Chapter Thirteen

Rowan swept me into his arms and I shut my eyes, my heart thundering. His strides were quick as he made his way through the courtyard, I held myself stiffly, fear still paralyzing me over what had just happened.

I didn’t want to believe it myself but it was true. Rowan had just killed Marcellus. I didn’t know what to think of that so only when I finally heard him kick open a door did I open my eyes just in time for him to drop me on a bed in what looked like an infirmary.

The room was dimly lit with the scent of herbs and smoke filling it. The candle cast a soft glow in the room and when Rowan laid me down, I tried to lift my head but a sharp pain stung me and made me wince.

Rowan looked at me sharply before clenching his jaw, saying nothing. A figure hurried into the room almost immediately.

“Alpha,” the man said, bowing at Rowan.

“Get started with her treatment, Thane.” Rowan ordered.

“Yes, of course,” Thane said and walked over to me. Rowan stepped back, his arms folded across his chest as he watched Thane with an intense look in his eyes.

“Can you tell me what happened? Where does it hurt?” Thane asked softly. He was an older man, older than Rowan and I both but he had a gentleness to him that was soothing.

“My midsection,” I managed to say, “and all over my body. It hurts everywhere like I'm being engulfed in fire.”

As the seconds ticked by, my breathing was turning into gasps, each breath I took felt like a razor-sharp shard as if my lungs were filled with shards of glass. It felt like I’d been trampled upon by a herd of beasts and my head was pounding, threatening to split open.

Thane poked my ribs softly. “May I?”

“Yeah,” I breathed.

Thane lifted my shirt and I felt a blast of hot air, I didn't know if it was from the intensity of Rowan’s gaze or if I was imagining things but his eyes were still on me, unbreaking gaze as he watched Thane closely.

Thane accessed me further prodding and checking before nodding to himself.

“What is it?” Rowan roared, surprising even myself.

“It seems to be more of a physical manifestation of something else. Did you try to stop yourself from shifting?” Thane asked, looking at my face.

I could only nod.

He turned to Rowan. “Wild Wolves are not like regular wolves, Alpha, they don't have the luxury of choosing to stop their wolf side from shifting at will and at such a premature stage. As we all know, a Wild Wolf is untameable, it will take practice and long training for her to be able to stop the shifting, and forcing it like she had today could prove disastrous in the future if she continues.”

Rowan’s nod was almost unnoticeable.

I swallowed and I felt my pain intensify.

“I'm sorry,” Thane said, as though he could tell that the pain was worsening as it traveled through my body. “I can give you something to soothe it for now but it won't be very potent. The research on your kind is still…”

“Give it to her!” Rowan interrupted. “And something to make her sleep too.”

And those were his last words before he moved out of the room, slamming the door shut behind him. I stared after him quietly.

“I'll be right back,” Thane said leaving the room. He returned minutes later with a young boy behind him and they both moved toward the long rows of shelves that held different herbs and medicines in jars.

The boy pulled out something from the jaw and began to grind it while Thane mixed a few liquid herbs.

“Here you go,” Thane said, helping me steady my head so he could feed me the potion. It was instant, I immediately felt my eyes go droopy as the potion made its way through my body.

I was gone as soon as my head hit the soft bed.

*** **** ***

Rowan marched through the courtyard, his boots echoing off the stone walls. His eyes scanned the area, his gaze lingering on the pack members who were now gathered there. They'd been staring at Marcellus’ body but parted to let him pass, their eyes cast downward in respect.

His eyes fell on the lifeless body of Marcellus. No one had dared to touch him so he was still the way Rowan had left him, his face down and with the weapon Rowan had used to kill him lying next to his body. Rowan could feel his fury returning to its full flame yet again and he clenched his jaw.

He'd just returned from his travel and had gone immediately into his study, getting back on what had happened in his absence when he'd felt a sense of panic travel through the walls, hitting him squarely in the chest. Rowan had never felt ananything like it before and so he'd paused, a mix of shock and confusion settling on him, and when the feeling hit him again, more intensely and desperately he was off, matching toward where his legs led him and only when he got closer and closer to the courtyard could he hear properly the anguish and plea in Scarlett’s thoughts.

He'd gotten there just in time to catch Marcellus shoving Scarlett to the ground before proceeding to begin hitting her, yelling nonsense into the wind. Anger overrode Rowan’s common sense at the blatant flounce of the orders he'd given.

He was a leader who didn't stand for bullying and belittling of others due to their class and he'd made sure to make sure that didn't exist in his pack considering everything he'd gone through. Everyone worked and earned their stay in the pack, some more than others and less involved in the lower class tasks but it didn't give anyone the right to oppress the others because then they wouldn't be any different from the people they were fighting to dismantle.

Killing Marcellus was a decision that came very swiftly.

"Ryker," he called out, his voice commanding attention.

The second-in-command stepped forward, his eyes locked on Rowan's. "Alpha?"

"Take care of this," Rowan said, his nod towards the body curt. "Make sure it's disposed of properly.

Ryker nodded, his expression grim. "Yes, of course, Alpha."

Rowan's gaze swept the courtyard once more, his eyes lingering on each face. "Let this be a lesson to all of you but for the sake of it, I will reiterate my warning. I will not tolerate any form of oppression or physical abuse in the Nightshade pack. I understand the feelings of hatred that have festered in our hearts but no one, not a single one of you is allowed to harm those under my protection.”

His voice rose with rage. “The minute I brought her into this pack, she became equal to every one of you here and every single one of you is under my protection and I will not watch you harm each other. There are consequences to disobeying me and Marcellus has suffered it. Scarlett Reed is not going anywhere and I would like to see any one of you get physically abusive with her again!”

With that, he turned and walked away, leaving the pack members to process the gravity of his words.