Chapter Sixty-Seven – The surprise

“You’re lying!” Ariel shouted, clawing at her tubes to free her from this room. From the doctors hold. She didn’t care about the sting, didn’t care about the blood. All she cared about was getting out.

“Ariel!” She could hear her father call out for her somewhere outside, or below. She couldn’t pinpoint it; it was too faint.

“Let. Me. Out.” She hissed through gritted teeth, but Lilith blocked her path, refusing to let her go.

“I’m not lying. You need to watch this” Lilith showed her the phone. She’d received the video just hours ago, while watching over Ariel, and hadn’t told anyone. This was for Ariel’s eyes only.

The picture came to life, it was taken at the hospital and the woman in the bed was the person who had attacked her. Had killed Kieran. Jasper sat beside the bed, talking to her about her motives, trying to find out why she did as she did. And the woman, whose name they learned was Christine, sang. She told them everything. Repeated what Lilith had just said. It was Noye who contacted her group. Asked them to come to deal with a wolf issue he had, an issue the local hunters couldn’t deal with. Wouldn’t deal with. And he asked him specifically to deliver a message. To hurt the hunter who refused to do his job, send a message to the other about the danger of the creatures, in case she was still on the fence. Blame the wolves, it was the plan. But it went south, and the rest was history.

Ariel watched the movie, several emotions swimming through her mind. First, she was angry, her anger directed at Lilith and whoever staged the video, it had to be fake. But then her mind kicked into gear, reminding her of what her father had thought her, about his anger, how he reacted to everything she did that wasn’t to his liking. And how he disliked Kieran, even though the only this he’d done was to show her the truth about the world, taught her how to survive and loved her.

By the time the video was over and Lilith pocketed her phone Ariel was convinced her father was behind it. Behind the mess and the chaos, behind all the bad things happening. She heard his voice again, calling for her, searching for her. And she knew she had to go find him before he hurt anyone else.

“I have to go” Ariel said to Lilith. “I have to fix this”

“What do you mean fix?” Lilith asked. She couldn’t let her out unless she was confident it wouldn’t hurt the people she loved and cared for.

“I need to stop my father. He’s hurting people. Innocent people. I hurt innocent people. All because I was so mad” Ariel whispered. She didn’t have her weapon; both her hands were stained with her own blood where the needle had nicked her veins. But she had to fight him, no matter the consequences. If it all went south, she would see Kieran again, it was a small comfort.

“Lilith?” Anthony came up the stairs, surprised to see Ariel stand in the corner. And she was surprised to see him as well.

“I can explain” Anthony started, but Ariel shook her head. She didn’t have time.

“They need you at the clinic” Anthony focused on Lilith again. People were hurt, and they needed a doctor.

“I’m going. You, stay with her, make sure she doesn’t go looking for her father” Lilith gave him a warning stare before disappearing down the stairs, making sure the hallways were empty before sneaking out and tiptoeing over to the clinic through an entrance in the back.

Back in the attic Anthony took stand by the entrance, folding his arms over his chest. He knew the look on Ariel’s face too well, had seen it many a time before. But this time it was different. This time she was readying herself to end someone she loved, for reasons he didn’t want to think about.

“Are you going to be in my way, or help me?” Ariel asked. She’d taken on the role as the huntress, the role Kieran had helped her shape. Not by forcing his believes or views on her, but by letting her make her own experiences, decisions, and learn from her mistakes. She missed him dearly and hoped to be reunited with him again soon.

“Help” Anthony let his arms fall, taking a step to the side.

“I need a weapon” Ariel said.

“There are plenty downstairs” Anthony answered with a small smile, which Ariel much to her surprise managed to return.
–
The man with the gun had pulled the trigger. He watched as the golden wolf fell to the ground before he himself was tackled by a large, black wolf, his hand hitting a rock, making him drop the gun. But he still had a knife, and his other hand was free.

Kicking away the wolf that tackled him he pulled out a knife and jumped it before it could retaliate, planting the dagger in between the wolfs shoulders and twisting. It howled out in pain before falling to the ground, writhing in pain.

A second wolf jumped him before he could see it coming. Then a third, the two of them working together as he trashed against their paws, arms fighting to free themselves from their paws, legs kicking at everyone who tried to near him.

A white wolf walked over from the other side, it’s face looking down at his. Teeth was barred, growling deeply, eyes flashing a deep chocolate brown before the wolf’s mouth clasped down over the man’s throat, taking his life.
–
Talia sat with Adam in her arms, hands pressed against his bleeding chest. He was still breathing, still looking at her with his warm, loving eyes, while here were flooded with tears. She tried to keep them there, but watching his struggle, knowing Damir tried and failed at healing him, it was too much.

The dam broke, and heaven wept. The downpour soaking both human and wolf. The fighting had subsided now that the alpha had fallen. Almost every wolf had their eyes on their fallen leader, howling in despair. Some hunters took advantage of it, getting ready to get in a good shot on as many wolves as they could. They didn’t get the chance, Dimitri and his wolf a force to be reconned with, flanked by a dark brown and a grey wolf they made quick work of the few who still dared to risk it.

Thunder rolled over their heads, and somewhere Henry was still calling out for his daughter, searching frantically away from the fighting grounds.

“Don’t die. You don’t get to die on me” Talia whispered to Adam. Her hands were pressed against his chest, but she couldn’t make it stop. It kept oozing through her fingers, mixing with the water, and flowing in tiny rivers down his abdomen.

“I’m… trying…” Adam panted. Being shot was no joke. It hurt like hell; he could feel his ribs rattle just by his breath. It hurt to breathe, he tried to keep it to a minimum.

Talia could feel her throat tightening, could feel the pain suffocating her. She couldn’t lose him; she didn’t know what to do without him, didn’t want to continue her life without him in it. Where was Xavier when you needed him?!

“Just, breathe. I’ll fix this. I can fix this” She cried, but she didn’t know how to. She could bring a storm to life, create fires and hurdle balls of pure energy at people. But she couldn’t heal. Couldn’t bend the water like Xavier, couldn’t treat him with elixirs like Nadine. All she could do was wreak havoc and create chaos.

“Talia” He put his hands on hers, eyes shutting. He couldn’t stay awake, he felt too tired. The pain was fading away as darkness lurked at the edge of his sight, tried to lure him in.

“No. No. Stay with me. You hear me. You don’t get to do this!” She shouted. A fire was burning inside of her. She could feel it push against her seems, like a tornado wanting to let lose. But she couldn’t. It had to stay inside of her, despite the pain, despite how much her mind and body suffered.

“Talia” Katlyn’s arms found her, wrapping around from behind, pulling her into a hug. She didn’t touch her arms, just sat behind her, arms wrapped around her waist, chest pressed against her back.

“He can’t die. I won’t allow it” Talia kept pressing her hands against the wound, trying to force the blood back inside. Imagining it in her head, like threads being pulled back inside his body, coming together as a cloth that worked as a dam. She remembered her own injuries, and how Xavier had managed to save her. The feeling of his hands, that cold, soothing feeling, like being bathed in cool water.

She held on to that as she imagined it coming together. One little dripple turning into a creek, then a river, before blending with the ocean.

“Talia” Katlyn whispered her name, but she tuned her out. Adam was there, she could feel him. Feel how his chest rise and fell under her palms, how the water flowed around her, soothing her fire, soothing his pain.

“Talia” Katlyn spoke a little louder, but to no avail. Talia was in her own bubble, focusing on Adam. Picturing him in her head. Everything from his shoulder length golden blonde hair, his loving amber eyes, his body without any injuries. No scarring. No open wound. Just him in all his glory.

“TALIA!” Someone shouted. It wasn’t Katlyn. It startled her enough to open her eyes.

Xavier sat to her side; his eyes locked on her. The look on his face, the expression. It was – she couldn’t quite put it into words. Behind him a portal closed, silence fell over the area before a pained scream rang in their ears.