Chapter 6: My Worst Nightmare

KIARA “I’m ok.” I said looking up at Julio, who had found me.

My body was aching and I could barely think straight.

“What happened?” He asked, frowning. “Should I call the Alpha?”

“I don’t know, there was a paper… I… I’ll call him just to see how they are.” I murmured, looking at my own shattered phone.

Worry, pain, and fear were swirling inside of me, but it wasn’t my own emotions – Alejandro. What was happening?

“Contact Alejandro!” I exclaimed suddenly, making Julio grab his phone, but just then, the sound of running reached my ears and Alejandro appeared at the door, blood and dirt covering his body. Clad in only torn sweatpants which told me had shifted.

My eyes snapped to the limp bodies of Dante and Skyla in his arms, and I sprang up.

“What happened?!” I cried, my powers surging around me.

Panic and worry consumed me as I took in their state. Skyla’s heartbeat was steady yet weak, but she seemed to simply be unconscious whilst Dante’s heartbeat was racing, his skin was clammy and he was shaking.

He placed the kids on the bed, and I quickly placed my hands on both of them, my purple aura blazing around me. As a blessed wolf from the Asheton bloodline, I had the gift of healing.

Skyla began to heal, yet I could feel the pain Dante was in, even when the injury on his chest healed.

What was this? Goddess help me!

I removed my hand from Skyla, caressing her hair when I froze. My heart thundering as I realised Kataleya wasn’t here. I snapped my gaze to Alejandro, trying not to let the fear of the worst consume me.

“Where’s Kataleya?” I asked, unable to stop the distress and worry from seeping into my voice.

“She’s…”

Please baby, tell me she’s ok.

I stared into his eyes that were wracked with guilt and sorrow, still pouring my healing into Dante.

Trying to focus with everything I had.

“Alejandro! Answer me!”

“They took her.” His pained reply came, placing his hand on my arm.

My breath hitched as Jerked away from him, my entire body shaking.

No. No. Goddess no.

“Kiara… I’ll get her back, I promise you.”

“Go. Please go find her.” I said, my voice harsh and shaky, unable to even look at him, trying not to break down.

It wasn’t his fault, but I needed my baby.

He didn’t speak and I felt a surge of guilt, my own at my behaviour, but most of it was his before he put his walls up. I looked at him as he turned to leave the room, and I placed my hand on his arm.

“Wait.” I whispered.

I let my healing pour into him, healing him, before tugging him close and reaching up to caress his jaw.

Our eyes met and the pain suddenly became unbearable.

“You got this.” I whispered, trying to control the storm of tears that were threatening to fall.

He turned, wrapping his arms around me tightly, his heart thudding as much as mine. Although I didn’t stop trying to heal Dante, I closed my eyes, unable to stop the tears from spilling down my cheek.

“Please bring her back.” I whispered beggingly as he kissed my cheek.

“I will.” He promised, letting go of me and the loss of his touch hurt.

Do I tell him I can’t heal Dante?

No… I needed him to go find Kataleya. Just the thought of her being taken terrified me. I will deal with this.

Please goddess protect our babies.

His lips met mine for a fleeting moment before he left the room swiftly.

I took a deep breath and looked at Julio, who was standing in the hall.

“Give me a phone.” I said, trying to control my emotions.

“Here.” He handed me his phone, unlocked, and I quickly dialled Delsanra’s number, my hand shaking as I stared down at Dante.

His heartbeat was still racing and nothing I did was helping him, he wasn’t injured. Whatever this was, it was something else.

“Hey, Kia.” Delsanra’s voice came.

“Del, is it possible for you to come to the villa?” I asked, trying to keep my voice strong, but even then, it trembled.

“Of course I can, Kiara… is everything ok?”.

“No… nothing is. There’s something going on and I wish I…” Once again, I wasn’t able to utter anything about the letters. “Dante, there’s something wrong with him, and Kataleya’s been taken, and you know we can’t track her.” I whispered.

I heard her take a sharp intake of breath.

“We are coming.” She said, her voice was strong and comforting. I closed my eyes, praying she could help Julio took the phone from me, his eyes full of concern.

“It’s magic, isn’t it?” He asked, looking at Dante.

“I think so.” I whispered, dropping to my knees as I stroked his hair.

His trousers were torn where he had been bitten, I had healed that too but there was something else going on inside of him. I kissed his forehead, trying to fight my tears.

“Mama…”

Skyla stirred before she opened her eyes and jumped up looking around, terror clear in her eyes.

“I got you, baby.” I whispered as she launched herself into my arms, breaking into tears.

“Mama, Kat!”

“Daddy will bring Kat home. I promise.” I whispered as she began sobbing in my arms. I cried silently, rocking her, one arm tightly around her and the other holding Dante’s trembling one.

I felt the surge of magic from outside and my heart leapt knowing that Delsanra was here. Within seconds, she and Rayhan were running up the stairs, their scent hitting my nose before they stepped into the room.

“Kiara.” Delsanra said, her eyes burning red, she was currently in her demon form. I stood up and she hugged me tightly, Skyla crushed between us both, and only then did I realise that I was shaking too.

“We are going to fix this.” She promised, softly kissing skyla on the head as she continued to sob into my shoulder.

Rayhan was by Dante’s side, placing the large bag he was carrying down, checking his pulse and forehead. A deep frown set on his face with his shoulder-length black hair falling in his face, before he turned to us frowning.

“He’s in pain, but it’s not physical.” He murmured softly.

“Let me see what I can do.” Delsanra let go of me, determination clear on her face.

“I’m going to head out to help Uncle. It’s going to be ok, we will find her.” Rayhan reassured me, placing his hand on Skyla’s head for a moment before he left the room pulling his leather jacket off as he did so. Rayhan was the finest tracker that I knew, and I was confident that his help could prove vital. It just terrified me that Kataleya’s special ability would deter them immensely. Of all three, her being taken was my worst nightmare.

“It’s magic, but there’s something else too, and it’s powerful.” Delsanra murmured as she stepped back from Dante and unzipped the bag that Rayhan had placed down.

“Will you be able to fix it?” I asked.

All I could think of was how he had given me that smile before leaving this morning. Who would have thought this was how he’d come home to me?

“I don’t know, but I intend to try.” Determination was clear in her voice as she planted a kiss o n Dante’s forehead before she gave me a smile. “Don’t worry, our little Churro isn’t so easy to take down.”

I nodded, watching her begin to draw symbols on the floor, before she lifted Dante, placing him in the centre and began to light some candles.

“I think it’s a curse.” She whispered.

“What?”

“I don’t know for sure, but there’s something that’s happened. I’ll do my best.” She murmured, placing a few crystals down.

She stepped back as she began whispering a spell. Her power surged around her, the flames burned high, and I saw red veins spread from Dante’s chest where his injuries had once been. The candles flickered and Delsnara’s brow was furrowed with concentration as her voice got louder. The veins began seeping from Dante’s chest, spreading across the symbols on the floor and towards Delsanra.

“Del, be careful.” I warned.

Something was off.

The air seemed to become colder and I could feel something else in this room. I stepped back, cradling Skyla tightly, my heart thudding when suddenly Delsanra was cut off. Blood sprayed from her neck as she choked, before she was thrown against the far wall. A sickening crunch filled the room before she crumbled to the floor. The candles were blown out and a sharp wind rushed through the room ominously, shattering the windows.

“Del!” I screamed, rushing to her side. I placed my hand on her neck, healing her as her heartbeat faded.

Her heartbeat steadied, yet I could sense the same thing from her that I did from Dante.

Oh please no.

“Del?!”

She didn’t reply, her body as lifeless as my sons, that lay not far from her. Goddess, why is this happening? And who is responsible for this?