CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVEN
+25 Bonus
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVEN
Nolan’s POV
Leslie evaluated Talia’s condition. She checked her bandages and her last test results. She pressed her hand against Talia’s forehead and closed her eyes for a few seconds. Then, she pulled it back with a sharp sigh.
“This doesn’t look good,” she said. “Based on her last test results from this morning, her fever is much higher now. The wolfsbane has spread through most of her system. If we don’t act now, she won’t make it.”
Her words unsettled me, and I said curtly, “Then stop wasting time. Do what you need to do.”
“Are you always this impatient?” she asked.
I didn’t answer her. Leslie rolled her eyes before pulling a small wooden box out of her bag. When she opened it, a bitter scent came from the dark green spring she pulled out of the box.
“This is the Moonbane Herb,” Leslie explained.
“I know what it is,” I responded. “Get on with it.”
“Don’t rush me,” Leslie snapped. She cleared her throat and then continued, “Once you swallow it, the pain will be unbearable. It feels like fire tearing through your body. Most people can’t handle it long enough for their wolves to fight back. You need to understand what you’re agreeing to.”
“You wasted time telling me that? Give it to me,” I said.
Her mouth twitched like she found the answer amusing. “No hesitation? Good. That’s what I like to hear.” She dropped it into my hand. “Only your blood will work for her.”
I frowned. “Why mine? Why not the Alpha King or Prince Solon?”
Leslie looked at me as if I said something idiotic. “Because they’re not her mate,” she replied as she rolled her eyes.
My wolf surged inside me, wanting to claim it, but I forced him down. “You’re mistaken. We’re not mates.”
Leslie reached out and flicked the pendant that hung from my neck. “You wear a suppression charm. That tells me more than your denial does. A mate’s blood will always heal faster. That’s why it has to be you.”
I popped the herb into my mouth. “I already told you. We’re not mates.”
Leslie shrugged and said, “You can lie to yourself, but you can’t lie to me. You should be happy that you have the bond. It is the only thing that is going to keep you alive for what comes next.”
I didn’t answer as I chewed the herb. The taste was sweet and sour like candy. I easily swallowed it down, and in the next breath, pain exploded in my chest. It spread fast, hitting every nerve in my body. My knees buckled, and I couldn’t help but roar in pain. My wolf howled right along with me as we both fought against the herb.
Solon began banging on the door. “What’s happening in there?”
“Everything’s fine. Alpha King please get your son under control. We don’t need any interruptions if we are to save her,” Leslie shouted back.
I staggered toward the bed. Talia lay still. Her face was pale, and her lips cracked and dry. My vision blurred as I felt as if I would fall unconscious at any moment. I grabbed Talia’s hand and held on. My other hand dug into the side of her bed, my claws ripping through the mattress.
“I have to…endure…for her. You can’t leave me, Talia,” I said through gritted teeth.
The pain seemed to intensify by the second. My wolf howled inside me, trying to push back. Then, I felt warmth coming from Talia. Our mate bond came to life, wrapping around me and giving me the strength to fight through it.
1/2
CHAPTER ONE HUNDRED & SEVEN
+25 Bonus
The pain didn’t vanish, but it had become bearable. My wolf stopped howling and muttered, ‘She is helping us with the poison. We will survive this.’
Minutes passed and the pain became a deep ache. My body shook with sweat, but I was still managing. The agony became more like an annoying itch before finally fading.
I forced my eyes, that I didn’t know, I had closed open.
Leslie had moved closer to me and was watching me carefully. “Do you feel any pain?” she asked.
“No, just exhausted,” I responded.
“Good. That means your blood is ready.”
Leslie laid out her equipment on the table: needles, tubes, and bags. She pulled a chair beside Talia’s bed and gestured for me to sit. I stood up from my kneeled position and sat.
“How much do I give her?” I asked.
“I’m not sure. There was no clear answer in the text.”
“Then how do we know when to stop?”
Leslie smirked. “Simple. You keep going until she wakes.”
I glared at her and growled, “Hurry up and get on with it.”
I extended my arm for her. She prepared my arm and then slid the needle into my vein. My blood began to flow through the line that led to Talia.
I leaned back in the chair. At first, I felt okay other than the exhaustion from dealing with the herb, but as more blood drained, my body grew heavy.
“Rest,” Leslie said. “You’ve done the hard part.” She stepped out of the room to speak with the Alpha King and Prince Solon.
“Hurry and wake up, Talia,” I whispered, tightening my grip on her hand.
I closed my eyes and leaned back in my chair. Right when I started to drift off, I heard it. Her voice was weak, but it was her voice. My head lifted, and my heart pounded in my chest. Her lips had moved.
“Nolan.”
