Chapter 88: Backup plan
Raven
I would have preferred to stand and eat.
Every spoon I put into my mouth was difficult to swallow with Gessia’s eyes fixed glaring at me. She made no move to hide it either as I did my best to completely ignore her.
Trying to figure out why Thor made me sit down but unable to.
They continued talking amongst themselves and I listened quietly until I heard Axel begin to talk about me. Stunned when Thor convinced them that he should go next instead.
Yet all I could think about was what his plan truly was and why he would go that far for me.
Even more surprising was when Axel finally agreed and the matter was put to rest.
My thoughts drifting back to what Thor had told me the previous night.
He said we were leaving.
My eyes widened slightly as realization suddenly struck me.
Does that mean I need to become stronger?
Even if he truly intended to help me, I would still need enough strength to survive the journey.
The thought alone made me continue eating.
Adding more food onto my plate until eventually my stomach could take no more.
Once I was done, I slowly rose to my feet and prepared to head back to my room. The alphas had mostly finished eating already and were beginning to leave to make their preparations.
But barely had I stood when Gessia did the same.
"Come with me," she ordered with an angry expression on her face.
I immediately nodded before following after her towards her laboratory inside the alpha building.
The moment we stepped inside, unease settled heavily inside me.
Especially when she moved behind me and slammed the door shut.
"Did you speak to Thor?" she demanded instantly. "What did you tell him?"
Anger leaked through every word she spoke.
I lowered my head quickly in submission. The last thing I wanted was for her to strike me again.
"I didn’t speak to him," I answered carefully. "Maybe he’s simply looking forward to his ritual."
Her heavy gaze settled on me immediately in a way that made it clear she believed I was lying.
Silence settled between us.
Too heavy for my liking.
But I couldn’t leave.
I simply stood there and watched as she turned around and headed toward one of the tables in the room before eventually returning and stretching her hand out toward me.
"Here," she said.
I looked up instantly, stunned to see the red potion in her hand.
The exact potion I had asked for.
Quickly, I stretched my hand out and carefully took it from her.
"Keep it hidden and safe," she instructed coldly. "You are to take only two drops every day. Nothing more."
The moment she said it, I couldn’t help wondering how I had failed to notice before that something was wrong with the potion.
"Of course," I replied quickly with a grateful smile. "I promise. My body already feels much better. I’m sure this will help."
I thanked her repeatedly while she simply nodded back with a smile of her own.
No signs whatsoever that she had just handed me something poisonous enough to eventually kill me.
Once she had nothing else to say, she dismissed me.
I quickly hid the bottle inside the pocket of my gown before turning around and leaving the room.
Closing the door quietly behind me.
I headed straight back toward my room and wasn’t surprised to see the guard assigned to me watching from afar like he had been waiting the entire time.
But strangely enough, I wasn’t angry.
I was relieved.
I had the red potion now.
And if Lilian kept her part of the deal, then soon I would also have hers.
If things became truly hopeless, I intended to use it.
I had absolutely no intention of bringing a child into this world only for them to suffer the same fate I had endured.
Especially if they inherited my appearance.
With Thor’s proposal, I now had three different paths in front of me and somehow that alone brought me a strange sense of peace as I returned to my room and shut the door behind me.
I immediately walked toward the window.
Standing there had become a habit difficult to break.
Outside, pack members moved around freely and happily together.
No fear.
No danger.
No constant terror hanging over their heads.
They were free to live their lives.
I wasn’t.
Not as long as Rex remained alive.
He was the one person I desperately needed dead.
Thor had made it clear that he simply intended to escape and not kill him, but the more I stared at the red potion, the more tempted I became to use it.
Though realistically, it would probably only be enough for one person.
I could kill Gessia.
Without someone capable of performing the ritual, I would also be free.
Yet at the same time, another part of me felt I should wait.
Thor clearly had a plan and although I still didn’t completely trust him, making a reckless move now might ruin everything.
Slowly, I made up my mind.
I would only use the red potion if everything became hopeless.
Only when there was absolutely nothing else left to do.
The rest of the day drifted by slowly like every other day trapped inside that room.
Occasionally, through the window, I spotted Loel and Xarna walking together through the pack. Sometimes Raphal was with them too.
They looked happy.
Comfortable.
Safe.
The sight alone was enough to bring tears to my eyes.
They had once been my friends.
At least I thought they were.
Yet it was painfully obvious now that none of them considered me important enough to even visit.
All they cared about were the rumors.
And after I tried telling them the truth, they simply ignored me and chose to believe their alphas instead.
It made me hate them.
Watching them laugh and live happily while I slowly rotted away inside a room.
My fists clenched tightly as tears streamed down my face.
It was exactly why I needed whatever plan Thor had to work.
