Blood of the Phantom Queen

Blood of the Phantom Queen
Alea's POV
Many people had heard about Atlas, but not many had set their eyes on the messenger who had lived thousands years serving the moon goddess.
Mysterious.
The wind blew my hair all the way to the back as the whole room felt the presence of his energy.
Then he stopped the praises of himself and walked to Elder Darin.
“How many years has it been? Is it that long already? You've grown so well” He said, taking a handful of Elder's cheeks into his hand as he playfully dragged it.
Damn! I would have laughed if it wasn't for the situation.
What he did implies that he had always done that to Elder Darin.
Elder Darin chuckled but didn't dare take Atlas's hands away from his skin. Soon, Atlas stopped dragging the old man's cheeks like someone would have done to a kid and then he told them to rise.
They did as he had said and then he faced Kairo and I.
“The moon goddess had sent me to you” He said, more like he was talking to me.
He brushed past me and climbed the little podium leading to the throne and then he sat on Kairo's royal throne.
That was disrespectful but from the little tales I had heard about Atlas, that was who he was.
Arrogant and nonchalant.
“You brought this upon your pack” He said, eyes fixed on me.
I knew it. He was particularly here for me, to talk to me but what I haven't gotten to understand and I knew I would soon be able to understand was what he had just uttered. Bringing a pandemic to the pack.
“What do you mean?” I asked, walking a little bit closer to him.
“Do you know anything about what had been happening in the pack? What about the solution?” Kairo chipped in.
“The Phantom Queen isn't supposed to leave the pack for long but you did” He said and I found that extremely absurd. I moved closer, like I was carefully taking threatening steps towards him.
“How is that supposed to affect the pack members?” I asked.
“Because it's your duty to protect them. You were away for so long that it even affected the Alpha of the pack” Atlas said, making my eyes widen as I turned swiftly towards Kairo.
I rushed to him, touching his body and skin for signs of the symptoms of the strange disease but didn't find any.
Then Kairo grabbed my hand, holding it gently as he took it off his face.
“Calm down Alea. I'm okay. I don't think he knows what he's saying” He said it so much in a whisper that I believed Atlas didn't hear him.
“Are you sure you are okay? Does it hurt anywhere?” I asked again, still not able to put my mind at ease.
“I'm really okay, Alea” he assured me and I heaved a sigh of relief before turning to face Atlas again. Now I was starting to think that he was here to play some sort of prank on us and that Elder Darin might also be involved in his scheme for him to go down on his knees just to make things real.
But as much as I thought about that, I knew it wasn't true. I knew he's truly the messenger of the moon goddess.
The Shadow Queen instinct told me so.
“What are you doing right now? Making things up?” I asked, my eyes blaring with fury. To hell with whoever he is. I wasn't going to care at the moment.
“I only said he's getting affected, Phantom Queen. I didn't say it was caused by the disease” He said and I realized I hadn't thought about that.
“Alpha Kairo” He called, “Why do you think your wolf hasn't shown up or made a single sound since the week before?” He asked and I gasped, facing Kairo who looked like he was embarrassed that someone got to know this.
I moved closer to him, placing my hands on his.
“Kairo?” I called and he looked up at me.
“I didn't think it was anything serious, Alea” he said, knowing my gaze was asking about the reason why he didn't tell me.
I faced Atlas again. “So you mean because I was away from the pack for so long, even the Alpha can't sense his wolf?” I asked, and his gaze didn't change. He still wears a smile and that confirms that I was right.
“Don't you think this is absurd?” I almost yelled. “I was out there saving refugees, trying to find a way to survive and I'm sure the moon goddess was seeing all of it,” I added.
A hand went through my hair ruffling it in frustration.
“Who's behind it? Who's it?!” I yelled and just like a flash, he was right in front of me, his hand choking my neck.
I didn't know how he did that so fast, but I didn't even see him move from the throne, all I saw was that he was holding me, choking me and making me gasp for breath.
“Let go” I choked.
“Do you think you can question the moon goddess? She gave you powers, gave you authority and made you the Shadow Queen for a reason. To protect this pack!” He gritted then let go of me.
I staggered, almost falling to the floor but Kairo caught me.
In his hands, I gasped for breath before bringing my gaze to Atlas again.
He was powerful, a lot more powerful, no doubt.
“Then….” I tried to catch my breath. “What do we do?” I asked, knowing the moon goddess had shown how powerful she could be, she had tried to teach me a lesson when I didn't even know my actions will come with consequences and it's time for me to stand up to return things back to how they were.
“A ritual has to be done, Phantom Queen. With your blood” He said, I gulped.
I knew it won't be something easy.
“Not a drop of blood, Phantom Queen. A cupful of your blood” He said. I didn't have a problem with it but Kairo does.
“She won't be doing it” He blurted out.
I gulped. Again. Things were getting tense and it probably wouldn't end well.