Azalea

The next morning, someone left a tray of breakfast and fresh clothes on the table. I remained in bed. My body felt weak and heavy with sadness. I drifted in and out of sleep for what seemed like forever.

Later, the door opened. Someone entered and closed the door behind them. I didn't acknowledge them, keeping my eyes closed, hoping they would leave. Moments later, I felt arms around me, lifting me from the bed. I opened my eyes to see Kol lifting me and holding me to his chest. He sat on the bed, leaning against the headboard. Where he touched me, my skin prickled uncomfortably.

“Little flower, you don’t look well. You didn’t eat any breakfast,” he said quietly. He held me close and rubbed my back. It would have been comforting if not for the persistent prickling sensation where his fingers touched me.

We sat like that for a while. The longer we sat, the worse the sensation became. Suddenly, the door swung open. I opened my eyes slightly to see who had entered. Two pairs of footsteps echoed across the wooden floor.

“If you wish me to examine her, you will need to put her down,” a bored voice said. Kol stood, placing me back on the bed but remaining seated against the headboard. He looked into my eyes as I looked up at him. John and another man stood behind him.

“Little flower, please tell Doctor Julian what’s bothering you. He will help you feel better,” Kol said softly. He stood, allowing the doctor to approach. My eyes widened under their scrutiny.

“You two can leave,” the doctor said. “I doubt I’ll get much from her with an audience.” Kol gave me a sad look before leaving with John. “I’m going to check your temperature now, Azalea,” the doctor said, producing a thermometer. He pointed it at my forehead. It beeped, and he nodded.

“I need to ask you some questions. Will you answer honestly?” he asked. I nodded hesitantly.

“Do you feel tired?” I nodded.

“Does your body feel weak or heavy?” I nodded again.

“Are you in pain?” I thought for a moment. A dull ache in my chest, reminiscent of my years without Liam, was the only pain I felt. “Can you describe it?” he prompted. I placed my hand over my heart. He nodded.

“Does it hurt or feel uncomfortable when Alpha Kol touches you? Like just now?” I nodded.

He looked at my wrists. “How did this happen?” I shook my head. I didn’t care if he was a doctor; I didn’t want to relive that while being held against my will. “Okay,” he said, taking notes in a small notebook.

“Are you having trouble sleeping?” he asked. I nodded.

“Okay. I’m going to give you something to help you sleep. It should allow you to rest peacefully until dinnertime,” he said. My eyes widened, and I shook my head, holding up my hands. He sighed.

Kol re-entered the room, going to the other side of the bed. “Alpha, please hold her still. If she won’t take the sedative willingly, I’ll have to inject it.”

Kol looked at me. I pleaded with him silently to stop. “Is this really necessary?” he asked the doctor.

“Honestly, I believe her mate bond is affecting her physically. She’s unmarked, but I can smell she’s been mated. The separation from her mate is taking its toll.” Kol bristled at each mention of “mate.” “Right now, she needs rest.” Kol nodded and looked back at me.

“I’m sorry, little flower, but this is best. Don’t worry; the pain will soon stop,” he said, grabbing my arms to restrain me. I struggled, but it was futile. I looked at Kol, panic rising, silently begging him to stop.

A sharp pain shot through my arm. I moaned before everything went hazy. “Sleep, little flower,” Kol murmured as darkness enveloped me.

The haziness receded. I was lying on my back; my arm felt pinched. My body felt heavy. I groaned as I tried to move.

“Shhh. Don’t move,” a voice whispered. A chill ran up my arm, and darkness claimed me again.

This pattern repeated twice more. I’d awaken from the drug-induced sleep, only to be plunged back into it.

Liam

I bolted upright in bed. The sedative had worked, but the pain woke me.

“Argh!” I yelled. It felt like someone was rubbing a white-hot object on my back.

“Something’s happening to Mate!” Gavin yelled in my mind.

“Why would he hurt her? Uncle said he loves her!”

“We need to get to Mate…” Gavin whimpered. The pain was affecting him, too.

The agonizing pain continued. I hunched over, my face contorted. I tried to stifle my cries, but groans escaped my lips. Sweat covered my body.

Finally, the pain subsided. Whatever was happening to Azalea had stopped. I sat on the bed, gasping for breath. I grabbed my phone. It was noon; I’d only slept a few hours before the pain started. There were no calls or messages; the scouts hadn’t reported back.

I sighed, deciding to shower and eat. I needed to be ready to leave when they returned and get Azalea back.

I sat at my desk, idly twirling a pen, staring at the walls. It was late, and there was still no word from the scouts. Anxiety gnawed at me. I fought the urge to go without waiting for a report.

“They’re back,” Damien linked me. I explained what had happened when I woke. We decided not to tell Lily while we tried to figure out what had occurred. Our best guess was that Azalea didn’t feel the pain I felt because she didn’t perceive the bond the same way I did.

“Come to my office immediately,” I linked back.

“Already on our way,” he replied.

Sixty seconds later, Damien entered, followed by two warriors who’d been scouting. Damien stood beside my desk; the warriors stood before us.

“Carson, Noah, report,” Damien instructed.

“We found the location. We approached cautiously, circling the area to get a full view. It appears to be a packhouse, Alpha,” Carson reported.

“A packhouse?” I asked.

“Yes, sir,” Noah confirmed. “Very few people came and went. We recognized one human; we remember him from the Inn in the human town. He often ate there, and we’d also smelled him near the cottage behind the main house.”

“John…” I murmured. Damien nodded.

“Any traps or suspicious activity?” Damien asked.

“No, sir. It seemed to be a typical packhouse, home to a small number of wolves,” Noah said.

“Estimated number of inhabitants?” Damien asked.

“We counted only ten, including the human. The others smelled of wolf,” Carson replied.

“Anything else?” Damien asked.

“No, sir,” said Carson.

“Dismissed. I want a full report on my desk within the hour, then you’re relieved,” Damien said. They nodded and left.

Silence fell. We both considered our next move. I broke the silence. “Do you think she’s there?”

“We can’t be sure there weren’t people inside they didn’t see. They only observed the property for about eight hours today.”

I nodded. “Usually, we’d have days’ worth of surveillance…”

“I don’t mean to be rude, but we don’t have that luxury.”

“I know. I guess Kol’s expecting me to show up.”

Damien nodded. “He’ll want to fight on his terms, where he has the advantage. You coming to him, with your mate, gives him the upper hand.”

I sighed. “Do I have a choice?”

“So, what do you want to do?” he asked.

“I’m going to get my mate.”

“When do we leave?”