Chapter Seventy Five

*Ivan*


*”We need to get the blade out of his chest!” Drake shouted desperately.
He gripped the sword and tugged it out. Keo started bleeding very quickly. Drake cursed and put both of his hands over the hole that was there and started healing him as fast as he could. I watched in awe but knew that Drake wasn’t going to be able to heal Keo in time. I whined softly and tried to put my head on Ariya but ended up falling over since I couldn’t use my shoulder.
Drake cursed again, “It’s not working. He’s losing too much blood.”
“What do we do?” Caleb asked, frantic.
“I don’t know.” Drake growled.
He was beginning to lose control. Neither Caleb or I had bonded with anyone yet. We were waiting for Keothi and Ariya to turn. Since I was mated to Ariya, as long as she was ok with it we had planned on me bonding with her. Caleb had said he would be happy to bond with Keo. Those 2 were like brothers at times. But nothing would beat the bond that Ariya and Keothi had. They were twins after all.
Drake growled, his teeth forcing their way out and his eyes changing. He was hungry. Caleb went to reach out to Drake but stopped. Drake was one of those people that we never saw lose control. No one really knew how old he was but he had been around so long that he was always in control. WIth Derek dead and Caleb and I not being bonded we weren’t sure what to do. Derek was the one that was teaching us everything. My body shivered as I shifted back.
“What can we do?” I asked Drake.
Drake was holding his head, fighting his hunger. It took a couple minutes but he won the battle.
“Nothing. I’ll be fine.” Drake said.
Caleb and I looked at each other, worried.
Keo had stopped screaming when Drake went to heal him. Now he laid there like he had before. Completely still.
“His heart is too damaged. I can’t fix it.” Drake choked out.
Drake pulled Keothi into his lap. His breathing picked up and I realized Drake was sobbing. Drake had lost almost everything tonight. His home, his daughter - Ariya and Keothi’s Mom, Derek, and now Keothi. Though many people died tonight, we weren’t sure who was still alive or not. I was pretty sure there weren’t many of us left. Keo choked out his last breath and stilled. We all sat there in silence as the rain began pouring down on us. The silence didn’t last long because Keo’s eyes flew open again and he screamed in agony. His body arched and withered in pain. All of our eyes went wide with shock as we didn’t know what was happening. Keothi’s lip curled above his canines and his canines forced their way out forming into fangs. We all gasped as we realized that Keo was turning. I felt a weight lift off of me, knowing that he was going to be ok. Keo continued screaming in agony for a little bit longer and then stilled again.
“He needs to feed.” Drake said, “That’s the only way that he’ll fully transition.”
“I’ll do it.” Caleb said.
I opened my mouth to say something but Caleb continued, “We’ve had a plan for a few years now, Ivan. You bond with Ariya and I will bond with Keothi.”
Drake and I nodded at Caleb. He wasn’t wrong, we had planned this for a few years. Once we knew for sure we were Original Navi Wolves we had decided that we would bond with the twins since we knew they were Blood Born Navi. Caleb wasted no time and sliced his hand open so that he could complete the transition for Keo. Once Keo came to and was coherent then Caleb and him could bond. It had to be a mutual decision. Caleb and Keo’s bond would be a lot simpler since it wasn’t also a mate bond.
As Caleb fed Keothi, I checked on Ari again. I was worried about her. I was pretty sure that the energy manipulation came from her but no one had seen her do it. But for it to almost kill her is what worried me.
“She’s ok, Ivan.” Drake told me.
“I know. It doesn’t help my concern about her though.” I grumbled.
Drake put his hand on my shoulder to console me and I winced in pain.
“When did that happen?” Drake asked, concerned.
“Right before the Shadows were all impaled. I was trying to fight them off to get to Ari.” I said.
Drake nodded, “That explains them getting impaled.”
“What?” I asked but he didn’t answer.
Drake had me move a bit so he could look at my shoulder. He ripped the blade out quickly and I gasped. I could feel the wound starting to close as Drake began healing me.
“What are we going to do?” I asked him.
“About what?”
“Everything. What do we do now?”
After a long pause Drake finally answered me, “I don’t know. We’re the only ones left. Unless anyone was captured. I’m pretty sure everyone is dead.”
“How do we find out if anyone was captured? Could we check all the bodies and identify that everyone is accounted for?” Caleb asked.
Keo had stilled again after Caleb finished feeding him. He was unconscious. Just like Ari. They were both basically dead to the world right now.
“No, we can’t. They used fire. We don’t know how many they brought and too many people died from being burned alive. We wouldn’t be able to identify everyone even if we tried.” Drake said, sadly.
My stomach churned at the thought of being burned alive. My mind went back to Ariya and Keothi’s Mom. I pushed the thought away quickly before it went to my parents. Now wasn’t the time to have my feelings. I brushed my good hand across Ariya’s face. Drake was still healing me when another scent hit me.
“Someone’s coming.” I said.
Drake cursed, “They know that there’s still some of us left.”
“They’re not going to stop until they know we’re all dead, specifically you.” I told him.
“What do we do?” Caleb asked.
“How far out are they?” Drake asked.
“We have some time. Not a lot, though. Maybe 10 minutes. They’re moving really slowly.” I told him.
Drake cursed, “We need to infiltrate them. Find out if they have anyone and then work our way from there. I have to stay with Keothi, he just turned so he’s going to need a lot of training.”
“That leaves Ariya and I left.” I said.
“What am I? Chopped liver?” Caleb growled.
“You need to stay with Keo. Or did you forget?” I laughed.
“Wait.” A soft voice said to our right.
We all looked over to see who the voice came from. Derek. He was still alive. I wasn’t sure how but he was. He was barely hanging on though.
“Derek?” Drake moved closer to him, trying to see if he could heal him.
“I don’t…have much…time…” Derek choked out.
Drake closed his eyes, assessing the damage. When he opened them a grim look was on his face.
“Drake…listen to me. Lock…the memories…especially…the bond.” Derek continued.
“What? Why?” Drake asked him.
“No time. They’re coming. Feed from…me.” Derek forced out, coughing up blood.
“If I do that you’ll die faster.” Drake growled.
“You…have to. Only way. Drake…Please.”
The look on Drake’s face was full of pain. Derek and him had been around each other for a long time. Even Caleb and I weren’t sure how long they’d been bonded. They might as well be brothers. I knew it was going to be hard for Drake to be the one to end Derek. But Drake did as Derek asked. It didn’t take long. Derek didn’t have much left in him. When Drake was done his eyes went wide for a second before he masked his expression. I wanted to ask but we were running out of time.
“Ivan, you need to be the one to infiltrate.” Drake told me.
“I’m not leaving Ariya.” I growled.
“You have to. Caleb, get her out of here. You and her need to hide in plain sight. But hide. She hasn’t turned yet. Ivan, you need to infiltrate. You’re the only one that can fake being old enough. When you shifted the first time you guys seemed a bit older than you actually are. It happens because your body goes through so much when you first shift. You’re the closest one to being 18. I’ll train Keo on my own. Caleb will take Ariya somewhere safe and hide in plain sight. If no one is there after you infiltrate then you can get out of there, find Caleb and Ariya and then we’ll all find each other.”
“No. I don’t like it. Why can’t we just get out of here, get somewhere safe and then come up with a plan?” I growled.
“This is the only chance we’ll have to infiltrate. It’s not forever, Ivan. It’s only for a little bit.” Drake told me.
My wolf eyes flashed and I growled. My body began to shiver. I was angry. I didn’t want to leave Ariya. Especially now. She needed me. I needed her. I needed to protect her.
“I’ll look after her, Ivan. I promise. She’ll be ok.” Caleb told me.
“Don’t you dare be too far from me if you’re watching her.” I growled.
“I’ll be close by.” Caleb promised.
I glared at Drake with hate in my eyes, “So what, you lock my memories?”
“Yes. I’m sorry, Ivan. I’m also going to have to lock your memories of Ariya as well.” Drake said and grabbed my head.