Yiselda responds with a bemused laugh, her body language exuding a sense of ease. 'My dear Luna, what has gotten into you? It’s the vampire king. You shouldn’t worry yourself over him. But for what it’s worth, he is not hurt. He is simply taking a nap and will hopefully return to his normal self once he awakens.' Her tone carries amusement and confusion. 'He hasn’t missed a meal, so I am confused about why he was in that state. Vampires do not die if they haven't consumed blood in a long time. They simply become erratic, losing all control of themselves. Still, I’ve been giving him his usual amount of animal blood each day, so I don’t understand why he’s acting like this,' she says, her expression puzzled.
I force my tears back, my jaw clenching in an effort to maintain composure. 'I need to go home. Thank you for the tea, Yiselda,' I tell her, my voice quivering slightly.
Without waiting for a response, I dash out the front door and enter the portal.
May, Fern, Ria, Ela, and Lilac materialize behind me with odd looks. Yet, I don't wait for their inquiries. Instead, a surge of urgency rushes me inside the packhouse, up the stairs, to the seclusion of my room.
'Nina, is that you?' Magnus's voice calls out.
'Yeah, it's me. I'm feeling exhausted. I'm going to go lie down for a while,' I reply, my voice carrying a weariness. I climb under my bed covers and hug my knees.
The door creaks open, and Magnus steps into the room. 'I know you've only been gone for a few hours, but I've missed you,' he confesses, crawling beneath the covers with me. He pulls me closer, nuzzling my neck as he snuggles behind me. In the sanctuary of our shared space, I turn to face him and caress his cheeks. I'm overcome with guilt and begin to cry.
Magnus speaks reassuringly as he hugs me tighter. 'Nina, it will be okay. If you think the Wolf Council will exile you from your own home and pack, then they have another thing coming. I'd give up my Alpha status if it meant staying with you.' His thumb wipes away my tears.
'Magnus, I could never ask you to give Shadow Crest up and your status away,' I sob, my words punctuated by the heaviness of my heart.
'You wouldn't have to ask,' he responds, sealing his words with a passionate kiss. Yet, amid the embrace, Alec's face flashes through my mind. I break the kiss, gasping for air as an overwhelming sense of conflict grips me.
'Nina, what is it?' Magnus asks with visible concern.
I apologize. 'I'm sorry, I need to go. I'll be back later,' and I hastily put my shoes back on. 'Skedaddle Dash,' I cast the spell before Magnus could respond, vanishing from the room.
I descend the stairs, and Reaper gracefully takes flight, landing on my shoulder. 'We need to go to the forbidden room and figure this out now,' I tell him urgently as I make a hasty descent to the basement.
May and the others are engrossed in the creation of magical potions.
'Come to help make some love potion?' Lilac playfully winks at me. Her expression met with a forced half-smile.
'No, sorry, not today. I have some things I need to do. I’ll see you all later,' I inform them, stepping into the portal before teleporting into the forbidden room. The transition is swift, leaving behind a faint trail of magical energy.
I flick my wand in the dimly lit room, conjuring a soft light. Reaper lands on the altar, his eyes watching intently as I immerse myself in the multitude of books lining the shelves. Over the next two hours, I leaf through the volumes in frustration and determination across my face.
'There has to be information here somewhere,' I mutter, the occasional sigh revealing my impatience.
Reaper chimes in amongst my mumbling. 'Have you considered asking the Vampire King himself?' The suggestion draws an incredulous stare from me.
'Reaper, why didn’t I think about that? Hey Alec, vampire king, it’s your blood flame here. I suppose you wouldn’t tell me how to break the bond between you and me by any chance, would you?' I mockingly mimic Alec's voice, shaking my head at the absurdity of the idea. 'Could you imagine his reaction, Reaper? Sure, darling, let me do the honours for you and break it…' The mimicry trails off, my expression reflecting the irony of the situation. 'I think it’s quite obvious, Reaper, that he doesn’t want to sever the bond and wants me to remain his blood flame,' I assert with resignation.
'Okay, then, how about this?' Reaper suggests. 'Have both fated mates fight to the death. Whoever lives wins?' Reaper muses, a misbehaving glint in his eyes.
'Reaper!' I growl, the absurdity of the suggestion met with a stern glare.
Restless, I slip out of Magnus's embrace, seeking solace on the balcony. The cool night air does little to ease the turmoil within me, nor for the sudden subtle heat from my skin as thoughts of seeing Alec tomorrow loom large. I should be preoccupied with the fate of Alpha Bennet and the witches, but my mind and inner wolf cry for release. The yearning for clarity convinces me to go for a run, a desperate attempt to escape the immense emotions I feel trapped and tangled in.
Careful not to wake Reaper, I shift and leap from the balcony, coursing through the woods of Shadow Crest. I remain on the moonlit path. My mind is consumed with thoughts of Magnus and Alec that send warm sparks through my body. Both bonds refuse to release their grip from my mind.
The lake looms ahead. I rush up the slope, embracing the icy plunge that awaits. The shock of the cold water overwhelms me as it briefly cleanses my mind of the two men I want to be with.
As the sun begins its ascent, I realise I've been submerged in the icy water for almost two hours, the chill gradually seeping into my bones. I’ve become semi-conscious and hypothermic. I know I should get out of the water, but I don't want to feel the guilt of thinking about Alec when I'm with Magnus. The icy cold has been helping to numb my mind of it.
A distant howl echoes through the woods—Magnus sending an alert. Disoriented and fatigued, I wonder about the urgency of the message.
Barely afloat, my energy waning, I feel myself slipping deeper into the lake. My paws, heavy and unresponsive, refuse to obey. Submerged, I realize I'm drowning, the frigid water closing in.