Chapter 68 Chapter Sixty-eight

Chapter 68 Chapter Sixty-eight
Kallum doubled over, clutching at the hole the silver bullet left in his chest. He could already feel the burn, spreading through his lungs and making it hard to breathe. The bullet had grazed his heart and lodged itself in his lungs. He could feel it with every breath. He didn't have much time.

“What the fuck are you doing?!” Wren screamed at Reed, standing in front of him to shield him from any more bullets.

“I’m sure you don't truly believe that Hazel would've jumped off the building of her own accord. They did something to her. I'm only taking revenge.”

“I know that,”she said, kneeling down beside him and cradling his head in her hands. “It was his twin and not him. That's the one you should take out your anger on.”

Her hand went to his bleeding chest but he stopped her. “No…don't…it'll hurt you.”

“I'm not just going to leave you to bleed out.” Wren hissed.

The burn was much stronger now, spreading throughout his body. He could even see the veins become more stark on his skin,dark in colour. He wasn't going to last for much longer. He tried to say something but the words gargled in his throat and he spat out blood.

“Shh, don't say anything. I'm going to remove the bullet from you now, okay?”

He tried to tell her to stop, that silver was dangerous to her as well but he couldn't get the words out, his eyes slowly closing. So this was what it felt to die. As a born vampire, Kallum had never experienced death. He was just born not alive. Now death hovered nearby, a dark mass at the corner of his eye waiting for the right time to pounce.

Kallum howled in pain, jolted from his delirious contemplations and Wren dug two fingers into the wound. She cried out as her skin made contact with the bullet but she didn't let go. Instead she wrenched it out as quickly as she could and through it across the other side of the room.

He heaved, feeling the wound already starting to heal and the pain disappear. The smell of burning flesh filled the room.

Reed watched them from where he sat on his chair, smoking a pipe. He still had the gun angled between his fingers.

Kallum stood slowly, Wren helping to steady him.

“I’ll let that slide because you were wronged. My twin brother killed your alchemist which totally went against the rules of our agreement. You're right to be angry. Plus you're useful enough.”

“Glad to know. I did actually call you here for business though. We've been able to drive the wolves out of Stone Haven but what about every other wolf out there. They're likely to cause more trouble for your kind in the future.”

“I know that. I'll speak to Alaric and get back to you on the matter.”

Kallum had not heard from Alaric since he and the others had gone to meet Amara. They had their daylight tolerance so he had assumed everything was well. But it’d been four days. He had expected they'd at least send word.

Reed smiled a thin smile. “Be seein’ ya”

Kallum tugged Wren's hand and led her out of the room. She stopped him when they got to the base of the stairs, turning to face him. She held the side of his face, worry in her gaze. “I'm sorry about that. Are you alright?”

He could still feel slight pain where the bullet had hit. He was certain it would scar.

“Careful. I'm starting to think you actually care about me.” He teased.

She gave him a soft punch on the arm. “It's not funny. You almost died. And I do care about you.”

Kallum blinked. She looked surprised too, like she didn't intend to say that. His heart squeezed in his chest at the look in her eyes. The fear and hope there were enough to strip him of any form of pretense. He looked away, clearing his throat.

“It's fine. I'll be fine.”

Wren's subtle look of disappointment didn't go unnoticed by him. His phone buzzed in his pocket. The name on the screen had him breathing a sign of relief.

Alaric

“Hey. What's up?”

“Where are you? I'm at your house.” Alaric sounded anxious.

“I'm at Reed's. Is there a problem?”

“Yes. Get back here as quickly as you can.”

The line went dead. "Who was that?" Wren asked.

"It's Alaric. There's a problem. We need to hurry."

Kallum flew as fast as he could back to the mansion his mind plagued with all sorts of bad scenarios. What exactly could have gone wrong. When he touched ground with Wren, he went straight into the house. Alaric was already waiting in the first living room, pacing. Along with Kieran, Tobias, Azriel and a female who looked like Briar but was most definitely not her.

He read the room and deciphered quickly. "Amara took Briar."

Wren let out a low gasp beside him. Alaric raked a hand through his hair. "Yes and Kaelindor... Cormac's taken over."

"Cormac?" Kallum remembered him. The sniveling leader of the second clan. He took a good look at Azriel again, his rugged appearance and the wings–or at least what was left of it–behind him.

"I'm so sorry."

Azriel grunted, trying to shrug it off but Kallum could see the pain in his eyes. Losing your wings was like losing a limb. He would never be the same again.

Kieran gestured to the bullet sized hole in his shirt. "What happened to you?"

"Glad you asked. Reed decided to punish me for your idiocy."

Kieran scoffed. "I'll kill him."

"Not yet. We still need him Incase we encounter any more werewolf drama. Alaric what's your plan? To get Briar back.?"

Alaric was quiet for a moment, thinking. "There's only one way," he said. "Amara won't let Briar go as long as she's alive. We have to kill her."