The Kaeliths.
1254 Words
“Once she dies, bring her body to me,” Rhex added. “And don’t even think of doing something stupid, Nero.”
Rhex laughed. Their footsteps faded as they left.
“Soraya.” Elandor cupped my face gently. “Can you hear me?”
I couldn’t respond. But I could hear him.
“This place smells strange,” Nero said sharply. “What do you think they gave her?!”
“I think it’s poison,” Elandor said. “If Elthryn and Rhex did this, then we’re at risk.” His voice tightened. “His blood is poisonous. Remember?”
Nero inquired, “Was Elthryn’s blood used to poison Soraya?”
“Yes. I’m sure of it.”
A pause.
“Then we need to meet Myrel.”
Myrel? Who was that?
“You can’t be serious,” Elandor said.
“It’s our only choice,” Nero replied firmly. “Soraya is more important.”
Elandor grabbed something from the table. I didn’t see it, but suddenly I felt a sharp sting in the same arm the doctor had injected earlier.
I gasped.
Heat rushed through my veins, spreading fast. My chest rose sharply as air filled my lungs. Fingers twitched. My toes curled. The crushing weight on my body eased.
My wolf stirred, weak and faint.
“This is a stabilizer,” Elandor said quickly. “It won’t cure the poison. It just slows it down and wakes her.”
I closed my eyes briefly, then opened them. The room was spinning, but I could feel my arms, my legs, my body again. I was still weak, terribly weak. I slowly turned my head toward Nero on my right.
“How are you feeling?” he asked, hope flickering in his eyes. He touched my arm gently. “Are you okay?”
“I just… feel weak,” I whispered.
“You’ll get your strength back,” he said. “Okay?”
“That drug is temporary,” Elandor warned. “We need to get this poison out of her body as soon as possible.”
“Try to sit up,” Nero said gently.
I did. The room tilted. My head spun. Blood stained the sleeve of my light-blue shirt. My suit lay draped over a chair nearby.
Then I saw her.
The doctor from earlier was on the floor. Unmoving.
“What… happened to her?” Panic rushed through me.
Nero and Elandor looked away.
My chest tightened. “Is she… is she dead?”
They didn’t answer.
My hands shook as I gripped the edge of the bed. “Talk to me,” I said, my voice breaking. “What’s going on?” I swallowed hard. “And don’t tell me she’s dead.”
Still nothing.
“Nero. Elandor.” I looked between them. “Answer me.”
“This isn’t the time for questions,” Nero snapped. “You almost died. Didn’t you feel them before you collapsed?”
“Why are you yelling at me?” I shot back. “How was I supposed to know who was hurting me? I thought it was him.”
Elandor stepped closer. “Who?”
“There’s a guy in my class,” I said. “I don’t know his name. The moment I passed him, the pain hit me. I thought I was dying. I think he’s one of my mates. Maybe that’s why I couldn’t sense the others.”
Elandor cursed under his breath and started pacing. “That’s bad.”
“They’re in school,” Nero muttered.
My heart dropped.
“What if…” I whispered.
“We’re in serious trouble,” Elandor said. “Elthryn and Rhex nearly killed you. We need to find the others fast.”
Nero spun on him. “Are you insane? They used compulsion on a human doctor to poison her. We don’t even know who we’re dealing with.”
“Compulsion?” I asked. “What does that mean?”
Nero’s expression hardened. “Not all Kaeliths know each other.”
The words hit me hard.
Elandor said. “It’s an old rule. No one can plot against the alpha. Some of them know each other. Some don’t. We could walk straight into a trap and never see it coming.”
I looked at the doctor on the floor again. My heart skipped.
“He’s a hybrid. Half vampire. Half werewolf.”
My stomach dropped. “What do you mean?” I asked Nero.
“That’s why people obey him,” Elandor replied instead. “Vampires bend human minds. Wolves dominate through presence. Elthryn has both.”
“It means a hybrid compelled the doctor to inject you with his blood.” Nero concluded.
"A vampire? In the Ashenvale Lineage Clan?”
“Yes,” Nero said. “Elthryn is a hybrid.”
My world tilted.
“Half vampire. Half werewolf,” Elandor finished, shrugging.
I stared at them. “This is a werewolf pack. What is a hybrid doing here? I thought vampires were extinct.”
“So did most people,” Nero muttered.
“And… he’s a Kaelith?”
Elandor nodded. “Yes. And the Alpha knows.”
“What!”
“I understand how you feel.” Nero nodded, sighing.
“What happens if the pack finds out there are vampires among us? And the Alpha allowed it? Why would he keep them close? None of this makes sense. And you don’t even know who all the Kaeliths are.”
Elandor let out a slow breath.
“And the Alpha wants me dead,” I whispered. “He sent a hybrid to kill me.”
“Elthryn is of royal blood,” Elandor said. “His blood is poisonous. It was to shut you down. I suppressed most of it, so you’ll regain some strength. But…”
“But what?”
“You can’t shapeshift right now.”
My heart slammed against my ribs. “Why?”
“Because if your wolf tries to surface, she’ll trigger the poison,” he hissed. “And it will kill you.”
My body went stiff.
“My wolf… would kill me?”
“Yes,” Nero answered. “Your body is fighting her. She’ll try to break free. And the only way she can do that right now… is by destroying you.”
I couldn’t see well.
“And the only way to remove the poison completely,” Elandor continued, “is to see him.”
“Who?” I breathed.
“Myrel,” Nero said. “He’s not in the country right now. But we can reach him. He’s the only one who can handle something like this.”
My throat tightened. “What about Rhydian? Did the Alpha reject my father’s request? Did he refuse the ritual?”
Nero sighed. Elandor looked away.
“I don’t want to die,” I whispered, my voice shaking. “I don’t want to take the Kaeliths away from the Alpha. Don’t want any of this. I’ll beg him if I have to. I just… I can’t carry this anymore. Let me see him.”
My head feels like bursting open. I can’t believe the Alpha wants me dead.
What did I ever do to deserve this? Does this mean I can never go back to my normal life?
I never asked for any of this. Why does he want to kill me? I’m terrified of what will happen next. This wasn’t part of the plan.
And vampires? Inside our pack?
- Writer
