Free Reclaimed (Wolf in Exile Part 4): Werewolf Shifter/Vampire Paranormal Romance by Ambrielle Kirk, Amber Ella Monroe Page A

was on the opposite end of the room, biting her nails nervously. Brant stood beside her, a troubled expression on his face. There was another shifter in the room whom Kalena had seen inside the mansion before but had never spoken to.
    The tension and sadness were so thick in the room that she knew the situation was dire.
    Thane’s fingertips felt so cold against Kalena’s palm. When she looked at his face, she noted that his skin wasn’t the vibrant olive-toned shade that she was used to. His chest rose up and down, ever so slowly.
    “Someone please tell me he’s going to be all right,” she pleaded. She couldn’t stand the silence.
    “We don’t know.” Dr. O’Neill placed a hand on her shoulder.
    “Why don’t you know? Can’t you get him to a regular doctor? If you can’t do anything to help him, they probably can. Right?” Kalena knew in her heart that she was being rude, but Thane’s life was on the line. She wanted Thane to live. She couldn’t lose him.
    “Kalena, human doctors can’t help us,” Tracy replied. “My dad is trained in both human and shifter medicine. He spent several decades working as a surgeon for a highly rated hospital in the U.S.”
    “What are you trying to tell me? That Thane’s never going to wake up.”
    Dr. O’Neill knelt down beside her. “He’s been like this since it happened, and his condition has deteriorated. The only thing keeping him alive is the machine.”
    “Oh my God…” Her hands shook. “He’s just sleeping. Can’t you see? Isn’t there a shot…a…something that you can give him?”
    “Kalena…Thane—the wolf—is gone.” Tracy took her other hand and squeezed. “His wolf couldn’t regenerate from the injuries he sustained in the fight with Gavril. When a wolf’s soul dies, there’s nothing left, and there’s nothing our shifter medicine can do to help him. It’s the human part of him that’s hanging on by a thread. He’s living because of the life support machine, which was made for humans.”
    “This isn’t fair. What have I done? I should have done something more.” Kalena couldn’t think. All rationale had left her.
    “You did everything you could have possibly done,” Dr. O’Neill said. “You are lucky to have gotten away with your life. When Gavril attacked, he wasn’t in his right mind. He never was. He caused this way before you were in the picture. It may not be fair, but none of this is your fault.”
    “It’s possible you’re carrying multiples,” Tracy said. “You have Thane’s pups to take care of. When you give birth, his shifter legacy will live on. As one of his Pack members and followers who loved him dearly, I ask on behalf of the Pack that you stay strong to deliver these babies.”
    Kalena tried to hold them in. She tried to stay strong, but tears ran down her cheeks anyway. “I don’t know if I can do this.”
    “I’ll be here for you,” Tracy assured her. “We all will.”
    A shadow loomed over Kalena and she looked up slowly into the face of the dark brooding vampire that had once been standing in the darkest corner of the room. The other vampire, maybe his assistant, shifted over to the windows and closed all the curtains until the room was nearly pitch black.
    “My name is Tor. I’m a very old friend of Thane’s.” When he spoke, his voice echoed across the room.
    Kalena nodded. Her lungs burned so much from the pain that she couldn’t speak. She just wanted to be left alone with Thane.
    “Thane’s wolf soul has died. It’s likely that the vampire blood that he’s taken over the decades is what’s keeping him breathing. It is also my understanding that he took vampire blood as recently as a few days ago.”
    Kalena nodded. “For my memories, yes.”
    “He will not live past this night,” the vampire said with no emotion at all.
    “Can you give him more blood?” she asked.
    “That is why I’m here, actually. The ShadowRock Pack has lost a shifter soul, but they don’t have to