"Shit…"
Keith dropped down beside him immediately.
The anger disappeared so quickly that it left him cold.
This was not supposed to happen.
He had only wanted to hit him once.
He had only wanted Liam to shut up.
Keith reached toward Liam's neck with shaking fingers, checking for a pulse.
For one terrifying second, he felt nothing.
Then—
There.
A weak pulse.
Liam was breathing.
Still alive.
Keith let out a breath he did not realize he had been holding.
But the relief only lasted a moment.
Because Liam was unconscious.
Bleeding.
Keith's heart was beating so hard that it felt painful.
He stayed crouched beside Liam for another second, staring down at him as blood slowly darkened the dirt beneath the back of his head.
Liam was alive.
Keith had checked.
He was breathing.
But that did not make the situation any better.
If Keith dragged him to one of the doctors, Liam would wake up eventually. And when he did, he would know exactly who had done this to him.
