Chapter 16 SIXTEEN

Chapter 16 SIXTEEN
KAEL’S POV.

I fucking hate vampires.

They were deadly. And vicious, and too bird-like to get. I hated the crows they made, the way the night would feel normal and tense at the same time, even during their attacks. They could infiltrate anywhere and anything without anyone knowing, and half the damage would be done before finally knowing where and who they are.

But I’ve fought and battled them once.
Which means I could fight again.

I shifted to my wolf form. Atasha would have my head on a spike for this, but I didn’t care. The first thing was saving the lives of the pack members. That was what I promised when I became alpha king. And I was not stopping now.

I lunged at them before they could shift back to their crows and birds, my claws going deep as they dissipated immediately into ash. With other wolves, they need to coat their claws in silver to kill them.

But with me, and the curse that was killing me, I was deadly in my wolf form. Which meant the more I used my power, the more the curse grew within me and ate at my life source.

I grabbed them as they shifted back, slamming them to the ground and crushing them with my foot. I killed and killed, pale red blood staining my fur and face. Yet that was not enough.

More.
More.

My curse called for blood, and the more they rushed, crowing and crying, the more it fueled me. I was blinded on any battlefield the minute I shifted into my wolf form. Once I shifted, it wasn’t me again, not Kael, the alpha king.

But the monster of a curse that has lived within me for the last ten years.

Suddenly something hit me, my wolf letting out a sharp growl as pain coursed through me. I crushed the vampire I was struggling with into the ground as blood filled my vision.

My wolf was in pain.
Serious pain.

But nothing had hit me here. No vampire had put their fangs on me.

Which means…

A beastly roar tore out of my mouth as I finished the last of them. I ran, tearing through the pack house and forest, rushing to my house. Carius was behind me in no time, shifting back as he stepped inside with me.

“What’s wrong?”

“Get Atasha immediately.”

“What’s—”

“I said,” I barked, snapping at him, “Get Atasha!”

Ilyana was in trouble. My wolf had felt it. Something was deeply wrong, and every last part of me prayed it wasn’t what I was thinking.

Fuck. Fuck. Fuck. How?

I rushed up the stairs, moving quickly. My wolf roared and snarled inside of me. Even before I got to the door, I could smell it. Their deadly, bitter, ashy scent—and the metallic scent of blood.

“Fuck!”

Blood boiled in my veins, my hand trembling with rage as I opened the door. The sight of it made my entire body lock, then shake.

Perched against the wall was Ilyana—and a man. A vampire, right on her, drinking from her like she was nothing more than a vessel. Like she was his.

Something inside me snapped.

His eyes lifted to me, his fangs still buried in her skin before retracting slowly. He snarled.

I didn’t think. I just moved.

I lunged, a vicious growl tearing out of me, but he was faster. He dropped her like she was nothing, shifting into a crow and flying out of the window.

Coward.

I reached her in seconds, my hands already on her. Two puncture wounds marked her neck, blood seeping out, too much of it.

Too much.

That bastard.

He had taken too much from her.

I lifted her carefully, and the moment her weight settled in my arms, something twisted painfully in my chest. She looked pale. Too pale. Lifeless.

“Ilyana… Ilyana, are you okay?”

Her eyes fluttered open slightly, unfocused, weak. She nodded, barely.

My jaw clenched. “It’s okay. Don’t say anything.”

It wasn’t okay.

Nothing about this was okay.

My wolf howled inside me, raging, demanding blood, demanding I hunt him down and tear him apart piece by piece,to destroy him for this. But I couldn’t leave her. I wouldn’t leave her.

I carried her to the bed, laying her down carefully, my hands already moving to clean the wound, even though they weren’t steady.

“Your highness…” Carius’s voice came from behind.

I turned sharply. Atasha stood at the door, her eyes landing on Ilyana—and freezing.

“Don’t stand there! Do something!” I snapped.

She moved immediately.

I stepped back, but not far. I couldn’t. My eyes stayed on Ilyana as Atasha opened her case, pulling out gauze and a brown mixture.

“How did this happen?” Carius muttered.

Atasha poured the mixture onto the wound. A foul smell filled the air instantly, followed by a green liquid seeping out of the punctures.

My stomach twisted.

“He got their venom into her,” Atasha murmured.

My head snapped to her. “What does that mean?”

She didn’t answer immediately, rummaging through her case, pulling out another liquid and soaking the gauze.

The moment it touched Ilyana’s neck, she screamed. The sound tore through me like I could feel her. 

She jerked, slapping Atasha’s hand away, her body squirming in pain. My fists clenched so tight my nails dug into my palms.

I’ll kill him.

“What’s wrong? Why is she acting like that?” My voice came out rougher than I intended.

“Ilyana, you have to let me help you,” Atasha said, but Ilyana didn’t respond, her eyes slipping shut again.

No.

No.

“What’s happening?” I demanded, stepping closer. “Tell me what’s going on with her.”

Atasha poured the brown liquid again. More of that green substance hissed out, and Ilyana cried out, her body tensing in pain.

Something cracked in me.

“Atasha…” My voice dropped, strained.

“Ohh please!” she snapped, not even looking at me. “Can’t you see I’m trying to save her? He got his venom into her! If we don’t remove every single trace immediately, she’s going to die!”