Tris.
"It's Brotalinic," K said. The wolf turned toward K with a nauseated expression. She started sniffing K, almost diving into her neck and pushing her back. K tried her best to resist the push, gently stroking the fur on the wolf's neck.
"It's alright, change back, okay?" she said in a surprisingly soft and sweet voice.
We were shocked to hear that tone from her—her actual voice is usually so harsh.
Olivia changed back into her human form. She grabbed a blanket and started vomiting in the corner. K continuously waved her hand on Olivia's back, comforting her.
"It's all good," she said.
"We shouldn't stay here long," Olivia said, terrified.
We all ran toward the car and got inside.
"How long does the seal last?" I asked Bethney.
"It differs for individuals. The witches who put people to sleep—those spells lasted for two hours," Bethney explained.
I started driving.
"For a wolf?" I asked.
"I don't know," she replied.
We headed straight to HQ. K guided me, and we reached as soon as possible. Olivia was semi-conscious, barely holding on.
As we entered HQ, Leo came running toward us—he must've smelled me. He hugged me tightly, but only briefly. Then he gently took Olivia from K's arms and carried her directly into a room.
At that point, every Alpha was out of the chamber. Leo placed Olivia on a bed. K held her hand tightly.
"Don't close your eyes, okay?" she said, worried but surprisingly calm. I didn't know how K could be so composed. If I were in her place, I would've been crying over Leo's body.
Zarin came forward. She placed her hands on Olivia's stomach, closed her eyes, and began chanting. A soft purple light glowed around her hands and then vanished.
"Thank God," I said. Everyone turned to look at me.
"Yep, she's good. She just needs rest," Zarin confirmed.
We all left the room except K, who continued to hold Olivia's hand.
"How do you know she's okay?" Leo asked.
"It was a purple light—a natural, healthy one. If something was wrong, the color would've changed," Ranthore said with a straight face.
"And who are you?" Leo asked, narrowing his eyes.
"Seriously? He's a healer. Ranthore," I said, rolling my eyes. Leo really doesn't pay attention to people around him.
"Thank God she's okay," I repeated.
"Yes, because she's an Alpha. If someone else had changed into a wolf at that time, they would've been spared from the effect," Leo said while clinging to me. "I would have endured it better, though," he added with a smile.
I stared at him. Is this some kind of competition? Idiot. I pushed him.
"Be professional. You're at work, surrounded by the entire team."
"I don't care," he replied.
I didn't say anything more—I didn't want to fuel the conversation. Better to focus on what's important right now. I started walking out of the hall with Bethney and Ranthore.
"Where are you going?" he asked, grabbing my hand.
"Library." I tried to escape from his grip.
"No one's there. We moved everyone to the Warlock Mansion." He said.
"Shouldn't you be protecting it instead of abandoning it?" I said, looking in his eyes.
"I know. But it's not heading that way anymore—it changed direction. It's going back, I guess." He said while pulling me closer and holding my waist.
"What do you mean, 'going back'?" I said while narrowing my eyes.
"We're not sure, but it's retreating." He said.
"I have a bad feeling about this." I lowered my gaze on his chest.
"Don't worry. Just focus on what you're doing." He said. L
"Can you show me the map?" I looked at him.
"Come with me." He took me to the main chamber where they held meetings.
As soon as we entered, everyone else left the room.
"Why are they leaving?"
"For privacy, of course. It's an unspoken rule—leave a couple alone," he said, hugging me and lifting me slightly until only my toes touched the floor.
"Did you just make that up?" I tried to remove his hands from my waist, but he just smiled at my efforts.
"Can we focus now, please?" I glared at him until he finally let go.
He gently pushed me by the shoulder toward the screen. A map appeared, displaying the area.
"Tell me from the start."
He pointed to the bridge. "It came from somewhere around here," he said, tracing a path on the screen. "Then it moved toward the packhouse. After thirty minutes, it headed toward the library."
"And the Warlock Mansion is in the way?" I asked.
"Yes—slightly off to the left, but still in the path." He nodded.
"And now it's heading back?" I pointed the area.
"Yeah, toward the bridge." He hold my hand pu the finger in right place.
"No way... Leo," I said, looking at him.
"What?" He asked.
"Did you tell my mom to stop the rituals?" I asked while moving away from him.
"Yes, just a bit ago. They may be wrapping things up." He said while walking on my steps.
"Don't. Tell them to continue." I turned around.
"Why?" He said while holding my hand.
"It's going to come back in one hour." I don't wanna say this, but I have no choice.
"What are you talking about?" He seems worried.
"I think it's following me—because I'm the only one who's been at all those locations." I removed his grip from my hands, knowing he won't agree.
He stared at me, shocked.
"If I'm right, it'll be back at the bridge in one hour if I go there by now." I said making my self distance from him.
"No way. Are you going there?" He holdmy shoulders tightly.
"Yes. I need to be bait to trap it." I cupped his face.
"There must be other options," he said, calling everyone in.
"There's one. I'll leave the city—to lure it away. I can't put more people in danger." I suggested, he won't this let happened too.
Everyone sensed the urgency and looked to Leo.
"There's no way that's happening. No more parting," he said, glancing at Jeremy.
They must have told my mom to continue the ritual.
"How long will the seal last on a werewolf?" I asked.
"One hour max. If they transform, it'll last only fifteen to twenty minutes."
"Did they bring sealers?" I asked. "Tell them to keep renewing the seal every forty minutes."
He grabbed my hand tightly.
"You'll be in danger if you go with me." I said.
"There's no question about it—I'm coming." He tighten his grip.
"I'll go with him," Albert said.
"Believe me, we've got this." I hugged Leo tightly. "If anything seems out of hand, you have to come to us, okay?" I cupped his face.
All the Alphas held him from every side. They knew he would never agree to let me go alone.
"I'll be there before you even realize it," he said.
I knew he wanted to throw the Alphas off him, but for some reason, he stopped. His eyes were full of rage. He looked at Jeremy. He's always annoyed with me, but he won't refuse Leo.
"No, I want him to behere for you" I refused.
I left with Albert, Ranthore, Bethney, and Jeremy.
"Call Siya to join us," I said.
Before I could even step out of HQ, Siya was already waiting in the car.
We headed straight to the ritual site.
"Make a portal to my mom," I asked Bethney.
"It's impossible in a moving car," Bethney groaned, scratching her head.
I sighed. Think, think—there has to be a loophole.
"Siya, have you been to the affected area?" I asked.
"Nope, not yet." She shook her head.
"Are vampires affected by this?" I lookedat Albert.
"There are no vampires in this area," Albert said.
"How can we find out? It's risky," I asked.
"We don't get along well with vampires," Albert added.
"We still haven't resolved things between vampires and witches," Ranthore said.
"So much to work on," I sighed.
"Should I go without a seal?" Albert offered.
"No. We're not going to experiment with something this dangerous. We don't even know what they want from me. If it comes to that, I'll surrender myself—but that's the last option."
Bethney reapplied the seal spell on us.
"Of course we're not letting that happen," Albert said.
"Let's do everything possible to protect our people. I'm not sure this will work, but we have to make it happen."
Soon we reached the ritual site. It was a wide, empty area. The sealing witches stood in a white square, each edge connected to a central circle with symbols drawn in each compartment. My mom stood to the side, holding a book.
I walked up to her.
"Mom, how's it going? Tell me how I can help," I said eagerly.
"Look here," she said, showing me the book. "This is the strongest spell we can use to seal that thing. Can you cast it?"
"I can try," I said, quickly memorizing the lines.
"You'll just support me from the back. I've never had to do this in my life," she said, flipping her hair back.
"Okay."
I walked over to Ranthore.
"Are you good at healing?"
"Yes, but only one at a time—and I need my blood on them," he said. I was shocked.
"What do you mean, one at a time?"
"Zarin ma'am can heal two at once," he said proudly. "I've heard a supreme witch can heal up to five at once—like your mom."
"I'm a healer too, but I don't need blood to heal one person," I said, confused.
"Wow, that's great. Let's try it!" He pulled Bethney's hand toward me. She had a wound from earlier when she cast the seal spell. Ranthore made a small cut in his palm.
"Try healing us," he said.
"Okay." I held my hands a few inches above theirs and began chanting. A red sparkled light appeared in Bethney's palm, and her wound healed.
"Okay, just one hand," he said, then healed his own wound.
"You need more practice, though."
"Let me try again," I insisted. "You'll have to cut your hand again—sorry."
"It's okay. I'm used to it." He pulled Albert forward. He cut his hand and then his own palm. I cut my own palm, placing it gently over each of theirs, one at a time, and chanted.
"It worked!" Ranthore and Albert said at the same time. They looked like twins—excited, yet expressionless. Only their eyes widened. Bethney and I laughed at their reaction.
Although I'm not usually a sensor type, chills ran down my spine. I felt the same sensation from the bridge, but much stronger.
I looked at my mom. She waved her hand, and a ring of fire circled around all of us.