Rogue Eight

The Beta's Fate, Part I

Chapter Six:  The Beta’s Fate, Part One

RAVEN

I reached out my hand and Lorelei quickly came over to help bring me back to my feet.  I hoped my words had calmed M down enough to keep her from bursting through the door.  I didn’t have the energy to deal with the conversation that was bound to be had about my actions today. 

“Are you sure you’re alright?” Lorelei pressed, obviously not convinced.  Neither was I to be honest, but I had to push through it.  Gavin’s life and in turn, our lives, depended on his survival.

I peered into her soft kind brown eyes and weakly smiled, “I’m fine.  Especially now that you are here.”

Lorelei sweetly grinned and nodded appreciatively, “What can I do?”

“Take the roots over to the table and get them crushed up for me,” I directed, “Then mix two dashes of valerian root and three dashes of poppy root into the blue vial I have set on the corner.  I have already mixed the rest of the potion.  If he wakes, pour the contents of the blue vial onto the cloth I’ve set behind it and bring it to me quickly.  I need him to remain still and asleep for at least 14 hours in order for the potions I’ve given him to do their work.”

“Got it,” Lorelei confidently replied before sadly looking over at the covered man beside us, “Do you think you got him here in time?”

“Well,” I breathed out, “I know I got the arsenic out of his system, but I need to get the blanket off him to assess the effect I’ve had on his other injuries.  Go to work on the root and I will get to work here.”

Lorelei did as I asked and hurriedly went over to the table, sitting on the stool and grabbing the heavy metal mallet to begin crushing the roots.  Taking in a deep breath, I reached up and gently grasped the end of my blanket, slowly pulling it away from Gavin’s body.  My eyes glazed over as I took in the sight below me.  I turned away to gently place the blanket on the other end of the table as a long-held tear slowly made its way down my face. 

“Well?”  Lorelei anxiously whispered, her back towards me, appearing to be afraid to turn around.

A wide smile crossed my face as I turned back around to take in Gavin’s body again, exclaiming in awe, “His breathing is still a bit weak, but normal and his body is healing again at a rapid pace!  All the open wounds are already covered in new skin!  I-I think he is going to be fine!”

“Oh, Raven!” Lorelei gushed, continuing to crush the roots, “That is WONDERFUL!”

“Yes, it is,” I joyfully hummed, a renewed energy flowing through me as I watched Gavin’s chest slowly raise and lower itself evenly with his now consistent easy breaths.  I laid my hand over his heart, feeling it’s perfect rhythm—no longer in distress from the weight of his injuries.  I slowly worked my hand down until it reached what was once gaping wounds along his torso, now covered in new skin.  I closed my eyes as I allowed just enough of my power flow out to assess his internal injuries, all of which while still battered and bruised, were no longer life threatening. 

“You know,” I said tenderly while I continued my assessment, “You’ve become quite the assistant, Lorelei.  It’s been nice having you in the lab with me over the last few months.”

“Thank you for allowing me to assist,” Lorelei warmly replied, “It’s nice to feel like I have a purpose around here.”

“You have always had a purpose,” I cajoled, “Even if it doesn’t always feel that way. I know you feel the weight of M’s protectiveness of you, but while misguided, it is because she loves her little sister.”

  “No offense but cooking and taking care of the house doesn’t exactly feel like a purpose,” Lorelei sighed out, “Although, I do love cooking.  Maybe that’s why I like helping you with your potions so much.”

“Maybe,” I laughed, “Regardless, I am happy to teach you as much as you want to learn.”

“Watch what you say,” Lorelei chuckled, “There’s a lot I want to learn and much of it, my protective older sister will not approve of.”

As I reeled my power back into my body, I heard a small moan pass through Gavin’s lips.  “How’s it going over there?” I quickly asked.

Lorelei obviously heard Gavin’s moan as she murmured softly, “Almost done.  Smells different than I thought it would, but very calming.  Hold on for me, Gavin.”

Gavin instantly eased, causing me to grin in amusement, “Well, it seems he is listening to you.”

No sooner had I spoken, Gavin’s eyes shot wide open and looked directly at me in bewilderment as his body tensed in agitation and his breath roughened. “It’s alright,” I soothed, placing my hand gently on his arm, “You’re safe here, I promise.  I need you to relax.  Your body is still trying to heal.”

“Done,” Lorelei nervously broke in, standing up and turning to rush over to me, “Although I’m worried that I did something wrong.  Is it supposed to smell like cinnamon and sandalwood?”

As she reached my side, Lorelei looked down at Gavin, who quickly moved his focus towards her.  Before I could fully comprehend what was happening, their eyes locked and the cloth that was held in her hand fell onto the bed as Lorelei gasped.  Both of their voices were dry and hoarse as they melded together to say in unison, “MATE!”

GAVIN

My head was throbbing, and my mind was weak and exhausted, stuck in a complete fog of endless darkness.  Where was I?  Why couldn’t I open my eyes or feel the rest of my body?  Where was my wolf?  What the hell happened to me?

Suddenly, a strong scent of peppermint and sage made its way through my senses, the tantalizing scent silencing my thoughts for a moment as my anxiety eased.  I felt a slight push against the darkness and realized my wolf, who felt just as weak and exhausted, was trying to break through.  And then I heard it—a female voice crying out sounding terrified, yet melodic…”RAVEN!”

My mind reeled at the sound of her distress, the need to protect her overwhelmingly consuming what senses remained in my current state.  Who is that?

“Mate,” my wolf’s frail voice howled out of the blackness.  I was stunned…MATE? 

After all this time of wondering if the Moon Goddess was ever going to send me my long-awaited gift—someone who I could love and fill the void of loss that remained in my heart after my parents passed—now is the time she has chosen?  It wasn’t that I didn’t have love and was loved in return.  Nicholas and his mother and father loved me as their brother and son raising me and giving me a precious gift as part of their family.  But there was always that part of me that would dream of what could have been…and what I hoped it could be if I was given the chance to build a family of my own.

“Are you sure you’re alright?” my mate’s voice filtered through my thoughts.  She sounded concerned, but not as anxious.  I could sense overwhelming kindness in her words.  Tell me your name! I pleaded in my mind.

“I’m fine.  Especially now that you are here.”  This voice must belong to the center of my mate’s concern, Raven.  She sounded like she had been without sleep for days, but grateful for my mate’s presence.  Was that my fault?  I needed to try and remember what happened to me, but I couldn’t.  Right now, all that my wolf—all that I—craved was the voice of our chosen one.

Our dire need was fulfilled as she sang out in our minds, “What can I do?”.  Did that mean my mate was helping to save me from whatever precarious situation put me here?  Did she know that I was her mate?  My mind began racing, jumping from one thought to another.  Somehow, I needed to get to her.  I would not leave my mate before I could even get to know her—to know her name and have her hear it pass through my lips with the never-ending love and adoration I already had for her, to see what I knew would be her stunningly beautiful face, and to feel the touch of her skin beneath my fingertips as I caressed her cheeks as our lips connected to express my desire, making sure there was never a question—she was the only thing that mattered in my life!  My rambling thoughts became together in that moment into a resolute conviction—I refused die and leave her with the same void I had lived with for over 14 years!

As I fought to find a way to feel and be able to control my body again, I heard Raven give my mate directions about crushing roots of valerian and poppy and placing them in a…potion?  Raven was a witch?    I had so many questions, but no time to think about this new revelation as I heard Raven explain to my mate that I was to remain still and asleep for at least 14 hours in order for whatever potion she had given me to work.

NO!  Absolutely NOT!  Remaining still and most certainly asleep was not an option for me or my wolf!  We wanted—we NEEDED—our mate!  My willpower seemed against us, however, as I was nowhere closer to feeling or being in control of my body.

 “Got it.”  Her short reply, while calming me slightly, did not stop me from my mission.  I was strong enough to do this, I knew I was!

Raven’s voice echoed in my head as I fought with everything I had, “Well, I know I got the arsenic out of his system, but I need to get the blanket off him to assess the effect I’ve had on his other injuries.  Go to work on the root and I will get to work here.” 

Arsenic?  Blanket?   I frantically pushed aside the words.  I needed to concentrate all my energy on my mission.  I would deal with whoever poisoned me after I got to her…and I would make damn sure they would never get near my mate or put her in any danger!  I would kill them first!

Suddenly, the throbbing in my head ceased and the darkness lightened slightly.  The fog remained, but I was consumed with excitement that I was making progress. 

My elation faltered slightly, however, as my overwhelming yearning to feel my body connecting with my brain came to fruition.  Slow-moving bolts of the most intense pain I have ever felt in my life radiated strangely sending their messaging jolts through my nerves one by one starting from the top of my head deliberately down to the bottom of my feet.   I felt my heart beating in my chest and swelling with the love I felt for my mate all at the same time.  The pain that was now all-consuming still couldn’t compete with my desire for her. 

“Well?” my mate's voice anxiously whispered into my conscience.  I’m coming, my love, I promised, I will always come back to you!

“His breathing is still a bit weak, but normal and his body is healing again at a rapid pace!  All the open wounds are already covered in new skin!  I-I think he is going to be fine!” I heard Raven tell us both.  My wolf whined as we both felt the relief and anticipation. 

“Oh, Raven!  That is WONDERFUL!”  Her voice…it felt like hearing that kind of happiness and joy in her tone was the only way I could ever breathe again.

“Yes, it is.”  While I could sense Raven’s happiness as well, all I could do was plead with her as I was still trapped in the darkness of my mind.  Say her name!  Please!  I need to hear her name! 

I felt Raven softly place her hand on my chest where my heart was beating—a heart that my mate now owned and desperately needed to connect with hers.  Her hand slowly worked its way down until it reached my torso, the primary source of my acute torturous agony.  For a moment, the suffering I felt subsided as a wave of unusual warm energy flowed within me.  Whatever it was, I hoped it would remain there.  It would make it all that much easier for me to fight my way back to consciousness.    

Little did I know that Raven would then gently deliver the answer I had eagerly been waiting for.  “You know.  You’ve become quite the assistant, Lorelei.  It’s been nice having you in the lab with me over the last few months.”  I replayed her soft delivery of my mate’s name over and over in my mind, allowing it to forever imprint on my soul.  Lorelei.