Berenice's pov
I ordered the maids to prepare waffles for Sara as she cried for them for one hour straight.
Yes, one hour.
Adam almost lost his self-control when he saw his mate in tears after he returned from the meeting with my mate and Ryder.
Even I was scared. I thought something happened to the baby. After pampering her for an hour she told us about her craving for waffles. The look on Adam's face was comical and I tried hard not to burst into laughter.
So, here I am in the kitchen, waiting for the maids to prepare some. I don't know how to make them and I don't think Charlie will come to kitchen today after what happened a few hours back. Ryder is on edge and he wouldn't let anyone near Charlie. He even locked his room with Charlie inside when he had to leave for the meeting.
I am worried for Sasha too. The way she described the recent happenings with her mate, I came to the conclusion that Maxin is under the influence of the demons. The did to him whatever they did to my mate.
I cannot call her here because she will feel uncomfortable between all these Lycans.
"The waffles are done, Luna." The maid prepared the plate and passed it to me.
"Thank you." I said and left for Sara's room.
Adam was walking towards me and he face lit up when he saw the plate of waffles in my hand.
"Thank God, hurry or else Sara will kill me and eat me." I rolled my eyes but hurried to her room.
"Waffles!" Sara screamed and snatched them away from my hand, stuffing them in her mouth.
"Umm, eat slowly, Sara. They aren't running anywhere." Adam said softly and made her sit on the bed.
"You're the best Luna ever, Berry." She said with her mouth full of food. I chuckled at her.
"Thank you, Sara." I replied.
Adam was looking at her so much love and admiration, it melted my heart. He pecked her hair and kept looking at her with a small smile on his face.
"Saraya, we need to talk-" Savannah and Grace walked in and stopped mid-sentence when they looked at Sara or more like at her bulging stomach.
Oh no, this is not good.
"What are you two doing here?" I stood in front of them, blocking Sara from their vision and growled at them. Adam stood next to me with anger in his eyes.
"Saraya is pregnant." Savannah whispered, shock evident in her voice.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Grace asked us totally shocked.
"Oh My God, congratulations!" Savannah squealed.
"Hey, shh." Adam put his hand over Savannah's mouth and I hurriedly closed the door that we forgot to do earlier.
"You will not tell anyone about Sara's pregnancy. We don't want this news to get out until the danger is lurking over us. You can do that, yes?" Adam said and removed his hand from Savannah's mouth when she nodded her head in agreement.
"Okay, we will not tell anyone." Grace also agrees.
Well, they have no choice. They have to comply with what we say.
Savannah smiles and hugs Sara who returns the hug happily.
"I am so happy for you." she said smiling brightly and pecked Sara's forehead. I was surprised at Savannah's reaction. She looked genuinely happy. she really cares about her family. I think it's only Charlie she doesn't like because of Ryder and her romantic past.
"We'll see you later." Grace said and left with Savannah.
"Well, that went well." I said to which Sara scoffed.
"Savannah can't keep secrets. That's why Alex came to know about Grace's crush on him." she revealed.
Oh, that witch had feelings for my mate. Or maybe still has.
Interesting
Very interesting
Not surprising
But interesting
"Uh, baby, I think you should sleep." Adam took away the empty plate and kissed her forehead and headed out of the door, signalling me to follow me.
"You don't need to be bothered about Grace. Alex never paid attention to her and never will. He has you, why will he ever look at anyone else." He explained frantically. He looked nervous about the revelation that Sara made.
"Don't worry about it, Adam. It does not bother me. I think you should take some time off from your Delta duties and be with Sara. We know that Savannah can't keep secrets and she has done nothing but cause troubles for the past few days she has been here so you need to be here to protect Sara in case something happens."
"Yes, I was about to ask the same to Alex. I want to be with Sara. I couldn't give her much time and I don't want it to be this way. If any need arises, I will be there but till then, I want to be with my mate. I will be back in a few days." Adam replied and gave me a guilty smile.
"Don't feel bad about asking some time off. You deserve it. Don't worry." I assured him and took away the plate from his hand and walked away.
I walked into the kitchen and saw Ryder and Charlie there. Charlie was drinking something from a small Earthen cup and by the look on his face it tastes very bad. He took one sip and his face scrunched up in disgust.
"I can't." he whined and pushed the cup towards Ryder who gave him a stern look.
"Be a good boy and drink it all up. Drink it in one go," Ryder said and Charlie pouted but did as told.
"Ahh!!!!!" he screamed after drinking it and rushed towards the cabinets and opened the container that contained sugar and plopped a handful in his mouth.
"Whoa, what is all this Ryder?" I asked and Ryder's gaze snapped towards me.
"Hey Berry. Good that I found you here. You have to drink this too." He said and offered me this, whatever this is to drink."
"What is this?" I asked as I was terrified of this drink after watching Charlie's reaction. The poor boy was still trying to shake out the horrible taste from his mouth while glaring daggers at Ryder.
"It is a potion that Nayanthara prepared. She says it is necessary to drink this for all of us daily. Come on now, drink it."
"O- okay." I said and took the cup from his hand. There was a tray on the counter that had four more similar cups.
"Did you drink this?" I asked to which Ryder nodded.
I was about to drink it when Charlie marched towards Ryder and bit his bicep hard.
"Owwwww, Charlie!!!!" Ryder yelled and tried to shake off Charlie from his arm but Charlie didn't let go.
Charlie pulled away from his bicep and folded his arms while glaring at Ryder.
"What the hell, Charlie! Why did you do that?" Ryder snapped at him which only made Charlie roll his eyes.
"You made me drink that bitter drink!" Charlie stomped his foot and turned away from Ryder.
Ryder rubbed his bicep and grumbled.
I picked up the cup and looked at it for a while contemplating whether to drink it or not.
"Drink it already, Berry. Don't be a child." Ryder scolded me and I huffed.
"Fine." I closed my eyes and drank the potion in one go.
Poison!!!!!!
What the hell did I just drink?
Oh god, it's poison!
"EWWWWWWW!" I screamed and Charlie pushed the sugar container in front of me. I greedily stuffed my mouth with it and sighed in relief as the sweet taste almost cancelled out the bitter and disgusting taste. Almost.
"God, you two are so dramatic!" Ryder exclaimed which made me glare at him. I couldn't say anything because my mouth was full.
"If you say another word, I will bite you again." Charlie snapped at him.
"Damn, okay, okay. I'll go give it to Adam and Sara." Ryder said and left with the tray.
"That was disgusting." I said after I swallowed all the sugar and Charlie agreed.
"I just hope Sara doesn't puke after drinking this." Charlie said and I nodded.
"I hope so too."
******
I was with Charlie and mother in the garden as mother told us about Father and Uncle Matthew's trip overseas. They both took the responsibility to bring the packs here safe and sound.
"Berry!" I hear a voice that I recognize immediately.
Sasha came running towards me in a disheveled state. Tears stream down her face and there was a big bruise on the right side of her cheek.
"What happened, Sasha? How did you get this bruise? Who did it?" I asked as I looked at her, checking for other injuries. She was crying intensely and it became tough for her even to talk.
"Calm down, Sasha." I said and hugged her. her whole body was trembling.
"Be- Berry, please save Max. Please." She pleaded with her hands pressed together.
"Where is Max?" I asked her.
"Save him from Alpha. Please." She wailed.
Alpha?
She held my hand and started running towards the other side of the garden where a crowd was formed. We ran through the people and I saw my mate in the middle of the crowd with his hand around Max's neck and staring right into his eyes.
I gasped when I looked at Maxin. His eyes were silver.
Oh no! he completely lost himself.
"Please save him, Berry please." Sasha cried. My heart hurt for her but I couldn't do anything. I trust my mate. He knows what he is doing.
I closed my eyes and breathed heavily. I need to do this for my best friend.
I walked closer to the two of them and saw the silver of Max's eyes slowly disappearing. Seconds tick by as the silver turned into brown and Max fainted.
"Max!" Sasha screamed and rushed towards her mate. My mate held onto the limp body of Max until the medical team arrived and took Max away in a stretcher.
Sasha followed them crying.
I hugged my mate and he wrapped his arms around me securely and allowed me to nuzzle into his chest taking in his scent.
"Don't worry, love. Your friend and her mate will be alright." His kissed my head as he assured me.
"What happened, son?" mother asked as she came running towards us with Charlie.
"One of the wolves was under the demons influence and was abusing his mate. They are in the medical wing at the moment." My mate replied as I pulled away from the embrace.
"I'll go check on them." Mother said and left.
"Alpha." One man walked towards us and bowed in front of us.
"Yes, Steve. What information do you have?"
"There have been multiple sightings of the demons at the sea shore. There are two packs that are in the mid sea traveling towards us. The ship has stopped mid sail." The man informed.
"Whoa man, what is going on?" Ryder arrived and kissed Charlie on the lips.
"We have to go to the sea shore immediately."
*****
"Our mates will be fine, right Luna?" Charlie asked as he frantically paced the room. We were at Ryder and Charlie's room because Charlie was extremely worried after our mates' departure.
"Yes, Charlie. They will be fine." I assured him even though I was nervous myself. There was a bad feeling at the pit of my stomach which made me restless.
Something is wrong, I can feel it. But what, I don't know.
"May I come in." we both looked at the door where Nayanthara stood.
"Yes, yes. Ofcourse." Charlie said.
"How are you, my Luna." She asked me with a gentle smile on her face.
"I am fine. Thank you for asking. How are you?"
"I am perfectly fine." She turned towards Charlie which made him nervous.
"You seem worried. Is everything okay?" she asked him and Charlie gulped.
"I am just worried about Ryder."
"I am sure he will be fine. Did you take the potion?" she asked and her tone turned serious.
"I- yes. I did."
"Good. I'll take my leave." She smiled brightly and left.
"What just happened?" I asked to nobody.
"I don't know." Charlie said and looked at the door from where Nayanthara left.
That was weird.
* * * *
I was roaming in the castle like a ghost while everyone else was asleep. It's past midnight so no one was here, not even the guards.
The guards who have the night duty are stationed outside the castle.
I was rummaging the kitchen when I heard a rustling sound.
Who can it be at this hour?
I walked out of the kitchen and saw Savannah walking outside the castle. She was looking here and there as if to make sure that no one sees her.
Where is she sneaking off to?
Usually I am not a nosy person but I decided to follow her. she exited the gate of the castle as I hid behind a pillar.
What kind of a Lycan is she? Why couldn't she recognize my scent?
I mean I can't identify anyone's scent because I don't have all my abilities but why can't she? I have a strong feeling that she has masked her scent.
She exited the door and I was about to follow her when I saw Charlie coming down from the stairs.
Bad timing, Charlie!
"Luna. What are you doing there?" Charlie asked and I jumped in fright.
"I- uh- I was not able to sleep so I was just, just walking around." I babbled.
"Me too." He whined and ran towards me and hugged me.
Oh dear lord. He is such an innocent child.
I looked towards the door with regret.
"I wanna eat ice cream." Charlie mumbled.
"I thought Sara is the pregnant one. I didn't know about you. Congratulations Charlie." I snickered. Charlie pulled away from the hug and whined.
"Don't tease me, Luna!" I burst out laughing.
"Oyi, SHH" Charlie said by putting on his lips and I copied his action.
Better be quiet, everyone is sleeping.
*****
Charlie and I went back to our rooms after eating ice cream. I was pacing in the garden as I felt very disturbed.
I guess I should go to the training grounds and work out.
I walked inside the castle and towards my room when I heard a loud scream.
"Ahhhhhhhhhhhh!"
What the hell!
It was Sara's voice.
"Adam! Please help! Adam!" I ran towards the room and saw Sara in the pool of her own blood.
"Sara!" I rushed towards her and tried to pick her up from the floor. The blood was coming from in between her legs.
Oh god no, the baby!
"Help! Anyone! Call the medical team right now!" I yelled.
"It hurts, it hurts!" Sara wailed.
WHERE THE HELL IS ADAM?
"Sara!" Adam came rushing in and stood shell shocked for a second before he bent down and picked up his wailing and thrashing mate in his arms and rushed out of the room.
I saw the empty breakfast plate on the bed before exiting the room.
Sara was rushed to the emergency room as Adam paced on the corridor with tears in his eyes.
I couldn't shake off the image of Sara ling in so much blood out of my head.
"A- Adam." I put my hand on his back and he turned towards me. his eyes were bloodshot.
"She will be okay." I tried to comfort him but I know my words hold no meaning.
"What if I lost them? I can't live without them, Berry." Adam sobbed.
I didn't know what to say. I just held his hand and squeezed it. We can just wait for the doctors to treat her.
Please God, let them both survive, please.
I tried to contact my mate by mind linking him but couldn't reach him.
"I contacted him." Adam croaked.
"Okay." I nodded.
*****
It's been four hours since the doctors took Sara in the nursery but there is still no news about her. Adam did not move from his place and refused to drink or eat anything.
"What is going on here?" mother came running in.
"Auntie." Adam said hugging her and started sobbing.
"My child." Mother caressed his hair in a soothing way.
A comfort that only a mother could provide.
"Let me go inside." Nayanthara appeared out of nowhere. She put her hand over Adam's head giving him a reassuring smile.
"Yes. Let her in and see Sara." I ordered and the doors were opened and Nayanthara walked in.
"Luna Berry." Charlie came rushing towards me.
"What happened Charlie?" I asked as he looked very scared.
"I have to talk to you, please hurry up." He said and dragged me away from the medical wing.
"I didn't want to tell this in front of Adam because he was already very distressed."
"What is it, Charlie? You are scaring me now." I shook his shoulders.
"The breakfast plate, there was something different about it. It smelled so bad and it had smoke coming out of it. It was empty! How can smoke come from an empty plate? Nothing was burning, there was nothing!" Charlie babbled.
"What? Oh my God, who would've done that?" I held my forehead.
What the hell is happening?
Suddenly the black clouds started appearing in the sky and it started to get cold as the wind gain speed.
I heard some sound and looked around myself and saw everyone doing the same. The temperature dropped further as my breathing became ragged. I started shivering and smoke came out of my mouth.
Oh no
No no no no no!
Not again!
I held Charlie close to me who was a trembling mess. His condition was worse than me.
My heart constricted in fear as I looked up in the air.
"W- we have t- to le- leave, right n- now!" I screamed at everyone.
"Eve- everyone insi- inside the Cas- castle!" I ordered.
"Hihihihihi"
I heard a voice that made chill run down my spine. Everyone started running causing a stampede.
"Run Luna run!"
"Hihihihihi"
My hold tightened on Charlie as we started running towards the castle. It was that moment when those black, soulless creatures appeared from the sky.
"L- Luna." Charlie whimpered. Tears welled up my eyes as I shivered in fear. The ice started to form everywhere and the grass became the ice floor.
"Do- don't worry Charlie. We'll ma- make it out of here." I tried to assure him but I couldn't hide the fear in my voice.
"Charlie Charlie, little Charlie. The apple of the Beta's eyes. Hihihihihi."
Charlie pressed himself close to me. We were about to reach the Castle door when Charlie slipped and fell down taking me along with him.
I was struggling to get up when I felt someone grab me by my neck and pick me up. I was up in the air and a demon was in front of me now holding my throat, squeezing the life out of me.
The demon pulled me toward itself and ran his nose along my neck. I squeezed my eyes shut in disgust.
"Still no child. Disappointing." The demon spoke that had my eyes snap open wide.
Their voice, a mere whisper.
The hold on my neck loosened a bit as my eyes searched for Charlie. He was in hold of another demon, wildly thrashing on the ground.
"Char- Charlie!" I managed to speak as I try to scratch the demon that held me. I only got thin air. I couldn't touch it.
"CHARLIE!" came a roar as tears slipped down my cheeks.
Ryder is here!
"hihihihihihihi"
Within a second Ryder was also held up in the air by his throat. Ryder thrashed within their hold when Charlie was also hoisted up in the air.
"Look at your little Charlie, Beta." The demon mocked him.
"Don't touch him!" Ryder roared.
"Stop, please, stop!" I sobbed.
The demon that held Charlie ran a finger down his cheek, slicing it open, making Charlie cry out in pain.
"Ry- Ryder." The poor boy whimpered, his eyes looking at his mate, pleading for mate.
Ryder looked helpless. His eyes full of fear of what is about to happen to his mate.
The demon dropped his hold on Charlie that made him hit the ground hard. The sound of bones breaking was terrifying.
"CHARLIE!" Ryder and I screamed.
No no no no, god please no!
The sound of Charlie sobbing pierced my heart as tear after tear left my eyes.
There was nothing I could do.
"DON'T TOUCH MY MATE! I WILL END YOU ALL! LEAVE MY MATE!" Ryder screamed.
Once again Charlie was hoisted up in the air. My heart twisted in pain as I saw his bloodied body. He was struggling hard to keep his eyes open.
"P- please, leave him." I sobbed.
"Your turn will come soon, little Luna. Your mate will watch us rip the fetus out of your body. He will watch you die helplessly just like your Beta will watch his mate die today." The demon spoke.
"Please leave my mate, please. Take my life instead." Ryder sobbed. Charlie's cries in pain.
Charlie was right in front of our eyes. These demons made sure to make us watch Charlie writhing in pain in mid air as we were held by the back of our necks.
It was getting difficult for me to breathe as my hair turned into eyes, the cold seeping down to my bones.
I couldn't see the boy in front of me wail in pain. His body was also freezing as the demons enjoyed his state.
"Look at your mate, Beta." The demon took Ryder closer to Charlie.
"Charlie, my angel." Ryder whispered.
"I- I love you, Ry- Ryder." Charlie muttered, his eyes trained on Ryder's, a small smile playing on his lips as if he accepted his fate.
No, no
"Leave me!" I thrashed and tried to get a hold of the demon but failed.
"Don't say this, Charlie. I'll save you." Ryder sobbed.
"hihihihi."
"You are th- the best ma- mate." Charlie whispered.
"Charlie, no." Ryder broke down pleading his mate not to say his last goodbye.
"Pl- please tel m- me you lo- love me too." Charlie croaked out.
Ryder shook his head in denial.
"Please." Charlie whispered. Ryder kept looking at his mate who had a peaceful smile on his face waiting for him to proclaim his love.
One last time.
"I- I love you, Charlie." Ryder whispered and the demon started sucking the life out of Charlie.
"NO!" I screamed as the demon took away Charlie's life force.
There was something different. The life force glowed green.
"CHARLIE!" Ryder roared and got out of the hold of the demon holding him and lounged towards the one holding Charlie, his nails digging deep into his throat.
The hands turned into claws as the deep grey fur appeared on his hands. Ryder turned more muscular and within a blink of an eye, a giant Lycan appeared and ripped the demon into shreds that then disappeared into thin air.
No remains left
Our eyes following the limp body of Charlie that lay on the ground with a peaceful smile on his face as the hold on my neck vanished and I slowly succumbed into darkness as one word left my lips.
"Charlie."