Dread
1018 Words
----Dread----
***Lanie’s POV***
We left to go back to the Evermoon Pack mansion. Holding onto Alec’s hand as he decided to drive us back felt so right. He looked over at me with a smile as the air from the open windows of his black Lamborghini Gallardo blew in and flirted with my curls.
“This car is absolutely incredible.” I marveled while my fingers brushed against the fine leather interior.
“Do you want one? Just give me a color and what features you’d like and I’ll get you one ordered.” Alec smiled softly, concentrating on the road.
“Wait, really? Oh my gosh, Alec. That would be too much!” My eyes widened and I thought about my restaurant with Sophia. We had it temporarily closed during all of the troubles with Kieran. I wondered if we would get back to it after Sophia gave birth.
“Anything for my queen. I just want to make her happy.”
“Actually, if you have some wolves to spare, I’d love them to open up Sophia’s and my restaurant and help me run it while Sophia’s pregnant.”
“Consider it done.”
We rode in a comfortable silence back to the Evermoon’s. Arriving, I was immediately hit with a crippling sense of dread. I couldn’t describe it in words. It knocked the breath right out of me as it felt like someone wrapped their hands around my throat and started to strangle me.
“Lanie? Lanie! What’s wrong?” Panic set in his eyes as he placed the car in park and took my hands in his.
“Something’s wrong! I don’t know what. It… It feels like this overarching dread.”
Breathing was laborious as cold sweat dripped down my forehead.
Just then, Sophia came out of the front door, her face pale.
“Lanie! There’s something wrong with Mother! I went to get her for breakfast and she couldn’t get out of bed!” Tears fell down her cheeks openly and Arsen appeared next to her to console her.
Practically jumping out of the car, I rushed up to the door, with Alec quick on my heels.
“Where is she now?” I asked, frantic as my vision seemed to blacken around me in my anxiety.
“She’s still in her room!” Sophia whimpered while I nodded, racing inside and taking the stairs three at a time to get to Mother quicker.
Bursting into her room, I saw her lying there, looking completely deflated. Her normal sun kissed skin looked pale and had a tint of blue to them. Her lips, normally a vibrant pink had lost its luster and looked more like a pale, sickly blue color. Worst of all, I couldn’t feel her natural burst of magical energy.
“Mother, what happened?!” Rushing over to her side, I fell to my knees, gripping her hand gently in mine.
She felt cold to the touch, like if someone had dumped her in a tank of ice water.
Sophia came to join me, sobbing as she gripped onto me, much like she did when we were little and she was afraid.
My mother's voice was raspy as she spoke, as if she was using all of her strength to just formulate the sentences.
"I feel my magical essence leaving me, children. I don't think I'm long for this world without it."
"How do we get it back? How can we get it back?" Sophia whimpered, heartbreak evident in her face.
"I'm not sure… but, I need rest. I feel so tired." With that, our mother closed her eyes.
Fear draped the room as we watched her close her eyes, wondering if we would be able to see her breathing. She… was going to breathe, right?
Tilting her hand over, I placed two fingers against her wrist to feel for a pulse.
Thump… thump… thump…
'Good.' I let out a sigh of relief as I felt a pulse. The slow rise and fall of her chest brought a wave of comfort to us.
"She's just asleep… thank goodness. Where is your library, Sophia? There has to be something to help her." I questioned, rising to my feet.
"It's down the hall, past your room. There are double doors to lead into the library. I'll stay here to watch over Mama. Take Alec and Arsen with you. There are a ton of books in here and you'll need the help." Sophia's voice was firm as I saw the Luna she grew into.
She wasn't that meek girl who clung to my back each time she got scared. She has really grown confident and into a leader.
"Thank you, sis." I cracked a tiny smile before racing out into the library with the two Alphas following closely.
Opening the double doors, they creaked and whined as the weight of the doors felt heavy to me.
"Uh… not a lot of us use the library." Arsen laughed embarrassed.
Going in, the smell of dust filled our nostrils followed by the sweet musk of older books that I secretly loved.
"Alec, Arsen… look for anything you can about restoring magic to a user… especially a witch."
"Yes ma'am." They said in unison before running off to opposite ends of the library to look.
I started in the middle, getting up on the library ladder as it complained from the weight I put on it.
Looking at the titles, I found a lot of werewolf lore and a lot of books about the Moon Goddess. My eyes wandered to Alec and I couldn't help but wonder what his Moon Goddess had in store when she paired us together.
I couldn't think about that now though. Not while my mother withered away in bed.
After searching for hours, I sighed, discouraged and frustrated. I found nothing at all.
Arsen came over and shook his head sadly. "I found nothing."
"I might have something." Alec came over as my heart jumped into my throat with anticipation.
Alec set the book down while I clamored to the book picking it up in my fingers. Dust entered my nose as I sneezed.
"It looks like no one has opened these books lately." I wiggled my nose, trying to stop the itchy sensation in my nostrils.
Opening the book, I started to read through it. I needed to find an answer and this book was the only one in this whole library that may hold the key.
- Writer
