Chapter 4

ALEC

While speaking with Vanessa, she started clutching her stomach screaming in agony. Something was happening. Eventually, she'd fallen but I was able to catch her before anything. I had rushed her to our hospital where they immediately started attending to her. Through the window I was able to catch a sight of her, the real her. She was skinny, bone skinny. Her tanned skin was sickening pale. Her hair used to be the shade of black, and now it's faded with white covering it, her nails were unkempt, her lips were chapped, she had razor bumps everywhere. I couldn't help but laugh because no one showed her how to shave. She looked like a corpse... How did she even survive?

"Alpha, can we have a word?" I got out of my thinking trance to look at the pack's doctor. "I think by the way she looks you could guess exactly what's wrong. She hasn't had any food, no water, she is completely malnourished. She should be dead. But another thing alarmed me Alpha..." The doctor seemed nervous as his next words were going to make a difference. He took a deep breath. "While examining her mouth I found fangs, vampire fangs. I lost the feeling of my legs hearing those words, as vampires went extinct about 100 years ago. "Are you sure they were fangs?"

The doctor led me into the room, where he proceeded to lift her mouth. They were fangs. Witch, Wolf, Vampire. What else is she? And who were the parents that abandoned her, and why? I am filled with so many questions. "She is a walking time bomb of anger, why hasn't she ever taken over without asking?" I took her hand into mine which was dry and cracked. "Alpha, there is something else we found, which is why we need to get her into surgery"

The doctor walked over to a CT scan which showed a hardball in her stomach. " She was put into some comatose position for a long time, and the baby inside her turned to stone." She was pregnant too?? I was furious at so many things, and all the secrets that were flowing out. "We need to get her into surgery now if she has any chance at living" The doctor had taken the breaks on the bed, and I watched as they wheeled her away.

Hours had passed as she was in surgery, I sat in her room trying to understand how it was back in the old days. "Xaide, can you come to find me? We need to talk" I needed answers, and god damn it I was going to get it. Xaide walked into the room, with her tail tucked between her. She knew there was going to be a lot of questions. "So, you're a beta?" she walked more into the room, trying to avoid eye contact. "I am loyal to her, so I had to lie. I'm sorry" With half my pack being older than I thought. Maybe I wasn't ready. "How about you tell me what you know about when King Alias tried to kill her?"

"I don't know much, I know she had just announced that she was pregnant, and He was uncomfortable. They were fighting and telling her she needed to get rid of the baby. She refused as she was going to be his Luna forever, and needed to carry on the bloodline. But days later he daggered her and threw her off the balcony" So he did know she was pregnant. But that would really stop his chance with his mate. "Did you know his destined mate?"

"Yes, she was the daughter of Beta John. She had just turned 18 and went to the festival" Before I could ask any more questions, Vanessa's bed was being rolled back into the room. She was bandaged up, and a little color was coming back to her. The doctor walked up to me with hope on his face. "So good news, we were able to take out the stone from her uterus. Because of the pregnancy, it sucked all the vitamins out of here down to zero. That's why her hair turned white. But unfortunately, it wasn't enough for it to survive. Her body was so weak it couldn't even miscarry the baby normally. " This is going to be some news to tell her when she wakes up. "Well, I will wait to tell her that. When should she be awake?"

"Alpha, her body was so bad we had to put her in an induced coma. It can be a few weeks, maybe longer.”

“How was she able to be awake and ready to fight for hours then? It makes no sense and suddenly I’m questioning the healer like he doesn’t know what he’s doing. “It’s called a surge. She had so much anger and a drive that allowed her to. But as soon as she relaxed it came all out at once. She’s a hybrid so you can’t kill her. She will live forever” I walked over to Vanessa. Looking down at the aftermath of someone finding their destined mate... she and a baby both suffered. I knew exactly what needed to be done.

NEXT DAY

“Gloria can you meet me in my office please?”

I awaited pacing back and forth in my office waiting for those double doors to open. Gloria was my friend, and I couldn’t allow anything to happen to her if my destined mate comes. It may hurt now because I’ve grown to love her. Those doors opened and she walked in with a beautiful yellow yes. Her eyes are red, and she knows what’s coming. “Yes Alpha, you asked to see me”

I looped over and leaned against my desk trying to find the words to make it better.

I couldn’t find the right words. She walked over to me and rested her hand on my cheek. “I know, you don’t need to say anything “but she was wrong.

“I care about you Gloria; I just can’t have what happened to Vanessa ever happen to you” tears formed in her eyes. She always came off a little strong, but that’s what she does for people she cared about. “It’s okay, I’ll be okay.”

Suddenly my Beta burst through the doors. He appeared naked as if he shifted before. “Alpha, you need to come to the gate. There’s a mob of people.”

Both Gloria and I ran out of the office stripping down naked. My Black and white wolf took over my body standing 5 feet tall. Gloria shifted into her blonde wolf and we darted down to the gate. A large crowd had come, and they looked angry as hell. Screaming to let me through. I approached the crowd from behind the gate.

AAA ROOOOOOOO...

Silent it became.

"What is the meaning of this disruption?" An Omega had approached at eye contact. "Rumor has it that Queen Vanessa has risen from the dead, is this true Alpha?" It hadn't been a full 24 hours before the news got out. "Alpha this was our queen; we have a right to know. She is who we follow?" I was trying to find the words that wouldn't cause a bigger uproar. The noise became louder and louder...

AAA ROOOOOOOO...

"Queen Vanessa is in critical condition and recovering. As she is alive, she is not well. Return to your packs or you will all be jailed for treason. When we know more, you will know." I walked away for just a second when a fight broke out between two of the wolves.

"Your queen was a weak mutt, who took the best king away."

"That king murdered his Luna, she is the only one who can protect us." I had stopped dead in my tracks. Guards bring that man to my presence. One of the guards had opened the gate, as another patted him down and walked him towards me.

"What are you talking about?" The wolf stood high and proud like he knew something that I didn't. "Have you not heard the tales? When the queen awakens, so will the ones who have a vendetta against her. Dead and alive. They are coming after us. The queen will know the truth. Dead and alive. They are coming after her. Us. We are in for a lifetime of destruction. We need her awake. I shifted back into my wolf and raced back to the office. I quickly changed into my clothes and ran to the hospital.

I needed answers and hoping she would be awake, while speed walking to the ICU where she laid. I stood by the door, looking at the tube down her throat keeping her alive. "Alpha, you're back. Are you checking on her progress?"

"Yes doc, has there been any progress?" He had walked over to her bed and began checking her vitals. "Well she certainly is starting to pick up, but unfortunately she is still not in a good place to be woken up" Why was everything starting to go bad, as soon as she came back. There was peace, and now the war is going to come. We have no idea what's coming for us. She's just a strong innocent person, suffering at the cost of her forced mate. I walked over to her body and put her hand in mine and held it.

"You know if you talk to her, it can help the progress." I looked at the doctor who seemed sincere. So that's exactly what I did. I sat on the bed, while the doctor was still checking her out. 'Hey Vanessa, I know your body has been through a lot. Hell, your whole life has been. There are people counting on you to protect them. At this point, I need you to tell me what to do. I don't know you, but you showed me a lot about you. Just wake up, and I will help you.

I went quiet for a bit. And just let my warm body pulse into hers. And that's when I felt it. Her hand twitched into mine. She can hear me once again. Yet it was only a movement, I knew I needed to help her wake up. If there was a war coming, we need to start preparing.

"Set up a meeting with the entire army 20-minute ETA"

Everyone sat around the table. I felt nervous having to spring this on them, but it had to be done. "As you know an ancient has returned. She had a lot of friends and foes. You guys. War is coming. As of now! After the festival, we will be on lockdown. No one comes in, and no one goes out without my approval. Background checks must be thorough. Know that we will be doubling on guard duty. Tripling on training. Any teenager 16 years and older. 5'6 or taller. They will be sent to boot camp. There are no ifs, ands, or buts. Unless there is a medical reason. They are going. We are preparing for a huge war. Creatures we didn't know existed. And those who we thought were gone forever. Now let's go enjoy our freedom till then"