Chapter sixty nine

Rasmus and Irene stood around, eyes flitting over to the demon rulers who had withdrew to the edge of the woods and wanting to know what they have decided. Rasmus sighed and glanced up at the bright moon, he doesn’t know if his eyes were playing a trick on him but the moon seemed to have gotten bigger and brighter. Glancing around, it was hard to believe that it was already night because of how bright the moon was and he couldn’t help but believe that Selene must know what her children are up against and so made the moon really big and bright to light up the night for them.

A distant growl made him glance at the woods and he saw the demon rulers head sprang up as well. He sighed, knowing that it was only a matter of time before they would find their way there and the peaceful palace won’t be so peaceful anymore. He glanced at the palace, the blue flame was burning ever so steadily and he wondered if a miracle would happen for Edward to wake up right before the deranged got there. He heaved a deep sigh and let his gaze wander to Aliyah who despite the news of what was going on was still sitting in front of the palace with Asher in her arms. The little one had woken up some time ago and was awfully quiet like he knew what was going on.

“It’s awfully quiet,” Gerald said, getting out of the tenth, “do you think they are okay?” he glanced at Rasmus.

Rasmus knew he was asking about Sean and Steven and so he gulped and glanced at the woods again, “they might, they might not be, we can only stay here and wait.”

“I can’t lose him to the deranged, he is all I have now,” he whispered.

Rasmus glanced at the boy, he was really identical to Steven but Steven had sharper features and more confidence than the boy, no wonder Steven was always protecting him. He had happened to see the boy a few times when they were hiding in the Black Wind pack and he had noticed how the boy behaves. Compared to Steven, he was the opposite, he was everything Steven is not. While Steven is hot tempered and smart, he was calm and a little gullible from what he had noticed. If truth be told, he should have been Steven sister instead. However, even though he knew all that about the boy, he still liked him, he has that charisma that would pull everyone to him while Steven can easily shun someone away with a look.

“He will be fine, trust me,” Irene smiled at the boy and he nodded and rather walk back into the tenth, he went and sat on the pavement.

Suddenly, they all jerked up at the sound of a car engine. They all took protective stance, and the demon rulers came closer as the car’s headlight fell on the palace before it appeared. A black-haired woman was sitting behind the wheel and when the car parked, she climbed out carrying two bags and walked around the car to meet them.

“Catherine?” Irene whispered, walking over to meet her on the way.

“What’s wrong, why is everyone serious?” Catherine asked, pausing in her track.

“What are you doing here?” Aliyah asked, walking over.

“Your mom told me that you have a wound on your elbow that is not healing. She asked me to check up on you,” she replied, placing the bags on the car’s hood and opening it. “Yes, the second bag is for Asher.”

“Are you just coming from the pack?” Rasmus asked.

“No, I dropped by at the human realm to get some things. Why?” she asked nonchalantly, going through her bag and sighed in satisfaction when she found a vial and turned to them, “hmm?”

“How long ago have you left the pack?” Aliyah asked.

“Close to four hours ago, is anything wrong, why all the questions?”

“It’s just that the rogues are attacking,” she shrugged.

“What?” Catherine asked with horror on her face, “not again, we haven’t even healed the infected ones. After this fight, High Alpha Damien is going to task me to find the antidote and I serious can’t find the secret ingredient that was used.” She sighed and approached Aliyah, grabbing her hand to check her elbow as she balanced Asher in one hand. “Well, not to worry, I will just face him after the fight, nothing more. Hmm,” she inspected her wound and pouted her lips, “I see what is happening here. Your healing speed was considered good for an alpha’s bloodline and when the king marked you, it skyrocketed to perfect. But then, now that he is hurt, he had withdrawn his healing properties and some of yours which is why your healing speed is slower than it used to be. Here, look at the edges, you can tell that it’s healing, it’s just slow,” she looked up and smiled.

“Why are you smiling?” Aliyah frowned.

“Nothing. You do know that if you get hurt now, especially in vital areas, you would die with this kind of healing speed, right?”

“Why are you talking about it?” Irene asked, coming up beside her.

“Just to let her know, with this ongoing fight with the rogues, it would be better you stay here and don’t bother inferring. One blow can kill you because at this point, even an omega heals faster than you.”

Aliyah sighed, “I wasn't planning on joining anyway.”

“Good,” Catherine said, “now, let me look at Asher,” she said, opening the vial with her.

“What for?” Aliyah frowned, for some reason, she doesn’t trust the content of that vial she was holding.

“Why, to treat him of course.”

“He is not hurt,” she said, holding Asher tighter.

“Luna told me he was hurt and that I should rush and check on him since his healing properties is still developing.”

“Trust me when I say that he is fine, I made sure of it.”

“Aliyah, let me do my work,” Catherine looked at her and for a flitting second, it was so fast that Aliyah wasn’t sure if she had seen it or imagined it, her face had changed with her eyes pitch black like a hollow before returning back to normal. Aliyah blinked but she was looking like the Catherine she has known all her life.

“Asher is fine,” Irene said, taking him from Aliyah, “you really don’t have to worry about him.”

Catherine glanced at her and held her gaze for some seconds before she smiled, and nodded, “alright, if you say so,” she held up her hand in surrender and then backed away.

“What’s with the scarf?” Aliyah asked.

“Do you like it?” she turned to her with a giggle, “I picked up the style a few days ago, I have always loved how it looked on you so I decided to see how it look on me. But I guess I will drop it, everyone has been asking about it, including your mother. Which is a shame because no one asked questions when it was you,” she shrugged, “anyway, that is okay,” she smiled and walked to the car, putting her potion in her bag and walking back to hand them the one for Asher before going to the driver’s side of the car with her own bag.

“Where are you going?” Rasmus asked.

“To the pack, if there is a fight ongoing then there is bound to be wounded wolves. I need to go heal the ones I can before they get infected,” she shrugged and got into the car. The car started and made a U turn in front of them before driving out.

“There is something about her,” Aliyah whispered.

“I noticed it too,” Irene concurred, “it’s a good thing we didn’t allow her give Asher that potion.”

“But what could be wrong? I have known her since I was a baby and she has been nothing but a good healer but the vibe I got from her today, I have never felt it from her before.”

“Did anyone else noticed she was limping? She tried hard to hide it but I could easily see it,” Rasmus said.

“When I had refused her touching Asher, her face, it…changed. I don’t know but it was fast that I am confused now.”

“What if she is the woman that fought with the king? The energy I got from her is too strong to be just a wolf,” Vertimon said and then shrugged, “just saying though.”

“No,” Maleeka said, “I felt it too.”

“Then does it mean that Catherine has been the enemy and has been hiding in the pack all along?” Irene asked and they all felt a cold shiver ran down their spine. If it happened to be so then they are doomed because Catherine knows everything including the weak spot of every wolf.