The air in the pack was charged with tension as Hunter carried Zora toward the center of the community. Garm awaited us like a guardian. I locked eyes with Garm, my heart racing with the urgency to know about my children.
“Where are my kids?” I asked Garm, my voice betraying anxiety. He looked at me and pointed toward the omega den with notable seriousness.
“They're in the omega den. They're going to need care,” Garm replied, concern evident in his eyes.
“Thank you,” I murmured, without waiting for further explanations, and ran towards the omega den. Worry dominated my thoughts as I imagined what could have happened to my triplets.
Upon arrival, I found Cierce, whose expression already hinted at bad news. I stared at her urgently and pleaded for answers.
“Where are the boys?” I questioned, my voice echoing with anguish.
Cierce hesitated for a moment before responding, “They're in there, but you need to prepare yourself.”
Without waiting for more explanations, I continued my path to where my children were. Cassian, Dorian, and Kane lay unconscious, and my world seemed to stop for a moment. I rushed to them and, with trembling hands, touched each one, begging them to wake up.
“Cassian, Dorian, Kane, wake up,” I whispered, hoping my words would reach their minds.
I touched each of them, murmuring their names in a plea for them to wake up from this nightmare. But the stillness persisted, and my triplets' response did not come.
“Wake up, my loves, please,” I implored, my voice choked with worry. Cierce approached with a sorrowful expression.
“I'm sorry, Fierce,” she said, and the words fell on me like a cold rain.
“What happened to them?” I asked Cierce, seeking answers. She sighed, indicating that something was not right.
“It seems the boys were poisoned,” Cierce said, sorrow in her voice. My body froze, and fear took hold of me.
“How did this happen?” I asked, seeking answers that could illuminate the dark path ahead.
“We don't know yet,” Cierce murmured, sadness reflected in her eyes. “However, the pack is mobilizing to find an antidote. And I promise I'll do everything in my power to help your children.”
Desperation grew, but I held back my tears, as I needed to be strong for my children.
“Cierce, I'll find out who did this and why,” I declared, determination overcoming sadness. “And believe me, whoever it is will face the consequences.”
Sitting beside them, I embraced each one, watching their faces closely.
I knew I couldn't waste time. Embracing my triplets, I promised myself that I would do everything to find out who was behind this cruel act. The pain of seeing them vulnerable was overwhelming, but I channeled that feeling into a fierce determination.
The sounds of the omega den seemed to echo with a darker weight as footsteps approached. I turned, finding Hunter with Zora in his arms, a worried expression on his face.
“Hunter, what happened to Zora?” Cierce asked. Hunter looked at Zora in his arms and sighed.
“It seems Ignis attacked Zora and other wolves at the Hut,” he explained, his voice laden with concern.
Cierce approached and instructed Hunter to place Zora on one of the beds so she could examine her.
Hunter followed the instructions, carefully placing Zora on the bed, and then approached me, still by my children's side. He looked at the triplets, his sons, for the first time, and the distress in his eyes was evident. His voice broke the tense silence.
“What happened?” he asked, trying to understand the situation. I, with a heavy sigh, shared the painful truth.
“They've been poisoned,” I murmured, my voice faltering momentarily. Hunter frowned, his face showing both bewilderment and anger.
“It must be Wolfbane,” he declared, with a tone of certainty in his voice. My eyes met his, seeking answers.
“Caleb made it clear that Ignis helped him and tried to poison us with Wolfbane,” Hunter explained.
My eyes turned to Cierce, who was examining Zora, and an urgent question escaped my lips.
“Is there an antidote for Wolfbane?” I asked Cierce, hoping there was a solution to save my children. Cierce looked up and nodded, but the expression on her face was not optimistic.
“You'll need belladonna seeds,” she said, “but we don't have them here in the pack.” My heart sank, but I couldn't allow defeat to set in.
“Where can we find Belladonna?” I asked, determined to do everything in my power to save the triplets. Cierce pointed towards the mountains near the Colorado River.
“There you'll find the plant. Belladonna fruits are black and round. It's the antidote we need,” Cierce explained. I nodded, ready to go, but Hunter intervened.
“No, Fierce. I'll go with some wolves. We can't risk anything happening to you,” he said.
I understood his concern, but the urgency of the situation compelled me to act quickly. “Hunter, we need to be fast—every minute counts. If we go together, we can expedite the process,” I argued.
“You're without the wolf, Fierce, and you'll be more useful here in the pack, assisting Cierce with the boys,” Hunter replied with a serious expression. I swallowed, understanding the logic in his words.
“Okay,” I conceded, worried about the triplets but confident that Hunter would do everything possible to bring the belladonna seeds in time.
Cierce approached, concerned. “Don't take too long. Their lives depend on it,” she reminded.
“Please, come back as soon as possible,” I pleaded, feeling my heart tighten with the imminent separation.
Hunter approached me, his penetrating gaze meeting mine. He caressed my cheek.
“I'll come back as soon as possible for my family,” he assured, planting a kiss on my forehead, a tender gesture that conveyed more than words could express.
“Hunter, don't go...”
Zora, weak, lay nearby, watching the scene with tired eyes. She called Hunter, asking him to come closer. “Please, my love, come here...”
He moved away from me, going to Zora, and asked with concern how she was.
“How are you?” Hunter inquired, his voice filled with apprehension.
“Don't go, stay with me,” Zora whispered.
Her fear was visible in her eyes, a deep fear of being on the brink of death and Hunter not being there to see her off. Hunter, in turn, explained that he needed to go for the triplets, our top priority.
“The boys need the antidote, and I need to go get it for them. I'll be back before nightfall. I promise,” Hunter assured, trying to dispel her fears.
“Send Garm, please. I'm afraid of dying, and you not being here,” Zora whispered, expressing her vulnerability.
“You're not going to die, Zora. I promise,” Hunter asserted with the confidence only an Alpha could offer. But Zora insisted on her intuition.
“I feel it,” she murmured. Understanding Zora's distress, Hunter finally agreed.
“All right, I'll send Garm to be with you,” Hunter promised, as his eyes met Zora's.
Zora nodded weakly, and Hunter, after another affectionate kiss on her cheek, turned his gaze to me.
With a heavy heart, I watched the scene, aware that such gestures were natural between husband and wife, and I was just the mother of his children.
He stood up, giving me a last look filled with promises before moving towards the other wolves and organizing the mission with Garm.
I approached Zora, offering my presence as we waited for Hunter's return and the salvation of our children. Zora was visibly weakened from the fight against Ignis.
“How are you feeling?” I asked Zora, concerned. Her response was a fragile whisper, indicating the extent of her weakness.
“Very weak,” confessed Zora, her voice barely audible.
“You were brave to face Ignis alone to protect my children,” I commented, recognizing Zora's bravery. However, Zora quickly corrected my perception.
“I didn't face him alone; other wolves helped me,” revealed Zora, downplaying her own actions.
“Still, you were very brave,” I insisted, admiring Zora's determination to protect the triplets, even in the face of imminent dangers.
“I would do anything to protect the boys, especially since they're Hunter's sons,” declared Zora, emphasizing the connection that had formed between her and the triplets. Surprised by her words, I stared at her.