The War God Alpha's Arranged Bride (Evelyn and Alexander) novel Chapter 357

**Steps Along Forgotten Roads**
**By Sophia Reed**
**Chapter 357: Shot With An Arrow**

**Gavin’s POV**

The air was thick with tension, a heavy silence enveloping the crowd as Judy plummeted from the sky, her body hitting the ground with a sickening thud. The moment she fell, time seemed to freeze. But as the horror of what had just transpired settled in, chaos erupted. An arrow had found its mark, piercing through her back and protruding grotesquely from her stomach. Instantly, the color drained from her face, and I could see the fight within her flickering like a dying flame.

She was done for. There was no way she could endure this.

Everything unfolded in a dizzying haze; one moment, Mica was animatedly conversing with me, and the next, I found myself kneeling beside Judy’s lifeless, blood-soaked form on the battlefield. The world around me faded, leaving only the desperate rhythm of my heart pounding in my ears.

When the medics finally arrived, I shot them a fierce glare, my eyes burning with an inner fire as my wolf clawed at the edges of my consciousness, demanding to take control. They were moving too slowly for my liking; two agonizing minutes had passed while I fought to staunch the bleeding with my hands, pleading for her to open her eyes. Yet, not a single medic had been close enough to help.

“What took you so long?” I growled through clenched teeth, frustration bubbling over. “She needs help, now!”

One of the medics exchanged a worried glance with his colleagues before they sprang into action, but even then, their movements felt sluggish. I let out a low, feral growl, a primal urge for them to hurry coursing through me. My wolf was restless, agitated by the delay, and I couldn’t understand why he was so insistent on taking over.

“It’s a pretty bad injury,” one of the medics assessed, his voice steady yet filled with urgency. “Fortunately, it doesn’t seem to have hit any vital organs. We shouldn’t remove the arrow until we get her to the examination room.”

The others nodded in agreement, their expressions tense and focused.

“Get the stretcher,” one of them barked to a fellow medic. “This is the worst injury we’ve faced today. We need to handle her with utmost care.”

“Holy shit, is she okay?” A girl rushed forward, her voice laced with panic. She was the same girl who had been on the zipline with Judy.

Tabitha, I recalled her name.

I didn’t respond; my gaze remained glued to Judy’s ashen face. Sweat glistened on her forehead, and her breaths became labored and shallow. I could see her eyelids fluttering, and I couldn’t help but wonder if she was fighting to regain consciousness.

A scream tore from her lips as they carefully placed her on the stretcher, positioning her on her side to avoid aggravating the arrow embedded in her body. An involuntary growl escaped my throat, startling the medics around me.

“We need to get her to the operating room, Alpha,” one of the medics urged, his tone respectful yet firm.

I realized I was gripping the stretcher tightly, my eyes likely glowing a fierce yellow as my wolf surged forward, desperate for control. I had to rein him in, to let go of the stretcher and allow the medics to do their job.

What the hell was wrong with me?

“There’s a lot of blood,” one of the medics murmured to his partner, their expressions grave as they assessed Judy’s condition.

They began to carry her away from the battleground, and my heart sank as I watched her pale, sweat-drenched face grow distant. Her eyes opened slightly, and I felt a pang of despair as I saw the light within them dimming, her gaze locking onto mine.

I barely registered the announcer calling for a time-out amid the turmoil. Everyone’s attention was fixated on Judy as she was whisked away, and I felt an overwhelming urge to follow her, but a firm hand clasped my shoulder, halting me.

Mica stood there, his brow furrowed in concern. “What’s gotten into you? Since when do you react like this?” he questioned, his eyes narrowing as he studied me.

Without thinking, I grabbed his wrist, yanking it away from my shoulder, a low growl escaping my lips that made his eyes widen in surprise.

“She’s from my pack; she is my responsibility. I will react however I see fit,” I snarled, my voice dripping with a dangerous edge.

Mica blinked, his gaze drifting towards Judy’s retreating figure.

“I had no idea she was from Silver Crescent,” he murmured, his expression softening. “That explains a lot. You feel protective of your packmates.”

“I need to leave,” I muttered, dismissing his assessment without a second thought.

Ignoring Levi’s watchful eyes, I followed the medics out of the arena, my heart pounding with anxiety.

The moment I stepped outside, the announcer resumed the time, and the battle continued on without me, the sounds of conflict fading into the background.

Inside the infirmary, the air was thick with the scent of fear and uncertainty, filled with those who had witnessed their loved ones suffer. I hated being lumped in with them; all I wanted was to be by Judy’s side, but they had insisted that my presence would only serve as a distraction.

Of course, I could have easily used my Lycan powers to force my way into the operating room, but I refrained. They were right; they needed to focus, and I didn’t want to be a looming shadow over their work. My wolf was unstable, and I couldn’t risk him taking charge until Judy was safely through her surgery.

“Have you heard anything?” Nan rushed into the infirmary, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

I hadn’t seen her at the arena, so her sudden appearance caught me off guard. A young girl accompanied her—someone I recognized from around the resort; I’d seen her chatting with Judy on several occasions.

“She’s still in surgery,” I replied softly, my heart aching for both of them.

Nan sank into a chair beside me, burying her face in her hands and letting out a soft groan. I hadn’t spoken much with her, but I knew she was Judy’s best friend, and she was aware of the bond I shared with Judy.

“You’re Gavin Landry,” the girl said, her eyes widening as she took me in. I didn’t bother responding; my attention was focused on Nan. She had a strange yet familiar aura, one that I couldn’t quite place. “I’m Sammy. A friend of Judy’s. I really hope she pulls through.”

“I should have been there,” Nan whispered, lifting her tear-streaked face. “If Sammy hadn’t told me what happened… I wouldn’t have known. I’m such a terrible best friend.”

“Why weren’t you there?” I found myself asking, seeking a distraction from the gnawing worry that threatened to consume me. I didn’t want her to blame herself; I knew Judy wouldn’t want that. But I desperately needed to think of something other than the fact that Judy was lying on an operating table right now.

“I was dealing with something,” Nan sighed, leaning back in her chair. She rubbed her arms as if trying to ward off a chill, and that’s when I noticed the faint handprint bruises on her forearm.

Without thinking, I reached out and grasped her wrist gently, careful not to hurt her.

She startled, her eyes widening in surprise as they met mine.

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