The Golden One

The Darkness

"Ayo?" I whisper softly while giving her shoulder a gentle shake.

Christopher has lifted her onto the sofa on the far side of the room. Her body is completely limp but I can hear her heart lightly pumping in her chest.

Her eyes flicker open and they are filled with fear.

I can sense Christopher holding back from demanding to hear what she has seen. Was it about Carl? Is he going to die? I have so many questions too but it is important to make sure Ayoke is ok first.

She pulls herself up to sitting, her breathing ragged and shallow.

"Ayo, don't rush." I coo while stroking her hair.

She takes a moment to calm herself before bringing her eyes to mine, hers fill with tears.

"He's in so much pain, M." She starts sobbing as she speaks.

"And there's so much more pain to come." She cries as she buries her face into my shoulder. I stroke at her hair while holding back my own emotions. Carl has been a great supporter since I arrived here. Hell, he's become a very good friend and it hurts to think of him in so much pain.

Christopher paces behind me, muttering and swearing to himself. He blames himself for not being here and in a way, it's my fault. Our bond had pulled him away from here when they needed him most. However, I can't help feel a little grateful. He was kept out of harm’s way or it could be him lying in that hospital bed.

Ayoke pulls her head away from my shoulder and lets out a sorrow filled sigh. I brush away the tears still trickling down her cheeks.

"What exactly did you see?" I ask gently but desperation hangs in my voice. I need to know what's coming and what I can do to help. She sits up tall, rubbing her eyes and nose free of tears and snot.

"It was more of a feeling rather than what I saw. It's strange, this darkness is clouding my vision. It's unlike anything I've seen or felt before." Her voice has a slight shake to it, she seems terrified. I've never seen her like this. She's always my strong and sassy Ayo. That thought only scares me more, what could possibly have her this shaken?

"I'm not entirely sure everything I saw was about Carl. It started with him but it trailed off into someone else. I think it was the wolf that bit him." She continues while fiddling with her fingers.

"It seemed like his wolf had taken control, it was feral, and he was just a passenger in it's body screaming to get out. The pain he had came from being trapped, from being forced to watch the destruction he was causing but couldn't do anything to stop. As well as the obvious physical deterioration, I think that's what this disease is; it lets the savage wolf inside take control and there's nothing the human half can do to stop it." Once she finishes we all look over at Carl. The blackness in his veins is spreading rapidly and when he had woke, he was thrashing and shouting so the Doctors had to sedate him again.

Christopher swears loudly and leaves, Ayoke starts to cry again and I can't help but feel I have to push my sadness down. To be the strong Alpha I always am.

Carl isn't my family. He isn't my lover. He is my friend, my very new but dear friend. And we have no way to help him.

So I have to hold it together for him, for them. 

*****

The days keep passing and Carl's condition continues to go downhill. Christopher is either by his side or in his study reading through books and papers searching for any mention of the disease and anyway to cure him.

I have taken on the day to day running of the pack so that when Carl returns (yes I've decided it's when not if), everything is in order.

I try to comfort Christopher but he ignores my offers for comfort, barely speaking to me or even acknowledging my existence. I feel he blames me for taking him away from his pack and it hurts.

Annoyingly all of those feelings I had when I was apart from him have returned; my heart aches, my skin burns and my arousal is once again through the roof. It's so inappropriate and so frustrating as there is nothing that can be done to calm it.

I think Christopher is feeling the same, but his focus is solely on Carl and finding a way to cure him, understandably.

Ayoke has returned to our pack to do some research and continue to prepare for the Blood Moon ritual next month while Michael has came to support us, well, support me really. Things have felt less strained between us these past few days and it makes my heart happy to think we are returning to our old ways, as friends of course.

"Arrrgh!"

"M, are you alright?" Michael asks as I throw sheets of paper around the room.

"Carl really is an unorganised bastard!" I yell out in frustration. "Would it kill him to have a filing system, not just put it in a pile on his desk." I flinch at my choice of words and silently curse myself.

Michael notices my frustration and walks over to me to take the extra pieces of paper from my hands, placing them on the desk. He gazes at me then, completely taking me by surprise, pulls me into a hug. I freeze for a second as it's been weeks since we've touched but in this moment I needed someone to comfort me. I needed him. My body relaxes as I take a deep breath of the familiar scent I was so used to being engulfed by. I hug him back and a feeling of calm washes over me. I've missed him.

"You're doing the best you can." He hushes me and strokes my back. The burn in my skin calms and turns to a light tickle as I melt into his embrace. A soft moan falls from my lips.

You horny little minx.

My wolf brings me back to reality. s**t.

I pull out of Michael's arms and shuffle around awkwardly.

"Sorry M, I didn't mean to—" He too starts shuffling awkwardly and scratches at his neck.

"It's not that I didn't want a hug... it's just— well—" I stutter trying to find the right words. I've never felt awkward around Michael. Before we were together he was my best friend and I told him everything. I sigh in frustration.

"Take a whiff of me Michael, I'm back to where I was last week!" I stamp my foot and huff. He chuckles at my frustration and gives my shoulder a light shove.

"Yes Meila, we can all smell you. And we smell Christopher too." He smirks as he speaks, clearly enjoying our discomfort.

His brow crinkles and his smirk falls.

"So you two haven't—" His voice is awkward and his eyes fall to the floor.

"Do you really want to talk about this?" I snap irritably. Why does he want to know about our s*x life?

"I'm sorry. I just— I miss you." The last part is a whisper. Oh for f***s sake. Now? He wants to do this now?!

"Michael. Please don't do this. Not when everything is so f****d up. Not when I was finally settling into the bond. And certainly not when Christopher's brother is held up in a hospital bed fighting for his life." I turn and walk to the drinks trolley then pour myself a large scotch.

"I'm so sorry, you're right Meila. These last few days have felt like we were getting back to the old us. I was stupid to think—" He stops himself as I glare at him.  Then the mantra I had made up for Christopher on our very first day together pops into my head.

This is really hard for him.

Keep the situation calm.

Be the bigger person.

I walk over to him, softening my expression and offer him the glass. He takes it and takes a big gulp before sighing.

"I will always love you Michael. And we can go back to the way we were, before we were a couple. You were my best friend. I hope that in time you can be my best friend again." I rub his shoulder and give him a weak smile before I leave the office.

Guilt washes over me as I walk to the pack hospital. That hug had me melting into a puddle. But was it because it was Michael holding me or was it because these damn hormones are driving me wild? All I knew is that in this moment I wanted to see Christopher. I wanted to hold him, kiss him and comfort him. Not Michael. Definitely not Michael. Right?

I walk into Carl's room and see Christopher sitting in the chair, reading an ancient looking book. He raises his head, frowns and returns to reading his book.

"Enjoying Michael's company are you?" His voice is laced with distain. Well f**k.

This is really hard for him.

Keep the situation calm.

Be the bigger person.

"He's here to support us." I say calmly.

"Funny, it seems he's here for you. And it also seems his scent is all over you." He slams the book shut and stands. What is with the men in my life? Can't I catch a break? Why me?

You're literally standing next to a half dead Carl and you're annoyed about a little boy drama.

My wolf is in full sass mode because she hasn't been out. f*****g b***h but she's so right. Stupid, stupid Meila; it's not all about me.

Christopher has made his way around the bed and is now in front of me, eyes dark with anger.

"Have you forgotten that you are my mate?" He growls at me. I hate this side of him and he won't get away with it with me. I'm not some weak b***h, I'm a f*****g Alpha.

"Have you?" I snarl back at him, his face briefly flashes with surprise at my response. Has he forgotten who he's talking to?

"We're supposed to be there for each other. I know this is hard for you and I want to help you but you won't let me. You don't speak to me. You don't sleep next to me. I barely see you! I'm struggling too and if Michael wants to support me he f*****g can, because my mate certainly isn't." As soon as the words leave my mouth I regret them. His face is filled with pure rage and his canines start to show. Before they can fully extend he punches the wall, creating a fist sized hole by my head, and storms out of the room, heading towards the house.

Yep, you f****d that up.

Fuck.

I make my way over to the chair by Carl's bed and slump into it. How could I be so stupid and selfish. His brother is literally on deaths door and I'm whining about needing support. On the other hand if he let me in, maybe we could help each other.

"Y-you c-certainly told him." The voice is breathy and shaky. I stand and look down at the bed.

"Carl?" I ask in disbelief. This is the first sensical sentence he's spoken since being bitten.

"W-who else dummy?" He tries to roll his eyes while he speaks and I chuckle. He’s still so strong even when he's in so much pain.

"I'll get the doctor." I turn to fetch the doctor but he reacts quickly and grabs my wrist.

"No Meila. I need to tell you—" He cuts himself off by coughing. For being so weak he has a very tight grip of my wrist. I ignore it, just glad he's awake and speaking.

Christopher, you need to get back to the hospital. Carl's awake.

No response.

"The darkness Meila. It's coming for us. For all of us." His voice is barely a whisper and his eyes are wide. His grip tightens and his nails dig into me, causing me to bleed. I snatch my wrist away and rub at it, smearing the blood as I do. Carl inhales deeply and his eyes fix on my wrist.

In a second he's on me, lunging for my bloodied wrist. His eyes wild and dark and his canines fully extended, covered in black ooze. He grabs at my arm, brings it to his mouth and clamps down.

I howl out in pain. It's not the pain of a normal bite, I've been bitten in combat before, no this is different. The pain courses through my body, vibrates through my veins, ricochets of my bones and sinks into my very soul. Tears stream from my eyes as screeches and screams leave my mouth and I claw at Carl to let me go.

Christopher bursts through the door and pulls at Carl to release me from his jaw. Every time he pulls at him I wince at the movement of his teeth in my arm. Finally, he lands one swift punch to Carl's face, knocking him out.

My body starts to wobble and I feel my legs start to give way. Christopher runs to me and catches me as I fall.

He calls out to me but his words are muffled. He's shaking me almost viciously while planting soft kisses all over my face, pleading me not to leave him too but I can't move or speak. Tears run down my cheeks as my vision starts to fade into darkness and I can feel what Carl had just told me about:

The darkness. And it has come for me.