Chapter 68: 68. Fire and Ice
Lazarus walked into the pack house with Darren and his beta and gamma. The pack members retreated to their respective homes and rooms for those who lived in the pack house after seeing their alpha and giving him the proper greetings and respect that the alpha deserved.
Dana and Rosie led them to the cave at the back where Kora was. Out of the cave, stood two guards to make sure someone sees her when she comes and that she is not left alone.
Darren, who had only seen the cave once, didn’t understand why they were out there staring at it rather than going inside to check up on her. He almost doubted that she was inside as he was unable to pick up her scent, if he didn’t know that there was no point for the Luna of the pack to lie to her mate and Lazarus wouldn’t be calm about it if he was not sure of her being inside.
"How long has she been inside?" Lazarus asked. He looked at the cave standing outside trying to see the girl who was inside but he could not see her no matter what he tried.
"Since the moment I informed you," Dana said. Worry was written all over her face. "She was sweating and trembling, I have never seen her like that."
Lazarus wraps his hand around his mate in a comforting gesture. "She will be fine." He sounded very sure of what he was saying. Though he said that, he linked Raven, ’Tell Stella to come here.’ he said and Raven did as he was told.
"It is getting late, go in and rest," he said looking at Dana and Rosie. "It must have been a stressful day for the both of you. Rest now, we will take care of things from here."
The two women did not move an inch from where they stood and without any intention of leaving. " I will take you inside now. "Lazarus said, taking Dana’s hand and leading her inside.
Darren stood there and looked at the cave. He didn’t know whether to go inside or not. All he wanted was to know and make sure she was okay. He walked over to the cave’s mouth and stopped. He felt a force that didn’t let him through and wondered what it was. The cave was open and he didn’t sense any spell or dark magic around it for it to be the work of a spell caster.
He turned to one of the guards and asked him, "Why hasn’t anyone gone inside to check on her?"
The guard who was not expecting the man to talk to him all of a sudden didn’t know how to reply to him. If he had been an ordinary person he would probably ignore him as it was obvious that even Lazarus who was the pack’s alpha could not go inside. But the man asking him was none it’s than the Alpha supreme and an ally to the Blood Moon pack. "No one can go inside." He said respectfully but Darren looked at him with a frown, " She is the only one who can enter the cave, Alpha Supreme."
The frown on Darren’s face did not leave but he did not pester the guard again and looked towards the cave. What he just found out only gave him more questions than answers and he did not know who to ask. He doubted if he asked Lazarus the man would tell him anything. Kora didn’t have a beast in her but she has abilities that others don’t. He had tried many times to sense her wolf but he has always met with nothing.
"Alpha, "Levi’s voice got him out of his train of thought. "Alpha Lazarus asked me, to inform you, that your room is ready and you can go and rest now."
Darren looked past him at Ezra who had just returned from inside." Is there a way to go inside?" Darren asked, not paying heed to what Levi had just said.
Ezra walked to him and nodded his head. Darren was about to be hopeful when Ezra poured water on the fire of hope that was igniting. "She has to come out and take you in," Ezra said, pleased with himself as he was able to annoy Darren.
Darren growled at him but Ezra smiled innocently at him which infuriated him. Darren walked past Ezra, harshly brushing against his shoulder and pushing him aside. Ezra blocked his tongue but he did not comment on it.
*******
Inside the cave, Kora could hear people speaking but it was not as loud as it was before, the sound of their voices was now tolerable and the multiple scents that had invaded her nose before had all ceased. She uncoiled her body, losing her arms around herself. Thinking she could finally have some time to rest and regain herself back, she stood up ready to walk out and get some fresh air just then, a sharp pain tore through her body which left her screaming in pain and staggering on her footing.
She leaned against the wall breaking her fall. She then crouched down with her palms on the floor of the cave, her hair stuck to her face, neck and even on her arm due to the dried-up sweat which has now started all over again.
Looking outside, she could see that the moon was out and almost full in the dark sky. The pain that she felt was increasing continuously and she felt her bones would snap at any moment and there was nothing that she could do to stop it.
Suddenly the surroundings went dark as if there were light seconds ago. Kora didn’t know what to do, her body ached and now she has also lost her vision.
Pulling herself off the floor with much difficulty, she made her way out of the cave by using her hands to feel the walls and space around her while fighting the agonizing scream at the tip of her tongue. She steps out but she still could not see a thing. The guards who were stationed there saw her and came to her aid seeing that she was using her hands to navigate her way.
"Kora, Are you alright?" One of them asked but she did not respond. She kept looking past them as if she could not see and they each took hold of her hand but ended up letting go immediately as if they had been electrocuted.
The one who held her right hand got burnt with a red ugly scar on his palm, the other had the exact opposite experience. The hand that was used to touch her was drained of blood and looked so pale as if it had been frozen for a long time. The hand felt numb.
