CH 4. HURTING BADLY?

SYDNEY'S POV...............

    I have been in this house for a while now and everyone in the house has been treating me nicely, even the servants treat me like a Queen....well everyone except Axel and Jude. Jude did not treat me like he liked me, but he didn't treat me like he hated me either...just neutral, while Axel simply  despised me. But the more he pushed me away, the more I wanted to be with him. Sue, Sia, Julia and Alia told me to make sure he falls in love with me but believe me when I say I've tried everything but nothing seems to work.

It was late in the night when I decided to get coffee from downstairs but then I sighted Jude sitting down on one of the staircase...I saw this as a great opportunity to start a conversation with him so I went and sat beside him. He glanced at me but looked away almost immediately.

"What are you doing here?" He asked me coldly.

"Well...I came down to get a cup of cofee for myself, how about you...couldn't sleep?".

"Yeah" he replied casually.

There was a long silence between us before I sighed "Why do you hate me so much?".

He shook his head "I don't hate you Sydney".

"Well you and Axel treat me differently from the others.....like you both despise me".

He brought out a pen from his pocket and started playing with it, his face sullen "Silvar was my sister, my elder sister and the only family I had left in this world".

I did not know exactly what to say to brighten his mood but as I was about to say something, he continued "Every time I look at you, I see the man who was responsible for my sister's death...so don't blame me if I behave so coldly towards you".

My face fell "Am sorry".

He looked at me then he looked away and bit his lips "Sorry doesn't cut it Sydney....it's not your fault okay... I just find it hard to trust anyone and it's so hard to forget about Silvar, almost impossible".

I nodded fully understanding what he meant "My Dad killed your sister...I know exactly why you do not trust me, it's because you don't wanna lose anyone again, just like the way you lost Silvar".

His face suddenly turned pale "If anything happens to any of them...." and then his hands started to shake.

"Are....Are you okay?".

He quickly put his shaking hands into his pocket and stood up "I....i have...I have to....to.....go now" his lips were trembling.

I stood up looking worried "Are you sure you are okay.....do you need some coffee?".

"No..am fine".

He turned to go but just then, his eyes rolled up his head and he collasped, he fell right down the stairs till he hit the bare floor and he started hypernating, his eyes still wide opened.

I rushed to his side afraid to touch him incase it would hurt him the more "Jude".

He kept shaking and I started to panick "Jude...hang on okay....I'll go get some help" I have never seen such a thing happen to anyone in my life and I wouldn't lie, it was freaking me out.

I thought about going to tell Axel about it but I feared he would not even want to listen to me so I ran to Hunter's room and knocked on the door. Hunter opened the door, rubbing his eyes but then he raised his brows when he saw that I was the one there "Sydney... is everything alright?".

"Ju....Jude.....".

"What happened to Jude?" Alia asked coming to stand beside Hunter, she was only wearing a robe.

"We were talking but then his hands started shaking, I asked him if he needed some coffee and he said No that he was going upstairs...but then he collapsed and started hypernating".

Hunter's expression suddenly changed into one of deep worry and his eyes widened "No....No...No".

"I'll go get the others" Alia said as I followed Hunter who had suddenly ran downstairs.

"Jude" Hunter said as he knelt beside him "Jude hold on...you are gonna be alright okay...just stay with us" he croaked rubbing Jude's palm and I also helped by rubbing Jude's feet but he didn't help in any way.

The others suddenly rushed downstairs and Axel pushed me out of the way, he took Jude in his hands and layed him on the couch. Alia then sat beside Jude and worked some magic on him... and he suddenly stopped hypernating.

"Am sorry" he whispered to Axel who was holding his hands before he closed his eyes.

Alia sighed "His okay now....just tired".

Axel disentangled himself from Jude and glared at me "What did you do to him?".

I shook my head "I did not do anything".

"Of course you didn't..... he only have such panic attacks when he remembers Silvar or anyone talks about any of us getting hurt".

I slumped on the chair and used my hands to rub my face "Am so sorry....I never intended to hurt him?".

Axel pointed his fingers at me "Yeah right!...if anything should happen to him Sydney Corps, then I promise to make your life miserable".

Hunter put his hands on Axel's shoulder "This is not the time to put the blame on anyone Axel".

Axel nodded, took Jude in his hands like he weighed nothing and left upstairs, Hunter and Mark following closely behind.

Sia came and sat beside me "It's not your fault Sydney, don't blame yourself for it".

I shook my head "No Sia, it is my fault...I brought up the issue of Silvar's death, I implanted a terrible idea of you guys getting hurt in his head".

"No way Sydney, how where you to know that he usually have panic attacks?" Sue said trying to cheer me up.

I swirled my hands through my hair and bit my lips "Please tell me that he is gonna be alright and out of harms way".

Julia smiled and assured me "His gonna be alright Sydney".

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AXEL'S POV..................

   I entered Jude's room to see how he was faring after last night panic attack...that Sydney of a girl had to leave this house. I sat beside him and then he opened his eyes and smiled at me.

"How are you feeling?".

"Better...at least am not dead" He sat up on the bed.

I cleaned my eyes "You know....when I saw you in that condition, I was very scared".

"Yeah....Alia told me that I was almost gone".

"Did she tell you if she has find a cure for your panic attacks yet?".

"Nah!....but she said she is still working on it".

"I can't bear to lose you too Jude, not after Silvar.......

"Am not gonna die yet Axel, I still have a lot of things I still wanna do".

I smiled and he suddenly held my hands tightly "Don't let her go".

I raised my brows confused "Don't let who go?".

"Sydney".

I rolled my eyes "Ohh Jude not you too...I thought you hated her?".

He removed his hands from my hand "At first I couldn't see what the others saw in her because all I saw when I looked into her eyes was the person that killed my sister....but yesterday, I saw everything.....she is the one Axel".

"Jude.....

"Am not saying that you should fall in love....am only saying that you should give her a chance....everyone deserves one".

"Jude.......

"If Silvar was alive, she would have also wanted this, she would have known that it is the right thing to do".

And why did he have to bring up Silvar......Jude sure do know how to convince someone. If I did not agree to what he was saying then he was never gonna let me rest on this issue.

I sighed "Okay then....one chance and if she does any nonsense, I won't hesitate to throw her out of this house".

He shrugged "Fine by me". Then he turned towards the door and smirked "You heard what he said right?... Now you can all come out.... Sydney you have finally been given a chance".

Ohh....so they were all eavesdropping on our conversation. Everyone entered the room including Sydney and she smiled cheerfully when she saw me "Thank you".

When I saw her smile, I suddenly frowned and I wanted to tell her to keep her thanks to herself and I badly wanted to take back everything that I have said about giving her a chance but then Jude hit me on my shoulder as a sign and also as a warning not to mess up.

I rolled my eyes and then I got up "Don't get too excited....it's only one chance and there is no need to be so happy about it cause it's never gonna last" and I left.

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SYDNEY'S POV...........

    Axel had given me one chance to prove myself to him and I did my possible best to make good use of it. For the past three weeks we have been on good terms......I think.......cause although he has not yet told me he has accepted me as his mate and he has not let me in his life yet, he has also not told me to my face that he despises me.

I missed my Dad so much and I badly wanted to know what really happened to him on that day I got kidnapped..... So I decided to ask the one person I was sure would know something about it and also was the best person to discuss such issue with without me been scared and that person happened to be.....HUNTER...... He was in his office when I went to look for him, the door was opened down and I was already in before I realized that I didn't even knock.

Great Job Sydney, you wanna make Hunter hate you huh!.

He was busy with his laptop and I cleared my throat when I noticed he wasn't even aware of my presence "Am I maybe disturbing you?".

He looked away from his laptop to stare at me..he didn't smile but instead he put his hand on his chin and used the other free hand to close the laptop "No.....Not really, come sit".

I sat down on the chair that was opposite to his "Am so sorry that I didn't knock before entering your office...that was so rude of me, I saw the door opened and I entered without even thinking to knock first..... I hope you would pardon my mistake?".

He waved his hands "It's no big deal....am not annoyed at all....so what brings you here?".

"I wanted to ask something important of you".

He suddenly frowned "Is it about Axel?.... Is he disturbing or troubling you in any way?".

I shook my head abruptly "No...Not at all".

He grinned "Okay then....am listening".

I sighed "Well....before I lost consciousness the day I got kidnapped, I saw my Dad been wolfhanded and I just wanted to know if his maybe...you know.....

He leaned forward, his two hands now on his chins "Dead?" he asked like the word meant nothing.

I felt my throat turn dry "Y.....Yeah".

He stared at me blankly "No...your father is not dead...his still very much alive and well Sydney".

I sighed relieved "Thank goodness...Okay then, are you guys keeping him as a hostage here?... If you are, then can I please go speak to him?".

He leaned away from me to rest comfortably on his chair "There is no need to be frightened Sydney, your Dad is back in his place".

I raised my brows confused "His place?....what exactly do you mean?".

He closed his eyes like he was trying to mediate "Well...the day we attacked your clan, we didn't actually come there for your father..." He suddenly opened his eyes "We actually came there for you".

"Now you are getting me all confused Hunter....I don't understand what you are trying to get at".

"You see.....nothing and no one matters to a parent than their own children so we thought by kidnapping you and telling your Father that we had killed you, it was going to shatter him.....a punishment worse than death itself".

I stood up abruptly and shook my head "No....No....No...".

Hunter raised his brows "What happened.....why do you look so terrified?".

"Because yes my father will be terrified and shattered but he would definitely declare war on the people responsible for the death of his beloved daughter".

Hunter grinned "That's not a problem, we will just have to fight back".

I sighed "You don't get it, it's gonna be very bloodly and I don't want any of you guys or my father getting hurt, I love you guys too much".

Mark suddenly rushed inside, breathing heavily like he was almost out of breath "Hunter....Axel has sent for you".

Hunter stood up "Why..is something wrong?".

Mark shook his head "I can't explain to you, so it would be better if you saw it yourself".

Mark took us to a bar not too far from the mansion and what I saw sent cold through my spines. On the floor sprawled a lot of dead bodies and Axel and Jude were busy checking for any survivers.

"Are there any?" Hunter asked walking over to meet them.

Jude shook his head "No there aren't".

"Do you have an idea of what could have caused this Alia" Axel asked.

Alia took an empty glass that was on the bar table and perceived it and then her eyes widened "Every person here was each given some quantity of wolfsbane".

Wolfsbane was one of the few things that could kill a werewolf, it was both fatal and dangerous for them just as garlic was for us vampires.

"But I came to this bar yesterday and I can't remember anything strange happening" Hunter suddenly said looking around the bar.

Julia's eyes widened "Did you drink anything from here?".

He nodded "Yeah...I think I took one shot".

"We need to get you tested" Axel quickly stated.

"So did you guys go around to ask the people in this community about the incident and if they had a slight idea on what or who could have done this?" Hunter asked obviously changing the topic.

Sue shook her head "No one knows a thing...not a single clue".

"It could be shapeshifters" Sia suddenly said.

Jude shrugged "Or wendigos....afterall they have a good reason to attack us".

"It can't be the wendigos because then they wouldn't have attacked only the werewolves and besides they would have eaten them not killed them" Mark explained.

"It could have been the vampires" Axel stated staring at me.

I shook my head "It couldn't have been the vampires....we have never been in possession of wolfsbane before".

"Yeah but.....

What he was about to say was cut short when Hunter started coughing, using the wall to support himself. He waved at us when he caught us staring at him "Stop staring at me like that you guys, am alive and okay....I just need to rest". He suddenly titled his head and threw up black blood on the bar floor...WHAT THE HELL!!!.

Axel's expression suddenly changed into one of deep worry and genuine concern "Hunter what's wrong?".

Hunter's face turned pale "I don't Axel but I don't feel so good" and he collapsed.

★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★★  The pack doctor came and examined Hunter confirming our fear that he had been poisoned with wolfsbane. The doctor said that if Hunter took his medications properly and correctly then he had about two weeks to live but if he didn't, then he had less than two days to live.

When he left, Sue sat beside a still unconscious Hunter "Maybe I can help him...even though it's a little". She took his hands in hers but then she started wincing in pain, she was hurting but she was not ready to let go.

"Sue that is enough now" Sia stated but Sue refused to listen.

Suddenly, Hunter opened his eyes, grabbed Sue's arm and removed them from his and then he frowned at her "Don't do that again".

She frowned too "But you were hurting".

"But you could have killed yourself".

Sue stood up and Axel took her vacant space beside Hunter while Alia walked up to them and started massaging Hunter's temples.

Hunter faced Axel "What did the doctor say?".

Axel forced a smile "That you are okay".

Hunter smiled at him "I can't remember the last time you lied to me Axel so don't do that now".

Axel looked away and Hunter grinned "Am gonna die, aren't I?".

Axel looked at him and snapped at him "DON'T SAY THAT HUNTER...don't say such rubbish, am never gonna let anything happen to you".

Alia frowned at Hunter "What are you saying now Hunter.....what of me, what do you think will happen to me if you end up dying?... Have you forgotten that we are mates and we swore an oath to always be together and not let anything pull us apart.... Including Death".

The door bell suddenly rang and I went downstairs to check who the servants had opened the door for. I came face to face with the moon goddess,Queen Selena...and I bowed my head in respect to her "My Queen...what a pleasant surprise, have you come to see us?".

She smiled and when she spoke, it was almost like a whisper "Hello....where is Axel?" And she collapsed.

"Selena" I suddenly heard Axel gasp. He rushed to carry her in his hands and he placed her on a couch.

"Selena what happened..... Why are you not saying anything?" He asked worried but she did not even blink.

"Alpha Axel...." We heard Alia panicked voice call from upstairs. We ran upstairs only to see Hunter grunting in pain and jerking on the bed, red lines showing in place of his veins. The red lines were spreading from his neck down to his body and am sure it was the wolfsbane trying to find their way through his body till it got to his heart.

"Hunter..." Axel said in a panicked voice rushing to sit beside him.

He faced Axel still grunting and he was gulping like it was difficult for him to breath "Axel it hurts...please make it stop".

I have never seen Hunter so helpless before, tears were at the brink of his eyes threatening to fall. It was simply terrifying to see him in this condition.

Axel picked an injection from the tray "This is our only option Hunter, you have to be injected....it won't completely take away the pain but it will only make it bearable".

"Do it...anything to stop the pain" he croaked.

Axel jabbed the injection into his neck and Hunter gasped before he smiled.

"Thank you" he whispered before his eyelids closed.

Axel dropped the injection on the tray and barged out of the room. Jude ran after him and the rest of us followed them except from Alia and Mark who stayed behind to watch Hunter.

Axel was sitted on the floor beside Queen Selena's couch, his head in his laps while Jude was sitted beside him still on the floor.

"Just let it out Axel...let it out" I heard Jude tell him his hands on Axel's shoulders and Axel's shoulders suddenly started shaking and then, I heard him sniff...once...twice.....wait..WAS HE CRYING?. Wow! I never knew he was capable of expressing such strong strong emotions.

"His devastated" I heard Julia say from behind me.

"What do you mean?.... Why is he crying?.... Is it because of the situation Hunter is in?...." I found myself asking.

Sue shook her head "Not only because of Hunter's condition, but also because of the condition Queen Selena is in...they are both his best friend".

Sia sighed, looking at Axel with deep pity "I can't just imagine the kind of pain he is passing through....both of his best friends are seriously unwell, it probably hurt this much because the three of them share a very strong bond... Even stronger than family bonds and pack ties".

I stared at Axel whose head was still in his laps and was been consoled by Jude, I wanted to be the one there consoling him and letting him lean on my shoulders. Am suppose to be the only Person who he could cry on my shoulder when he had a problem.....but I think it was for the best if Jude or any other members of the pack did all that because Axel did not recognize me as a member of his pack, his friend, and even a part of his big family nevertheless his own mate.