Chapter 192 Beyond treelines

Chapter 192 Not hard to find

Ira's POV

"You are all traitors," Scarface shouts, hanging weakly from his chains. "Every single one of you."

Omar who's in the open cell with him doesn't even blink. A Veilfang guard is also beside Omar but he says nothing, standing with his arms folded and his chin slightly raised, watching Scarface.

"Traitors," Omar repeats, "You walked into this pack with weapons drawn and a kill order and you're standing in a cage calling us traitors. I want you to hear yourself."

"We were following orders." Scarface's jaw tightens. "That's what loyalty looks like. Something none of you would understand."

"Loyalty." Omar drags. "You followed a man who sent you into enemy territory with no extraction plan and no communication since your arrest. That's not loyalty, that's stupidity. So many warriors of Vahl are dead today because of your stupidity."

"You'll all regret this," Scarface yells, his chest rising and falling with the effort of containing himself. "When alpha king Andre comes, every single person in this pack who laid a hand on us will answer for it."

Alpha Davan steps forward into the cell and I watch Scarface's expression shift, just slightly, when he registers his ranking.

"It has been two weeks," Alpha Davan says calmly. "I sent your alpha a letter the day after your arrest informing him of the situation and outlining the terms under which a conversation could begin. Two weeks and not a single response." He pauses and holds Scarface's gaze without effort. "I don't think he gives a single fuck what happens to you."

Scarface opens his mouth and then closes it again. "Then you don't know him," he says finally, but there's fear in his voice.

"I know you know that we know he has left you to die. In your next life… if you ever have another… choose who you serve wisely." Alpha Davan mutters before turning to leave.

A small cough starts but quickly grows bad enough that alpha Davan bends over, his hand covering his mouth,

A guard reaches him first, swiftly pulling the alpha's weight against his body before hurrying out of the cell.

A few moments later alpha Davan is carefully placed on the bed at the center of his large room.

I know I'm not his direct family but when the doctor comes in and some people leave to offer privacy, I don't move out.

I step back and press myself to the wall instead, watching silently while the doctor works.

Alpha Davan groans, closing his eyes in pain.

The doctor straightens up eventually but the look on his face makes me know not to expect a good report.

"I'm afraid," the doctor says, "that Alpha Davan is not doing well. The deterioration has been faster than we had hoped and at this point what we're looking at is…" he trails, exhaling.

Granny Bel’s shoulders drop. I'm not sure when she got in, but the look of sadness on her face is heartbreaking.

"I can help." I blurt out, stepping forward a bit.

The doctor stops and looks at me. Everyone in the room looks at me and I feel my tongue glue to the roof of my mouth.

"I might be able to heal him," I mutter, gathering every last bit of confidence I have in myself. I've been feeling strong lately. Strong enough that I think I have enough to try.

The doctor looks uncertain. Alpha Davan looks at me from the bed, his chest laboring with each breath, and he smiles.

"It's alright, Ira," he responds, his voice sounding rougher than it was this morning but the warmth in it is intact. "I've been expecting this for some time. Maybe this is why the gods never saw fit to give me a mate. They already knew I wouldn't be around long enough to deserve one." He makes a small sound that is almost a laugh but it quickly results in another cough.

I cross the room and sit at the edge of the bed.

"So it was all a lie then," I whisper, watching his face.

He lifts a brow.

I exhale. "Do you actually plan on seeing my pups or not?"

His eyes widen and something bright moves through them.

"Are you," he starts.

"No," I shake my head. "Not yet. But you're going to have to stay alive long enough to witness that day."

He looks at me for a long moment. Then he exhales and I get a glimpse of the true tiredness he feels.

"How would you do this?" The doctor asks.

"The healing flame of a sempyr can reach inside a body," I tell him. "The heat seeks out what doesn't belong and burns it out from the source. I should be able to feel where the sickness is sitting and follow it. I don't know how long it will take but I know what I'm looking for."

Alpha Davan reaches out and takes my hand. His grip is still firm despite how feeble he looks.

"Whether you heal me or not," he says, "it changes nothing about who you are to this pack. Nothing."

I nod, keeping those words in my heart. Then carefully, I place both hands over his chest.

The blue flame comes the way it always comes now, without resistance, spilling from my palms and spreading low and quiet across his ribs like it's searching for something.

I close my eyes, feeling my heartbeat slow and deepen until it finds the rhythm of his, matching it beat by beat.

The sickness is not hard to find.

In my mind I can picture the darkened thing inside him. I press the flame toward it steadily and feel it resist.

I stay there, breathing with him, burning through it layer by layer with my eyes closed and my hands flat against his chest.

I don't know how long I stay like that.

But when I open my eyes the room is darker than it was.

And Alpha Davan looks like he's asleep already.

There are more people present than I remember being there when I began.

I try to lift my hands, only to find that I cannot.

My arms feel heavy as though I've lost control over them.

Warmth settles gently on my shoulder, and I feel myself being lifted up and carried out of the room.

I think they are saying something but I only manage to see Omar’s face as he takes me out of the room with a worried gaze.