122

122

CALLAN

"What the fuck was that?!" I yelled, looking around the room, wondering if I was still in one piece after what I had just witnessed. 

The machines above Ariadne’s head had gone off, blaring like something really had happened to her. 

I hoped not. 

I hadn't even recovered from the shock of what I had just witnessed - her body convulsing, the lightning bursting out of her hand and the sharp crack that had already formed from the impact of the thunder bolt, causing black smoke to rise - when the door burst open. 

A nurse rushed in looking freaked out. Her eyes were wide with panic as she ran towards us. 

"What was that? Is she okay?" 

I froze for half a second, not really knowing what to say. My brain was still trying to process and agree if what just happened had really happened. I was having a hard time because this was something that never just happened. 

That's when I pushed the thought away, remembering that I had to say something. 

"Nothing," I blurted the word out so fast before I could even think. "I don't know what happened. I thought it happened outside. You should go find out what's going on and get back to me." 

I wanted her to leave so I would find an excuse because if Magnus ever found out that Ariadne had done this, only the goddess knew what he was going to do to her this time. The nurse, however, wasn't looking at me any longer. Her eyes were already lasered in on the wall, on the spot where the blast had hit. 

The plaster was cracked open, with jagged lines running like veins across the surface. Thicker smoke was now pouring from the blackened patch that I knew we had to get her out of the room or she would suffocate. How on earth was this even happening? The nurse gasped, one hand flying up to cover her mouth before she said. 

"This- this isn't right." Her voice was shaking, but she was able to get her words off in a breath as she hurried towards the door. "The Alpha needs to be alerted immediately. We are under attack!" 

No, we weren't under attack! Goddammit!

Before I could explain that however  she was already out of the room. 

"Fuck!" I whisper-yelled. 

My heart sank like a stone cast into water. If my brother came here and saw or found out what had happened, everything would be ruined. I couldn't let him know who Ariadne really was. I turned quickly, scanning the room, the pulse banging in my ears. 

And that's when I saw it. There was a small black lens in the corner of the room. 

A camera had caught the whole thing. 

Shit. 

Another bad feeling slid up my spine before the cold dread followed. Of course there would be cameras. This one of the closely monitored wards, and because Ariadne was a very important person now, Magnus was making sure she was being watched every second of the day. 

The guys working in the surveillance room would already have eyes on this if it was being streamed live. If not, the footage was stored somewhere. 

Either way, if he saw what just happened, Ariadne would be in a lot of trouble. She was still laying on her bed behind me, equally freaked out and unable to understand what she had done. Her face was pale and so slick with sweat.

She looked at the wall, before her eyes slowly landed back on me. The horror written all over her face was enough to tell me how she felt inside. Her lips were shaking now as she whispered. 

"I... I'm sorry. I didn't mean to... I didn't mean to do that." 

Didn't mean to? Has she been doing it before now? She sounded so terrified. I forced the words out. 

"Listen to me none of this is your fault. Okay? And if anybody comes in here asking what happened, pretending nothing happened. Do you understand me?" She nodded. 

I couldn't waste another second. I had to go destroy the CCTV recording. I hurried toward the door, needing to go to the control room. If I didn't wipe that footage, Magnus would know everything before I could even think of a cover. 

I wasn't just worried about who my brother was going to do. If the wrong person saw this and it somehow got into the ears of an enemy, Ariadne won't just have to worry about Magnus. She was going to have to look out for bounty hunters that would be after her because of her powers. 

Just as I wrapped my hand around the door handle, it flew open again. The doctor practically ran in, with his white coat swaying around his legs. 

He had a very sharp, alert look on his face and the moment he looked around the room, his expression snapped into terror. His mouth fell open as he asked the same question the nurse had asked. 

"What the hell happened here?" He demanded in a deep, incredulous voice. 

He walked towards the wall, and then walked over behind Ariadne's bed to look at it from a safe distance. 

"This... this damage... Joe did it even happen-" He cut himself off and wicket moved to Ariadne's bed to look at the machines. 

They were no longer blaring madly like they were doing a minute ago. He glanced at the readings, then looked at her, before his brows knitted tightly. 

"What happened?" He asked. 

She shook her head and replied in a weak voice. She wasn't pretending to be weak. She was just genuinely terrified. "I... I don't know. I don't have any idea.” 

The doctor didn't look convinced one bit. But he had no other option than to believe her. He stared up at the crack stretching higher into the ceiling and the way little bits of plaster were starting to fall in dusty flakes and the smoke. His face hardened instantly. 

"She can't stay here, we need to move her immediately. This wall could collapse at any moment." 

I turned and started back towards her bed, ready to lift her myself if I had to, but the nurse who'd been here earlier rushed into the room, eyes still wild and face still pale. 

"Doctor! The Alpha has been alerted. He's on his way here right now." 

My blood went cold when I heard that. Magnus was on his way. I had to do something. I needed to clear the evidence. When I walked out of the room and started running down the hall in search of the control room, the alarms in the building were already blaring and chaos was starting to spread. 

People were shouting, nurses were running and the sound of boots thudding as guards were being mobilized followed. I stepped out into the hall and grabbed the arm of the nearest nurse. 

She flinched, wide-eyed. 

"Where is the surveillance room?" I barked. 

Her face went blank. She was so scared that I had no idea if she really heard what I had asked. 

She shook her head quickly, still freaked out. "N-no. I don't know." 

Before I could ask again, she took off. I held the one behind her and asked. 

"Where is it?" Her lips parted but she said nothing. She shook her head almost apologetically and told me she had no idea. 

"Useless," I growled under my breath before shoving past her. 

I didn't have time for this. If Magnus got to the control before me, Ariadne was finished. I stormed up the staircase five steps at a time, fists clenched tightly beside me. 

My heart was hammering inside my chest. Every single second counted. I had to get this done or else she was going to be in a world of hurt. When I reached the fifth floor, I found what I needed. 

And what pissed me off. 

An IT in loose polo shirt and glasses was leaning against the wall, chatting leisurely with a nurse. Laughing. As if the alarms blaring and the chaos meant nothing to them. I walked straight up to them and questioned. 

"Where is the surveillance room?" 

He whipped his head towards me and when he saw me, he looked startled. 

"Uh- what?" 

"I said where the fuck is the surveillance room? Have you gone dead?" 

He pushed himself off the wall, frowning. "Why? What's going on?" 

I didn't have time for his hesitation. Before he could blink, I grabbed him by the collar and slammed him hard against the wall so hard that the nurse he had been talking to screamed. Realising how serious I was, his face went pale, eyes bulging now. 

"Did I stutter?" I snarled in a very low, dangerous voice. "Show me. Now." 

He stammered, raising his hands. "Your Grace... B-But Alpha Magnus warned us. He gave strict orders that no unauthorized personnel should be allowed in there. If I let you in, he will-" 

I cut him off by wrapping my hand around his throat this time. He choked and his words died out instantly the moment he realised how deep in trouble he was. 

He reached out and clawed at my grip in a desperate attempt to free himself. His face was already red as the blood pooled in. 

"Do I look like I give a damn about my brother's orders?" I hissed, tightening my hold as he continued to struggle and writhe in pain. 

"You think I'm afraid of him? You should be more afraid of me. Because I will knock you out right now if you don't give me what I want." 

The man gurgled, eyes wide with terror now. He nodded frantically, tapping his palm against my fist which was still wrapped around his throat. He was struggling to breathe now. Very good. I held him like that for a little while before I suddenly let go. 

He collapsed against the wall instantly, gasping for air. 

"Good." 

I turned to the nurse who had been watching the whole thing. "Now get out of here." 

She didn't need to be told twice. She bolted down the hall, glancing back at us. Once she was gone, I shoved the IT guy forward. 

"Lead the way, and hurry the fuck up before I kill you."