot pushing the accelerator to the floor. The wind whipped past the car, and I felt the rush of adrenaline coursing through my veins.

Beside me, Xena sat wiping away her tears and the sound of her soft sobs filled the car.

 Katana and her mother sat huddled together in the back, not daring to move. I kept my eyes fixed on the road, my grip tight on the steering wheel. 

Xena's voice echoed through the mind link, "Do you think that the effect of the bite killed her? Oh gosh, Damien. This is all my fault."

"I don't know what to think. I feel like a demon right now. She was sick before we got there, so I guess the bite weakened her immune system."

"Shit," Xena whispered.

We arrived at the hospital, and I quickly turned off the engine. Nurses dressed in crisp white uniforms rushed out, pushing a stretcher toward us. I lifted Hera's lifeless body out of the car, and the stretcher wheels clattered against the pavement.

"This is urgent," I yelled at the doctor on duty. "Please, do everything possible to bring her back."

The doctor's face was grave, and deep down, I knew that nothing could be done to bring Hera back to life. But I still waited outside the room, my heart beating fast with hope.

"I'm sorry," the doctor shook his head. "We're pronouncing her dead on arrival."

Xena rushed to hug me, tears streaming down her face. "I'm so sorry, Damien," she cried. "I'm so sorry."

Blinking back tears, I moved away from Xena, walking back and forth in the hallway like a lunatic. My heart felt like a fragile glass figurine that had been shattered into a million pieces, and the weight of my loss was crushing me into the ground.

Katana and her mother stood behind me, their faces filled with fear. Katana's mother's grip on her daughter's arm was so tight it looked like she was holding on for dear life.

Leo and Grey, my Beta and Gamma, rushed into the hospital, their faces pale with shock.

Leo gave Katana a dirty look, the sarcasm in his voice cutting deep. "I'm sure the Omega's disease killed that kind woman," his tone came off cold and unfeeling. "I told you, Damien, that this girl would cause trouble for you. Now see what she's done."

Xena snapped at Leo, her voice sharp and filled with resentment. "Stop it, Leo. Hera has been sick; don't traumatize the poor girl."

Katana's mum was sweating and shuddering with her eyes wide, darting around. Her body shook like someone suffering from an electric shock, while Katana stood beside her, her eyes flicking back and forth between me and Leo. I could almost taste the fear radiating from both females.

"Let me take you home," I muttered dryly to Katana's mum an hour later. The drive was quiet, with only the hum of the tires on the road breaking the silence.

"Alpha Damien, I'm so sorry," Katana's mum sobbed, sounding so broken. "I didn't know that this would have consequences. I feel like a murderer."

Katana perched next to her mum, her lips sealed tight. Whether it was the distant look in her eyes or the silence she maintained, I couldn't pinpoint it, but anger swelled within me. Her nonchalant attitude left me irritated to death.

"It's not your fault," I grumbled to her mum, using a carefully controlled tone and taking a slow, steady breath to calm myself. "There was nothing anyone could have done to prevent this."

The wheels of my car kicked up a cloud of dust behind me. The guards at the border, dressed in their uniforms, bowed their heads respectfully as I passed by.

With a quiet rumble, I killed the engine of my car. Katana and her mother emerged from the back seat. I frowned at Katana, unable to shake the feeling that I had made a mistake. I now had to carry the guilt of someone else's death on my shoulders, a weight that would never go away, all because of her.