Chapter Twenty-four - Miraculous healing

Shane’s POV.

“An eye for an eye,” the prisoner’s words rang in my head as I approached the pack house. After my session with the man, Chase had pushed me out of the dungeons, telling me he’d handle it and although I’d been reluctant to leave, I knew it was for the best. One more minute in the presence of the man and I’d be forced to snap his neck. But even that wouldn’t grant the satisfaction and solution I was after. He’s shown that he wasn’t afraid of death and was ready to lay his life down to see the end of the Black Mane pack.

“Oh, trust me, I’d be glad to set my life on the line to avenge my ancestors,” these words plowed my thoughts as I struggled to make sense of them.

My thoughts traveled way back to the history of the Black Mane pack but even as far as I could remember the pack was always known for its peaceful coexistence among other packs. There hasn’t been any war in ages, except for the war between the witches and the werewolves that had taken place almost two decades ago and from what I know, it started as a result of the witches trespassing and wanting to take over our land. After the war ended, they took off far away from the Black Mane pack and its environs and since then no witches have been spotted.

Could this prisoner be a wizard? Was he referring to that war? These thoughts crossed my mind but I shook my head because I was sure it wasn’t the case. If he was a wizard or a magician of any kind, he wouldn’t step foot into our land and he wouldn’t even be caught. Witches were very clever and knew not to cross their boundaries. If they were ever in an unlikely situation, they had their magic to fall back on and this prisoner in the dungeons could have saved himself from my claws from the moment he was caught. But even as I made this conclusion, his last words still continued ringing in my head.

“It’s an eye for an eye,” I didn’t need a prophet to know that that simple statement spelled an upcoming war and doom if I don’t handle this situation quickly and find an effective and efficient solution.

A deep sigh slipped from my lips as I headed towards the bedroom, needing to take a shower, while hoping Chase would be able to get some answers from the man to set us in the right direction, if not, I’d have to hold a meeting with the pack elders to inquire about the pack’s history and to know if we have any past enemies that were onto us.

I got to the top of the stairs and my eyes glanced towards the direction of my father’s chambers. The last time I’d checked on him was that afternoon when the foreign doctor had arrived to check on him and to give him some medications. I knew I should check on him again, but I turned towards my bedroom, intending to see him after taking the much needed cold shower. But as I headed towards my bedroom, I saw the bright ray of light underneath the door to Aria’s bedroom and I stopped in my tracks. It was late and I didn’t think she’d still be awake.

My eyes darted to the wrist watch adorning my wrist to see it was a few minutes before 11 pm. I should have left her to rest for the night but then I wanted to see her lovely face and beautiful smile again. Memories of how I’d quickly rushed out on her after Chase came with the terrible news of the missing family crashed into my head and I was tapping on her door the next minute.

I’d made her flinch with fear when I was angry and I needed to apologize for that.

Axel growled in agreement but we both knew it was just an excuse to see her. I wanted to have her in my arms no matter how tired I was. And even have her in my bed, next to me every night.

“Soon,” I murmured and he growled in agreement.

I tapped on the door and her soft serene voice sailed into my ears, calling out to me to enter. Slowly, I turned the door knob and stepped in to see her studying.

“Hey, angel,”

A bright dazzling smile spread across her face as soon as her eyes landed on me.

“Hi…” she drawled, rising to her feet and quickly covering the distance between us before throwing her arms around me in an embrace.

At first, I was thrown off by the contact. I wasn’t expecting it but as soon as my brain registered it, I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly to me before leaning down to kiss her forehead.

“Mmm… you always smell so good,” I murmured with my nose pressed to her glossy red hair that was thrown in a bun, as her scent of fresh jasmine wafted into my nostrils.

“How are you, I’ve been waiting for you to return,”

“Yeah?” I pulled away to look into her bright green orbs and she nodded.

“I couldn’t reach you and I was a bit worried. So I spent my time checking on your dad and I cleaned him up, also I think the doctor’s medicine is working. He’s improved a bit and it’s surprising it’s so fast,” she rambled on but I couldn’t stop staring at her, while grinning from ear to ear. She was truly my angel.

I leaned down until my head was resting on her shoulder.

“I’m sorry I made you worried, baby. I’ll get you a phone tomorrow so you can always reach me, and thank you for looking after my dad,”

“It’s nothing. You work too hard and you don’t have to worry about the phone. I don’t want to bug you with…”

“Shhh…” I placed a finger on her soft plump lips to shut her up but then her tongue snuck out and she licked my finger.

A wave of lust shot through me just from seeing that tiny pink flesh and my cock jumped to live in my pants, making a groan slip out of my lips, and my hold on her hips tightened.

“Angel…” I groaned in a deep guttural voice that I couldn’t recognize and she blinked at me with widened eyes and parted lips.

“I’m sorry,” she murmured in a small voice, but I cupped her cheek, with my thumb tracing the outline of her lips. She stared at me innocently, looking like an angel sent from heaven to make me sin and there’s nothing I wouldn’t give at that point just to taste those sweet lips but I wouldn’t want her to shut me out again. Hence, I swallowed my need and drew in a deep breath to calm my nerves. “Have you eaten?”

She suddenly asked and for the first time, I appreciated her change of the subject.

“Not yet,”

She gasped and suddenly jumped away from me.

“It’s late. You need to eat. I’ll be back. Wait here,” she pointed a finger at me with narrowed eyes and I chuckled as I watched her dart out of the door in a bid to get me some food.

I took a walk to her school books that were scattered about the bed and looked at them, intending to know what she was studying but then I suddenly recalled all she told me about the sudden changes in my dad’s condition. The urge to check on him and see for myself had me exiting the room and heading towards his chamber. But when I got there, I was truly surprised by what I saw.

The same man I’d seen a few hours ago, who appeared to be dangling between life and death, was looking healthier than he’d been in the past two years. His skin was gradually taking on some color and he didn’t look so fragile and frail anymore. It was as though he instantly added a few pounds in the hours I was away.

I couldn’t keep the surprise from my face and my voice as I quickly called the doctor to come and check on him. I was still there, staring at my father’s body, with my palm pressed to his neck to feel his pulse and temperature when the foreign doctor arrived.

“How’s… how did this happen?” the doctor questioned, surprise dripping from his words the moment his eyes landed on my father.

“I have no idea. I walked in to see him this way. Even his pulse and temperature are normal. Your medications must be working wonders,”

“Or just the moon goddess giving him a second chance at life,” the doctor said, as he leaned over my father to check on him.

I wasn’t fazed by his words because I could remember he told me just a few hours ago that there was only little he might be able to do to save the alpha’s life. But now, seeing as he was looking better than he’d been since the past two years, a ray of hope lit within me.

“It seems the alpha is truly on his way to receiving his miraculous healing,” the doctor said when he straightened his stance, with his eyes still on my father.

“Are you saying he suddenly has a better chance of surviving this strange ailment?” I inquired, just to be sure because I couldn’t remember the last time I heard such hopeful words regarding the Alpha’s condition and hearing them from this doctor suddenly had my hopes rising. It would be devastating to have them shattered all over again.

“As surprising as it is, it seems so, Alpha Shane, but I’ll advise we still watch him and give him the medications just to see where this leads,”

I nodded in affirmation but a thousand and one thoughts were already floating around my head.

Is this the moon goddess sending the help I need? But then, the words of the prisoner in the dungeons hit me.

“You’re just a boy. This war is not for you. You’re not competent enough to rule this pack, talk more of savaging this situation…”

Or was the man right? Is this to mock my incompetence?