Chapter 193 Find the sister
>>Seraphina
The elation that had filled my heart was abruptly replaced by a cold, gnawing fear. How could I have forgotten, even for a moment?
“Azef…What about Eris?” Guilt surged through me
“What about her?” He asked
My thoughts raced, each one more frantic than the last. Where was she? Was she safe? The image of her face, scared and alone, flashed in my mind, and the fear threatened to choke me. I had been so wrapped up in my own emotions, that I had let the urgency of her disappearance slip from my immediate focus.
“It seems she was able to run away from Somi’s men, but where she went from there, no one knows.”
“What about her mother?” He asked
“I don’t know!” I began to panic, “Somi said she didn’t go back to her mother!!” My heart began to pound. My mind was frantic, “B-but I can try and call her, time has passed, so maybe Ariel has her back now.”
“Call her then,” He said and my hands traveled to my pants.
Phone!
Phone!!
There was no sign of my phone.
“Ah!” I remembered, “Somi never gave it back…”
“I’ll try mine,” Azef reached for his pants and took out his phone
“Ah…” It was soaked and refused to turn on, “Shit,” My fear grew.
“How about we go to the pack for now.” He stood up, “We’ll get a phone from there,” He extended his hand to me
“Alright,” I took it
It was a long way, so Azef shifted into his wolf form to run through the forest. I rode him, gripping his fur tightly as we dashed through the woods.
All the while I silently prayed for Eris. That she was okay and was in a safe place. Where could she have gone? Oh! Eris!
It was night again once we reached the pack. Azef linked his mind with the pack members and a few of them came running towards us while we emerged from the woods, reaching towards the backyard of the pack house.
“Miss Sera!” It was Runy and Lila
“Beta Azef!” Runy came and gave him a bow. She also had a pair of pants in her hands.
I got off Azef as we came to a stop and he shifted back into his human form, “I need a phone,” He said as he grabbed the pants from Runy and wore them.
It was something that was going to take some time to adjust to. Wolves end up ripping their clothes if they shift suddenly and they change back in front of others too. Yes, they prefer to change in privacy too, but I’ve noticed that sometimes they don’t care.
“Sure,” Runy nodded, “But why?”
“We need to find Eris,” I said, “Please,” I stepped towards and grabbed her hand, “Nobody knows where she went and she’s missing!”
“Eris?” Lila looked at us
“We’ve already found her,” Runy said
“You have?” I was baffled but relieved, “From where?”
“She was unconscious in the woods, so we brought her back to the pack house.”
>>Runy
As I prowled through the dense forest along with other pack members, looking for any sign of Sera, my senses keen and alert, a distant commotion caught my attention. The other wolves in my pack sensed it too, their ears perking up as they turned their heads in the direction of the disturbance.
Without hesitation, we bounded forward.
As we drew nearer, the sounds became clearer – the rustling of leaves, the snapping of twigs, and the unmistakable scent of a human. My hackles rose, a low growl rumbling in my throat. Whatever was causing the commotion was not used to being in the forest.
But the scent was far, and it wasn’t exactly Sera’s, yet it was familiar.
We still chose to find out.
We burst into a small clearing, and there, lying in a crumpled heap on the ground, was a child.
Loid was the first one to find her. He looked at me when I arrived at the scene.
‘She smells similar to Miss Sera,’
I walked over to take a look. Her form was small and fragile. I approached cautiously, my nose twitching as I sniffed the air. The child's heartbeat was slow and steady, her breathing shallow and even. She was alive, but at the same time she was struggling.
‘That’s Eris!’ I knew her because I was assigned to guard her by the beta!
‘Eris?’
‘Who’s Eris?’
‘This is Seraphina’s little sister,’
I nudged her gently with my nose, my fur brushing against her hot skin. She didn't stir, lost in the depths of unconsciousness. I let out a low whine.
‘She needs immediate medical attention.’
The other wolves circled around me, their eyes reflecting the same uncertainty and concern.
I laid down while Ben grabbed the child and put her on me.
‘I’ll take her back to the pack,’ I looked at them, ‘The rest of you keep looking’
They all howled back and we ran in different directions.
>>Seraphina
As soon as I heard the news that Eris had been found and rescued from the forest, I felt a rush of relief mixed with anxiety. My legs carried me faster than I thought possible through the corridors of the packhouse. My heart pounded in my chest, my breath coming in short, desperate gasps.
Finally, I reached her room. The door was slightly ajar, and I pushed it open gently, my hands trembling. The room was dimly lit, the curtains drawn but the window was open to let fresh air in.
She was llying on the bed, her small form almost swallowed by the crisp white sheets.
Bandages covered her arms and legs, and an IV drip was attached to her hand, delivering fluids to her exhausted body. Her face was pale, but peaceful, her breathing steady and even. My heart ached at the sight of her so vulnerable, yet I felt an overwhelming sense of thankfulness that she was safe.
I approached the bed slowly, my eyes never leaving her face. I sat down beside her, at the edge of the bed, my fingers reaching out to gently caress her cheek. Her skin was cool to the touch, and that was a good thing.
Her fever was gone.
"You're safe now," I whispered, my voice breaking. "You're going to be okay."
I smoothed her hair back from her forehead, my fingers brushing against the soft strands. I remembered how she used to laugh, her eyes bright and full of life. Seeing her like this, so still and quiet, was almost too much to bear.
I hope I never have to leave you again.
Tears welled up in my eyes, but I blinked them away, not wanting to cry in front of her. Instead, I focused on the rise and fall of her chest, the steady rhythm of her breathing.
I took her hand in mine, careful not to disturb the IV drip. Her fingers were cold and limp, but I held them tightly, hoping she could feel my presence, my love. I leaned in and pressed a gentle kiss to her forehead.
"I'm so glad you're safe," I whispered again, my voice barely audible. "I was so scared."
I sat there for what felt like hours, just watching her sleep.
>>Azef
I was on call with Matt
“We have a problem,”
“What problem?” He asked.
“Where are you?” I don’t even know why I asked that. I already knew he wasn’t here.
“What do you mean where am I?” He answered, “I’m out of country,”
“Oh, right,” I just felt a little disoriented. I need to get my shit together.
“What’s wrong?”
“Uhh,
“Just say it, it’s not like you to be out of it,”
“Okay,” I nodded. He’s right, “Somi Soma is planning on attacking.”
“What?”
“I don’t know how and I don’t even know if she’s lying or not, but she seemed to have figured out where the pack lives.” I placed my hand on my forehead
“That shouldn’t be possible, She’s a human.”
“I don’t know, she somehow found the pack location.” I paused, “Or she claims to have found it.”
“Unless someone from the inside helped her, or another wolf. There is no possible way for her to know.”
“That’s what’s bothering me. I know it can’t be anyone from our pack. And I doubt the other packs have any interest in us.”
“Well, it doesn’t matter. If she wants to attack us, it means she’s sure we killed Silas and Murim.”
“Yea,”
“Take charge of the pack Azef,” His voice turned serious, “The rule says humans can’t find out where we live or how we live.” He ordered, “Protect what needs to be protected.” I heard him walking, “I’m coming back.”
“Okay,”
>>Seraphina
I sat quietly in the soft ambience of the room, my eyes glued to Eris whose complexion was getting better by the second when the door opened.
I turned my face to look and saw Azef enter the room
“How’s she doing?” He asked
“She’s asleep,” I replied, then looked back at her, “Hopefully, she is fine,” I touched her skin, “She doesn’t have a fever.”
“That’s good,” He came over, took a chair from the corner and brought it over, “It’s good that Runy was the one who found her and not some wild beast.” He sat down in front of me. My heart trembled at the thought that she could have been killed out in the wild.
“Hmm,” It scared me so much that I couldn’t think of anything else.
“Are you alright now?” He asked, placing his hand on mine
I nodded, then looked at him, “I have a question though.”
“Yes?”
“How did you and Sarina meet?” My question seemed to catch him off guard.
“That’s not a pretty story,” He said
“I would like to know,” I spoke softly, “I want to know more about you. So there’s no stupid misunderstanding ever again.” I looked at him, “If, you don’t mind telling me…” I didn’t want to force it out of him.
“I don’t really mind telling you. But I don’t like recalling it.”
“It’s fine if you’re not ready to tell me.” I let out a silent sigh, “But there’s something I’ve thought of before. It often goes through my mind.”
“What?”
“You mentioned once that you’ve been in a similar situation to Eris,” We both spared her a glance, “What did you mean by that?”
He looked at me, then let out a soft sigh.
“Sure,” He shrugged, “Why not?” The thin curtains fluttered as a soft wind came in.
“When I talked about Eris,” He looked at her softly, “I realized she was a lonely child. Similar to me, but better than me.” I listened to him, “She chose to be a good kid and stayed home for you, which was nice, but it still bothered me. I don’t like kids being confined in places.” He turned his gaze back at me, “Because for me, my mother mostly kept me locked up in a room.”