Hybrid Lena

Chapter 7

-Kane-

My body floated when going through the orb, Another orb was approaching me rapidly. An image of a young woman laying lifeless on the floor and a half wolf towering over her, she needed to be saved.

As we jumped through the orb the wolf turned to me, threatening with a growl. I had to get him away from her.

We made contact. Making blows and matching, descending my claws he was fast, but not fast enough as I sliced his chest. Instead of seeing normal red blood, it was blue.

Who was he?

I was ready for another attack, but he stayed where he were. His body language shifted abruptly, rigid and unnatural, as though he’d been frozen in place. Like he was waiting for someone else to tell him what to do.

His eyes faded from that unnatural blue I noticed to brown, his body followed, the half wolf receding until he stood fully human once more. Without a word, he turned and ran into the bushes, vanishing as suddenly as he’d appeared.

I waited a full minute before shifting my focus to the injured woman lying unconscious on the ground.

I moved to her quickly, stopping just short of touching her as I assessed the damage. I needed to be sure that my presence, my touch wouldn’t do more harm than good. Her injuries were serious, but not life-threatening. Still, she needed medical attention, and fast.

Her scent hit me, stronger now that I was close. Coconut, warm and faintly sweet, threaded with something floral, Parma violets. My nostrils flared involuntarily.

She smelt incredible.

Apollo surged inside me, restless and insistent. He wanted her. Needed her. I had never felt him react like this towards a woman before. Not once.

I slid my arms beneath her carefully, one under her knees, the other supporting her shoulders and lifted her against my chest.

The instant we touched, everything snapped.

My vision blurred, my heartbeat thundered. The pull between us slammed into me like a physical force, sharp and undeniable. Power surged, hot and chaotic, flashing behind my eyes. Apollo went wild, clawing at my control, driven half-mad by her scent.

I wanted her.

The intensity of it startled me. I had never wanted anyone like this, never lost myself, so completely in the need to be close. I forced myself to breathe. This woman, young, beautiful, broken in my arms was unconscious. Vulnerable. She needed help, not desire. I shoved the instinct aside with effort and focused on getting her out of here.

That’s when I noticed the orb.

It still hovered nearby, open and waiting as though it knew I would return. I looked down at her once more, then turned and ran straight into it.

The world folded in on itself.

I stepped out the other side still holding her tightly, and suddenly we were back in my bedroom.

Magic?

I didn’t have time to think about it. I glanced over my shoulder just as the orb sealed itself shut and disappeared. Then I turned and ran. I burst into the nurse’s room without warning, the door slamming against the wall. The nurse spun in her chair startled and wide-eyed.

“Prince Snyder…”

I crossed the room and gently laid the woman onto the bed. The nurse was already moving, gloves on, instincts kicking in as she assessed the damage.

“What happened to her?” she asked, grabbing her observation kit.

“She was attacked,” I said evenly, “By another wolf.”

She examined the wounds, her frown deepening as she reached to the stomach injury.

“This is the worst of it,” she murmured. “But she’s going to be ok. That’s the important thing.”

Relief had loosened something tight in my chest.

“The healing has started already,” the nurse continued, “but it’s slow. Very slow. That’s unusual for a wolf.” she paused, then looked up at me.

“Judging by her scent, she is a wolf?”

“Yes,” I said quietly. “I believe she is.”

She nodded once and turned back to her work. Once she finished checking the wounds, she moved to her computer and began typing notes. “What is her name?”

I hesitated.

“I don’t actually know,” I admitted. “I found her like this.”

She paused, then continued typing. “Well, the good news is she is stable. The healing will take time, but it will happen. I’ll monitor the stomach wound closely,if that claw had landed any deeper, it would have been critical. She’s very lucky.”

I stared at the woman on the bed longer than I should have. The nurse cleared her throat gently, and the moment snapped me back. That’s when it hit me, I’d caused a search. My disappearance would have triggered every alarm in the castle.

“I need to speak to my mother,” I said. “Please keep her here and let me know when she wakes.” She nodded without hesitation. Of course she would.

“Thank you, Nurse Sara.” I took one last look at the woman, then at her wounds, then turned and left, closing the door quietly behind me. Everything inside me fought to stay by her side, Apollo disapproved us leaving. But we had other matters to sort.

I approached the massive oaks doors to my mother’s chamber and knocked. After a moment, I heard her voice.

“Come in.”

She stood over the big old oak table that fill up half the room, hands braced against the surface, studying a map of our land. Beside her stood Alex, my best friend, my second in command, his posture tense as he tried to calm her. They’d been looking for me.

Guilt struck hard. I shouldn’t have ran. But how could I have explained this to Tom? To anyone? The voice in my head hadn’t given me a choice.

I stepped forward. “You can call off the search now, mother. I’m home.”

Her head snapped up.

“Kane?” Her eyes filled instantly. “Thank goodness you’re back!” She crossed the room in seconds and pulled me into a tight, panicked embrace, holding on like she might lose me again, I let her. She needed it.

After a moment she pulled back, hands gripping my arms as she checked me for injuries. Once she was satisfied, her expression hardened.

“What on earth were you thinking?” she demanded. “The guard assigned to you is in serious trouble.”

“This wasn’t his fault,” I cut in. “It was mine. I left before he could stop me.”

The nurse’s words earlier echoed in my mind

“What’s her name?”

“I found her like this..”

“Well, the good news is, she’s stable…”

I pushed the thought aside and focused.

“I know this upset you,” I said carefully. “But I’m safe. No one took me.” Her eyes searched mine, fear flickering there. The same look she had when my father vanished.

Finally, she exhaled. “Call off the search,” she murmured. Then, firmer. “Next time you leave the castle, Kane you take a guard. Do I make myself clear?”

“Yes, Mother.”

“I’d like Alex to accompany me to the gym,”I added. “If that is acceptable.”

She looked at Alex, then nodded. “You may be excused. Thank you.” Alex bowed and held the door for me. I returned the gesture to my mother before leaving.

As we walked, Alex caught up easily. “You know the gym is the other way,” he stated. “What’s going on with you, Kane? and don’t even think about lying to me. I know you.”

“I have a problem,” I said quietly. “One I don’t know how to deal with yet. I can’t tell my mother, not until I understand it myself.” He studied me for a moment, then nodded.

“I’ll follow,” he said

And he did.