Devenity: Unknown World

Chapter 5

I was glad to have a night without dreams, I've had one too many strange dreams for a lifetime. Xenia left early, I would guess it was because of pack duties, and if she was up that meant Xayvion was up as well. Getting out of bed with determination to put myself to use in the pack even if Xayvion didn't want me to, I quickly freshened up and joined everyone for breakfast.

Xayvion and Charlotte were all having breakfast already

"Greedy, how dare you eat without me?"

"Dev, what are you doing up so early?"

Xayvion immediately pulled out a seat for me

"I've sort of always been an early bird, but the temperature around here made me sleep longer than I normally do"

"So I take it you've now adjusted to it?"

Charlotte asked while serving my food

"I guess so, whatever it may be, I'm up and ready to work"

"Work on what, if I may ask?"

Xayvion raised an eyebrow

"Work, work, in this pack, as an active mate to the alpha"

"And the alpha says, stand down and rest, it's too early for you to-"

"Xayvion, let me get my life back, you don't really understand how I'm feeling, yeah, sure you had gone years waiting for me but at least you were moving, eating, fighting, being alive...I've forgotten what it feels like to be alive so just...let me"

I didn't mean to cause tension and make the atmosphere stiff but I know Xayvion, if I don't fight to be heard he'd overpower and subdue me with his orders, he does that not only as the alpha but as my mate as well.

His face was straight, I noticed he had shaved and was looking much like the man I knew, although the years were rough the beauty on him never really faded, and his eyes were still as intense and captivating as ever.

"I don't like this one bit, I'm still heavily against you moving around, especially when those crazy new bloods are attacking"

"But?"

He sighed

"Hmm, I guess...you could help granny Mabaya with the injured pack members"

A bright smile turned at the corners of my lips, he was sulking but still let me have my way

"Thank you"

"Don't get used to it, if I so much as see you sigh you're off to bed, and don't even bother trying to hide it because I'll sense it"

"Yes, almighty alpha"

Not a second after Charlotte served me, the food was gone, I finished in seconds because of hunger and excitement

"That appetite of yours has surely grown, need some more?"

"No, no, I don't need anymore, I just need to get to work"

Xayvion hissed, taking down his cup of coffee, he rose from his seat and I followed behind him, eager and expectant.

***

I hadn't been outside since I woke up, as Xayvion led me to my working post I saw much of the grounds and how they drastically changed due to the attacks. Fences made from chopped down trees protected the area in which all the pups and their parents lived, in the center, a large bonfire was placed, because of how unpredictably the new bloods attacked it was probably for nighttime and to burn their bodies. The once beautiful pack was turned into a war zone, the place where people felt safe now felt like a prison because of all the walls.

"This place..."

"I know, it depresses me every day"

"We have to do what we must to survive, Xayvion"

"That's exactly the point, how could we as a species be so frightened of those damn bloodsuckers that we've fortified our pack just because of them?"

"Because we are driven to such lengths means something is terribly wrong, I agree with you, it's not fair but at least you've managed to find a way for your pack to survive, isn't that the point?"

"You seem to be giving a lot of pep talks since you woke up"

"What do you mean? Have you been eavesdropping?"

"It wasn't my intention"

"But you did it anyway...that doesn't matter, so you know what Xenia is going through?"

"I've known since I appointed her, I am her brother after all"

"True, so how have you handled the situation?"

"Truth be told I was waiting for a miracle to wake you up so you could handle it, I'm not trying to be insensitive but we were both going through a lot of stress trying to get the pack secure...we just needed you, that's all"

He stopped in front of a newly built cabin and stared at me, his eyes piercing into mine, I returned his gaze but softer;

"I promise you as I promised Xenia, I not going anywhere, I'm here to stay so whatever you need me for, just call"

Gently placing a kiss on my forehead, he leaned into my ear;

"I'm counting on that, because we still have unfinished business in my room"

Without another word and walked off in the opposite direction, leaving me hot. I regained my composure and walked into the cabin, preparing my mind already for what I would see.

***

The cabin looked much like a clinic, it was obviously what Xayvion was going for. It had 12 beds, six on each side, and every single one of them had a wolf who was fatally injured, Mabaya hustled her way through each bed attending to the injured.

"Please tell me there's something I can help with"

My voice was low to not make any noise

"You weren't ordered to rest?"

"I fought my way here"

"Good, even though you say you're fine we still won't take any chances, for now just pass around and replace the wet cloths on their heads"

"Thank you"

Rolling up my sleeves, I immediately got to work replacing and soaking the cloths, every time I placed a cool cloth on their foreheads they sighed in relief, they must have been burning with fevers. I was on the second last wolf in the first row, it was a boy, he looked to be around the age of 13.

"What happened to him?"

"That's Han, he was helping his father fix a hole in their roof when suddenly a new blood descended from the sky and took him down, what you see is the bite marks at their best, he was worse than that"

"That's terrible...I've noticed that some are more injured than others, what's the reason for that?"

"I spent hours trying to figure that out and when I found the answer I wish I hadn't"

"You're scaring me"

"The ones badly injured have poison inside of them, a sort of deadly venom only past by the most rabid new bloods"

"They get worse?"

"Indeed they do, and the worst part of that is, we can't distinguish the really bad ones from the normal ones until they bite"

"That's insane"

"That's what we've been dealing with"

I heard a sigh from one of the injured, it was a call for me to stop focusing on matters best discussed later. Moving around with my new body was amazing, I was doing things faster than I normally would, if I was the old me I would have taken forever to finish the task given to me but now I was done in minutes.

"I'm done, is there anything else? Please tell me there's more to do"

"Done already? That new body and stamina is servicing you well"

"I can definitely get used to it"

"Right now everything is pretty much done, I have already given them their herbs and now you've replaced their cloths, all we do know is wait for them to need something, like water or more painkilling herbs"

"Okay, I'll stay as long as you're here"

"That's very kind of you"

"It's the least I can do, this has been your routine for so long"

"That is true, most of the warriors here have been injured for over a year"

"Seriously?"

"That poison they carry is extremely harmful"

"Have you tried getting some samples and checking them out?"

"I wouldn't know where to start, just touching it is harmful because it is highly corrosive"

Being surrounded by so many injured wolves magnified the problem we had on our hands, Mabaya was trying extremely hard to be strong but I could see how frustrated she was, she was probably looking for an antidote for a while but has come up short every time. 

With nothing much to say I simply sat on a vacant seat and waited.

***

I had been working so much I didn't notice the time, the sun was setting and the wolves were finally stable enough to leave. Mabaya sent me off before her, she wanted to stay researching for herbs to add to her medicines, I offered to help but she wanted to hear nothing of it, I could fight with Xayvion and win, not Mabaya.

Since my services were no longer required I left but with a warm feeling in my chest as I had put my heart into taking care of everyone. On my way back to Xayvion's cabin, I heard a strange noise from the trees, it didn't sound dangerous, it just sounded like a person lurking, or spying.

Slowly, I approached the tree from which the sound came and jumped behind it, it was so unexpected it scared the creeper, it was Emerlae;

"You?"

"Yes, me, you scared me"

She held her chest and caught her breath

"Sorry...but you shouldn't be here, to begin with"

"I know, I know but..."

"But?"

"I just wanted 5 minutes of your time, I'm not trying to get into a fight with your mate so we can talk from here"

I looked closely at her, trying to detect any lies but I found non

"Please"

"Alright, I'm listening"

She sighed in relief

"Dev, I've come to terms with the fact that you don't remember me or Bel, it's been hard but I know circumstances haven't been easy since we departed from each other...this I know yet it breaks my soul to stand in front of you and you look at me like a complete stranger"

I was shaken by her words, they came out in so much pain

"I've been talking to the old woman who heals for your pack, she's told me so much of what you've done and how much loss you've been through, in your loss I know you can relate to me...you lost someone special to you and he's gone for good, but if you saw him again but he didn't remember your existence and chased you away...how would you feel?"

She began to shed tears

"This isn't how I expected our reunion to be, but nevertheless, I'll let you be, you've found yourself and I'm at least glad that you're okay"

"I-I-...I want to believe you're my sister but...I don't know, I'm so sorry, I've been hurt a lot and I have trust issues"

Unexpectedly, she embraced me, her warm touch caused a stray tear to fall

"I love you Dev, when you're ready, I'll be waiting..."

She let go

"We'll be waiting"

I couldn't find my words, my heart was bursting with emotions

"For now", she reached into her front pocket, pulled out a bracelet, and placed it in my hands, "hold on to this, it's yours after all"

I looked down at the bracelet, it looked like it was made by a child

"I'll leave now"

"W-wait, I have so many questions"

"You'll know where to find me, I'll answer everything"

She left with a smile on her face, I remained looking at her as she disappeared into the trees. I was rendered speechless, her words touched me so much I was willing to follow her just to find out the truth...or to just hold her, her embrace was warm, touching, and almost nostalgic. Because of her sister, I was drawn to believe she was just as forceful, I thought the soft face she had before was a mask and would fade once I said I wouldn't go with them but I was wrong

I have no clue what she meant to do by coming here, but that smile on her face said she accomplished what she set out to do.