SHADOW
“Dr. Sallie just called. You’re right. It’s mercury poisoning,” I told Zarah.
She only gave me an I-told-you-so look.
“Aren’t you getting tired of being right, Zarah?” Aira offered me coffee.
“Thanks.”
She paused to tell me. “You should tell his parents and everyone in the pack.”
Despite my panic, I put on my Luna face. “I can’t tell anyone and cause panic. I’ll wait until Califf gets better, but I will call his parents. They might want to see their son.”
“I have to tell your father to take action. You could be the target or in danger. We don’t know. He has to do something to find these people hunting all of you.” Her words rose gooseflesh on my arms.
“That would be great. I haven’t told you how-”
“Just shut up, child. Call his parents.”
I couldn’t help but smile and be grateful despite Califf still suffering. On the brighter side, he would be okay. I unlocked the screen of my phone.
“Tell them to meet up in one place so I can portal them here, including Dr. Sallie,” she added.
“I will.” I took a breath and tried not to lose my shit.
Aira sensed my anxiousness. “Try to sit down, Shadow. And you need to eat. I can fix you sandwiches if you like.”
I shook my head to Aira. “No thanks and I already bother you so much. I will call Zack to bring us something to eat.”
“Tell him to bring Lebanese food,” Zarah called out from the living room.
“Lebanese then.”
Califf slowly shifted back and was completely naked as his clothes ripped to shred during his involuntary transformation. Our eyes widened as Aira and I stared at each other.
“I’m not looking… down.”
“You just lied. Tell Zarah. I’m going to cover him.”
“Okay, but he’s really hot. You’re one lucky bitch.”
“Really? Let your mate hear that.” I turned and glared, warning her to rip her throat if she said something like that again.
Her eyes rounded as she grinned at me. “Just kidding. Jeez. Relax. I have Tor, and I love him.”
She went to Zarah, and I got inside the room. The wall had claw marks all over, scaring me. He could have hurt someone if it wasn’t for the spell. The confinement would be safe for everyone, but he could tear down the door and hurt himself with silver bars once the alarm went off.
“Hey. Can you hear me?” I sat beside him, lying on the bed, and patted his forehead. He was burning up.
“Shadow, no!”
I was startled, not by Zarah’s warning but by Califf’s fingers gripping around my neck. One moment, he was resting, and the next second would define my life. His eyes were blotched red, and a golden ring glowed around his irises, narrowing at me.
“Cal-” I coughed. “Califf, it’s me.” Deep in shock, my hands gripped his wrist, trying to rip it off. He was strong despite the struggle he went through. I felt my throat crashing, my windpipe closing, and blood rushing into my head.
I was strong and could easily twist and rip his arm, but he had enough pain, and I couldn’t hurt him- I loved him, and he didn’t know what he was doing. He was clearly not himself.
“Do something!” Aira was yelling.
I felt like my neck would snap any second. My eyes began rolling, but I heard Zarah chant something. That was when his fingers loosened around my neck, and his body dropped to the bed. I fell on the floor on my ass.
“What did I tell you? Why did I block him from coming out? So that he couldn’t hurt anyone, but you’re not listening to me. You can be with him once he’s cured, but right now, you can only get hurt instead of helping him.”
I picked through a thousand chaotic thoughts, but nothing made sense anyway. Racing in sheer disbelief, I choked out my words, rubbing the spot where he gripped me. “I thought he was okay.” My voice was still hoarse as I dragged myself out of the room.
“It’s only been twelve hours, Shadow. Try to be patient. You need that in the next hours.” She was pissed as she turned her heels away.
“Right.” I sighed. My gaze was still pinned on him. It’s a good thing I healed quickly, and he wouldn’t see the bruises around my neck and blame himself when he woke up.
“You heal faster. It’s already healing.” Aira looked at my neck.
“Better be, or he will blame himself if he sees this.”
“Let’s sit down.”
With a series of emotions brewing in my chest, I no longer argued. I joined them in the living room and dialed Eleanor.
“I’m sorry to call you this late, but Califf is not feeling well. We’re at Zarah’s.”
“What happened?”
“He may have ingested something. I’ll tell you once you arrive.”
“Tell her Dr. Sallie and Kindra will come to their house. It’s safe there,” Zarah said.
“I will call Dr. Sallie and Kindra to be at your house. Then Zarah will portal you over here.”
She sighed over the phone. “Is there anything you need, honey?”
“Dr. Sallie and Zarah got it all covered.”
“Thank you, honey. We’ll be there soon.” I hung up the call and texted Kindra.
SHADOW: Talk to your mom and be at Eleanor’s house
KINDRA: What’s wrong?
SHADOW: Your mom will tell you.
KINDRA: Right now?
SHADOW: Yes
KINDRA: Okay
I rolled my eyes when my phone rang. I showed the ID to Zarah. Duke was calling me.
She just shrugged her shoulders as I answered the call.
“Hey. Is everything okay?”
“I’m with Kin, and she just gets up from bed. What’s going on? I haven’t seen you and Cal all day.”
“He gets stomach bug.”
“We don’t get a stomach bug.”
“Who said? We get a stomach bug, Duke. We get viral infections.”
“Okay, Dr. Oz, but is he okay?”
“Don’t worry. He’ll be fine. Just take care of the pack business while he’s recovering.”
“But you’re gonna give me updates, right?”
I blew a breath because I didn’t have time to answer his questions right now.
“Fine. Fine. I’ll have to drive Kin to Waylon’s house.”
“The food, Shadow.”
I blinked at Zarah. “Seriously?”
“Or I will sleep. I’ve been up all day, exhausted and hungry.”
“I’ll go buy food myself.” I rose from my seat.
“You’ve got to be kidding me. You could be the target, and you’re going out there alone? Text Zack.”
“I hope there’s a twenty-four-hour Lebanese restaurant around here.”
“There is.” Of course.
I forced myself, “But it will take time for him to come.”
Her face flushed in anger. “He’s staying at the hotel. I called him earlier to stay close that we might need him.”
“And I don’t know about it, why?”
“I know you have a lot on your plate right now. You may be powerful, but you also need help, and your mate needs you. You can’t be in different places at the same time. All you have to do is pull yourself together for him.”
“Thanks.”
I typed a message to Zack.
SHADOW: Thanks for being here.
ZACK: How are you?
SHADOW: Tired, hungry, pissed off, mad, and I’m worried.
ZACK: Me too. Is he gonna be okay?
SHADOW: Trust me, he’s stubborn and wouldn’t be easy to get rid of.
ZACK: I know. He’s the toughest guy I know. Do you need anything? Do you want me to come over?
“Stop texting. Just tell Zack to buy food,” Zarah said in annoyance.
SHADOW: Buy Lebanese food for us before Zarah eats me alive.
ZACK: On it. See you soon.
I put my phone down, glaring at her. “Happy?”
“Not until Califf is okay and you all get out of my hair.” She lay on the couch, her arm resting on her forehead, and then she closed her eyes. She looked tired.
I was exhausted, too, and so did Aira. It had been a long day for all of us. “I couldn’t do this without you.”
“Just shut up. I need some moment of peace.”
I smiled. “Maybe you should hook up with Sebastien. I saw the sparks between you two when we first met him.”
“He’s sleeping with the High Priestess,” she informed casually.
“Holy cow. I noticed how Sebastien placed his hand on her back. Since when?”
“The hell I know.”
“But you and him are the perfect pair. I swear-”
“Shush.”
I laughed out loud. “You and him will be a powerful couple. I’m rooting for you. No offense, but the High Priestess is a little full of herself. She can’t hear me, can she?”
“She doesn’t care about anyone’s opinion. And she can sleep with anyone she wants.”
“Why don’t you sleep with my father? My mom is long dead, anyway.”
She cracked her eyes open. “Your father respects my friendship with Aurora. And I’m the one who stayed away as far as possible. You are more important to me than my sex life.”
“Hey.” I reached out for her hand. “You need to get a life, too.”
“I’ve lived longer, child. I have a great life-”
“But you still can find happiness in this world. You can’t hold your life and put me on top priority. Have fun and bang the Lycan King.”
Aira barked out, laughing. “I can’t believe I’m hearing this.”
“Or you like Lyon?”
His brows knitted. “All I see is a younger brother in him. I want to hit him in the head than sleeping with him.”
“Wait. Did you have siblings?”
“Yes. He died in the civil war.”
“Oh, I’m sorry.”
“When is the food gonna come?”
I picked up my phone when it chimed. The message came from Eleanor. “They need the portal now.”
“Aira, open the door for Zack. He’s about to arrive.” Zarah started opening a portal. “I need a long rest once they arrive. Don’t wake me up unless Califf escapes or harms anyone.”
“Yes. We can handle it while you are resting. Baby witch can take a rest, too.”
“I heard that,” Aira said from the door.
“Then you heard me, baby witch.”