Her heart logged in her throat like a giant lump that wouldn't go down no matter how much she swallowed."What happened, mother? Stop crying and tell me, please." Her own voice sounded hollow in her own ears."Valentina fainted this afternoon, so we took her to the hospi-tal. She has a perforated appendix, the doctor said her life is in grave danger! She was taken in for emergency surgery! The doctor said she could die!" Her mother rambled on, sobbing uncontrollably.Hospital!? Emergency surgery..!? Her sister had a burst appendix!? Tina could die...?"Oh God, please stop crying, mother, please. Try to get yourself together, I'm coming, alright!?" She raised her tone higher, even as she tried her best to keep her panic at bay, "Do you hear me!?""I should have never i-ignored her when she was saying that her stomach problems w-w-were nothing. Oh, my Jesus! What do I do now, Ismena!? What do I do!? I'm so scared, I'm so scared! I hate hospitals so much, I'm going out of my m-mind!" Her
"No, it is not, Alpha." In a rush, she told him everything that was happening and how they came to find him. "Please, help us, Alpha. Please?" She finished.Alpha Alphose felt bad for the Alpha King's mate, but he was already shaking his head before Eline was done telling him everything. "She cannot go to the human world, Eline, you know this."Ismena grabbed hold of his arm to get his attention, "Please, Alpha Alphose, please help me... Please, I cannot stay here while my sister..." Shaking her head, her eyes pleaded with him, "Please, Alpha Alphose, please...!""This is a bad idea from all directions, Ismena. Your life is in danger and the Alpha King does not know about this—he will never approve if he did. What if the Wolfhunters—""We will not stay longer than necessary, please. They will not know if we don't stay long, and even if they find out, we would have already left before they arrive. Please, help me."Alphose tried again, "But, Ismena—" Ismena lowered herself to her kne
NATURIAHLike Alphose planned, he got to the Wild Forest, made a half-shift, and presented his back to Ismena.She swallowed the fear that rose to her throat at seeing him in a half-shift. After staying in Naturiah all this while, Ismena can't quite decide whick one scares her more; the half-shift form or the full-shift form.In half-shift; the changeling grows a foot taller like a giant, his size enlarges, his fingers turn to claws, sharp fangs replace teeth and hair covers almost every part of their body. Their face takes on their animal features too.Alphose turned and fixed her with green eyes that were gentle instead of aggressive. "Do not be scared, Ismena, and get on." His voice is a growl, so much deeper than usual. Almost all animal.She swallowed visibly. An image of her sister formed in her head, lying down in the hospital unconscious, being operated on, and fighting for her life.Eyes closed, she covered the distance between her small form and the giant Alphose in half-shi
"I love you too, my child." Amelia responded, patting her hair soothingly.At forty-five, her mother is a stunning beauty to behold, but fear for Valentine's life seems to have aged her a bit. Ismena was happy that her sister will be alright."Speaking of father, where is he?" She asked curiously.Just then, the door opened and her father walked in, carrying nylon bags. Just like mother, he looked like he hasn't slept a wink all night.His eyes found Ismena and a bright smile widened his mouth, warmth in his eyes. "My child."Ismena pulled away from her mother to hug her father, "Dad." She whispered."I went out to get supplies and food for us. Your mother hasn't eaten a thing since yesterday afternoon. She needs to eat something.""Yeah, she needs to." Ismena spared her mother a stern glance, "Starving yourself will do us no good, mother."Amelia flushed guiltily but placed her head on her husband's thigh. "You are right. With my two children here, I'm suddenly feeling ravenous."***
Simon Blackgun has the hospital surrounded by his men. He was happy and almost giddy with anticipation. By the end of today, the Successful will be back in the lab, with her child. He has not heard from Dr. Beloca but he knows that after the attack they launched early this morning in New York City, they already have Number 6. "I see the target's room." A male voice came through the small chip attached to his ear."Stay in position. Do not attack until I give the word." Simon commanded, looking through the binoculars to the hospital surroundings in calculation. He does not want this mission to go wrong."Copy that, sir." Came the response.The flicker of light from the gold-colored ring in his pocket caught his attention again, and Simon couldn't help a cynical snort. That piece of jewelry is just good for nothing. According to Dr. Beloca, it should have led him straight to The Successful and her child but the Ring barely flickered light all through his search for them. He has no i
"She's awake, she's awake...!" Amelia gasped when she saw her daughter's eyes open slowly.Ismena halted her conversation with her father, jerked out of the chair, and hurried towards her sister, with her father trailing behind her. "Tina? Tina? Can you hear me?" She called softly, hovering over her sister."Ena...?" Valentina's voice was hoarse and drowsy."Oh, God, baby you scared us all!" Ismena was already hugging her sister tight, tears pricking the back of her eyes. "Thank God you're alright, I was so scared...!""I'm s-sorry. I d-did...not mean...to scare you and mom." She replied drowsily, her eyes closed to feel her elder sister's hug."It's okay, it's okay. What matters now is that you are doing great," Ismena separated from her, "The doctor said your surgery was a success. You will be fine.""The surg-ery?" Valentina asked, baffled."You had a perforated appendix, it was terrible!" Amelia responded, her fear clearly unhidden in her eyes, "You won't be the death of me, Tina
Alpha Alphose felt a prickle down his spine. It isn't the first time, or the second time. He came out from the shadow he'd blended to again, and scouted the lobby again. Nurses walked in and out of the hospital rooms. A patient in a wheelchair was being wheeled out of the lobby. A child crying while getting an injection. Doctors running around.Just nothing out of the ordinary. Alphose turned to walk back to the shadows again when a presence entered through the door and his cougar steered awake.A beautiful young woman with hair so black, it's shiny. Her hair had him entranced for a full minute, the way it laid behind her back well past her shoulders to stop in the middle of her back. She wasn't slim, but he would not call her fat either. She just filled out in the right places, with mouth-watering curves in that simple blue gown. And his mouth did water. He swallowed audibly.Their eyes met. The woman's eyes widened dramatically, but that was all he saw before he turned and walke
"Are you sure you don't want to come to the hospital and have that leg checked out?" The human doctor asked worriedly, "This will not be enough to heal that wound—""I am sure," Wolfaraine stated firmly, outstretching his hand towards Alpha Degar. He was lying on his bed, in his bedroom while the doctor hovered over him.The leopard Alpha handed the documents to him, without saying a word. He was worried because he knows the Alpha King is in more pain than he was letting on. He is just too stubborn to admit it.Degar cannot imagine being shot by a bullet that contains rhodium. Twice. In the same leg. He shuddered. "But, I will still advice—""That will be all, doctor." Wolfaraine spared the doctor a blank stare that spoke volumes. He wants the human doctor away from him.His cougar wanted nothing more than to tear him apart. It growled inside him, baring its teeth. Wolfaraine closed his eyes and took deep breaths, trying to suppress the cougar's instincts, even as he was swallowing