CALIFF
“She put a spell so Calder couldn’t escape and hurt us if he shifted.”
“Now, come out, beast!” Zarah exclaimed.
My brother stood up, his eyes transfixed at Zarah. One moment, he walked in our direction, and we stepped back. The next thing happened. He shifted to his wolf and lunged at us. He was thrown around by a strong force of the spell cast by Zarah.
They yelped in shock, and I just stood there watching my brother in pain. He was literally in pain. His wolf was weak but fighting, exposing his fangs and drooling. He went on full feral, his blood-red eyes narrowing. This wolf was not the same Calder in his human side. This wolf before was somewhat pure evil and soulless.
“Califf.” I felt Shadow’s arm wrapping around me.
“Oh, boy.” It came from Zarah. “Guys, get out now!”
We dashed outside the solitary room, including Everlee, and locked it from the outside. We came to the two-way mirror to watch him. He gouged through the wall, the bed, and the floor when the invisible wall knocked him back.
“What’s happening to him?” Everlee was crying again.
“What’s going on?” My back stiffened to the voice of my father behind me.
“Dad?”
“Is that-?” He pointed at Calder inside the spell.
“Yes, Dad. His wolf is sick.”
“What we should do, Zarah?” Sebastien asked.
“Did any of your kind bite him?”
“I didn’t see any bite mark, but I have a strong feeling someone injected a Lycan blood into him, and we didn’t get to the point of asking him who did it.”
“Dr. Sallie found a Lycan blood in his system,” Shadow replied.
“Well, you know the cure.” Zarah shrugged and arched a brow at him.
“Wait, Alpha King. You know the cure?” I asked my father-in-law, who I thought didn’t have any idea about.
I groaned inwardly. Why did I ever doubt him? He was the Alpha King, for fuck’s sake. Of course, he knew.
He looked at me. “Yes. That’s why I asked Zarah to come. To confirm my suspicion.”
“Then how do we get it?”
He showed his arm, pulled his sleeve up, and exposed his vein. “Here.”
“You’ve got to be kidding?” Shadow snarled. “You’re the cure?”
“Did you ask me, darling? No. And I’m not the cure. It’s the hybrid Lycan Alpha blood. If you can find any hybrid Lycan Alpha who’s willing to give his blood, then good luck.”
“All this time, you’ve known it and never planned on telling us. Why, father? Why so selfish?” She blinked several times as if it might help her understand.
“Was I sure? No. Not until I saw it.”
“He’s Calder, father. Not it.” She growled.
“I’m the Alpha King, daughter. I don’t just give my blood to anyone.”
“Father, please? I can’t let him die.”
“I told you our bite is deadly. If a Lycan didn’t bite him during the full moon, some stupid werewolf injected him with hybrid Lycan blood. He did a great job. But I will find out who did this and whose blood belongs to, and I will rip his body limb to limb.”
“Wait. A hybrid lycan? Who else are hybrids out there?”
“Not many, but the right question is, who has gained access to our blood?” Good question.
I paused momentarily to think, but things hadn’t sunk in until my father begged Sebastien.
“Please, Alpha King, he’s my son.”
“Oh.” Sebastien turned back. “Waylon. Good to see you again. Maybe we should grab a drink together in France.”
“We will. Will you help my son?” My father bowed his head, begging for help.
“There’s a catch.”
“Oh, my Goddess,” Shadow groaned in frustration. “You’re so obnoxious and self-centered. There’s a life at stake, and you’re asking for payment?”
“Name it,” I countered.
“No, Califf.” Shadow stopped me. “You don’t know what he wants from you.”
“Take my life. Just cure him.”
“Tempting, Waylon, but my daughter will hate me forever.” He turned to Shadow. “Didn’t the High Priestess warn you of what you are?”
“What was he talking about?” I asked Shadow via our pack link.
“What are you talking about, father?”
“This is what we’re trying to avoid. Those people could exploit us and use us for their own selfish gain. We are dangerous to them but also extensively valuable.” What the fuck is he talking about? My brain hurt.
“Then what do you want, My Lord?” Everlee finally talked.
“Meet your son’s mate, Dad. Everlee.”
“Wait. What?” Dad looked surprised. I wished I told him over dinner, but we were running out of time.
“Waylon.”
“Everlee. We should get dinner together once Calder is okay.”
“Father, please?”
Sebastien stole a glance at Zarah, who was monitoring Calder but didn’t say a word.
“Oh, my Goddess!” Shadow just hit her father. “I can’t believe you right now!” She went to Zarah. “Why are you mad at my father, Zarah?”
“It’s not your business, Shadow.” Zarah didn’t even look at her.
“It is when he doesn’t want to give us his blood because you two lovers are having troubles in paradise.”
“We’re not lovers,” she replied with a snort.
“Then what’s going on?”
“He asked me out, and I said no. Then, the next morning, he just came downstairs from Margaret. So, what he wants from me if he can get it from the High Priestess herself?”
I chuckled, but my smile was gone when Zarah glared at me.
“We didn’t sleep together, Zarah. She called me, I went there, and we ended things nicely. I told her if you see me and Zarah together, that’s my choice, and I want to be with her.”
“That’s romantic.” Everlee managed to put a small smile on her face despite her mate being sick and caged.
“Please, Zarah. Just go out with my father. I told him last week to ask you out because I feel you two have a future together, and I always treat you like my second mother, and I’d love it to be official. If you don’t trust me, I said that you can ask him yourself.”
With disinterest, she stared at Shadow. “So, Calder’s life depends on my answer now? That makes me the bad guy if I say no, and maybe Califf will snap my neck the moment I decline your father’s invitation. Is that it?”
“Is that a yes?” Shadow grinned at her. “Please, pretty please? I promise I won’t call you often.”
“Fine.” She rolled her eyes at my mate before narrowing at Sebastien. “Give him your blood, asshole.”
Despite what was going on, I couldn’t hold my laugh anymore when Shadow squealed and hugged Zarah tightly.
Zarah added, “Alpha King.”