Love Thy Enemy

Chapter 5

Nikolai watched Evolet as she stared out the window of the library. She sat there most days and most nights for that matter. She never smiled. She was unlike any ancient he'd ever heard about. He’d heard and read that ancients were arrogant, aloof, and never spoke to someone they felt were beneath them. Evolet, however, was not like that. She could be exceptionally vicious and merciless. He'd seen that with his own eyes, but she was more than a living killing machine. She was kind and protective. She shared her wealth with himself and their ever-growing clan. She treated them all as though they were equal, family. Nikolai thought back to those months ago when she'd shared her blood with him. Evolet’s blood was rich, flavourful, and powerful. He could feel the power of her blood course through him, and he'd only had a small sip. Evolet's blood had changed the four of them on a molecular level forever. It still amazed him that he could stand the light of the sun and not worry about it burning him. He moved faster, was stronger to the point that he had to consciously try not to hurt someone shaking their hand. He'd seen the pain on Evolet’s face when she'd rejected her mate. She wore that same look now. The more time she spent away from him, the quieter and more withdrawn she became. Nikolai sighed and closed the door, leaving Evolet to her thoughts. As he walked down the hallway, he heard a commotion in the grand foyer. He rushed there to see what was going on. Kali and Marcus were carrying a woman inside the house. She was unconscious, covered in blood and pregnant. "Lay her on one of the beds in a guest room. I will get Evolet." he ordered, walking back in the direction he'd just come from. At first, he hadn't recognized the woman, but as he'd gotten close, he knew who she was; it was Lucy.

Evolet sighed as she stared out the window. She was thinking about Brone again. If she was being honest, she never really stopped thinking of him. She was constantly veering between being royally pissed to overwhelming agony. Nikolai constantly hovered around her like she was going to break, and while she was thankful for her new clan, his constant hovering like a mother hen annoyed her. She sent a letter to the pack a month after she'd settled in her new home but received no response. She still felt the pain when Brone slept with another female, but for the past couple of weeks, she hadn't felt anything. The first clue Evolet got that something was wrong was the strong scent of blood, Lycan blood. Evolet stood, and then Nikolai rushed through the door. "Ev, it's Lucy..." he said but didn't get to finish as Evolet rushed from the room. Tears filled her eyes when she saw Lucy. "Get the healer!" Evolet yelled, and Marcus nodded before leaving. Evolet went to the bathroom and wet a cloth. She went back to the bed, wiping the blood from Lucy's face and body. When most of the blood was washed away, the healer entered, and everyone left the room. It seemed to take forever for the healer to assess Lucy when it was only a few minutes.

The healer glanced at her, looking worried. "What is it, Des?" Evolet demanded. Des shook her head, a look of sorrow on her face. "There’s nothing I can do to heal her. Both she and the baby are dying. She shows signs of torture and starvation. Only a miracle can save her now." Des reported, leaving. Evolet paled and walked back into the room. Lucy lay there. She was conscious now but looked weak. Nikolai, Kali, and Marcus followed her. "Evolet." Lucy sighed weakly, tears falling from her eyes. "Tell me what happened, Lucy." Evolet demanded. Lucy broke down in tears. Evolet pulled the distraught woman into her arms gently and comforted her while she sobbed, rubbing her back soothingly. "We were attacked by rogues. Missy turned on Brone after he stopped sleeping with her. Brone hasn't heard from Trey or shifted since you rejected him. Trey has abandoned him for choosing Missy over you. Brone did his best when the rogues attacked, but without Trey, he was easily overpowered. The rogues have all our best warriors locked in the dungeon. I was there too, but Case helped me escape. Evolet, he's dying. I can feel it." she revealed sobbing again. "Please, I know he broke your heart, and you must hate him, but please help us?" Lucy begged. Evolet looked at her family. All four of them were there now as Jules walked into the room. As one, they nodded their heads. They were willing to follow her.

"You know, she doesn't have to die. I’ve been reading the scrolls you gave us about your kind, and you can heal her with your blood Ev." Marcus said as they left the room; Evolet sighed. "I know what I am capable of Marcus, but my blood will change her. Lucy would cease to be a Lycan. My blood will turn her into a hybrid. I will not make that decision for her." Evolet murmured, and Marcus shrugged. "So let her make that decision." He stated. Evolet stared at his stoic expression a moment and then walked back inside the room, closing the door behind her. Indecision warred within her. "Lucy, I can heal both you and the baby, but I must inform you that my blood is powerful. It will change you." She said slowly. Lucy inhaled deeply, absorbing Evolet’s words. "What do you mean? change me how?" she asked. Evolet ran her hands through her hair and sat on the edge of the bed. "My blood will change you into a hybrid." She said bluntly. Lucy nodded and then closed her eyes. She knew that this would risk her relationship with Brone, but she didn't want to die. She didn't want the baby that she and Case conceived to die. "Do it." She said with a curt nod.

Evolet sat beside Lucy's bed, watching her as she slept. It worked, giving Lucy her blood. She was healed, but Evolet was worried about the price that Lucy paid or would have to pay in the future. Lucy was now officially the first of her kind, a Lycan, Bloodborn hybrid. Evolet checked over Lucy and the baby thoroughly to make sure neither of them was harmed during the conversion, and both were healed, healthy, and thriving. She thought back to the day before when she'd given Lucy a transfusion of her blood. When Evolet's blood had begun to heal and alter her, Lucy had screamed in agony. She hadn't begged Evolet to make it stop, though. She'd gritted her teeth and rode through the pain of the conversion her Lycan was fighting. Evolet returned to the present when she sensed movement on the bed. Tears filled her eyes when Lucy opened her eyes and smiled weakly at Evolet, her own eyes filling with tears. "Thank you, Evolet. For saving me and the baby." She whispered softly. Evolet shook her head and pulled Lucy gently into her arms, hugging her. "You stayed by me side when I had nobody Lucy, there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you." Evolet replied and wiped hers and Lucy's tears away. Hope filled Lucy's face at her words. While Lucy was unconscious, Evolet had sent a scout to Brone's territory; they'd come back with some troubling information. Rogues had indeed taken over the pack land and were doing horrific things to the pack. Jasper told her that he'd seen women being r***d and beaten in the front yard. Children were chained up like animals with silver collars, and the warriors were all beaten and in the dungeon. After hearing that, rage had filled Evolet. Brone may have wronged her, but his pack was innocent, and for Missy to have turned her back on them like that. Evolet growled, vowing to feel the she-wolf's blood coating her hands for the betrayal.

Lucy dreamed. She was in a place covered in nature. There was no sign of civilization anywhere. The air was clean and fragrant, and she inhaled deeply. Suddenly, a young woman ran past her laughing with two little girls with her. Lucy recognized the young woman; it was Evolet as barely a teenager. The other two girls were younger, maybe around five or six. Evolet was playing with them. A huge demon emerged from the darkness of the forest. The two children screamed and shifted into tiny little pups. Lucy gasped at the sight. Young Evolet growled at the demon, her claws out while she stood protectively in front of the two girls. At the first provocation, Evolet rushed at the demon even though she was no match for it. She attacked the behemoth with everything she had, but she couldn't defeat it. The demon threw Evolet to the ground after impaling her with his claws and headed towards the pups. Even though she was bleeding out, using her superior speed, young Evolet rushed to the two girls and shielded their bodies with hers while the demon mauled her, cutting her back to ribbons. The two pups howled for help, and soon enough, the whole pack poured into the forest. Lucy jolted awake in the bed, Evolet placed her in. She was confused about what she'd seen, but the dream floated to the back of her mind at how much stronger she felt. Her eyesight was better than perfect. She could see dust motes in the air. She could smell the blood pumping through Evolet's veins, and she felt like she could lift a tank without breaking a sweat. Lucy peered at Evolet's smiling face. Was this how Evolet felt all the time? she wondered to herself. "No wonder she always seems to be extra careful when touching others." Her Lycan Nera said, and Lucy sighed in relief that she still had her beast. She'd thanked Evolet, and Evolet pulled Lucy into her arms. When Evolet told her there wasn't anything she wouldn't do for Lucy, hope filled her. Did that mean that Evolet was going to help her pack even after what Brone had done to her? "Does this mean that you're going to help us?" Lucy asked, and Nera stilled inside her, waiting for Evolet's answer. An unnameable expression descended on Evolet's face, and she nodded. "Yes, I will help you. We will soak the ground with the blood of your enemies, Lucy, but Missy is mine." She responded with a growl, and Lucy smiled.