Chapter 65

Rose's POV

I was out of the shower when I got a call from my beloved best friend and it broke my heart into pieces when she wouldn't stop crying and answer my questions no matter how many times, I asked her.

She kept crying and I hated myself so bad for not being there for her to wipe her tears and find out what happened. I barely found out where she's staying as I got my private jet ready and flew to France with Tyler.

We reached France in three hours and I ran around in the hospital, looking around for Jess. I then saw Xavier, who tortured us during our training, sitting infront of an operation room which was still in process.

I asked Jess's whereabouts and finding out that she was in the bathroom, I ran to the bathroom, Tyler long lost on the way. I banged on bathroom stalls and called out for Jess.

One of the stalls soon opened and someone dressed in all black lounged towards me, almost tackling me to the ground. Jess cried in my arms and I hugged her, stroking her head and calming her down.

She didn't smell like fresh forest anymore. She smelt like she'd been dead for a day with someone's smell of blood strong on her. I didn't mind it though because all it mattered to me was the well-being of my best friend.

She was a total mess to say the least and I locked the door of the bathroom after everyone left so we could have some time alone. She calmed down a few minutes later and she told me everything that happened while I was away.

She sounded so miserable and I felt like a loser for letting her go through all of that alone. She told me she tried to run the empire with everything she had and all people had to say behind her back was it was easy and that's the job she's born to do.

She always tried her best to make everything work and act as if everything was easy but all she wanted to do was quit because handling all those disobedient men and fighting was never her cup of tea.

Then she told me how Lucciano was there to help her, to do more than half of her work when she was sick, how he was there for her by her side even though he was annoying because really, no one cared for her enough to give up their sleep so she could have some rest.

Everything she told me was how Luciano had done so much for those during her hard time and while listening to her, I felt really bad because someone else was there for her to lean on and I wasn't there. I am her bestfriend of her whole life and I didn't even know she was going through so much because I was busy fangirling over my mate.

Maybe you are thinking I am being dramatic but actually I don't think I am after whatever she'd gone through. We're like a family, maybe even more so because we've been through thick and thin together our whole life.

As I listened, I was really thankful and grateful towards this guy called Luciano who stayed by Jess's side, took care of her and took the bullet for her. Call me selfish but I am happy that my best friend isn't the one who is lying on a hospital bed.

In half an hour or so, Jess calmed down and she led me towards the operation room but Xavier was nowhere in sight and no operations were done inside. Jess then started to panic and started to run here and there. I grabbed her and hugged her.

"Hey! Listen to me! We will find out where Luciano is so don't worry. Trust me, ok?" I asked her, looking at her tear-stained face and she barely nodded her head. I then grabbed her hand and walked towards the reception where a couple nurses were gossiping.

"Excuse me, can I get the ward number of Luciano?" I asked one of the nurses and she started to type on the computer.

"Luciano Ivanov?" She asked and Jess nodded her head.

"Yeah, him. How's he? Did the operation go well?" She started to bombard the nurse with questions and I tugged her arm so that we could go to his ward and ask the doctor instead.

"I have no clue about it but I am sure the doctor will inform you about his condition. Mr. Ivanov's ward is on the third floor, 305."

"Thank you." I said and walked away with Jess's hand in mind.

As we walked up the main stairs, my phone started to ring and I answered it.

"Roseeee! Where the hell are you? Your scent is everywhere but I can't find you! I tried to talk to you but you blocked me out! Are you ok? Where are you?" Tyler was going frantic at the other end of the line and I sighed.

"Sorry, I was pretty caught up in the situation. I am heading toward no 305 on the third floor with Jess. See you there, bae."

"Alright." I ended the call and kept walking.

"Tyler?" Jess's raspy voice was barely audible but I nodded anyway when I heard her question.

"Yeah, I flew here with him but lost contact with him ever since I stepped foot into hospital. He was just worried. Are you feeling better?" I asked her with worry but she didn't look any better.

"Better than that guy who took the bullet for me." She mumbled and when we reached the third floor, she sprinted away from me, looking forward to no 305.

When we found the room, Jess ran inside and I slowly took my time as I made my way inside. There were a couple of nurses and a doctor talking with Xavier and Jess started to cry again as she bombarded them with questions.

"We can't say for sure that the patient is fine because he took seven bullets and lost way too much blood. We will have to watch him for a few days to see how he recovers but the chance is barely 20% so it would be for the best if you prepared for the worst." The doctor concluded and walked out of the room and Jess took a seat next to a guy whose face was barely recognizable from scars and being connected to machines.

Upon hearing the doctor's words, Jess fell on her knees next to Luke's bed and started to cry all over again. But this time, it hurt me even more to see my bestfriend so helpless and wailing with small whimpers.

I slowly approached her and stood her up from the floor and made her sit on a nearby sofa. She was mourning so sorrowfully that I just couldn't stand there, doing nothing. Since I, a stranger, feel so hopeless, I couldn't imagine how Jess would feel. That too, for someone who was the only one who was nice to her took the bullets and was on death bed.

I sighed and turned around to see Xavier walking out and Tyler was just standing there, watching us. I didn't even notice he was here. I walked towards him and walked out of the room, closing the door behind me.

"Is she ok?" He asked worried and hugged me from behind.

"I don't think so." I sighed and grabbed his hand which was hung over my shoulder.

I sighed and looked out the window where there were people strolling around in the hospital garden.

'Hey, is there perhaps anyway I can turn the table?' I asked Layla and she went rigid.

'No.' She said way too quickly which made me frown. What's she hiding from me? I tried to study her but she had her eyes closed which prevented me from studying her further.

'What are you hiding from me? There's a way to bring him alive, isn't it?' I asked her and she finally opened her eyes, with defeat written all over her face.

'Layla, please tell me. What can I do? I can't just stand here, doing nothing when my best friend is in that state.' I begged and she stood up from the ground and sighed in defeat.

'Rosalind, I really wish I could help Jess and that guy too but I won't allow you to do it. I swear, no one's ever done it before, be it a goddess or a deity because we aren't to change humans' destiny with our power. It comes with price.' She explained and I frowned.

'But I am not a goddess or a deity. I am just doing it to save a species of my own.' I reasoned and she shook her head.

'Well, maybe you can be off the hook but as I said, it comes with price.'

'What price?'

'Your life.'

When I heard it, I froze on the spot. My life? Am I willing to sacrifice my life for a stranger?

'If you want to save him, you will have to pass him some of your lifetime. Also, because you're just a human who's learning super-powers from me, I am not sure if you will succeed. Even if you succeed it comes with the risk of your life. You can't save him.' Layla finished and I was deep in thought.

The average life expectancy of a werewolf is around 250 years. I can just pass half of my lifetime and he will be out of danger and I am sure he will be able to wake up by then. 100years is a long time for me to live the life I want to.

'Rose, no. Don't do this.' Layla commanded with a solemn and serious face but I was determined to save him.

I can't just wait for him to die on his death bed. I have a way to save him and if he really dies, I am sure I will live the rest of my life in guilt and regret. Also, it hurts so much to see my best friend going through so much.

In the end, Layla gave up sensing I was determined to bring him back to life. When I was out of my trance, I turned around and hugged Tyler.

"I love you." I whispered and Tyler smiled.

"I love you more, darling." He whispered in my ear and I let out a sigh of content.

"Hey, I have a request for you." I pulled away from him and looked him in his eyes.

"Jess's been crying the whole day and I think she needs to get some bath and sleep. I am sure she won't agree but we both know she needs it more than anyone. I love you guys so much that I can't just stand here, letting her go through all of it, ruining herself. Could you please take her to a hotel and let her have some rest?"

"What about you?"

"Don't worry. I will join you guys. I will stay here to take care of things after you guys go get settled. Just send me the address and I will be there after talking to Xavier. You trust me, right?"

"Of course, sweetheart. Alright, go get Jess. I will look for some hotels nearby."

"Thank you, babe." I pecked him on his cheeks and turned around to go inside the room when I was spun around and he kissed me on the lips. I gave him a playful glare before walking inside.

"Jess?" She looked up, her eyes swollen and red from crying all day long.

"Rose, what do I do now? You heard him too, right? He's gonna die because of me."

"Sh, Jess it's not your fault. Trust me, he took the bullets for you because he cares for you and it was out of instinct because he wants to protect you. He did all of that on his own because he cares for you and it shows you are amazing to be around and you're worthy for people, sacrificing their own life for your happiness." I tried to comfort her.

"But I am not happy! I would be happy if I saw him alive but he isn't! I killed him." She whispered the last part and I hugged her.

"Jess, trust me, it wasn't your fault." I tried to calm her down but she was too stubborn and pushed me away.

"I trust you Rose; I really do. But how can I, when he's lying here, on his death bed after taking the bullet for me? Rose, I really want to believe that I am not the one who killed him but here's the truth!" She started to cry and hugged me.

"You love him, don't you?" I broke the silence after a while and she was still in my arms.

"I-" I pulled away and looked at her. I wiped the tears off her face with a tissue and looked at her.

"Look at me Jess, you love him, don't you?" She opened and closed her mouth a couple of times before defeat and realization took over her features and she relaxed her muscles.

"Yes."