The Alpha's Curse The Enemy Within

For a second, my body was completely paralyzed. | couldn't stop the wild drumming of my heart in my ears as | carried Sheila's cold body in my arms and left the place, moving out to the narrow path of the cave.

Sheila was completely stiff and her body cold. My rounded, fearful eyes fell on the part of her stomach that was covered with blood. She had been wounded, but the wound was not so deep. Why the fuck wasn't she healing? I cleared the rocks that lay around, carefully placing her on the ground, my large hands cupping her cheeks as | tried everything to get her awake. The more | failed, | could feel myself a second away from going nuts. Panic and frenzy knotted my chest, and Ryker's insane clawing and growling were worsening the situation. | just couldn't think straight.

“Sheila please, come on," | tried again, but nothing. And it was at that fearful moment, | realized something. | couldn't hear her heartbeat. | lost whatever control | had been holding on to and could do nothing to stop the trembling of my hands and body.

“Oh goddess, please,” | whispered to myself, as | kept on applying pressure on her chest. Still, nothing. "Fuck it, Adie, please,” | tried to connect with her wolf, but | couldn't.

1 growled in frustration, fighting the stinging of my eyes, and the defeated emotions strolling in. | pressed harder on her chest, sharing partial control with Ryker, praying to the goddess that she pulled through. | couldn't imagine my life without Sheila, she had to pull through.

I kept on pressing hard, and right before my eyes, Sheila gasped awake, breaking into a weak, unsteady cough. Her pulse was weak as well. I held her body in my arms, brushing back the locks of her hair, as her eyelashes kept flapping weakly against each other, unable to

stay open.

1 pulled her against a comer wall in a seating position.

*K~Kill—" She held my hand, weakly. “Vad, Nikolai," she breathed weakly again. "Get them.” “I will, but first, | have to get you out of here, Sheila—" | began, but she held my hand tightly. “Find the phoenix stones. Killian, please.” locked my gaze briefly with her, before reluctantly nodding.

“Please, Sheila, just stay awake. I'l be right back," | left after she nodded, heading back to where they were holding the ritual. The place was in complete ruins, with dust choking the air, making it difficult to see anything. I didn't have to use my wolf's insight before finding that bastard, Nikolai. His heartbeat was blasting the place.

I moved closer, and my amber eyes fell on him. He was scouring

through the ruins, searching for something. As | moved closer to him from behind, | felt his body stiffen.

I clenched my jaw, moving swiftly with my wolf's speed. | attacked him before he had the chance to mutter anything or even lift a muscle. He crashed against a pile of rocks, losing hold of the phoenix stones in his hands. | descended again on him, diving my claws deep into his flesh, tearing it. | kept on with this, sending a slow but lethal pain to his entire being, giving him no chance of recovery. He was bleeding profusely as | held him by the throat, forcing his weak, unsteady gaze on me. | wanted to ensure | was the last person he saw, right before | ripped his heart out.

Nikolai's dark eyes on me widened and | could tell exactly what was going on in his head, but | didn't have time to indulge. I still had one more imbecile to find. Unapologetically, my claws plunged into his chest, ripping his heart out. | watched Nikolai take his final breath from the cavity that now appeared in his chest. Like the worthless scum he was, | tossed his lifeless body to the pile of rocks and

disaster laying on the ground.

I searched through the bodies on the ground, but there was no sign of Vladimir. He wasn't here. That was a fucking problem.

“Killian,” I swerved around and saw Sheila at the entrance. She looked better than | had left her, and most of her wounds had begun to heal.

“Vladimir?" she asked, and | shook my head, picking up the phoenix stones.

“He isn't here. He has escaped,” | sauntered to her, and didn't miss the emotion that stalked her gaze. Unease.

“That's not good," she finally muttered, and | nodded.

“Let's get out of here," | gripped her, scooping her into my arms as her hands wrapped around my neck and made our way out of the cave, only to step out to find Oasis completely conquered.

I stopped moving as a few shadows hurried toward us.

1 placed Sheila down as | recognized them. They were faces | hadn't seen in along time.

“Leo?” Sheila called into the fading darkness in shock as she hurried into Leonardo's arms. | was smiling from ear to ear, as Allen, Lorenzo, and Jax rushed to me at great speed. | embraced everyone, pulling away as they went over to Sheila.

My amber eyes shifted to Leonardo, as he sauntered to me. His blue eyes held mine, and | couldn't stop the smile that found my lips.

“It's good to have you back," He voiced, as we embraced each other.

1 pulled away, glancing around, "And Morgan?" | asked, and before Jax could reply, | heard Morgan's broken voice.

My head snapped left, and my gaze took in Morgan as he hastened

his steps to us.

“Brother,” | chuckled, moving to him, and pulled him in for a hug, and his arms sprawled around me tightly.

1 could feel the water rushing from his eyes. "Oh, Killian," Morgan's green eyes were glassy with tears.

I nodded, knowing exactly what he had to say. His entire emotions were imprinted in his eyes. “It's good to see you too," I said sincerely, as Morgan's eyes moved past me, falling on Sheila who was wide with smiles.

He pulled her in for a hug, and she held him tightly.

“I've missed you,” she whispered, holding him tightly.

“I missed you more,” I heard him whisper back, before pulling away.

“What about Vladimir?" Leonardo asked, and | shook my head.

his steps to us.

“Brother,” | chuckled, moving to him, and pulled him in for a hug, and his arms sprawled around me tightly.

1 could feel the water rushing from his eyes. "Oh, Killian," Morgan's green eyes were glassy with tears.

I nodded, knowing exactly what he had to say. His entire emotions were imprinted in his eyes. “It's good to see you too," I said sincerely, as Morgan's eyes moved past me, falling on Sheila who was wide with smiles.

He pulled her in for a hug, and she held him tightly.

“I've missed you,” she whispered, holding him tightly.

“I missed you more,” I heard him whisper back, before pulling away.

“What about Vladimir?" Leonardo asked, and I shook my head.

“He escaped.” “What?” Lorenzo spoke sharply, his eyes moving to Sheila's. “And Shota's magic?” My eyes darted back to Sheila. | had been so frightened earlier that | had forgotten to ask.

“It...” She trailed, and for a second, her gaze seemed like she was remembering something. “Nothing. The darkness is gone. It never found a vessel.” I exhaled in relief, pulling her into my arms.

“And the others?" | asked.

“At the camps, tying up loose ends, but we must leave at once, the witches are about to turn this place to dust,” Morgan said, and without hesitating, we joined the others at the camps. Many

prisoners had already left, and only a few remained along with the Council's army, and a few warriors from my pack and Leonardo's pack.

We found Kai with the Council's army and the instant he saw us coming, he rushed to us.

“I am glad you both are alright,” he embraced Sheila.

“What about Jaskier and the witches that were—" Sheila began, but he stopped her, smiling.

“They are alright and they left with Zena and the prisoners not long ago,” Kaiser muttered, turning to Lorenzo and the witches that came along. “I guess we are done here?" “You all should leave. We will burn this place to the ground,” Lorenzo muttered, and everyone left the walls of Oasis, leaving the witches to their work. From a distance, we heard the loud crumbling of Oasis

and everything it stood for.

It didn't take long before Lorenzo and the witches joined us. We went to the horses waiting for us all outside. | helped Sheila up on her horse and was about to get on behind her when | heard the sound of a horse approaching us at great speed.

My eyes narrowed, and | was able to catch the face in the early hours of dawn. It was Gwen, she hurried to us on her horse, and came to a halt when she was close enough. She lowered her head to us.

“Gwen?” Lorenzo called with surprise. It was obvious she hadn't come with the army for the attack. So, what was she doing here? “What are you doing here?" came Morgan's voice.

“I was sent by the Council. It's very urgent,” she rushed quickly.

“What happened?” Leonardo asked in a deep cold voice, and | felt a shiver run down my spine at the words that were eager to be free

from her lips.

“It's Amelie. She had another vision,” Gwen spoke slowly, swallowing a lump. "Something bad has happened.” My hold on the horse's reins firmed and my gaze fell on Sheila as | felt her body stiffen in my arms, and once again as cold as ice.