SHADOW
“That’s the side effect? And he had to go through that?” I felt his pain and anguish. He had been in the bathroom, vomiting for minutes, while I couldn’t do anything but wait outside.
“He has to cleanse his body, his bloodstreams, and what he took wasn’t just a concoction.”
“Figured.”
“I cast a spell on it because elemental mercury can’t be removed just by puking and defecating. It needs Chelation therapy, medicine, dialysis, or surgery. It’s a plus point that he’s not human. He healed fast. He must have consumed a little amount otherwise.” Zarah shrugged. “He could be dead by now.”
I looked up when tears welled my eyes. I knocked again when the bathroom seemed silent, but I could still feel his struggle and constant groaning.
“Califf, can I come in?”
“No.” He groaned again. “Just give me a few minutes. I’ll be out soon.”
“Okay. Do you need anything?”
“I’m okay, baby.” He was not close to okay, but somehow, I was relieved he was talking to me.
“Call me if you need me.” I went back to Zarah and Aira. “Who could have done this?”
“Who would want an alpha dead?” Zarah asked back.
I could not think of anyone who wanted Califf dead than what was left of Keane’s pack, now under Grady. “How about Everlee and the rest of those you witch bind? If Califf is dead, could it unbound the spell?”
“Yes.”
“But it’s betrayal, right?”
“Yes, but not first-degree.”
“What do you mean by first-degree?” I stared at them, seething.
“Someone told someone that he hated him and that someone asked someone to do the job,” Aira explained.
“So the binding is literally useless. Maybe I should call Grady.”
“It’s not from the survivors. It’s the hunters.”
“Beheading, silver, mercury poisoning- Oh, my Goddess.” My jaw dropped in horror. My hand flew to my mouth. I felt suddenly unstable like the ground beneath my feet shifted, and I began to sink.
“Yes.”
“They knew Califf. He was the target, or I could be for all I know, but he ingested it instead.”
“I’m glad it’s not you, baby.”
“Hey. Easy, tiger.” I turned around and rushed towards him. Califf was damped with sweat as he staggered, still grimacing and clutching his stomach. I put his arm around my shoulder, and I helped him. He was pale and too weak even to walk straight.
I’d never seen him like this, suffering from pain. His expression was one of utter misery. It was even hard to watch him. And the worst part, I couldn’t even help ease his discomfort. It was agonizing, leaving me helpless.
“Take him to the room down the hallway on the left. He needs to rest. That’s just the first step.”
“What?” I glared at Zarah. “There’s more than pooping and puking his guts out?”
“Yes. That’s just cleansing, Shadow. I promise he’ll pull it through as long as he does what I ask.”
“I will, Zarah. Just do whatever is necessary.” He cut off, his voice choking.
Aira opened the door and helped me put my giant heavy beast mate to bed.
I took off his shoes so that he could rest. “How are you feeling? Maybe there’s a way I can make you feel better.”
“Promise me you won’t heal me, Shadow,” he said in his weak voice as he exhaled a ragged breath. His eyes barely opened.
“I promise.” I held his hand and gave him a little squeeze. “Zarah and Aira are more capable than me. Trust me, you’re in good hands.”
“Let him rest.” Zarah came in. “Don’t give him anything other than water. He may develop fever, but his body is fighting against the poison, which means the concoction is working.”
“Rest now, my love. I’ll be here when you wake up.” I kissed the top of his head.
He sighed deeply and closed his eyes as if he had no more strength left. I got up and walked out but left the door open in case he needed me.
Shaken, I slumped my ass on the couch when I felt their eyes on me. “What?”
“Now you look like a real wife.”
“I am a wife, Aira.” I sagged against the couch. “I swear I will make whoever did this suffer slowly and painfully until he begs me to end his miserable life.”
“Wow. You’re scarier.” Aira drawled.
Zarah snorted. “Wait until you see her hybrid from.”
“Wait a sec. She’s also a hybrid?” She looked surprised as she bounced her gaze between me and Zarah.
“She’s-”
“Half witch, half Lycan. I know. I was just messing with you.” She rolled her cute, small eyes. “I saw an image of a hybrid in a book.”
“And?” I looked blankly at her.
“It’s scary. Don’t show it to me, okay? I wanna sleep peacefully at night.”
“I won’t if you won’t piss me off, Aira.” I turned to Zarah. “How long will he suffer like this?”
“Two to three days top.”
“Three freaking days?” I went cold in horror.
“You should be grateful. I figured out quickly what was wrong with him. And he didn’t ingest a huge amount of mercury, or I couldn’t help him. His condition hasn’t deteriorated, and he will be okay.”
“Thank you. I don’t know what I will do without you.” I turned my head to Aira. “And you, too, baby witch.”
“I’m not a baby witch. You are. You’re an infant witch.”
I chuckled even if I was tired. “I agree. I couldn’t even light a candle, not until three days.”
“So you two are planning a family?” Aira changed the topic.
“Not-”
“Agh!”
We all shared the same look when we heard Califf screaming. I was quicker on my feet and ran towards the room.
“Ohmygod!” I stood frozen in my place, my heart up in my throat. Califf was in the middle of a transformation. His fur was spouting, his claws were out, his eyes were glowing red, and his fangs snarled out.
“Don’t go near him. He doesn’t recognize you.” Zarah held my arm.
“Why his eyes are red?” I asked in shock and sucked a lungful as if I was drowning in the ocean.
“Stay away from him, Shadow. I mean it.”
“But he needs me.” I blinked back the tears.
“No. His wolf is restless, agitated, and trying to fight the poison inside.” She didn’t let me go. “He’s not in control anymore. It’s his wolf. With his red eyes, he doesn’t recognize us anymore.” She waved her hand and muttered something in another language.
“We have to do something. He can’t be like this, Zarah.” I gazed at her in anguish.
“We are helping him.”
“Should we lock the door?” Aira asked.
“He can’t get out of this room. I shielded him with a spell.”
His bones cracked. His fangs were out. His body was deformed, and he screamed in pain as if he had just shifted into his wolf form for the first time.
I startled and winced every crack, and tears rolled down my cheeks. Every growl and howl made me cry.
“I can’t watch this, Zarah. Do something.” I wiped the tears off my face, but they kept coming. I wanted to run to and hug him, but he was no longer in control.
“He won’t remember this when he wakes up, child. Just have some faith.”
“I don’t have that right now.” I cried.
When Califf managed the complete transformation, his wolf hurled at us. Aira and I yelped in unison. Zarah didn’t even flinch the slightest. She was confident her spell worked perfectly. And it did. It reminded me of when I and Zack first came here for the first time.
He couldn’t get through, no matter how hard he tried to claw out. The bed rattled, probably damaged beneath the mattress. Thankfully, there was no other furniture than the nightstands on both sides.
“Can you make him sleep?”
“He should go through this. The mercury will excreted out of his body. This is the only way to treat him. Later on, all he needs is IV fluids.”
I was a mess. I walked out. I couldn’t watch him in that situation. It broke my heart. It killed me.
I blocked his voice, wailing in pain as I exited the house. My wolf turned restless the moment I watched him in agony.
I wanted to shift and run into the woods as my anxiety, frustration, anger, and pain sizzled through me. Instead, I cried my eyes out in the garden until I could no longer do it.
My phone rang, interrupting my dwelling. The call came from Dr. Sallie.
I sniffled before I answered the call. “Dr. Sallie?”
“I have the blood report.”
“It’s mercury, isn’t it?”
“Yes. How did you know?”
“Zarah. She figured it out. Can you come to her house and bring whatever is necessary to treat him? She said something about fluid replacements.”
“Of course. We’re on our way.”