Saving the Alpha of a Thousand Wolves

6. Scars and Poisons

Greta Lovelace

"Ayuda, mi Señora," Help, my Lady, Juan pleaded, as he stood half-naked with only his jeans as he set my soulmate down.

I almost flew to Vladimir, my feet barely touching the floor. I dropped to my knees on the ground beside him with a thud, as hot tears burst forth from my eyes. Gently, I wiped away the lingering drops of his blood from his ashen face, whispering his name like a prayer.

He stirred, and his eyelids fluttered as though they were desperately searching for something. His dry lips trembled as he whispered my name in a feeble voice that seemed to come from miles away. "Greta..." Then he fell silent again.

Pain shot through me like an arrow piercing my heart. I felt as though a part of my soul had been ripped away. Vladimir lay on the ground, pale and limp, and the sight of his still form was too much for me to bear.

You had better be back in one piece. I had spoken those words with such assurance, but now it seemed like a joke or a cruel reminder of how futile our attempts to survive fate.

Hyperventilating, I rose to my feet and turned to Juan. "What happened?" Fear gripped my heart as I wondered if this was the reason why I had that nightmare last night - that something like this would happen.

"It was a mysterious creature," he said, his voice trembling. "It bit Vladimir, and now he can't get the healing power of his blood to work... He's fading fast..."

My mind raced. "What was it, Juan? Did you see it?"

"No lo sé, pero sé que era un monstruo." I don't know, but I know it was a monster, he told me, his voice quaking. It was hard seeing a grown man shake like a little child. Juan's eyes streamed with tears as he stared helplessly at his Alpha. "Can you help us, First Witch?"

I nodded, frantic, as I turned to face my Sisters. "Take him to the healing chambers!"

None dared to move or speak. They just stood still, forming an immovable wall of resistance.

"What is the meaning of this? Why aren't you complying with my wishes?"

My sisters stared at me in silence, their faces blank. Melina even looked away, as if she didn't want me to see the emotions on her face. My heart beat faster as I stood there impatiently waiting for an answer.

Finally, one of them stepped forward, looking pale but somehow still confident. It was Anya, her blonde hair drifting in a wind that only seemed to exist around her. "Witch Mother," she said softly but firmly, her voice full of resolve. "You know that Other Worlders, especially wolves, are not allowed in the Grand Lair."

My fists clenched at my sides as I tried to control the rage coursing through me. "But this is no ordinary wolf! This is Vladimir and he needs our help!"

Anya shook her head sadly and replied, "I am sorry, Your Grace, but even he must obey the laws of our kind. You know this, much better than we do, as it was written in the Codex by your own hand." She paused before continuing. "We cannot break the rules for one individual, no matter who it is."

It was true. It was my hand that wrote the Codex, the laws of our kind. The thought left me speechless for a moment before I could find my voice again. "You don't you understand what's happening here? He needs us!" Tears welled up in my eyes and I bit back a sob before speaking again. "I won't let him die like this. If I have to rewrite the laws, I will!"

"Don't do this, Your Grace," Anya voiced carefully. "You are just being manipulated by these dogs. They are monsters. Abominations. You cannot possibly think that they are capable of love. Can't you see, Mother? They are just using you!"

Blood rang in my ears. "Choose your next words wisely, Anya." My entire body burned with fury as I heard Anya's words. My hands clenched into fists and my wand slipped out of my pocket, held tightly in my right hand. All of my senses were sharpened; I could feel every particle in the air and its reaction to me. Energy and magic swelled around me as I brought my wand to the front and pointed it at my sisters. "Do not forget who I am!" I hissed, my voice shaking with rage. "I am the Mother of All Witches, each one of you owes your eternal lives to me!"

The clouds had roiled and boiled in the afternoon sky, becoming a blanket of darkness in mere moments. Gripping my wand tightly, I channelled energy into it as the wind howled around me, blowing my hair wild and uncontrolled. I clenched my eyes shut and then opened them again, inhaling and exhaling sharply with anticipation.

The ground shuddered beneath us. Those around me scrambled to obey my command, quickly sweeping into a single line and bowing their heads. Anya's eyes remained locked on me, fear and something else exuding from her. Her lips trembled as she spoke. "Very well, Witch Mother..." and she stepped aside, reluctantly ceding to my power.

Melina scrambled to my side, her eyes wide with anticipation. She held her hands up, her wand drawn as if ready to cast a spell. I glanced at her before turning my gaze away and taking a deep breath, knowing that a lot of danger still lurked ahead of us but grateful that we had managed to take the first step towards restoring Vlad's life.

"Transportari," Melina whispered, and in a flash, we were inside the healing chambers.

The healing chamber was quiet and still, with a soothing atmosphere that provided some comfort in such a difficult situation. I stepped carefully inside, eyes widening at the sight of the intricate candles and crystals arranged around the circular room. A faint hint of incense filled my nose, with a subtle sweetness that tickled my senses.

Juan gently set Vladimir's unmoving body on the bed, before stepping aside to stand next to us. I sauntered over to the bed and placed a soft kiss on Vlad's forehead. "Everything will be alright," I whispered.

I slowly stepped away from the bed before turning to face Melina, who had begun gathering ingredients for the healing spell. With every magical item she held up for inspection, her eyes sparkled with an eagerness I had always found comforting.

"I... I'm sorry about earlier, Melina."

She waved my concern away. "We should focus, Your Grace. There's poison coursing through his veins as we speak."

I nodded, beckoning her to begin the process. Taking out my wand, I pointed it towards the walls and murmured, "Illuminari." The room was suddenly bathed in ethereal light as dozens more flickering candles lit up around us.

Melina started chanting an old spell under her breath while pouring various herbs into a small cauldron. The potion began bubbling after a few moments.

I hovered my wand over Vladimir's body, asking the Balance to provide healing. Thick, tangible energy began to fill the room and I could feel the power around us growing in intensity.

Melina poured the contents of the cauldron into a vial and then handed it to me. I took it and then brought it to Vladimir's lips. I poured it into his mouth and watched as he swallowed, feeling a wave of relief course through my body.

At once, Vlad convulsed on the bed, sending Juan into a panic. "What's happening to him?"

"Cállate, Lobo," Shut up, wolf, I replied before directing my gaze towards Vlad once more. "It's almost finished."

Moments later, a black liquid oozed from the bite wound on Vladimir's neck. His entire body contorted in pain as he coughed up more of the poison from his system - and finally, as quickly as it had come, he fell still again on the bed.

We all held our breath for what felt like an eternity until his chest began to rise and fall with deep breaths - life was returning to him.

The room erupted into a flurry of activity as Melina and I worked to tend to Vlad's wounds. She efficiently bandaged them up while I prepared a fresh set of shifts to dress him up. Melina brought a wet towel to wipe the blood on Vladimir and handed it to me.

Melina wiped the sweat off her forehead as she finished. "Your Grace, what shall we do? They cannot stay here in the healing chambers."

"We'll take him to my room."

"No." Juan's face hardened as he looked at me. "I need to take him back to the pack. Our wolves are waiting for him," he said firmly.

"It will just be for one night until I am certain that he is out of danger," I replied, matching his intensity with my own gaze. "Please."

Juan's eyes darted left and right as he deliberated. "Alright." With a sigh of resignation, he gathered Vladimir into his arms and carried him to my chamber. After laying him down on the bed, we covered him with blankets before Juan stepped back with one last look at his Alpha. "Take care of him," he said quietly before turning away and exiting the room.

I then turned to Melina and gave her a nod. "Show him out," I instructed her, walking over to Vlad's side and taking a seat next to him.

Melina nodded. "As you wish, Your Grace." She closed the door after her.

I stared at Vladimir longingly as he lay still on the bed, a pale and vulnerable figure in front of me. For a moment, it felt like time stopped as we remained like that - me silently studying his features and his peaceful expression - until I found myself coming to terms with what had happened.

In one way, I was filled with pain at seeing him hurt, yet in another way, I was relieved that he was now going to be alright.

Deciding to put my worries aside, I carefully reached out and touched his face gently — brushing away the stray locks of hair that had fallen over his closed eyes. As if he could feel my touch even in his deep slumber, he let out a soft sigh which made my heart flutter.

Enraptured in that blissful moment, I clasped his hand with mine. As his thumb softly ran circles on the back of my palm, my gaze wandered downwards and I saw the scar below his wrist. I was instantly reminded of the night he had revealed it to me — a sign from the Moon Goddess that would only appear when two soulmates met. This was our proof. He had told me then that mine would show itself once he marked me.

My heart was filled with an overwhelming sense of joy and peace as I held Vlad, knowing that he was safe in my arms. I wanted time to stand still as I watched over him, savoring the moment. Hours passed and my eyes became heavy, sleep overtaking me while I lay there in complete harmony, content and blessed with the knowledge that he was safe.