Elora tried to get her act together, but it wasn't working. She had no idea what was wrong with her. She used to see blood before and nothing happened, so why was it having an effect on her now? Was it because the one she saw the elders in was worse and had triggered something within her?
On the other hand, could it be because of the note? Because of the threat Dexter gave her? Her vision blurred and she staggered backwards but Damon held her. He was really worried about her. He looked at the dead bodies and faced the guards.
“Take them away and do what is required.” Damon ordered the guards. They bowed and took the dead bodies away. The maids rushed in and cleaned the place up immediately.
Damon held Elora and led her to her seat. Elder Blake sighed as he watched her. No one needed to tell him what was coming for them. What he feared the most was finding its way to the pack. His only prayer was for Elora to be able to handle it when the time comes.
When Elora finally calmed down, Damon gave her water and she drank. Her vision cleared immediately, and she stared at the pair of worried orbs, staring at her like she would disappear in a few minutes.
She sighed, running her hands through her hair with a frustrated expression on her face.
“Do you find it hard to see blood?” Damon asked her.
Elora sighed and nodded slowly. “I did, but it wasn't as severe as this. I could usually control myself before, but I don't know what's going on,” She rubbed her hands on her forehead. Her eyes darted to the paper again and she frowned, balling her fists. “We have to stop Dexter. We really have to before things get out of hand.” She complained.
“I've sent guards out to search everywhere for him. They will find him, I'm sure of that. He can't stand against them. He must have been able to hurt the wolves that died because they were just normal people and weren't trained to fight.” Damon replied.
Elora shook her head.
“I have a feeling he's trying to send us a warning,” Elder Blake said.
“You're right, Elder Blake. I thought about the same thing. He finished off the elders, so he wouldn't have to share his plans with them and risk it getting exposed. He didn't trust them, and that's why he got rid of them. Now, he's trying to pass a message, to threaten us. We have to be careful, so he wouldn't send us on a wild goose chase.”
Elora sat as she thought for a while. That “game on” kept ringing in her head. She dabbed her index fingers together as she thought of what to do.
“My problem now is we don't know what he actually wants, else we'd have looked for a way to lure him into a trap or something.”
“What he wants is simple, Elle. He wants the throne.” Damon answered and she frowned.
“But I can't give him the throne. No, I can't do that. If he's that desperate, he should go create his own pack and search for people to inhabit it. That way, he would have subjects, and they can call him the Alpha.” She answered with a sneer.
She was getting sick and tired of all these. This was the second threat she was receiving, and she didn't like it at all. The worst part was that they couldn't even think of a way to get him.
Elora tried to think of something, but nothing was forthcoming. She wasn't going to give up. She was determined to stop Dexter from causing chaos and killing more people.
****
A few days later…
Elora became devastated. More people were dying and she didn't like it. The worst part was that, there was always a bloody note where “game on” was written whenever they found a dead body.
She became angry and intensified her training exercise. She wasn't going to let Dexter kill her people. Her job was to defend and fight for them, and that was exactly what she would do.
When she was done with training one day, she went to wash her face when she suddenly felt a sharp pain in her belly.
She clutched tight to it, wondering what was wrong with her. She winced in pain as she bent down. Suddenly, the pain left the same way it came, and she sighed in relief.
“Are you okay?” Damon, who had noticed when she scrunched up her face in pain and had bent down, asked.
“I felt a little pain in my belly, but I'm very fine now.” She answered.
“I need to take you to the doctor then.” He wanted to hold her, but she stopped him.
“No, there's no need. You've already done enough.” She gave him a small smile and walked away.
Damon watched her retreating figure and shook his head. He wished there were more ways he could help catch Dexter, so Elora would return to the girl he once knew — the lady he fell in love with. Since the recent happenings, she hadn't been herself. She refused to eat much and spent most of her day training.
She would only go out sometimes if Zena and Luca persuaded or begged her.
He had tried his best to make sure Dexter was found and caught but all to no avail. He wasn't going to give up, though. He was determined to make Elora happy again, and that was exactly what he was going to do.
*****
It was night, the girl had just finished her shift at work and was heading home. She had her headphones plugged into her ears as she listened to a classic song.
Suddenly, the headphones were yanked away from her, and she turned to see someone she didn't expect standing before her with a mischievous smirk on his face.
She didn't have the chance to say anything as she felt something pierce into her skin, causing her to lose consciousness immediately.
Her phone was taken, and the person clicked on the number saved as “Dad”
“Hello, dear, are you on your way home already?” An elderly man's voice boomed from the receiving end.
“I'm a little busy with your daughter right now,” The Man chuckled, causing the old man to gasp.
“Where is my daughter?” The elderly man asked.
“I'll tell you where she is after you agree to do my bidding. If you don't, I'll be more than happy to help you end her already miserable life. Do we have a deal?”