Book 5: Chapter 54 – Waiting

Book 5: Chapter 54 – Waiting
Cerelia’s POV 

A pat on my cheek woke me up. My head swooned, and I felt tremendously dizzy. “Are you alright Cerelia?” Nikos’ voice relieved me. “I’ve brought you your dinner. Wake up and eat something. I’m sure you’ll feel better.” 

I opened my eyes, blinking to focus on my brother. “Why am I feeling so weak?” I tried to raise myself in a sitting position. It took all my effort to do so. 

Nikos placed a large container in my hands. “Maybe because you haven’t eaten a thing since noon. I’m sorry, it’s my fault. I should have brought you something to eat. But I wasn’t at home. I just returned from work.”

I smiled at my brother weakly. At least he remembered to bring me something when no one did, none of my so-called family members. “It’s okay. I’m fine.” He held the food to my mouth until I could eat on my own. I felt indebted to my brother.

“I heard everything that happened here in my absence. Last night, I called the Shifter Council headquarters, leaving a voice message for them. I had no idea Alpha Alexios Vessezac would really come here to check on you.” Nikos gave me a confused look while I gaped at him. I didn’t know he was the one who summoned Alpha Alexios here. “Why haven’t they rescued you? Why did they leave you here?” 

“Grandpa intervened. He and Uncle Alarik didn’t allow me to leave.” I had no appetite as my heart sank with grief. I had felt so relieved to see Alpha Alexios here. 

Nikos, too, looked disappointed. “All my efforts are wasted, then. I wanted to save you from this hellhole. When Aunt Sophia returns, she’ll know you aren’t following the therapy. Then Grandpa will punish you and his punishments are harsh. He might take your life too, Cerelia. I don’t know how to save you anymore.” He looked so broken that it touched my heart. I knew why he felt this way. 

“They can’t kill me or harm me. All isn’t lost, Nikos. Alpha Alexios will return after fifteen days to check on me. If he finds my condition worse, he’ll rescue me from here. If Grandpa harms me, the Shifter Council will punish him. This time, they’ll execute him.” 

Nikos listened with his mouth hanging open. “Oh, then why didn’t they save my brother? Why didn’t they punish Grandpa when he killed Spiros?” he gritted out in a fit of rage. 

I sighed helplessly. “I heard all about it today. Why did Grandpa execute Spiros? What did he do? How could he kill his grandson?” 

Nikos looked broken. “He loved a human. She was his fated mate. Mom and Dad had accepted her in our pack. We were so happy, but Grandpa refused to accept her as one of us. He threatened to kill her and she escaped. But Spiros went crazy when he found her dead body in the Pierian Canyon. Grandpa refused to admit to his crime and there were bitter fights between Spiros and Grandpa. Spiros had gone rabid with grief. It became impossible to handle him. One day, Grandpa executed him without our knowledge, in the middle of the night. When Mom and Dad found out, it was too late. Someone informed the council, but Grandpa left no evidence of his crime.” 

My mouth hung open as fear clutched at my heart. I remembered Grandpa’s orders to dump my mate in the Pierian Canyon. He had wanted to kill him, too. “Grandpa was planning the same thing with Alexandrios. He was lucky to escape his clutches.” 

Nikos nodded, giving me a worried look. “Fifteen days is a long time, Cerelia. Grandpa fears no one. He’s the shrewdest wolf alive. He won’t warn you before executing you. I would lie low if I were you. Just pray that Aunt Sophia doesn’t return in the next fifteen days.” 

I nodded, finishing my food and handing the container to Nikos. “Yes, that seems to be my only hope. I’ll wait for Alpha Alexios to rescue me.” 

“If you’re alive by then. Don’t provoke Grandpa. Here, keep this phone. If you need help, call me. This is my other number saved here.” He handed me a phone and showed me his number. “Oh, don’t make a call to anyone outside the mansion. Grandpa has high sensory powers. He will know and you’ll face his wrath. I called Alpha Alexios from my workplace.” He rose to leave, and I again lay down, feeling hopeless. 

Nikos’ warning echoed in my head. Would I survive for the next fifteen days? 

The next morning, an attendant brought me food and water instead of Aunt Elena. Although I avoided the food, one sip of the water made me puke. Had they infused the water as well? Shit! How would I survive without water? 

I took out Nikos’s phone and typed the message. 

Water asap.–C. 

For a second, I hesitated before sending the message. 

Did these wolves have a death wish? Even after Alpha Alexios asked them to stop the therapy, they hadn’t. I had to collect proof of their disobedience. I would definitely ask Nikos for help. He could collect the samples of my food and water for the next fifteen days and send them to the council for testing. It was the only way to prove my grandpa’s disobedience of the council’s orders. 

Why was he doing it? Didn’t he fear his own life? 

I was at my wit’s end, waiting for some water. Where was Nikos? Why hadn’t he checked my message yet? Did he get caught? I didn’t want to think about that angle. I had no idea what would happen if he was caught helping me. 

The door clicked open and to my immense surprise; it was Aunt Sophia and Uncle Viktor’s son, Kostakis. I was immediately on my guard, having hardly interacted with him. 

He locked the door and took out two bottles of water and a container of food from his backpack. “Here you go, Cerelia. Nikos has been in Grandpa’s study since morning. He messaged me to get you water and food. Is there anything else you need?” 

I was alarmed to hear about Nikos. Did Grandpa catch him red-handed? “No, thank you, Kostakis. Do you know why Grandpa called Nikos?” 

He shrugged, ready to leave. “I have no idea. Okay, I’ll see you later. I’m going to the university.” 

I nodded, helping myself to the food and water. How long would I last this way? Soon my grandpa would find out. Would he execute me if he knew I refused his therapy? 

The whole morning, Nikos didn’t show up. It made me suspicious, and I worried about him all day. At lunchtime, Alekos brought me my food and water and left immediately before I could ask him about Nikos. All day, I waited for Nikos in vain. He didn’t come. I wanted to message him, but what if he was with Grandpa? 

By dinnertime, fear gripped my heart. Did Grandpa punish Nikos for helping me? 

The door unlocked and the cause of all my woes, my grandpa entered my room in a fit of rage. “I heard you’ve refused to undergo the purification process. If you don’t follow the therapy, how will you become a true Silver Wolf? I have plans for you, Cerelia. You will take over Pieria one day as our true Alpha.” 

“I am a pure silver wolf, Grandpa. I don’t need those herbs to make me pure. Please stop the therapy. It’s not helping me.” 

He strode towards me in a fit of rage while I inched backward in fear. Nikos’s warning echoed in my head.

He leaned towards me, glaring at me. “The therapy is to purify your heart and body. It’s meant to get rid of your shifter mate’s touch and weaken your mate bond. If you don’t follow it, be ready to die, Cerelia.” 

He grabbed my neck, and I gasped for breath. None of my special abilities could save me from my grandpa. “Dad, what are you doing? You’ll kill her.” My uncle Alarik’s voice echoed from the door. Footsteps approached us and soon I was saved from my crazy grandfather. 

“Don’t interfere, Alarik. She’s fit to die.” My grandpa trembled with fury while I went into a coughing fit. In that moment, I had a glimpse of my grandpa’s immense strength. It wasn’t normal at all. 

“Have you gone crazy, Dad? Do you think we’ll live if you harm Cerelia? The Shifter Council will execute every one of us for disobedience.” Uncle Alarik looked agitated as he held back Grandpa.

“I don’t care. I’ll kill her and her mate before I die. She is a curse on all silver wolves.” I trembled at the sight of my evil family. I didn’t deserve this life. My dad saved me from this when he was alive. At that moment, I missed him a lot. 

“You don’t care about yourself, but I care about our lives. We won’t pay for your actions, Dad. If you don’t pay heed to my orders, as the Alpha of the Silvermane Warriors, I’ll take action against you.” 

“Yes, father. I stand by Alarik’s decision,” said uncle Viktor. 

“So do I. From now on, I refuse to follow your orders, Dad,” said Aunt Elena. “Where is Nikos? What have you done with him? I want him back first.” 

“Nikos isn’t returning. He has defied me and helped Cerelia. He’s paying for his crime,” said Grandpa, making everyone gasp with horror. 

“Guards, capture Alpha Cassius, right now! It’s your Alpha’s order,” yelled Alpha Alaric.