Xander’s POV
The study was suffocating, the air thick with frustration and desperation. For the first time in days, I sat at my desk, surrounded by towering piles of books, old scrolls, and scattered notes. The faint scent of aged parchment mixed with the bitter tang of desperation. My fingers tapped restlessly on the desk, a metronome to the chaos within me.
I flipped through another ancient tome, its brittle pages threatening to crumble under my rough touch. Nothing. Page after page of useless lore and vague remedies, none of which offered even the slightest glimmer of hope. My jaw tightened, the frustration bubbling beneath the surface.
Alison’s face flashed in my mind… pale, cold, and still as death itself. Yet, her wolf clung to life, faint but present, like a single ember in a pile of ash. The physician had called it a miracle, but I called it torment. She was here but slipping further away every moment.
A knock at the door broke my concentration. I slammed the book shut, the sound echoing through the room. “What?” I barked, my voice sharp and laced with irritation.
Luke entered in haste, his face tight with urgency. “Alpha,” he said, bowing slightly, “I have news.”
My heart jolted. “Better be worth my time, Speak.”
“Our spy has returned and He found something we could consider as evidence.”
For the first time in days, hope flickered in the darkness. “Then why are you still speaking? Bring him in,” I commanded, my voice steady despite the storm brewing inside me.
Luke nodded and disappeared. Moments later, he returned, a young man with blond hair trailing behind him. The man looked weary but resolute, his face marred with dirt and faint bruises. He bowed low before straightening under my piercing gaze.
“What did you find?” I asked, my tone cold, clipped.
He swallowed hard before speaking, his voice steady despite the weight of the information. “when I questioned the made most of them seemed to think if anyone in silver moon did it, then it was Luna Priya, but then a younger slave who claims to have been friends with Alison during their time there tells me she was sent by Luna Priya to purchase a potion” he swallowed looking at me blankly
“she had given her a note to hand to the physician who administered the dose and gave her, she handed it back to Priya and after two weeks she Luna Priya sneak into the trash room and threw out the empty container but the maid girl retrieved the empty container and held onto it but I took it from her as evidence.” He pulled out a small, dark vial and placed it on my desk with reverence.
The sight of it sent Cain into a frenzy. My wolf clawed at the edges of my consciousness, growling with the need for vengeance. I gritted my teeth and forced him back.
I picked up the bottle, turning it over in my hand. The liquid inside was a deep, unnatural green, its viscosity thick and sluggish. “And the maid?” I asked, my voice low, dangerous.
“She begs that I do not involve her in this as Luna Priya would have her head.”
Priya!!. My fist clenched around the bottle, my knuckles whitening.
I turned to Luke. “Take this vial to Gaius the physician. Tell him to test it against what’s in Alison’s system. If it’s truly a match…” I paused, letting the weight of my words sink in, “ask him to prepare an antidote following the discovery, then …prepare the warriors. We move at my command.”
Luke hesitated for a fraction of a second before bowing. “Yes, Alpha.” He took the bottle and left the room with brisk efficiency, leaving me alone with the spy.
“You’ve done so well,” I said, my tone softer. “Rest and prepare. If this is what I think it is, war will come, and we’ll need every able bodied warrior to be ready.”
“Yes, Alpha.” He bowed deeply and exited, leaving me in the oppressive silence of my study.
I exhaled, long and shaky, and leaned back in my chair. My gaze drifted to the open doorway leading to my quarters. Alison lay just beyond, still and fragile, caught in the liminal space between life and death. I stood, my body heavy with exhaustion but driven by an unrelenting determination, and walked toward her.
The room was dim, lit only by the faint glow of moonlight spilling through the curtains. Her figure looked almost ethereal, like a statue carved from the purest alabaster. I sat beside her, my hands resting on the edge of the bed as I studied her face.
“You’re still here,” I murmured, my voice barely above a whisper. “You’re still fighting, even when everyone else has given up on you.”
I reached for her hand, threading my fingers through hers. It was cold… too cold but the faint pulse beneath her skin reminded me that she was still alive.
“They want me to let you go,” I said bitterly, the words laced with anger and disbelief. “They think you’re too far gone, that you’re not worth the fight.” My laugh was humorless, bitter. “As if I could ever give up on you. As if I could ever stop fighting for you.”
Cain stirred within me, his growl low and constant, a reflection of my turmoil.
“I’ll find Priya no matter what it cost,” I promised, my voice hardening. “I’ll make her pay. Every last one of them.”
I leaned forward, brushing a strand of hair from her face. My fingers lingered, tracing the curve of her cheek. She didn’t stir, but I swore I felt the faintest warmth beneath my touch.
“You hear me, Alison?” I said, my voice softer now. “I’ll make it right. I don’t care how far I have to go or how many I have to destroy. You’re mine, and I won’t let anyone take you from me.”
The words hung in the air, a solemn vow.
For the first time in what felt like an eternity, I allowed myself to smile. It was faint, barely there, but it was real. I tightened my grip on her hand, my thumb brushing over her knuckles.
“Rest,” I whispered. “I’ll handle the rest.”
And as the moonlight bathed her pale form, I let my gaze linger on her face, drawing strength from her fragile presence. My resolve was unshakable, my purpose clear.
No matter what it took, I would bring her back. And when the time came, the ones responsible would regret ever crossing me.