C8 Problems

Kaden POV

The words rolled off of Annalise like venom itself. I could see the despair on her face, small beads of sweat beginning to form on her wide forehead. The small figure on the bed was shaking vehemently with her eyes wide open, irises rolled back to her skull. The impact on the bed was rash, and Annalise was flairing her hands in the air

"I can't seem to stop her shaking." She muttered in exasperation, her eyes narrowing so slightly while she pulled on the woman's hands. "Please stop shaking." She whispered again.

The Annalise I was used to was one composed woman, with impressive medical history, but the woman in front of me looked like she couldn't take even the slightest jab back at defeat. She turned to look at me, her eyes wide.

"I know you're hurt, Alpha but could you help me hold her in place?" Her tone was a tad hesitant, even the way her hands grappled the woman's violent arms was desperate. I cocked a hesitant brow at her, she dared order me? Hissing, I finally dropped the bow I'd slung around my torso. I reached down to hold her in place, and I heard my wolf mutter some sweet nothings.

'This is neither the time, nor the fucking place.' I whispered back in frustration when she began to flail again.

"How much longer?" I snapped, growing concerned for her exacerbated movements. Annalise sighed harshly, walking away quickly to rummage through her small compact shelf that stood metres away from the bed. She was bringing out bottles, throwing them carelessly on the second mattress in the room before hastily settling for a small, opaque glass bottle.

She turned back to meet me. "Here it is." She continued, pulling out a syringe from the sides of her white jacket. In one swift movement she drew out the liquid that I realized was a sunset yellow, and literally stabbed it just below her clavicle.

"Steady…" She continued with all concentration, pumping the entire content into her body. The woman's eyes widened even and her lips fell open as if in a scream, but no sounds were made. If anything, she suddenly looked like she was choking on air, yet there was no sound. Was she okay?

"Is that supposed to happen?" I questioned at the tightening of her muscles. Her breathing had sped up in a way that made me uncomfortable. Even Annalise appeared slightly confused. "Fucking do something!"

"I don't have the antidote!" She yelled back, striding to the end of the bed to hold her legs in place. "Poison hemlock isn't very common around here, it's the first I'm encountering." She continued with her lecture, glancing at the deathly expression etched on the woman's face.

"So what's going to happen?"

"We'll wait. For a minute."

I could feel her tense muscles gradually grow relaxed. I looked up to see her eyes closed and her lips gently recoil to their thinness. In a moment her entire body had relaxed, and I heard Annalise heave a relieved sigh.

She pushed her loose hair back, standing upright before pinching her nostrils together with both eyes closed. "Thank goodness."

"What did you do?"

"Tyroxil. It's small but very efficient." She muttered, swiping off the white plastic gloves she'd been wearing. "It's not going to hold out for long though, only a couple of days."

I let out a breath I didn't even know I was holding, finally letting go of her hands and shoving them into my pockets. Thank goodness she was fine. At least for now, she couldn't die on my hands just yet. My wolf screamed mate, yet there was so much I didn't know about her. A sharp sting brought me back to reality, and I bit back a wince.

I caught Annalise looking at me first in slight confusion, before she leaped up in sudden realization. "Oh my, your wounds. Please let me take a look at them."

I was going to refuse her offer, but they did sting quite a bit. Sighing reluctantly, I pulled out a stool to seat and watched her quickly arrange the shelf she'd turned inside out. She grabbed the first aid box and a bunch of medical supplies before sitting on the stool beside me. She set the materials out on the table and ushered for me to bring my hands.

"Those are deep, Alpha. They'll need some stitching." She said albeit calmly, as if she wasn't just freaking out five minutes ago. She pulled out a cotton swab, pulling my hands closer to clean out some of the blood that had spewed. I watched her slowly stitch the wounds on my arm, and heave another sigh.

"I thought I was going to lose her." She half whispered, pulling the thread to tidy the last stitch. "If I didn't have any Tyroxil here, I wonder what would have happened."

"Which is why you're supposed to have even the rarest of antidotes." I countered a little harshly, I didn't even know why I sounded like that. But the thought that this woman may have died and I would have to forgo my second chance wasn't the most enticing.

Annalise sighed, putting down her surgical scissors. "It's not in my place to get them, I'm afraid. The antidote for poison hemlock is as rare as the poison itself. From my knowledge, it can be found in the woods where you found her. That particular area is out of bounds for non-hunting wolves." She finished, looking up at me. I cocked a brow, straightening on the stool.

"Then it's settled." I rose to my feet, taking one last glance at the unconscious woman. "Just make sure she doesn't die before then."

Then I suddenly realized I didn't know what the antidote was. "What's the name again?"

"Melathionapalm. It's a bluish green plant with the texture of napalm, my Lord."

*

I called a meeting immediately in the living room. Three of my trusted guards were present, as well as Jackson. I decided after some consideration not to involve the twins; this wasn't pack duty, yet. Plopping onto the sole cathedra, I was tapping my hands on the arms.

"It's pretty simple. I want you to search for an antidote for poison hemlock." I finally broke the thick air of silence that enveloped the living room. Jackson who stood in front of the small fleet gathered whipped his head up so sharply I thought it would snap, his straight brows arched.

"Poison hemlock? Those are deadly. But we don't know of the antidote." He replied with a curt bow.

"Annalise says it's Melathionapalm. It's in the woods, it's a bluish green plant found near our hunting grounds." I said again, leaning into the chair. "You have two days to find it. Jackson, you stay here."

He seemed to disagree at first, but nodded instead when I shot him a glare. I motioned for the guards to leave, leaving Jackson and I in the room.

"I have something else for you to do."

"What would you have me do, my Lord?" He bowed again, his black locks covering his face.

"The woman I brought back to the palace. Find out everything you can about her. Her name, age, waht pack she comes from, if she isn't a rogue, that is." I answered, sitting up and supporting my chin with both elbows.

The fact that she still was an enigma to me was unsettling. Yes, my wolf suddenly sprang to life in reaction to her aura, but I didn't even know who she was. There was no way I was going to be mated to someone like that. For all I knew she could have committed a crime.

But I remembered the desperation on her face that evening, she was pleading with her eyes. Even though they snapped shut moments after, I couldn't shake off the plea in her eyes. I needed to know what brought her here. If it was just sheer coincidence or just fate.

"My Lord? My Lord!"

I looked up again, realizing that I had zoned out a little. Hunter was standing in the room now, with a frown on his face. Perhaps I should have given the task at hand to Hunter, but he had more important tasks to take care of.

He was the one who called for my attention. "What's the matter?"

"I found this in front of the gate." He continued with worry laced in his voice, showing me an envelope that had been torn open. I took it from him curiously, staring at it and wondering what the hell it was. As if on cue, Hunter replied.

"It's a note from South Sea. Remember their alpha was killed a year ago and they've not had any one to step into the position since the successor is only three years old."

'Just like Declan' I thought.

"There's been a rumor that Derek may not have been the real Alpha of Moonstar, there's a wolf he was working for and he was absent on the day of the invasion." He finished before I could read the letter. I could feel my eyes widen at that?

"What the fuck?"

"And he sent a message to South Sea after capturing the late Alpha's Luna. They're next."