Blood Rose

29

"The tunnel!" I exclaimed, looking into Striker's confused eyes. "The place I found when we were all out in the forest playing hide and seek?"

"I know what you're talking about Luna, but the guards and Fox destroyed that tunnel to prevent any more entrances."

"Or maybe they thought they did."

"What?"

"Think about it for a second," His eyebrows furrowed in a knot. "The tunnel was hidden right by the Alpha's backyard? And I easily found it?"

"I may be catching on but I'm not sure."

"It's so simple Striker, and all this time we've overlooked it!" Striker shook his head and I looked him in the eyes with a smile, my heart full of accomplishment. "They wanted us to destroy that tunnel system. They wanted us to think it was checked and over with and a waste of our time."

"They're still using it." I was about to jump in excitement for getting somewhere, but before I was able my phone rang. Without thinking twice, I answered it in anticipation.

"H-Hello?"

"Luna Phoenix, we need you here at the hospital. The Lab has results for you and Beta Aguado."

"We're on our way."

•

People moved out of our way as we stormed through the hospital doors and walked straight past reception, already having memorized the path to our mates rooms. Secluded from the other pack members and out of sight.

"Luna, Beta," A woman with a lab coat on greeted us as we reached the section. "you'll be very happy to know we've already started rehabilitation for the drug used on your mates."

"Drug?" Striker asked with a slightly darker voice.

"The liquid was identified and matched the plant grown in the Alps called Lyarck." My face contorted into a frown and I crossed my arms. "It is one of the most rare and fatal plants used for a method of attack on supernatural species. It's why it's taken us so long to identify the matter."

"Please explain." I commanded without even asking with the right tone.

"The plant is mainly used among the fae mostly because of how easy it is for them to retrieve due to their flight and adaptions to atmospheric pressures."

"So this attack was from the fae." I finished her statement.

"But the tests from the woman who attacked read her DNA as a Were."

"We've tested her blood levels as well and found another drug that affects the blood flow to her brain, making mind manipulation impossible to resist and extremely effective." I sighed and rolled my neck out.

"So we've lost the faerie who sent this chain reaction."

"Yes, but it's important to focus on your mates health and how Lyarck is affecting them now." I nodded in agreement and focused again. "Each species is affected differently from the next, making it extremely difficult to find patterns in its effects." I pursed my lips, my eyes never leaving hers as I hung onto every single word. "It affects witches by tearing down their supernatural power that gives them the ability to produce magic. We've begun treating her carefully with a safe medical drug that cancels out the Lyarck and kills it."

"And Fox?"

"The Alpha is a Were, meaning a few different things. The way he got the Lyarck in his system was through your bite Luna. You seem to be unaffected by the drug, but this still caused him to seize and fall unconscious, however it is now affecting his ability to send signals to his brain which would allow him to react and somehow even think properly." My heart dropped along with my stomach, and my hands had already begun shaking. "Your bite was right at the somatic nervous system, and the Lyarck was transferred through there."

My eyes immediately teared up and I brought my hand to my mouth to stop myself from sobbing. Striker noticed and somehow felt the pain I bared. He quickly pulled me into him and rubbed my back as I began to let the tears slip.

I felt tired. No, exhausted. I was sick of feeling pain and having to cry and let out my built up emotions that I never deserved.

I was disgusted by being repeatedly attacked and hurt.

But I didn't have a choice at this point, because we were in the middle of a war.

Fox has called it premature, a disagreement or battle over indifferences. But now I'm calling it for what it is, and I was fully prepared to send a blow towards those mother fuckers.

I pulled back from Striker and wiped the remaining tears from my eyes before staring directly at the scientist with a stone cold face.

"He's being treated?"

"Yes, we'll be carefully-"

"He'll be okay?"

"We hope-" I stopped her from continuing.

"He'll be okay?" I demanded through gritted teeth. The scientist adjusted an astray hair from her tight bun before swallowing and nodding short.

"Yes. Of course, Luna." I gave a single nod before turning my head to look at the blocked up window of the room Fox was currently in. And without even requesting to go inside, I turned back the direction I came from and walked out with my head held high, maintaining a stable mask. 

It was all I could manage at this point.

•••

sorry for a 'let down' follow up chapter. this is really what i consider just showing a shift in power showcasing Naomi's ability to follow up with what she declared, and kinda just a 'filler' until more interesting action crude ;)