Ques. What was the first werewolf book you read on Wattpad?
Mine was Alpha Kaden by Midika. XD
Recap: In the last Chapter, Ava finally meets Lilian and they agree on creating an antidote for the deadly poison that's killing werewolves in a single shot.
At the end of the day, Ava stands against the window of her office looking at the view outside and thinking when suddenly she feels burning sensations all over her arms, the skin of her arm changes and instead there appears a thick hairy skin and she discovers that she is changing. At the end of the chapter, Ava asks Ron to call all the packs who are supporting her in the war because the war is about to begin.
***
Ava
Elias was the first person to arrive in such short notice along with his team. His Beta Eric and his mate Sia, his Gamma Shawn and two warriors. I was surprised to know that one of those warriors is mate of Stella.
The first question that Elias asked after he entered into my territory was, “I have been sensing a lot of mood changes and annoyance and I am pretty sure none of them are mine. What is going on with you?”
And just like that my head started reminding me all about yesterday when my arms were going through the markings. The terrifying part was that at night I had to go through the burning sensations again only this time it was less painful.
“I have a lot to tell you things that I can't explain you over a telephonic conversation or through mind link” I whisper back and he nods pointing towards my room.
Then it was Xander who came with his Beta Rikon, Mischa and some healers from his pack.
My pack looked very busy with the amount of people present in the pack. The warriors and their mates were given a room to rest but the important officials were all settled in my office.
“Aaron is leading the war but what I have gathered is that he is aligning with a group of humans known as Wolf Mater. Alpha Aaron is fooling everyone. Also I don’t think apart from Aaron and the Alphas other wolves are aware of this connection” I say looking at everyone.
“Why do mean by other wolves don’t know?” Elias asks and I point to the papers on my table. Everyone looks at the papers while I place my finger on the details that I have highlighted. It was statistics of Aaron's pack.
“I don’t believe the Alphas told their packs regarding the Wolf Mater nor the poison which is created by the humans”
“But the Alphas are aware?” Xander questions and I nod.
“All the Alphas that are supporting Aaron know about the poison but not the warriors or anyone else who is involved in the war. They are simply fighting this war because of the orders.”
“But you mentioned that Aaron is fooling other Alphas.” Elias reminds me and I shift in my seat and glance at Kael for a second then turn towards Elias.
“After researching on this with help of my brother…” I point at Kael who is seated at the far with his arms folded against his chest “…I have come to the conclusion that I am just a reason. This war was bound to happen”
“What does that mean?” Elias growls and stands up and looking pointedly at me.
“Aaron had prepared himself for this war even before I came into the picture”
“How do you know this?” Elias asks.
“I told her” a voice chirps in and everyone other than me turns back to look at the intruder.
“Who is she?” Xander asks and looks at his Beta who is silently sitting beside him.
“This is Regina she is Aaron's daughter” I answer in monotone with a very bored look. Fortunately he dismissed the topic and instead of asking more about her he diverted his attention to matter in hand.
“Aaron was always involved with the human company. He kept on supporting them and asked them to create the poison”
“Why?” a very calm but heavy voice speaks and I raise my head away.
It was Rikon. From the time he has entered in my territory this was the first time I heard him talk. Otherwise he kept silent and stood attentively absorbing everything.
“I don't have the answer for this question. All I know is that he is fooling others in joining him and I believe there is some personal motive behind this.” I finish and let others soak the information I just gave them.
“But I have found out a detail that you might be interested in Xander” I take a deep breath and release it before clutching Elias's hand in mine.
“Aaron is also involved in kidnapping your mate”
My office stays silent for a long time before Xander simply stands and leaves my office without saying anything. Rikon follows after him leaving only Regina, Elias and Kael with me in my Office.
The tension between these two is palpable. The hidden distaste for each other isn't exactly hidden from me but I try to divert their minds away from each other's presence.
“How do you know all this? Oh wait, wrong question. Of course your brother is too good at sneaking” Elias sneers and I squeeze his hand tightly glaring at him to make him stop.
“No, Regina helped me.” I answered and see Regina nodding from the place she stood.
“What is your theory? Why do you think Aaron was preparing for a war?” Elias questions making me smile. I knew this question was coming.
“It's really simple, you know. We are werewolves who are divided on the basis of power. Aaron is an arrogant man who considers himself powerful. His behavior with his junior authorities and the way he thinks that females are inferior is enough proof that he considers himself as a superior power”
“So now he wants to control everyone?” Elias asks and I nod in agreement.
“He wants to kill the potential rulers so that he can setup a monarchy. But he knows fighting with you or Xander or even James wasn't easy because all three of you had some sort of strength. You have power and Xander had group of strong healers and James is an elemental”
“So he looked for other ways to kill the potential rulers. He aimed at Xander first, kidnapping the strongest healer and then asked the human company to create poison so that no one can stand against him? So this is all just a fight for power?” Elias questions.
“Yes, it was before I came into picture. Honestly I made his job easy. I became his reason for immediate war and gain alliances to guarantee his success. And his involvement with humans and creation of the poison all he bent to make it look like he is doing the right thing so the Alphas went along with it and made everyone stand against us” I explain. Elias looks at the floor probably contemplating something and nods after a minute.
“Why didn't you mention this in front of Xander?” Regina asks and I smirk.
“He is little old but an intelligent man and I need his mind tricks to win the war. I can't reveal a lot to him if I need him” I explain.
“Kael I need updates on Lillian. Bring them before the day ends.” I dismiss him as he stands and leaves with Regina on his toe.
“Regina? Can you send Ron in?” I ask and Regina nods before closing the door.
“When will James arrive?” Elias asks taking the sheet with Aaron's pack statistics in his hands and going through it.
“He will be here any minute now. Hmmm… Elias I am changing” finally I speak and he frowns before looking at me.
“What do you mean?”
Then I explain Elias about the recent changes and also about my encounter with moon goddess spirit and the discovery of my other halves.
Elias hums in between and attentively takes in all the data. He stands just as I finish telling him everything and goes to the window present in my office.
He opens his mouth to say something when we are interrupted by a knock on the door followed by Ron entering my office.
“You are supposed to wait for my reply before you enter Ron” I remark and he flushes a little before standing straighter like a warrior in front of me.
“You called me Alpha?”
“I need updates on the preparations for the war. Are the warriors ready?”
“I will have all the details before sun sets Alpha” he states and I nod dismissing him.
“Alpha James is here” he tells and I nod asking him to send Alpha James into my office.
Elias sighs heavily at the intrusion of our time before leaning against the window sill.
I give him a small smile and he walks towards me, kissing on my forehead he mumbles a soft 'I miss you' before sitting beside me.
“James is here” Elias states sensing a presence outside my office and leans his body on the backrest, getting comfortable on his seat. Just then James enters inside and I divert my attention from Elias to James.
One look at James and suddenly I am inside his mind.
First thing I see inside his head is a couple smiling at me before they turn around and leave me.
I try pulling myself back from James' memories but I end up at another memory that shocks me.
I see a very young Rachel standing in front of me. Well technically in front of James.
Her locket which now belongs to me glistens in the sunlight.
I see the scene unfolding where her facial expressions quickly changes from tired to scared. She wipes her hand on the towel before running out of the pack house.
Then the memory changes to the next scene where Rachel is inside a forest next to a little baby. A letter clutched in her hands and tears flowing out of her eyes. She holds the baby in her arms kisses the baby's cheeks and finally looks up at me and smiles.
Instead of pulling back from James memories, I try going deeper and finding out more about Rachel and James.
I concentrate on the baby and then try to make out the words she spoke.
‘Thank you child. I don't know you but I will forever be indebted to your kindness and presence of mind. You did the right thing’ Rachel says grateful and stands up with the baby.
Smiling one last time she leaves and I see James turning in opposite direction.
I feel the internal confusion in his mind as he tries to understand about how he ended up here and how he knew about the little baby in the forest.
I finally pull back from his mind and find him down on the floor. I turn to find a very worried Elias cupping my face in his hands.
“What just happened?” Elias asks and I smile before replying.
“The connection I was looking for between James and me; I guess I found it.” I smile before getting up from my seat and I give James my hand.
He looks taken back but takes my hand and stands up groaning softly.
“This is the right time to talk about that incident.” I mention insinuating about the memory.
He stands up groggily and pulls a chair for himself.
I step back giving him space and raise my eyebrow urging him to talk.
An arm snakes its way around my waist and pulls me back against a rock solid chest.
“Give him some time love” Elias whispers in my ear before sliding me to his side and stepping ahead towards James.
“You okay man?” he asks James after he sits on the office table.
“Yeah. Just a bit shaken” James replies rubbing his forehead and then raises his head to look at me.
“How did you do it? No wait… Why did you do that?” he asks questioning about the earlier incident.
“It just...” I drag the word looking at Elias who raised his brow asking me the same question, “…happened?” I finish.
Elias shakes his head and calls me towards him. I walk to him and he takes my hand in his.
“Alpha James, how and why is not important right now? What's important is this war and I needed to know about the incident of your childhood for this” I explain and he narrows his eyes at me for a second before he closes his eyes.
Opening his eyes he straightens up himself on the chair and looks directly at me in my eye.
“You remember the first time I met you... I told you that I feel a sort of power emitting from of you?” he reminds and I nod in confirmation.
“When I was a kid, around six or seven maybe I was in the Sun Pack with my parents. I remember I had an urge inside me to go out that day. I remember, sneaking out of the pack house because I felt this strong power coming out from somewhere. I was intrigued by the power and that was how I ended up near the baby”
“Finding that lady Rachel was easy because she worked in the pack house. That is all I know” he says and I nod before smiling at him.
“We are together in this war Alpha James. But I must tell you there is lot that you are not aware about. If you have time, I think it is the right time for me to explain you lot of things that connects us.”
James was not satisfied nor was Elias. They still can't find a connection between me and James and also how did he end up being another half of me. Honestly, even I have no idea. I am trying to connect pieces but I can't find anything.
Kael was predictable because he is my brother and we have a connection but with James things are really confusing. I don't know why moon goddess mentioned him to me.
Now that I think about it.I am not sure if I did the right thing by telling him about my abilities and visions.
Moon goddess spirit never clearly mentioned the fact that James is my other half. I wonder if she was insinuating the same thing or maybe I deciphered the wrong meaning out of the situation.
Gash! I don't have time and I am so confused with this other half thing!
The sun was about to set and I was still waiting for some kind of news.
Something Good. Like Lillian found the antidote?
She mentioned that she will do it in one day but I knew that it's an impossible task. With no advance help and less facilities it is hard to do that in one day but with war on our hands we don’t have luxury of time. I can't help her more than this.
Also that girl is working like crazy to find the antidote and I don't want to pressurize her.
“Alpha?” Ron calls making me tear my gaze away from the setting sun and looking at him.
“There is no movement on the borders this has been reported by Alpha Xander’s, Alpha Elias and Alpha James’s packs too. This war is so unpredictable, I have no idea how we should plan this?”
“I know Ron, but we need to be prepared. How about our warriors?”
“They are ready, Alpha. We have already started the process of evacuation and have stored the food in the hideouts. All pregnant females are now safe in the hideouts and rest will leave tomorrow.”
“Good, we can then attack. What about others?”
“Beta Eric mentioned that their pack is safe so I guess he meant that they are all in hideouts? Maybe. And Alpha Xander's territory is right now governed by his warriors. So they are safe too. I'm just not sure about Alpha James.”
“You don't have to worry about him Ron. I am sure he must have prepared his pack for the coming war. You can go now Ron. We need to plan for this war tomorrow.”
Ron nods and just then Kael and Lilian enters my office.
"What is it?" I ask slowly walking back to my chair and urging Kael to talk.
"I have heard some people telling me about how your blood healed them.." Lilian speaks instead. "The poison is strong so I was thinking that it will be easier if you allow me to work on your blood as an antidote. It won't require a lot of blood just a little." She brings her forefinger and thumb closer leaving a little space, showing me the little amount she require; like a kid.
"What's the progress Lilian?" I ask flatly ignoring whatever she just mentioned.
She huffs in reply and glares at Kael before looking back at me.
"I'm not able to work with so little resources and almost no help. I need an advance team and technology which is not available so I'm trying to work like old ways but that is time taking. So I thought if you'll let me have some of your blood, I can also manipulate werewolf genes of self healing and create an antidote. "
"You know that the main reason for this war is my blood, right? This is why your organisation is behind me." I state calmly and from my hindsight I see her nodding and squeezing her fingers all together.
Ah a nervous gesture.
I sigh before looking at her and then at Kael who nods at me. For some undefined reason I trust Kael even though I have known him for little time and if he wants me to give it to her. I should then.
"I'm putting a lot of trust on you and you need to understand that. I'll give you my blood to work but that will be under my conditions. " I state and stand up looking dead in her eyes.
"You will always work in presence of Christie and won't leave the arena unless you are thoroughly checked. You will also explain me everything that you are doing so I can be sure."
Lilian simply nods and heaves a sigh of relief before smiling softly at me.
"I understand and yes, I agree." She says before she places her hand inside her sling bag and pulls out a syringe. She uncaps it and then takes out a glass test tube with a cork on it.
"Shall I?" She points at the upper surface of my arm and I nod sliding my sleeves off my hand and revealing my bare skin to her.
***