Chapter 16 - Madness
1268 Words
Lex's POV
"Lotus, what the f*ck are you doing?" I yelled at him as he crashed into the wall. Paintings crashed to the floor; the sound of glass breaking rang in my ears, and the smell of blood filled my nostrils.
"Stop! Stop this madness!" I ordered. "There is no way we could find her in this condition!"
He shook his head and got back on his feet. A burning sensation filled my left side.
"I can't help it," he muttered as he removed a piece of glass from my shoulder, revealing a deep gash in its place that is certainly going to leave a scar.
"I need to find her. She is calling me to claim her," he desperately continued. "I can't resist her call."
We could barely see—our vision was blurry and restricted, like we were blinded by an unknown force; my ears were ringing in my head, and my temperature was that of a wolf going into heat.
The delicate orange blossom scent didn't help the situation; it was toxic to our senses. I have never seen Lotus this desperate and out of control.
If only we could see and hear clearly...
What caused my condition?
Was this the result of the blood moon?
Will I regain my full vision and hearing?
I sighed hopelessly.
I could only hope—can you imagine what kind of ruler I would be if I were blind?
A blind and deaf Alpha King—a first in the werewolf world.
Would I be able to rule?
Would it make me weak?
A worried breath escaped my lips as questions and concerns filled my thoughts.
I was certain that it would leave me vulnerable. I could potentially become a liability to the pack. I can't have that!
My attention shifted to what Lotus was busy doing. He came to a stop.
"What is it?" I asked curiously.
Lotus stuck out his hand, pushing it open—a door?
Was she hiding?
Lotus froze when the heavenly smell crashed like waves around us. The scent was intoxicating; it filled the air with a sense of warmth and safety. I felt a strange pull towards it, as if it were calling me to step closer and discover what lay beyond the door.
I inhaled deeply and sighed—heavily!
"So delicious," Lotus mumbled, leaving a pool of drool. "I can't wait to have her."
"I can't sense anyone in here?" I told him. "Can you?"
For a moment, Lotus had his claws stretched out before him as he carefully stroked and touched everything in the room. We could make out the outlines of a mop, bucket, and broom, as well as the faint scent of cleaning supplies lingering in the air. "It's just a storage room," I said, trying to quell his excitement, but the anticipation hung thick between us like a charged atmosphere, hinting at something more.
Why was she there?
"She's not in here," he eventually said, saddened by the realization. The disappointment in his voice weighed heavily on my heart.
"I wonder why she was in here," I commented.
"Who cares?" Lotus snapped. "I just want to find her!"
Before I could say anything more, he found his way out the door, raising his nose to the air. He seemed to catch a faint scent, his determination renewed.
I hesitated for a moment, glancing back at the dimly lit room, my mind racing with questions about the mysterious girl and the secrets she might hold.
"She went that way," he yapped happily, picking up a trail as his head moved in the direction of the hallway leading outside.
I took a deep breath, feeling a mix of curiosity and apprehension wash over me. As I watched Lotus bound forward, I couldn't shake the feeling that this encounter would change everything.
Lotus came to a stop at the indoor fountain, and I reverted my attention to the roof. It seemed like the blood moon was almost at its peak. The eerie glow of the blood moon cast a crimson hue over everything, intensifying the surrounding atmosphere. I felt a shiver run down my spine as I realized that whatever awaited us outside under that haunting light would reveal secrets I was not yet ready to face.
Lotus sniffed as he went around the fountain.
"What are you thinking?" I asked curiously.
"I'm just wondering why she is running away from us," he replied. "Do you think she doesn't want us?"
"I can't see any reason why she does not want us." I replied. "I am the heir to the throne. Should it not be an honor to have me as a mate?"
Lotus gave me a worried look but didn't say anything more; instead, he followed the scent outside and became anxious when we exited the packhouse.
He came to another stop when we were at least a hundred yards from the packhouse.
"She is going in the direction of the gardens," he said, with his muzzle pointed in the air.
"I just hope she doesn't go into the forest," I said. "It will be difficult to find her there in our condition."
Lotus didn't reply, but I could sense he felt the same. He anxiously followed his nose and sprinted blindly down the path.
Lotus suddenly stopped in the middle of the path and twitched his ears.
As if called, he abruptly changed direction, and a moment later he soundlessly pushed a bush away. He kept to the shadows as he got closer.
Under the dim moonlight we could make out the outline of a girl. She was lying against an old, fallen-over tree stump, her face buried between her arms.
Is she crying?
I tried to focus. I could barely make out the orange shreds of her dress spread around her.
"Was she attacked?" I asked worriedly. "Is she hurt?"
"Mate!" Lotus howled, forcing the girl to quickly lift her head.
"Who's there?" she called out. Her sweet, innocent voice sends tingles down my spine. "Don't come any closer! I don't want any trouble. Please leave! I promise I will not go back..." Her voice broke as it faded into sobs.
"She seemed sad about something," I said.
Lotus ignored me, and he stepped out of the shadows.
A horrific scream escaped her lips the moment she laid eyes on us. She jumped up and tried to run, but Lotus was faster. He grabbed her by the arm and pulled her to his chest, putting his giant hand over her mouth.
"Mate!" he whispered again, making her shiver in his hold as if cold. She refuses to look at him.
She was scared, maybe even afraid of us.
Lotus didn't mind; he was happy about holding her in his arms. He held her tightly, almost possessively, against his chest. Little sparks danced everywhere our bare skin touched.
Yet, the girl didn't move or make a sound. There was not even a peep or a squeak. She stood frozen against his chest.
"I am not going to hurt you," he whispered. "Promise me you will not scream."
The girl slowly nodded her head, and Lotus dropped his hand and gave her some room to breathe.
"That's a good girl," he whispered, running his wet snout down to her nape.
However, before we knew what was happening, the girl kneed us between the legs, pushed us off, and ran, trying to escape.
Startled and out of desperation, Lotus grabbed her by the arm, pulled her back to his chest, and slammed his canines into her nape...
*****
- Writer
