Nova staggered backward as the alpha's claws tore upward through his stomach. The pain was immediate and far worse than the wounds he had suffered earlier. He bent forward, one hand pressing against his abdomen, but the blood slipped between his fingers almost as quickly as he tried to stop it.
The alpha withdrew its claws and stepped away. Adam still hung motionless from its other arm, his clothes dark with blood. Seeing him brought Nova's attention back to the one thing that mattered more than his injuries. He straightened slowly, although the movement sent another violent ache through his body.
'Adam is still alive. He has to be.'
He could not hear his friend's breathing from where he stood. The creature had already wounded Adam badly, and every second it kept hold of him made the situation worse. Nova wanted to rush forward, but his legs trembled when he tried. His strength had fallen so sharply that even standing required concentration.
