Rogue Eight

Saving The Beta

Chapter Four:  Saving The Beta

RAVEN

I was going to pay for that.  But that was a worry for another time.  Right now, I knew what had to be done…and time was my enemy in my fight to save Gavin’s life.  I felt an unusual calmness in my urgency, very unlike the typical anxiousness I would feel in a situation like this.  I hoped it was because I had transported Gavin and I to my lab in time.   

My body felt heavy and weak from the magic I performed today. M wasn’t wrong in her concern about my health.  Even I was worried about my body’s reactions to my gifts as of late.  It had taken almost all I had left to get Gavin and I to my lab.  But as we morphed into the room, I quickly pushed aside my body’s betrayal and rushed over to my medicine and herb cabinet, frantically searching for help in our salvation.

My exhaustion riddled through my link as I tiredly called out, “Jade, Remi, get to my lab now.  Lorelei, go out and get some valerian and poppy roots from garden.  If Gavin wakes up, I’ll need to mix up a quick sedative to keep him still until I can get his body to heal on its own again.” 

All three of them had the same reaction at the exact same time, “THE BETA IS HERE?”. 

“No time for explanations, please, I need help!” I pleaded.

My hands moved at a ferocious pace as bottles were strewn all over the table one right after the other, loudly clinking against each other in my haste.   My door flew open behind me notifying me of Jade and Remi’s arrival.   I barked my orders before they had a chance to ask, “Get him up on the table and grab my special blanket from the cupboard by the window.  When I give the word, cover his whole body with it, head to toe.  Hurry!”

This would only be the second time I have used my blanket to help heal a wolf.  It’s first use was the heal Vivian following a battle with fellow rogues to retrieve a stolen amulet for the Alpha of the Southern Eclipse pack a few years ago.  She was attacked from all sides as three unexpected rogues appeared from behind a hidden wall in an abandoned house deep in the woods.  Vivian’s wolf was crouched down in front of them to grab the amulet hidden behind a brick in the fireplace.  I was outside with the others applying shields while they were finishing off the other five rogues.  Before Vivian was aware that she was in trouble, the three wolves descended upon her with one of them slamming her head to the ground rendering her unconscious as he took back his prize.  The other two assaulted her from the side, tearing into her ribcage.  By the time we raced to the doorway to find her, Vivian was lying on the ground with blood seeping heavily from her body.  Just as I had done today, I enveloped both of us in my light to transport back to my lab, leaving the girls to handle the soon to be dead rogues.

Luckily, my mother had bestowed upon me a very old book of magic before taking her leave from my life.  Its edges ragged and worn from extensive use—including my own as I had studied it cover to cover endlessly from the time of my abandonment to this day—appeared to have been passed down through our family for generations.  She had inscribed a letter informing me of its origins on the inside of the front cover and left notes along edges to help with my understanding and education of my powers, something that brought comfort to me as it felt I was actually learning from her.  What she precariously left out of her letter, however, was the reason for her and my father’s departure along with the departure of all of our parents.

It was in the pages of my book that I knew why my special blanket was among the few personal possessions in my orphan life.  Within its simple inconspicuous soft beige waffle-like exterior, the blanket contained a special power that when combined with the right potions would essentially freeze the body yet keep the lungs and heart functioning long enough to enable me to have a small window to heal those whose last strand of life was about to be severed.   The key is knowing exactly what I am dealing with—down to the smallest detail—and performing what is needed within five minutes of the blanket’s placement or death would most assuredly sever the strand.  Vivian’s wounds were severe, but fortunately I had gotten her back to the lab before her blood loss made saving her impossible.  Covering her body from head to toe with the blanket, I anxiously followed the instructions I had memorized.  I was overjoyed when Vivian finally opened her eyes again, fully healing within a week.  The only remnants of that day were three thin scars that remain on her sides from the rogues’ claws.  Tink told her they made her abdomen look ‘ripped’ so just consider them her muscle.  That was the one thing about Tink, there was always humor, especially in times of stress…and in this case where Vivian was so gravely injured, guilt over not protecting one of her own.

I hope today will have the same outcome I was able to afford Viv…the Beta has to live.  Our lives could very well hang in the balance if he doesn’t. 

I heard Gavin’s body being gently set onto the table and then a set of footsteps scurrying over to retrieve my blanket.  I let out my held breath as I finished adding the ingredients for my potion and grabbed the thin small mixing spoon to bind it all together.  As I began the process, I heard Jade’s perplexed question.

“Remi,” she called out in concern, “Are you alright?  What’s wrong?”

Remi let out an almost inaudible, “N-Nothing.”

“Well,” Jade observed, “I have to admit, he is good looking for sure, even covered in blood.  Probably a good thing Charlotte and Constance are still resting.  You know how they are with dark hair and muscles that have no bounds.”

“Agreed,” I concurred, turning around and quickly making my way to the table, “Now is not the time for their endless observations.”

I looked over at Remi, who stood at the foot of the bed staring intently at Gavin’s face, her ivory skin suddenly looking pale, almost translucent in fact.  I was already nervous…and this most certainly wasn’t helping.  My instincts told me our problems may have just dramatically increased in their intensity. 

Oh please, Moon Goddess, I prayed, Not now!  Not if I can’t save him! Please don’t tell me Gavin is Remi’s mate!  Fearing that was the case, I had to get her out of here quickly and I knew just how to accomplish that.

With the unusual calmness radiating in my tone, I ordered, “Thank you for your help. Now, I have another job for you two.  Go wake Charlotte and Constance.  I need you all to keep M out of here!  She’s only going to make my job more difficult.  Keep her and everyone else in the common room.  The only person I need in here is Lorelei.  I can’t have any distractions.  No matter what any of you hear, no one enters this room.  I mean it...only Lorelei.”  Taking in a haggard deep breath, I directed, “Place the blanket on him now.”

Jade nodded her head firmly and as instructed, quickly covered Gavin head to toe within the confines of the cloth, “We’ve got your back, Raven.  Do your thing!”  Turning towards a stoically still Remi, Jade reached out and grabbed her arm, dragging her with her towards the door, “Come on, Remi.”  

There was no denying that Remi didn’t want to leave in her expression, but her body complied with my wishes as she allowed Jade to remove her from the room.  Her soft brown eyes remained glued to Gavin’s face, however, even as the door closed in front of her. 

Gavin’s covered body lay beneath me as I extended my right hand down to lay just on top the fabric, igniting the entire blanket in my pink glow.  Reeling in all my focus and concentration, I began the arduous process at his feet, slowly taking my left hand and dripping the potion into tiny crevices held within the cloth while my right hand followed the same pace and path.  Through my lips whispered an incantation that was directing a now swirling pink hue to engulf him and climb upwards.   

As the hue and I both reached the top of his head, Gavin’s body lifted slightly from the table as black particles burst out of the damp crevices to form a cloud above him before he gently fell back onto the surface with the faint sound of a relieved sigh filtering through the material covering him.  Fatigue flowed through every ounce of my being as I finished my quiet conjuration, forcing the dark particles downward into the glowing mist before circling my hands continuously around one another vigorously until there enough velocity to create a small tornado over the center of Gavin’s torso.  It only hovered over him for a moment before making its way home to swirl just above my open hand, just as my words had instructed.  

In that moment, I closed my eyes as I felt my dress shred all around me, my wolf shifting into place.  It had been some time since she had been let out to play but in our current situation, eagerness was replaced with determination for the matter at hand.  In that moment, I was grateful for the continued tranquility.

My eyes opened once more revealing glittering gold irises.  The small windstorm that was now swirling above a paw blew against long white fur with pink ends.  Light emitted from both of my paws which I brought up directly in front of my snout, balancing the wind while I leaned back onto my hind legs.  I focused on the churning remnants, digging deep to summon all the remaining strength I could muster before powerfully smashing my paws together, disseminating the poison into oblivion. 

A sharp pain bolted through my head, causing my wolf to howl in agony as I fell to the floor.  At that moment, Lorelei forcefully pushed my door open as her fearful shriek jolted into my exhausted conscience, “Raven!”