SIXTEEN
1214 Words
“I find it hard to believe that not one, one of those rogue Outcasts were captured after everything they did to our people last night.” One of the elders’ hard voice filtered through the council room.
His eyes darted between the other men gathered in the room and stopped at Kael who was seated at the head of the table.
Kael’s fingers pressed hard against his temples, almost digging into them. His eyes were squeezed shut, it was the only way he knew to curtail the pain. The pain he had been nursing since the middle of the night.
“Has she been found yet?” Kael asked through the mindlink.
Harry, who was seated at Kael’s right hand, whipped his head to Kael immediately, his brows narrowed in irritation.
“The slave? Is that what is on your mind right now?”
Kael growled. “That does not answer my question, Harry.”
Harry turned his face away. “Not yet, Alpha. We have searched through two sectors of the pack, the men are still searching.”
“Expand the search to Grimblood pack, I doubt she knows any other place to go.”
Harry turned his eyes back to Kael. They followed his fingers as it massaged his temples.
“I will inform the soldiers.” He responded almost reluctantly.
“Are you not going to say something, Alpha?” Dapson, one of the older elders quipped.
Alpha Kael and Harry turned their attentions to the man that had spoken.
Sharp pricks of needles attacked Kael’s head. He groaned softly as he squeezed his eyes shut. The pain was getting worse, Elara was getting further away.
“Oh, for heaven’s sake, Dapson.” Benjamin sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. The chatter in the room quieted down as all attention turned to the elder.
Kael groaned again, a tad louder this time as he sank into his seat and titled his head back. His fingers not leaving his temples.
“The Outcasts infiltrated our pack less than ten hours ago and you already expect them at your feet,” Benjamin continued.
Harry connected the mindlink again. “Are you okay, man? You seem really out of it.”
Kael bit down on his teeth. Thick veins popped out against his beet red face.
Harry placed his palms against the table and jerked up from his seat.
“Uhm…Dad, thank you for your consideration but this meeting is adjourned for now.”
Kael stood up immediately and began heading for his room. Benjamin darted his eyes between Harry and the other elders who were as surprised as he was.
“What? Is something happening?” Benjamin retorted.
“No. Something important came up. We need to discuss on it and get back to you.”
“Don’t I need to be there?” Benjamin quipped.
“And me to?” Dapson added.
Harry looked at both men and focused on Benjamin. “The meeting is adjourned, Dad. We will get back to everyone once we’ve sorted somethings.”
He turned briskly and chased after his Alpha.
Kael was pulling off his undershirt when Harry burst into the room. His body, just like gus face had turned beet red.
Kael groaned as he slumped into the bed and jerked out almost immediately. His body was on fire, the contact with the bed burned his skin.
He ran his fingers through his hair and began pacing the room.
“Call the f*****g healer, Harry. Tell him to get here at once!”
“I did that already.” Harry stepped closer to him. “What is going on? What happened to you?”
The prick of the needles sharpened. A hammer began pounding in his head. His body burned and hurt everywhere.
A lodge formed in his throat, tears burned the back of his eyes but he couldn’t shed them. He didn’t know how. His body wouldn’t even let him.
“What are you doing to me?” He said to no one in particular.
“Me? I don’t-”
A knock came on the door. Harry opened the door and a lanky man with bright blonde hair stood behind it with Cassian by his side.
“What took you so long?” Harry gave way for the healer to step in and slammed the door shut immediately. “Find out what is wrong with him.” He added before the healer could answer.
Gavin, the healer, set his box on the floor and began rummaging through it. Kael continued pacing.
“I will need you to stay still, please, your Majesty.”
“Leave us.” Kael ordered as he stooped by the dressing table.
“Oh.” Gavin began packing back his box.
“Not you, Gavin.”
Harry brows furrowed immediately. “You don’t mean that.”
Kael whipped his head to Harry and his blood red eyes met his. Harry lowered his eyes immediately and left the room, closing the door softly behind him.
“Why is this happening to me, Gavin? My whole body is on fire.”
Gavin began examining Kael’s body. “You fought the outcasts yesterday, no?” Kael hummed. “The Outcasts use the Pyre Dust when attacking a pack. The dust wasn’t meant to get you, if it did, that can only mean they have strengthened their potion.”
“The Pyre Dust? That is what is causing this? You are sure?”
“Yes.” Gavin responded.
Kael eyed him curiously as he went back rummaging through his box. Gavin hadn’t said what he was expecting to hear. He expected him to tell him who Elara was and how she affected him so badly. But a Pyre Dust? That sort of potions never caught him.
“Here, take this.” Gavin handed him a small vial. “It’s the antidote. It gives instant relief.”
Kael took the bottle, uncorked it and downed the black liquid content immediately. If whatever was happening to him was similar to the symptoms of the Pyre Dust effect, then the antidote should also work.
Lavender…
Rose…
The scent danced around his senses as the headache slowly dispelled. The pricks of the needle stopped, the pounding in his head ceased. The burn he felt all over his body quietly seized.
He exhaled deeply as he dropped into his bed.
Lavender…
Rose…
The scent thickened with every breath he took.
“f*****g hell, Gavin.” He muttered as he swiped sweat off his forehead.
“Might I suggest something, Alpha?” Kael hummed softly. He dragged in deep breaths and tried to regulate himself.
“If the attack leads to a war, I suggest we should be prepared to take whatever they bring.”
“Are you trying to say something, Gavin?”
Gavin huffed. “We never concluded on finding you a chosen mate. We need to find you a Mate and possibly, an heir.”
“Are you suggesting I bring an innocent woman and child in the middle of an impending war?”
“No, I’m..I’m not saying- Alpha Kael-”
A quickly knock came on the door and opened immediately. Cassian pocked his head in.
“Alpha Kael, the slave is back.”
- Writer
