Between Two Worlds

Chapter Ten

Logan

When Liora passed out in my arms I started to panic.

Why? I am not so sure if I understand the reason myself. An Alpha wolf, a powerful one at that, panicking because another supernatural has fainted in their arms is not a good vision at all.

It took me a few seconds to react, but as soon as my brain started to work again, I studied my facial expressions, putting my usual stoic face on (because I didn’t want anyone to see that this affected me, much less Rariel who was watching me like a hungry hawk).

"That’s an unexpected development…" said Rariel, without caring to hide the glee in her eyes.

Was this she-wolf for real? Is she really happy to see someone in bad shape?

"I am gonna take her to the infirmary and ask our healer to take a look at her" I declared without giving space for discussion.

But it seems Rariel didn’t take the hint.

"Why bother doing all this, Alpha? Just dump her outside our borders and let her take care of herself".

Now I was trying really hard not to frown. Was this woman for real? I wouldn’t do that, not even to my enemy. I could not do such a thing even if sometimes I see her as one. It would be a dishonorable action to abandon a defenseless woman in the wild. There are worse things than rogue wolves roaming these lands.

Creatures that are a nightmare to be up against, even in full control of your abilities or in our wolf form. Leaving her unconscious like Rariel was suggesting, was the same as killing her and feeding her body to the monsters that hunt at night. Just like a small treat from a prey they would have no trouble hunting.

That is exactly why we have so many wards protecting our borders against these wild beasts.

It made me sick the thought of actually doing something like this and, as an Alpha, I was disappointed with Rariel.

"I will pretend you did not just say that, Rariel. Have you no honor as a wolf? Do you truly take no pride in being a part of this pack? Because sure if you did, you would never have suggested such a despicable thing".

My voice was just like that of a father who was giving a sermon to a disobedient child. One that brought shame to the family.

Rariel’s response was to lower her head in shame and keep her mouth shut. There wasn’t anything that she could say to me right now that would mitigate the words she just spoke.

Good. At least you know that you screwed up big time.

Without saying another word, I left the room with Liora still unconscious in my arms. She weighed almost nothing, it was like carrying a child. Or maybe it was just because, with my werewolf genes, I could lift heavy weights without breaking a sweat.

On the way to the infirmary, I mind-linked my best healer to meet me there.

Minutes later, Liora was already comfortably lying down on a cot (as comfortable as it could be in here). We were in a private section of the infirmary and our healer was examining her.

After telling him a short version of what happened, I left the room to give him space to do his work and also because I needed to breathe and think about what the heck was happening with me and my fluctuating emotions.

Why was Liora affecting me so much? She used to do a number on me when we were young and that pissed me off almost daily. However, it was never like this. Never this intense.

Was it really her Siren shenanigans playing with me or was it something else entirely?

Several minutes later, I was deep in thought, fighting an internal battle where Liora was the center of it when Garren cleaned his throat, calling my attention back to reality.

"You can come in now, Alpha".

"Oh, no! I don’t need to go in. I just need to know if she is going to wake up. That’s all".

He was squinting his brows at my answer; and if he had anything to say about that, he kept his thoughts to himself.

"She will wake up fine, Alpha. After a couple of hours resting, she will be as good as new. But I still think she should not be left alone in there".

It was my turn to look at him puzzled.

"Why?" It was my only question.

"For starters, she is a Siren and not a wolf…" he paused like his words were shocking news and were giving me time to digest it. Before I lost my patience, he went on with his speech. "Also, from what you’ve told me when she passed out, she was using her abilities without control. Think of what could happen if she awakes in an unfamiliar place, without knowing what happened and with the memory of being attacked fresh in her head".

He had a point.

"What do you think should be done?"

"So as not to have a repeat of the past events, keep someone she knows inside with her until she wakes up".

"Besides me, the only other person she knows in this pack is Dominic. And he is not back yet".

"I guess you will have to keep her company then" Garren stated, unbothered by the sour face I had on.

And with a know-It-all kind of smirk, he left me alone with my ghosts and an unconscious Liora waiting in the other room.

These next couple of hours are going to be very troublesome for me. As for Liora, I hope she is having some very unpleasant dreams. After all, it’s not fair for her to have a beauty sleep while I suffer as I play the role of her maid in waiting.

*

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*

In the first few hours, I went back to my office and gathered a couple of parchment paper and ink pens so I could finish my work. At this turtle pace I was getting things done, because of everything that was happening, it would take me a lifetime to finish it all.

The only good side to all of this was that working in that tight room and close to Liora’s bedside, I got a lot of work done.

As soon as I went back to the infirmary room with my hands full of work-related stuff, I immersed myself in work. Something I thought would be hard, but in the end, was not.

Something about her presence was soothing. It helped me to concentrate instead of disturbing me as I thought it would. Only a few hours later, I had more work done than when I was alone in my office.

But I was also very tired. My hands hurt from scribbling for hours straight. So I got up and stretched my arms and body until a few of my bones popped. I relished the good feeling it gave me. My muscles relaxed a bit after.

And then my attention was taken by the figure sleeping soundly at my side. She looked peaceful, with her face void of any emotions, just relaxing in a deep slumber. It was as if she had no worries in the whole world. It made me smile. This girl is something else.

When I was staring at her, my eyes caught the nice piece of jewelry adorning her neck. It was the necklace she was holding so fiercely more than once before. It was an intrinsic delicate necklace carved in the shape of a four-point star, with two sides longer than the others. The carving was made in a silvery type of material I didn’t recognize. But I knew I'd seen it before. But where?

My curiosity got the better of me. Getting closer to her cot, I got to my knees beside her and took the necklace in my hands.

At first, I felt a pleasant tingling sensation in the tips of my fingers; the sensation intensified as the tingling spread through my hand and arm. It was so good I had to hold back a moan.

What the actual hell? I was stunned!

The energy that this object emitted when it got in contact with my skin, told me it was not just an ordinary item. Its magical properties were concealed until I touched it.

And then something even more unexpected happened. The tingling gave place to a warmth that made me smile, but suddenly the warm feeling changed to a hot intensity that burned my hand, making me let go of the object. I stared at the necklace that was now emitting a weak glow, seconds later the glow faded as if nothing had changed.

What just happened?

I was about to touch it again when Garren returned to the room and seeing my stretched hand he quickly whisper-shout me not to move.

I halted with my hand only a few inches from her neck and looked at him with a puzzled expression on my face. Arching my eyebrows, I slightly moved my head in a silent order for him to explain himself.

"You should not touch the necklace" He finally explained. But his words only made me more curious and he noticed it.

I didn’t need to ask why, but I did it anyway. He gladly gave me the answer to that.

"Earlier when I was examining her, I noticed the piece of jewelry and I got intrigued for some reason. It looked just like a normal pendant, but at the same time, it had a strange glow. I knew it was no ordinary item. So I wanted to touch it and study it. However, when I did, the repellent magic of it burned my hand" He explained while showing me his bandaged hand.

Wait, it burned him enough to wound? It wasn’t so bad for me.

"Did you feel the prickly feeling too?"

Garren squinted his brows as if confused by my question.

"No, it just burned me. Why do you ask? Have you touched it already?"

"It’s nothing…" I said, avoiding his question. "Do you know what this is?"

He shook his head in affirmation, walking close to me, and stopped a few feet from Liora’s cot.

"Can you see the delicate carvings and the uncommon material it was made of?" He asked, looking at me to confirm I was shaking my head yes; and then Garren continued. "These two things tell me it’s a very rare piece, probably handmade by Elves. And if I did not recognize the distinctive work, the strong energy I felt when I touched it would be enough indication of its origin".

Oh, dear Moon Goddess… I have so many questions now.

"How can you be sure it was made by Elves?" I inquired, holding my tongue not to ask him all the questions swirling in my head.

"I am quite sure it was made of Moon Silver. It’s a very rare element and can only be found in the deepest parts of the Alfayian forest. That’s why it had this distinctive shine and color". His voice was full of confidence, he knew what he was talking about.

"And how the hell did you know all of this?"

"I am a polymath, Alpha. And Elven culture is one of my favorite subjects of study. That’s why I also know that this pendant was made to protect the person who is wearing it. It burned me because I was not supposed to touch it. For some reason, this Siren got her hands on a very powerful Protection Relic. The only thing I don’t know is why she was in need of it. Or how she got it".

"Can you discover more about it if you could study this thing with more time?" I asked, a plan formulating in my head.

"I don’t think it’s wise to try and take it out of her".

"And why is that?"

"For once, because we have no idea the reason this girl had to need its protection in the first place. And secondly, if only touching it without foul intentions severely burned me, would you care to risk it and discover what will happen if you try to take it from her by force?"

He had a point. Even if it didn’t hurt me when I held it in the beginning, it repealed me nonetheless. I was curious to know more, but I didn’t want to share with the healer that what happened to me was different… and I also didn’t want to risk something worse happening to us. Or Liora, for that matter.

I shrugged my shoulders and stared at the healer for a few seconds before speaking again:

"You are right. Let it be for now. I can ask her some questions later. Why were you here?" I finally asked, changing the topic of our conversation.

"I just came to tell you I am retreating to my house for the day. I will rest and come back tomorrow with the first light. You should do the same, Alpha. You also need rest. But I would advise you to use one of the other cots in another room. Stay close in case she awakes in the middle of the night".

With that, he lowered his head in a signal of respect and left the room. Once more, alone with this girl and a bunch of new questions in my head. As if I already didn’t have enough.

It is going to be very hard for me to rest tonight.