Chapter 17: Rouge's attack.
1084 Words
Varek's pov.
Her body jerked violently, as though an invisible force had seized her strings and yanked them all at once. “Maya! Maya, are you okay?”
I crouched beside her, sliding my hands beneath her head to keep it from striking the floor. Her limbs convulsed, twisting in unnatural rhythm; a faint foam gathered at the corner of her lips, her breath coming in short, broken gasps.
Panic surged through me. Scooping her up bridal style, I raced for the infirmary where Mark should be. I didn’t know what was happening or how to help — only that I had to move, fast.
“MARK!” I shouted the moment I burst through the clinic doors.
The others in the clinic stared at me in shock, alarm etched across their faces as they rushed forward to help. But one figure pushed through the crowd.
Jackson.
“Mark isn’t around at the moment, hurry, bring her in,” he instructed, his voice steady despite the tension. He led us into a separate ward and closed the door behind him while I laid Maya on the bed.
Jackson moved quickly, checking her pulse, her temperature, and whatever else healers looked for.
I stood frozen, every muscle tight. If anything, I wanted Mark to be here, he knew more about Maya than Jackson did; he’d treated her before.
Do you know what’s wrong with her?” I asked, my voice unsteady. “And where’s Mark?”
Jackson ignored me for a moment. “Mark? I have no idea,” he said finally, flicking a syringe before injecting Maya with it. “She’ll be fine. You don’t have to worry — it’s part of the healing process.”
And he knew this… how?
“I took over her treatment,” he added, almost as if reading my thoughts. “I did warn her this would happen.” A hint of guilt darkened his tone as he brushed a strand of hair from Maya’s face.
Gradually, her body stilled. The tension in her muscles eased, and the faint quiver of her lips stopped altogether.
I doubted the crimson blood pack would send someone this weak to spy on us, then again, it was a weak man that brought the destruction of our pack in the first place.
Sighing in defeat, there was no point lingering any longer now that she was okay, “Take care of her,” I ordered Jackson who gave a slow nod before I walked out of there.
Sarah came up to me, asking about Maya’s condition. I told her she was going to be fine, though I wasn’t sure why I cared so much myself.
Maybe it was because she no longer felt like a threat. All week, I’d kept an eye on her, not in a creepy way, just watching her movements, her habits. Everything about her had been… normal.
Some days she’d sit staring into space, boredom written across her face. She’d tried talking to the others, but they all turned their backs on her, muttering that she shouldn’t even be here.
They questioned my judgment, why I had let her live instead of burning her to a crisp. And the truth was, I still didn’t know the answer.
Maybe it was something Norman said. Maybe it was the name she called that night. Or maybe I still believed my parents were alive, held hostage in the Crimson Blood Pack, and that she might be the only one who knew how to find them.
I had completely ignored Sarah while she spoke until I couldn't take any more of it, “I hear you, okay? I'll look into it,” I left her stranded as I made my way back to the office which was still being put in order.
On my way, I bumped into Mark and the gamma Corner, “We don't still have enough men for security, and the rogues are getting rampart,”
“What do you mean?” My brows creased.
Corner sighed, “Well, it's just suspicious, they haven't tried to attack but their scent is everywhere,”
It looked like another ambush to me, “And they haven't made any contact of what they want?”
Corner shook his head, “They are probably looking to cause trouble like they always do,”
No.
I don’t think so. Maybe before. Do you know how many there are?”
Once again, his answer was negative. “We don’t have any information whatsoever on them.”
Hmm.
“Then we need to be prepared for anything,” I said. “Gather those who can fight and secure the perimeters. If we have to go out and meet them, then that’s what we’ll do.”
We couldn’t just stay hidden in our little pack and wait to be attacked again, that had already failed us once.
They both started toward the door, but I called out, “Mark, wait.”
He turned back, brows furrowed.
“How come you weren’t at the clinic? Something happened to Maya.”
His expression shifted, confusion shadowing his face. “I went to get supplies. Jackson said there was more from the stash they brought.” He hesitated. “Is she okay?”
“She's fine, Jackson handled it,” I didn't think too much in why Jackson had not known of Mark's whereabouts, “Just make sure she's okay,”
Mark nodded before leaving.
My worries increased, we didn't have enough fighters so I was hoping more than ever that meeting the rogues would settle things.
The pack was informed of the news and everyone tried to be brave even though their worries could be visibly seen.
I spot Norman in the crowd and made my way towards her, “You need to get Maya,”
My brows furrowed once again as I frowned, “Why the hell would we need Maya here?”
Norman refused to respond, her eyes glued to the treelines, a sad smile sat on her face.
“And besides, there was an….accident, she's in the hospital,” I didn't know what else to call it.
Norman hummed in response before walking off. I still didn't understand why she spoke in that manner, cryptic.
I sighed deeply and glanced at the pack that we had started to build, the longing of my parents swelled in my chest, they would have been so much better at this.
But I didn't want to make the same mistake.
- Writer
