Free Heart of the Unknown Alpha by Rae Scott Page B

made a quick study of her features. Her hair was matted to her face, her skin was cold and pale, her eyes closed, lips blue. Feeling for a pulse in her wrist then her neck he found none, as a last resort he put his palm on her chest between her breasts.  His heart froze in his chest, he couldn’t feel a heartbeat. What if he was to late? “Aryana? Don’t you dare leave me. Do you hear me Aryana? Don’t you dare leave!”
    He took a deep breath and fused his mouth to hers forcing oxygen into her lungs. With no response from the first attempt he tried three more time before she started choking and her mouth filled with water. Turning her on her side he held her as she coughed and sputtered and gasped for breathe as her body came back to life. Her eyes fluttered open briefly before she sank back into unconsciousness.
    Darian sank to his butt on the now damp grass. She was alive. She was alive! How close he had come to losing her though.. Bracing his elbows on his bent knees he covered his face in his hands. It was only then he realized he had tears streaming down his face. The thought of Aryana never again existing in this world was just to much for him to think about. He had just found her and granted he didn’t really know her at all but he wanted to and for some reason he just couldn’t let her go, not yet. Just not yet.
     
    Aryana woke to bright sunlight streaming across her face.  She was in a strange room and in a strange bed.  Where was she? Was she dead? Was this what came after life? She tried to sit up and everything rotated on its axis making her suddenly ill. Collapsing back against the pillows she let out a groan praying that it would stop soon.
    Just as she was starting to feel better the door opened and an older woman with long brown hair walked in.  She smiled gently at Aryana. “Glad to see your awake. You gave my son quite a scare. I’m Juliana”
    The woman’s steps faltered as she got close enough to make out Aryana’s eye color.  She recovered quickly though. And set down a small tray next to the bed. “Here let me help you sit up. Gently and slowly now.”
                  With surprising strength and amazing gentleness the woman helped Aryana into a sitting position. “Now how are you feeling?”
                  Trying to work her mouth to form words Aryana found her throat almost painfully dry and scratchy. The older woman picked up a coffee mug from the tray and sat on the bed beside her one arm around her back the other lifting the cups to Aryana’s lips helping her to drink the warm liquid. “There, that should do the trick. I am not surprised your throat doesn’t want to work after what you have been through.  As soon as your throat feels a bit better then try to talk but not before okay?”
                  Aryana’s eyes swelled with tears. She had never known her mother  and this woman was so warm and seemed so kind.  She was what Aryana would have wanted as a mother if she had decided to stick around.
                  “Thank you.” Aryana’s voice came out rough and scratchy even though her throat was feeling better. Looking down at herself she saw she was dressed in an oversized black t-shirt. At least she wasn’t naked in this afterlife. This WAS the afterlife right? “Where am I?”
    Juliana gave her another of those gentle understanding looks. “I will let Darian explain things. He should be joining us any second.” Just as she said it there he was in the doorway.
                  Dressed in a snug black t-shirt and dark jeans he looked rather imposing. The scowl on his face didn’t detract from his handsome looks though but rather added to it. “What the hell were you thinking?” his voice boomed out. Controlled anger lacing every word.
                  Aryana jumped in the bed. The sudden movement gave her stomach a large roll as the room once again shifted one hundred eighty degrees. Her