Kill me, heal me, Alphas

4. Taken as a slave

Nyala

It took me a full minute to process everything before me. The scene felt like a dream. Maybe it was a dream, possibly a product of my overwhelming worry. Teagan couldn’t just die like that. I knew it. Yes, it must be a dream.

I reassured myself as I gathered my strength and got off the floor. However, my legs came to a halt, followed by a gasp. That’s when reality hit me hard. “Where do you think you’re going, silly girl?” Corvin’s sharp voice pierced through my thoughts. My whole body was drenched from the powers he had used on me.

I didn’t have time to react when he yanked me by the hair to face him. “Didn’t you hear what we said, or can’t you see Father’s lifeless body? Are you blind?” Corvin seethed through gritted teeth. My vision was blurry, but I could see the pure bitterness in his eyes.

He pushed me towards the bed forcefully but didn’t let go. “Look! Teagan is dead. All because of you! You killed him. You killed the leader of Aldmoor!” He yelled out, digging his nails into my hair, but I didn’t feel the pain in my hair.

The pain that was hitting me was inside my chest. It felt like a burning bile had hit my throat and chest. My body went rigid as I stared at Teagan’s pale face before me. With shaky hands, I touched his arm. “Teagan, can you hear me?” I mumbled out. Silence.

“Teagan, you shouldn’t be sleeping. It’s morning. We have to prepare for a meeting with the people.” I reached for his hand to hold, only for it to slip coldly onto the bed.

“No, Teagan! You can’t die. You can’t leave me. Please wake up, Teagan!” I literally broke down in tears as I shook his lifeless body, attempting to wake him up.

“Please wake up, Teagan. I promise to listen to you. I will do as you say. I won't act stubborn again. Please don’t leave me. I have no one but you.” I cried out, then held his hand. The man lay lifeless before me, not an ounce of movement from him.

“You can’t die, Teagan. We have a lot of plans for Aldmoor, Rostledam, Glowing Heart, and—” My words didn’t get a chance to make their way out completely when I was yanked up by Corvin.

“You must be stupid! You even have the right to say you’d listen to him after he’s no more.” I didn’t care about the anger in his eyes or how he tightened his hold on my arms.

“How did this happen to Teagan? How did he die all of a sudden?” I asked, tears gushing out.

The door busted open, and Teagan’s wife stepped in. One look at her, and you’d know she was shocked. She slowly made her way toward the bed and sat on it. She took hold of his hand, and it took only that for her to break down in tears. I broke free from Corvin’s hold and rushed to the woman. “Aunt, tell Teagan to stop this prank, please. Tell him he can’t leave us.”

“Nyala—” She choked on her words. I wasted no time in wrapping my arms around her. We cried in each other’s arms.

There was no way Teagan would die just like that. Something must have happened. I was sure of that. By the time we pulled away, I wiped off my tears and charged toward Corvin.

"How did this happen, Corvin? Teagan can't die just like that." I knew my voice was barely stable due to the pain in my chest and the tears.

"Are you asking me that? This happened because of you. If you had not defied his words, he wouldn't have gone through that heart attack. You killed him, Nyala. You killed our father!"

I found my legs moving backward as the words sunk in. No, it can't be. Teagan can't go just like that. Teagan is a strong man. I've troubled him more than this, and he was fine. This can't be the reason. "Did he sign the agreement?" I asked, breaking the silence.

Corvin let out a laugh. "Does that matter now?"

"Answer me!" I yelled out. "Did he or did he not?" My hand was curled into a fist. I was holding myself back.

"Of course, he did. We signed it last night."

"How in hell did he get a heart attack then? He signed the agreement, which was what he wanted. How did he get an attack?" It doesn't make sense to me. I didn't want to jump to conclusions yet, but my heart was telling me there was more to Teagan's death.

"Are you asking me that? You mean I killed my own father? Is that what you want to say?"

"Corvin!" His mother interrupted. "Please, you guys should stop. We lost a leader; fighting won't bring him back."

"But justice will." I found myself saying. All of them turned to me.

"What are you going to do, Nyala?" Aunt stood up. Bruno, who had been silent all the while, was also taken aback by my confession.

I wiped off the lone tear that threatened its way out. "Teagan didn't have a heart attack. He was killed. I can feel it. Teagan is a strong leader. I'm sure there was a conspiracy." I declared.

"If he was killed, who do you think did that? There isn't a sign of blood or poison in his pulse. Bruno was the one who saw him on the floor when he came to his room this morning," Corvin answered. But I didn't trust him. I never trusted the two of them.

Corvin had always desired the throne, to be the leader of Aldmoor. He could go to any length. But he wouldn't kill his father just to get the throne, right?

Nyala, you are overthinking. It might be due to the hatred you harbor towards him. Let's not jump to conclusions yet. I mentally scolded myself.

I casted one last look at the bed, bit my bottom lip, and then charged for the door. "And where do you think you're going?" came Corvin's voice.

"To meet the Alphas."

**

"Why did you kill my uncle?" was the first thing I said as I kicked the door to their room open. Three pairs of eyes turned to me. At that moment, I couldn't think straight. I didn't even care about Alastair, who was shirtless. I don't think he fancies wearing clothes around.

Seated on the couch was their father, together with Warren. I hadn't felt so much hatred toward the werewolves like I did at that moment. They had the audacity to enjoy eating while my uncle was laying in bed lifeless. "Alastair, is this girl okay?" Alpha Ezekiel spoke up, casting a look in his son's direction, who was standing in front of the vanity mirror.

I marched my way toward the two. "I asked you a question, Alpha Ezekiel. I'm sure you have answers to my questions. Teagan is dead," I said the words, which sounded heavy on my tongue. A look of shock clouded their face.

“What? How?” Alpha Ezekiel asked, a look of shock still visible on his face. I held onto my dress tightly, biting my lips to prevent myself from breaking down in tears at the thought of not seeing my uncle again.

"Are you crazy? How can you burst into our room unannounced and be asking us such questions? We just got the news now and were about to head there," Warren hissed out.

"Easy, Warren," Alpha Ezekiel raised a hand to his son. I wanted nothing more than to have my hands wrapped around his neck, but I knew I had to hold myself back, at least for a short while.

"Look here, Nyala, I have no idea what you are talking about. What do you mean Teagan is dead? He was fine last night when we signed the agreement. We even had a drink together. He doesn't look sick to me," Alpha Ezekiel's voice was then calm.

I found myself letting out a chuckle. They're all trying to toy with my brain. What Corvin said and then what Alpha Ezekiel was telling me—it didn't make sense. "The death of Teagan doesn't make sense. Corvin told me he had a heart attack. If that was the truth, I'm sure he was triggered by something."

My body was suddenly jerked back with Alastair's hot gaze on me. "What do you mean, silly girl? Are you trying to say my father was the one who killed your uncle?"

"At this point, everyone is a suspect to me. The way you and your father were hell-bent on signing off the deal. And your father was the last person seen with Teagan. He wouldn't have had a heart attack for nothing." I didn't care about the way his eyes were burning holes in my head. I didn't care about the pain that kept on intensifying inside me.

"You are stupid," he said, releasing his hold on my hand. "You don't even know what your favorite uncle did."

I cast him a confused look, even though it wasn't what I initially wanted. "What do you mean?" I asked.

"You should start preparing to leave your kingdom," he said, his lips curving up.

"I don't understand. What do you mean? Get straight to the point," I hissed out, pointing a finger at him.

"Half of the kingdom now belongs to us. Aldmoor and Rostledam are now our possessions." It took a moment for me to process what he said. When it did, I found myself letting out a chuckle. It had to be one of the funniest jokes I would ever hear in my eighteen years of life.

"You've got to be kidding me. Teagan would never do that. He values Aldmoor more than his life." I could vouch for that. The way Teagan led the kingdom, the way he valued his people.

"Maybe you don't know your family that much," Warren shot back from where he sat.

"You—" The door suddenly opened, and Anne’s face appeared.

"Nyala..." She trailed off, pointing at the door while panting.

"What is it?" I asked.

"Master Corvin... He—" As soon as she mentioned his name, I found myself running out of the room.

My legs came to a halt seeing the scene before me. Everywhere was turned upside down. "Get moving!" I heard Corvin's voice in my ears like music as he shouted at our people. Belongings were scattered around.

I rushed towards him. "What is going on, Corvin? Why are our people leaving?" I asked, surveying the messed-up surroundings as guards chased people away with their belongings.

"What did your eyes see? They're leaving the kingdom, of course. It is no longer their home."

"What do you mean no longer their home?"

"Move, man!" Corvin yelled at an old man who was trying to hold onto his wife. I was quick in reaching out to their aid.

"What are you doing, Corvin! This kingdom belongs to our people. They can't just leave!"

I stumbled back and fell to the ground when Corvin's hand collided with my cheek. I felt the pain penetrate through my skull, but I was quick in jolting up. I curled my hand and formed my powers, only for me to stumble back again. This time, blood spilled from my arm. Shock gripped me as Corvin took menacing steps toward me. He yanked me up.

Corvin could only water bend and freeze things. How did he manage to put out the fire from my arm? He had burned my arm. "Aldmoor will be under my watch from now on!" he seethed, leaning his face closer to mine. He gripped my arm where he had burned it, and I winced. I saw a completely different person in front of me. This wasn't the foolish Corvin I knew.

"You can't destroy Aldmoor. You have no right to chase the people away. Teagan's body is still lying lifeless in his room. Don't you feel any pain for your father?" Tears finally made their way out.

His laughter followed, and he released his hold on my arm, making me stumble back onto the rough ground. In a matter of seconds, he curled his hand and freezed my legs.

"What is going on here, Corvin?" The voice of Alpha Ezekiel charged through the place. My body was weak. I couldn't process what was happening before me. The reality of what might happen to our kingdom scared me to the core.

"As you can see, Alpha Ezekiel, my father is no more. The kingdom needs a new leader. I'm doing what's needed for me as the first son of this kingdom."

"You can't lead this kingdom like this, Corvin! This kingdom doesn't need a greedy man as its leader!" I shouted.

"Nyala!" I heard Molly's voice behind me. She and Elsa were being held by two men. I wanted to move, but my body felt heavy. My legs were frozen. At some point, I couldn't muster up my power.

"Let them go!" I screamed at the top of my lungs.

"Nyala, please save us," Elsa called out to my name. What do I do? I can't allow Corvin to destroy Aldmoor.

I turned to him, tears clouding my eyes. "Corvin, why are you doing this? Please let Molly and Elsa go. They have nowhere to go. I will forgive you and pretend this never happened. Please let them go." I hated the fact that I was pleading with him. But I know if Elsa and Molly leave, they have nowhere to go.

"Nowhere to go, you say? Don't you know you're also leaving together with them? You have no home here in Aldmoor," he said, shocking me more. Bile rose in my throat. I didn't know when a scream escaped me.

"Don't do this, please Corvin. We are family. You can't do this to this kingdom!" I still tried to move my legs, but to no avail. My powers aren't working on my freezed legs.

Alastair and Warren appeared next to their father, who was watching everything. A look of confusion flickered on Alastair's face. "What is going on here?" Alastair spoke, his eyes going to me. His gaze was fixated on me intently.

"This silly girl here is paying for her crimes. She was the reason why our father is no more. She has no place to stay here in Aldmoor." How easy it was for Corvin to manipulate the situation.

"What do you plan to do with her then?" Alastair asked.

"She's leaving this kingdom as her punishment."

Alastair's eyes shifted back to me once again. I couldn't pinpoint what he was thinking. "Why don't we do this, Corvin? From today onwards, I take Nyala as my slave."