Chapter 7
1117 Words
“I need help!” Killian yelled as he came out of the water, Lyra’s body in his arms.
The people around the lake froze for a second.
Then everything broke at once.
Shouts. Running feet. Some warriors shifted halfway in panic.
Lyra’s head hung limp against him, her skin pale, water dripping from her hair. A deep gash tore through the left side of her ribs. Blood mixed with lake water and dripped down onto the grass.
“Move!” Killian barked again.
Andrea pushed through the crowd first, her face pale. “Lyra! Oh my—”
Killian walked past the crowd, rushing into the pack house. Blood stained his arms and hands as he tried applying pressure on the wound. He mind-linked Caleb, “I need a thorough investigation. Leave no stone unturned.”
The in-house healer rushed to his side as soon as he came in. She inspected the wound and her face paled instantly. "Upstairs, quickly. Let's get her stable."
Killian kicked open the private infirmary door and placed Lyra on the bed. The nurses scrambled, sticking needles into her body.
Killian could only watch as his bride-to-be laid lifeless on the bed.
“Alpha,” the healer called from behind, “please excuse us while we do our work.”
He glanced at the healer and back to Lyra's bleeding form. Running a bloody hand over his face, he sighed, “I want her in tip top shape. Understood?”
The healer nodded, following Killian behind to shut the door.
Back at the lake, pack members were still running to safety but in an orderly manner now due to the warriors.
“I want everyone in and under complete lockdown!” Caleb yelled through the mind link as he watched from the crime scene.
His eyes narrowed as he noticed a paw print in the soil around where Lyra was attacked. One of the warriors involved in the investigation came back panting.
“Sir I've searched the perimeter and there was no unusual scent apart from the Alpha and his betrothed,” he reported in between breaths.
“Did you check underwater?”
“Still the same sir.”
Caleb nodded and looked down at the print. It was large, unusually large and he couldn't possibly remember Killian shifting into his wolf.
“Find out where this leads to,” he pointed at the print. In the distance, he could see Killian coming up to them, still covered with blood. Lyra's blood.
“Find anything?” Killian asked as he came closer.
“Have you ever considered washing up?" Caleb teased lightly, earning himself a glare from Killian.
He continued, “unfortunately, there's no scent. Yet.”
"What?” Killian's mind rushed back to Lyra's interrogation in the council room.
‘...it didn't have a scent to mask…’
Killian shook his head as if to shake away the thought. It couldn't be the creature that attacked Lyra. His security was tight. Nothing could come in or out without being seen.
He cleared his throat, “keep searching. There has to be something.”
Just then, the warrior sent to inspect the paw prints returned. “Alpha,” he bowed slightly and turned to Caleb. “I followed the prints and you're not going to believe this, but they vanished.”
*****
Water rushed into her ears, blocking all hearing. She thrashed around, trying to escape but her feet were held down.
Then she saw their eyes. Red and glowing. It rushed towards her with its jaw open, ready to sink its teeth into her.
Lyra jerked up in bed and was instantly rewarded with a sharp sting at the side of her ribs. She put a hand under her shirt and held her side, only to feel some wetness.
Blood.
Lyra's breathing became labored and with every breath came pain, each one worse than the last. She ripped the IV needle out of her hand.
‘Why do these infirmaries always smell bad?’ she thought, covering her nose.
She managed to get off her bed, hand on the soiled bandage at her side as she approached the door.
The door swung open, frightening her a bit but relaxed as soon as she saw Killian.
Killian took one look at her disheveled state and frowned, “Why are you out of bed?”
Before she could answer, she was scooped up into his arms and taken back to the bed. She winced as she was being placed back on the bed.
“Did you see what your attacker looked like?” he asked, taking a seat in a chair close to her bed.
“What a caring husband you'd be.” she scoffed, wincing at the little movement.
“I don't have time for your sarcasm. Did you see your attacker?”
She rolled her eyes, “no. And I'd appreciate it if you get me a nurse.”
"Why?" Killian raised an eyebrow.
Lyra removed her hand from her side and held it out to his face. It was already covered in blood. "I called you dumb as a joke before, but now I'm really starting to see it.”
His eyes widened at the sight and he quickly mind-linked a nearby nurse. It was Nurse Tilly who came. As she set her eyes on Lyra, she smiled. “We keep meeting like this.”
She scanned Lyra's appearance, taking in the slightly soiled shirt and her bloody hand, “oh dear. You'll have to take off your shirt, can you do that?”
Lyra nodded and then shot Killian a look. His eyes were glazed over, he was probably having a conversation through mindlink. As soon as he was done, he caught Lyra's stare. “What?”
“I want to take off my shirt,” Lyra tried crossing her arms but gave up.
“Okay?”
“I need you to leave,” she huffed.
Then it clicked in his mind and he chuckled lightly, “I carried you up here in your bikini, all bloodied and unconscious.”
“How charming but I need my privacy. So out.”
Nurse Tilly could only smile, watching them go back and forth.
A knock sounded at the door as Killian stood up. “Come in,” he said.
It was a messenger and he had a letter in hand. “Alpha," he bowed, “a letter from the Sanguine Court in response to the one we sent."
Lyra sat up straighter upon hearing the name, despite the pain in her side.
“What does it say?” Killian asked.
“The vampire prince is arriving in three days time.”
- Writer
