Back at Velor’s chamber ,it was utter chaos.
Autumn lay pale, like a ghost, on the Alpha’s massive bed, her breath rasping shallow as sweat glistened on her forehead.
She was too cold yet sweating profusely.
The thick sheets beneath her were already soaked with blood that refused to stop pooling from between her legs. There was no confusion that she was in the middle of a miscarriage.
Her stomach rippled like something inside was fighting for air, for space, for life.She pregnancy was in the earliest stage. It was too soon for foetal movements.
"She is slipping!" one of the witches snapped, arms outstretched as she tried to draw a containment sigil mid air. "Hold her down...her body is rejecting the stasis charm!"
"I am trying to hold her down!" one of the witches cried, struggling to keep Autumn’s limbs from jerking. "But her strength suddenly increased ten fold. This isn’t normal!"
"That’s because it’s not just her," the eldest witch hissed, beads of sweat forming on her brow as she struggled. "The fetuses.They are strong. Too strong. It’s like they have already developed consciousness of their own!They are reacting individually to their mother’s distress! "
"She is not going to make it," the healer muttered shaking his head, frantically rummaging through his satchel. "No spell will hold if she keeps bleeding ! We need to begin the transfusion now or..."
"With what blood?" another witch snapped. "Unless you have suddenly become her long lost cousin, she will reject every drop!"
"She is in distress," the younger witch whispered, eyes wide with horror as Autumn’s stomach visibly contracted again. "The babies...they are panicking too. "
"Oh my Moon," one of Velor’s wives whispered, hand clasped over her mouth as another ripple rolled across Autumn’s abdomen. "The little ones...they are responding to the trauma."
"They will tear her apart from the inside if this keeps up!" the healer roared. "She is already too weak!Too weak for a wolf. "
"Somebody do something!" Rory yelled, eyes glassy with fear, his hands trembling at his sides. "Please! She is going to die!"
"Back away, boy!" barked the healer. "You are not helping by shouting!"
"I can’t just stand here and watch her die!" Rory snapped, taking a step towards the door. "I am going to get Alpha Kieran..."
"NO!" all three of Velor’s wives shouted at once, blocking his path.
Rory clenched his jaw. "Get out of my way!"
"Think, Rory!" the second wife said urgently. "What do you think Velor will do if he finds out you thought of disobeying him in his absence? Besides, think about Autumn.What will she think?"
"I DON’T CARE!" Rory screamed, voice cracking with raw desperation. "She is dying! She is DYING! And you all are too busy whispering pros and cons!I don’t give a damn! She can hate me but she needs to live for that."
"She will die faster if you bring Alpha Kieran here now," the eldest witch said coldly. "Our Alpha and your Alpha will tear this castle down stone by stone. She cannot survive that chaos."
Rory gave it a moment’s thought. "I am going to take that risk!" He shouted, pushing forward.
The youngest wife physically grabbed his arm. "Alpha Velor said..."
"VELOR ISN’T HERE!" Rory bellowed, his whole body shaking now. "He promised to protect her, and now look at her! LOOK!"
All heads turned again to Autumn...who suddenly cried out.
A high, thin, choked off sound that turned everyone’s blood to ice. Her back arched. The air around her trembled.
"She is going into shock!" one witch gasped.
"No, no, no...don’t you dare...it will be impossible to bring her back..." the healer began to chant, crushing herbs and smearing poultices across her abdomen. The scent of burnt sage and yarrow filled the room.
"Oh Damn! She is seizing!" someone screamed.
Rory broke free.His fury and fear driving him...it was like fire in his veins. "I am going to him. He has to know...he is the father..."
"You will kill her if you do!" the first wife snapped, stepping in front of the door again. "Velor’s bringing the blood. He said he had it!"
"I don’t trust him. Blood doesn’t grow on trees! Where is he getting this blood from???" Rory’s voice cracked like glass. "Why would he help her? I had my doubts from the beginning!!"
"STOP!" shouted the youngest witch, drawing a glowing green ward across the door with trembling hands. "If you leave, none of us may survive what follows!This is the Bloodfangs,boy! Not the Curzons. Disobedience and rebellions are strictly forbidden.We pay with our lives if we step even a nano meter out of line. So get your ass back...sit down and pray that she survives..."
Autumn gave another strangled gasp.
For one horrible second...too long, too still...everyone froze.
Then a heartbeat. Then two. Autumn whimpered softly, her lips barely moving.
Rory pressed his fists to his head, his knees buckling as he whispered, "Please... please, someone help her...she still calls his name...help her Goddess! She has been nothing but kind to us. Be kind to her as well! "
Rory turned around, threw open the door, his mind made up that he was sprinting straight to Kieran.
Only to collide with the broad, immovable chest.
Velor stood in the doorway, one brow arched.
"In a hurry, pup?" Rory stared at Velor like he had just come back from the dead.
"Catch," Velor said casually, and with a flick of his wrist, he tossed a pair of thick blood bags straight at Rory.
Rory caught them mid air without a problem.
"Go on," Velor said with a wink. "Save your girl."
The second his fingers closed around the plastic, Rory froze.
Like it had just left a body. Like it was still alive in some way.
Rory’s breath caught as he passed the bags to the healer with trembling hands.He could only stare at Velor, puzzled,horrified,wondering.
Velor just leaned against the doorframe, arms crossed, that infuriating smirk never leaving his face.