I smacked into the ground and hissed in pain, slowly pushing off of the grass. Sharp jolts shot down my spine and I whimpered, dropping down into the grass with another hiss.
How will lying on the balcony make her look innocent? Everyone knows I was there, what does she think they'll do when they see I'm down here and she's up there?
Scoffing to myself, more pain tightened my spine and my anger intensified. I gradually moved to my feet and glared up at the balcony, scanning the protruding pieces on the paneling of the house until I found the path back up.
The rage boiling inside me gave me the strength to begin climbing, in my heels and all, and she peeked over the ledge. Her eyes widening as if she wasn't expecting me to still be mobile.
I reached for the railing and pulled myself up, hunching over the metal rod to let the pain in my back settle. Though I knew she wouldn't give me the moment I needed, it still pissed me off that she tried to kick my knees in. So, I grabbed her foot and pulled her back over the railing with me. She wailed as we hit the ground and I flinched when the pain in my body intensified, going instantly numb from the second fall.
Unfortunately, she rolled to her hands and knees and pounced on me with a flare of crazy in her soulless eyes. Her hand wrapped around my neck and I hissed, digging my nails into her arm. Fear didn't find me until she reached in her pack pocket and pulled out a short, thick whittled stick.
Hissing again, I saw her raise her hand and a familiar, agonizing feeling consumed me. My vision contorted and the next thing I knew, I slipped free. But before I could get out of her reach, I felt a tearing sensation slice open the backside of my right wing, preventing me from flying off.
I squealed and squeaked loudly, knowing it was useless. The entire pack house was soundproof, they built it that way to give everyone their privacy because their superhuman hearing would hear too well with normal insulation.
Draven, I need you.
"You're a filthy rodent that doesn't deserve my son. You ruined him," she snapped, panting in pain. I dragged myself along the grass using my tiny hands and feet, flapping my wings to see if I could gain even the slightest air to make it easier—I couldn't.
"Mother!"
I turned my head and she froze, twisting around to face Draven with terror on her face.
"What the fuck are you doing? If you so much as lay a hand on her I'll make you wish you were paralyzed," he threatened, his tone cold and his eyes chilled me to the bone. "I will sentence you for an attempt at my mate's life."
"What?" She shrieked, her ravaged eyes bouncing among them. "You can't do that! How long do you think you can keep me confined? I am your mother!"
Draven glared. "Keep talking and a sentencing will be the nicest thing I do to you."
She completely lost it. Sobs wracked her body and she fell to the ground, covering her face in her hands. Draven didn't pass her a glance, rushing over to me and kneeling down, his eyes full of worry.
"You shifted." He frowned, his eyebrows upturning and his hand reached out to my face, lightly caressing the fur on my cheek. A purr rippled up my throat and I flipped over to show him my torn wing. His expression darkened and I felt myself beginning to change back.
My vision morphed until I felt the pain of my shift fade out, then he pulled me onto his lap, trying to shield my bare body from the breeze.
A weak smile pinned my lips up. "You remembered."
"How could I forget? You would freeze to death if I did," he answered, keeping me pinned to his warm body. I closed my eyes to soak him in, but the scent of blood drew closer.
I ripped open my eyes just in time to see his mother standing behind him with the stake aimed at his neck. She brought it down and I used my speed to reverse our positions, a harsh gasp escaping my lips feeling the wood plunge into my back.
Draven caught me before I hit the ground and widened his eyes, taking a moment to realize what had just happened. He whipped to face his mother, a murderous look Alpha Zeek always wore etched on his face and his eyes hazed over, no more humanity left behind them. His wolf now controlled him, and I felt zero remorse for her.
"I'm sorry." She began sobbing harder, backing away slowly. He didn't avert his glare, staring holes into her with eyes that would make even the bravest men quiver in fear.
"Draven, please," I winced, unbearable pains shooting through my chest.
The wood from the stake brushed against my spine with every slight movement and it created a dull, sharp ache, sinking deeper into my back. I felt the tip push against my rib bone and graze over my heart, nearing the surface of my skin. I wheezed, unable to breathe, then tensing immediately from the pain. One wrong move and it's over for me.
His eyes faded to normal as he mother took off and he looked down at me, heartbreak and despair written across his features. "You're okay. You're still here. I'm not leaving you. You're going to be fine, Red," he smiled sadly, trying to reassure me.
I clutched onto him and he lowered his forehead down to mine, worry glossing his eyes yet he smiled to keep me from freaking out and possibly staking my own heart in the process.
"I won't let anything happen to you, remember? Everything's going to be alright," he breathed shakily, forcing me to maintain eye contact. "I'm going to take care of you, Scarlett." He brushed the hair behind my ear and I lifted my chin, pressing my lips softly onto his.
I pulled back and scrunched my face in pain, my breaths shaken and wheezy. "I love you," I exhaled, his expression scrunching as if he was in pain too.
"I know," he replied gently. Tears pooled in my eyes and I smiled through the hurt, lifting my hand to hold his cheek and pull our faces closer. The side of our noses connected and I felt the worry creased in the skin on his forehead.
"I lived long enough," I whispered.
He grew tense at my words and released a shuddered breath. "No. No, no. Don't say that to me. Don't. Not you. I can't take those words from you, Red."
"I always loved that name," I grinned weakly, wincing when I laid my head down and inflamed the wound with movement.
"And you will continue to," he answered.
Skepticism filled my face and his assuring smile strained to stay up. He moved his hand to caress my temple with his thumb, holding my cheek in his palm.
"Can you trust me?" He asked. My pained expression softened with recollection and I met his desperate gaze.
"As long as you don't let go."
𓃥
Draven's POV
I fixated my eyes on her, leaning against the wall with folded arms. My jaw clenched on and off as time progressed and she still hasn't shown signs of life. It went from minutes to hours and I've been right here the entire time, questioning if my girl was even coming back to me.
Her body lay elevated on the hospital bed, eyes closed, lips sealed, and all the muscles in her were relaxed. Her nude figure was draped in the blanket from the waist down and she had a white bandage wrapped around her breasts. The cotton went over her left shoulder to cover the nasty wound left on her back from the surgery.
It's hard to see her lying there, medically declared dead, but I'd much rather see her peaceful features than ones twisted and tightened in pain. I think it's knowing that she's gone is what's making this impossible for me to bear. Otherwise, I believe seeing her lie there wouldn't be so hard. Maybe if I hadn't witnessed her flatline, it'd have been easier. And though I know there's only three ways to permanently kill a vampire, it was still such a devastating sight.
"Lay her on her stomach! We can't risk the stake puncturing her heart," Doctor Jamison told me. I obeyed, not allowing my pride and jealously to be the reason I lost my mate.
"Check her vitals," he ordered his colleagues.
I saw her back lift up and down with her fast, shallow breaths and heard the wheezes following every exhale. Her lips were parted to help her breathe, her eyebrows were knitted, and her glassy eyes held so much pain. Occasional whimpers and winces left her and I withheld the urge to rush by her side, knowing I can't risk messing up Jamison's concentration. It destroyed me seeing her like this and I wanted nothing more than to take her place. I've never felt completely helpless before now, and I never want to feel it again.
"Her pulse is extremely high, I'm reading seventy bpm," the woman next to him read aloud.
"The resting pulse for a vampire should be at zero, anything between one and thirty comes alongside any emotions they may feel, some stronger than others. She's overheating herself by panicking, if she doesn't relax her heartbeat may very well cause movement in the stake and she'll kill herself."
My chest tightened and I looked at Jamison, repressing the urge to threaten him to do his damn job and save her. I knew he was working slower than normal because he's only ever helped werewolves. She's his first new patient and I could sense the fear he contained—the fear of fucking up and killing her, right in front of me especially.
"Retracting now," he announced, grabbing onto the stake with one hand and massaging the scabbed skin sticking to the wood until it broke apart, instant blood pooling up and trickling down her back.
My wolf paced restlessly and I remained tense, standing off to the side watching her face continue to contort in pain.
Jamison slowly began pulling it out, massaging all around the wound to keep her skin from attempting to heal to it. Until suddenly, she began choking, blood spewing from her mouth and she tried to gasped for air, unable to do so. I felt the color drain from my face and he glanced up as though he knew I'd react negatively.
When I went to intervene, he stopped me in my tracks. "Alpha, respectfully, stay back. By removing this stake, it unplugged the holes it created in her left lung and there's blood filling it, which is drowning her. We—"
"Stop! You're going to kill her!" I growled, my wolf feral for control. Jamison paused.
"I'd be killing her if I left the stake in. A vampire only truly dies from decapitation, a stake to the heart, or a high dosage of vervain. Between a stake and her drowning, she'll only come back from one. Are you hearing me, sir?" He replied, keeping his hands in place until given confirmation as for which one I want him to do.
I hated choosing between watching her die and watching her die, and I knew if I wanted her to be okay, I'd have to. I wasn't even certain I actually believed him. But in this circumstance, I wasn't really given much of a choice.
"Take it out," I answered, utterly disgusted with myself for letting her suffer, even if that was the choice that kept me from losing her for good. It was a selfish call, and for that, I hated myself. But when it comes her, I will always be selfish, because I need her. I love her. There's nobody I'd rather spend my life with than her, and I will happily accept that title if it means I get to.
Her gurgles fell silent along with her desperate, pained breaths and I clenched my jaw. The abrupt silence disturbed me and my chest felt heavy. I saw her lying lifeless on the operation table, blood dripping from her parted lips, and involuntary tears glossing my eyes. I couldn't stand the heartbreaking sight and left the room, clenching my eyes closed the second I entered the hall to keep my composure.
She's not gone. She's going to be just fine. I trust Jamison.
Goddess, I hope he's right. It's all I have left to hold onto.
A knock on the door startled me and I didn't break my gaze as it opened. Someone walked in and based off of the scent that hit me, it was only Gia.
She quietly walked over to stand next to me. I threw her a quick glance at her closeness then returned my gaze to my mate.
Gia stared at her. "She's going to be fine, you know." She turned her head to look at me and I mirrored her action, staring down at her. "I don't know if it's because she fed me her own blood to save my life that I feel this stronger, weirder connection to her, but I have it, and I'm not worried for a second," she added.
I eyed her oddly, returning my attention to my girl. "What is it like?" I asked.
"Being a vampire?"
I clenched my jaw, watching the morning sunrise hit her arm directly through the blinds. Her soft, porcelain skin darkened with a red hue and a faint sizzling filled the room. Where the sun hit, her skin melted away and the scent of the burn hit my nose. This snapped me out of my trance and I slapped the blinds closed next to me, expecting the nasty burn to heal, but it didn't.
This reminded me of the reality of the situation and I clenched my biceps in my hands, unable to look away from the acid-like wound on her arm.
"It has its pros and cons," Gia started anyway. "Mainly, I miss the feel of the sun. I do worry sometimes about my relationship too. I'm always asking myself, how can the mortal be with the immortal? I'm afraid to talk about it with Elliot because I'm terrified of what he will say. He loves me, and I know he loves me enough to die for me, but does he love me enough to live for me? Or will I have to take my own life to be with him, perhaps we will simply have to reject each other?"
The tension in me diminished slightly hearing her fears and I continued to stare at my mate, wondering if she has similar fears about me. I've never actually put thought into it. If she gave me those options, what would I do?
Another knock sounded the room and the door opened. Doctor Jamison walked in and briefly looked at Gia before fixating on me, a grim look on his face. "May I talk to you, Alpha?"
I looked down at Gia at the same time she looked up at me, mainly looking for the reassurance she came in here with. However, the look of worry she wore merely worsened the feeling in my chest.
"Go. I'll stay here," she urged. I reluctantly pushed off the wall and followed Jamison out of the room.
"As you know, we were trying to conduct as many tests we can to gain as much information about her and her species as we could—"
"Like some sick lab rat," I growled in annoyance. He threw an uneasy glance at me, well aware of how much I didn't like that plan from the first time he threw it out. Eventually, I agreed after he made some very valid points.
He cleared his throat, turning toward a closed door and opening it. "Well, we found her closest kin."
My eyes landed on three women and a man, two of which looked familiar. Their heads perked up at the sound of the door and they met my gaze.
"What the hell is this about? Take control of your dogs, Alpha Draven. They invaded our home and dragged us here!" One of the women shot to her feet, fury evident on her face. She looked nothing like Scarlett.
I turned to Jamison. "What the hell are they doing here?"
He signaled me into the room with four very angry vampires and I stared at him flatly. With a sigh, he walked past me and into the room. That's when I followed him in.
Fucking lunatic.
"You killed our King!" Another woman chimed in.
"What else do you want from us?"
The three women began talking over each other, their angry voices filling the room quickly. I averted my attention from the chaos to analyze the man and woman quietly sitting side by side in the corner, their guilty eyes avoiding my general vicinity.
"Annette," I spoke out. Her head snapped to face me and the room fell deadly silent, everyone now staring at me.
"How does he know your name?" The woman with chestnut brown, wavy hair questioned. Her baby blue eyes darted to the girl in the corner and everyone's eyes followed,
"We've been here before," Maximus stated, swallowing roughly. Guilt ate at them.
"What are you talking about?" The other woman frowned, her voice quivering. She had darker brown hair, a hint of blonde undertones hidden in it.
"They came to see me," I answered her after it became clear they weren't going to. They looked at me, deep frowns on their faces. The other three stared at me with confusion, all the anger and tension in the room gone.
"Wha..." The blue eyed woman trailed off in a single breath, her brows furrowing as she glanced between us. She finalized on me. "Why?"
They peered into me, fear, guilt, and desperation in their eyes, begging me to stay hushed about what they were ordered to do. Now that Valentino's gone, the vampire's have freewill for the first time in centuries, yet they also have the memory of all the things they did out of obligation to their maker. Everything these two are feeling about carrying out his orders is sincere.
"They wanted to make sure Scarlett was okay." I moved my gaze back onto the woman I'm quickly gathering as their mother—Scarlett's mother.
She released the ragged breath she was holding, breaking down into tears. Her knees wobbled beneath her and she covered her mouth, weeping. "Goddess, my baby, she's okay? She's here? I thought those wolves would've torn her apart. I thought she—Oh, Goddess." She fell into relieved sobs.
"That's why we're here? To see our sister again?" The woman with copper-orange eyes perked up with forming tears. I suddenly felt like an asshole.
"You may. If you cooperate with anything we might ask of you," Jamison interjected.
I grabbed him by the collar of his wrinkle-free white coat and dragged him behind me, exiting the room and closing the door behind us. There, I released him with a low growl.
"What the hell do you think you're doing? You brought vampires into our pack without my permission! How does any of this matter when my damn girl is lying dead in a fucking hospital bed?" I whisper-yelled, enraged by his stupidity.
"Sir, if you would just be patient, they can tell me so much more about her than I'll ever be able to find online. Trust me, I've looked. Do you really think I want a group of vampires anywhere near here, let alone in this hospital where there are several injured wolves and rooms specifically for storing blood? The Luna has no records that we can find—none—so I told my team to look into the X-rays and her blood work instead. While they do that, I need you to help me talk to her family. I have nowhere else to look," he whispered back.
Reluctant, I opened the door and we entered the room again. Everyone looked up from their conversations expectantly.
"We understand vampire's cannot procreate, which likely means none of you are her biological kin, yes?" Jamison shot the first question.
"I am," Annette stood.
Shock struck me at the revelation. Was Valentino so cold to take someone's children, turn them, and give them away to a random vampire to raise? Is Annette the only real family Scarlett has?
I analyzed her. Although I've seen her before, it's my first time noticing she had blonde, straight hair, very similar features, except with dark, stormy grey eyes. Nobody else in this room holds resemblance to her.
"Wonderful. Can you tell me a little more about her, if it's no trouble? It could be anything," he suggested. Maximus pulled himself to his feet next to her, rubbing her back reassuringly.
"She was always afraid of being alone," Annette replied, her voice a bit unstable and she was staring off, lost in her thoughts with ragged breaths. They progressively worsened and tears filled her eyes.
"When we were little—when we were human, I hid from her when our parents went to work assuming she'd think it was a game and come looking for me. I just remember hearing her scream and cry. She freaked out, and by the time I got to her she made herself pass out. Even as we got older, after we turned, she never quite got over it. So when the King sent her away, all alone, we lost our minds. Blood or not, we all loved each other like we were. All those years, we prayed Alpha Zeek killed her because we knew how much worse it would've been if she were alive just to be alone."
"So you would say she always had anxiety?" Jamison asked.
The door suddenly burst open behind us and I whipped around to see a woman in scrubs standing in the doorway with horror on her face. "Alpha Draven, Jamie, I found something you guys need to see."
I shared a look with Jamison who didn't look too comforted with her flustered appearance. Everyone else in the room stood in confusion.
"We will be back momentarily," he said, turning to follow his colleague. I went after them, closing the door just as someone began to question what was happening.
The woman led us down the hall and into her office. She rounded her desk and hopped on her computer, typing rapidly before grabbing the side of the monitor and turning it toward us.
Jamison understood immediately judging by his wide eyes, while I couldn't make out a single thing on her screen.
"What?" I snarled in impatience.
"She's... fertile."