Dark Poison

"Seize them!" Ethan's commanding voice echoed through the area.

Suddenly, werewolves emerged from the shadows, swiftly surrounding both Ronald and me. My resentment towards Ethan only intensified in that moment.

We were quickly seized and taken to the underground basement, which served as a jail for those accused of treason within the pack.

"Don't worry, everything will be fine," Ronald tried to reassure me, but my worries for him were bigger. He had only landed himself in this situation because of his attempt to protect me.

As we remained confined in the underground jail for what felt like an eternity, Elizabeth finally appeared, seeking us out after hearing the news.

"I'm so sorry," she apologized, her expression heavy with concern. "Ronald, I will come back for you soon," she added, her words offering a glimmer of hope.

Confused and anxious, I asked, "What is happening? What does Ethan plan to do with Ronald?"

Elizabeth sighed, clearly struggling with the burden of the situation. "Ethan was poisoned during the feast. The wolves he fought were actually assassins sent to end him once the poison took effect, but fortunately, they arrived just in time before the poison shut down his vital systems completely."

"What? Ethan was poisoned during the feast?" I exclaimed in shock.

"Yes, he was," Elizabeth confirmed, her gaze serious. "And now, he's trying to find the culprit responsible for this act."

I thought Ethan got poisoned from the wolf's claws? But soon, it all started to make sense now. That explains why Ethan was unable to transform into his wolf form that night, and also why he suddenly breakdown after the fight. But the burning question still remained: who could have done this to Ethan, and why?

Elizabeth informed me that Laura, the Female Alpha from the feast, wanted to see me regarding the situation with Ethan's poisoning. Curiosity and worry swirled within me as I wondered what she could possibly want to discuss with me. I had no idea who could have poisoned Ethan.

Ronald encouraged me to go with Elizabeth, but I couldn't shake off the guilt within me. I knew that Ronald was in this predicament because of his attempt to protect me. I felt broken about leaving him alone when we're in this together.

With a heavy heart, I follow Elizabeth, hoping that I could somehow help in resolving this troubling situation.

As we walked through the corridors of the basement, I noticed that most of the guards were knocked out, and others severely injured. The scene was alarming, and I couldn't help but question what had happened.

Before I could inquire, Elizabeth admitted, "Yes, I did it."

"What? Why would you attack them?" I asked in astonishment. But then, the realization hit me. "Wait, Ethan doesn't know about this, does he?"

"Yeah, Ethan doesn't know," Elizabeth confirmed. "He wouldn't have asked for your help, but Laura and I believe you can be of assistance in the investigation, at least that will ease his wrath towards you."

I was still confused about how I could possibly be helpful in this matter. It's not like I'm a shaman or something, and if Ethan himself didn't know who or how he was poisoned, how could I possibly be the one to tell?

I'm not sure how I can be of help, I said within myself, feeling the weight of the situation pressing down on me.

After leaving the basement, we made our way towards the pack hall where meetings were being held. As we venture closer to the hall, I started hearing whispers in the air, and curiosity got the better of me. I turned to Elizabeth and inquired about the mysterious sounds.

"What's those whispers I'm hearing?" I asked.

Elizabeth explained that the Alpha's powers were already beginning to manifest within me, and the whispers I'm hearing were a result of my senses being heightened. So I'm now able to hear from afar? Okay, that's overwhelming.

"Can you hear the whispers too?" I asked Elizabeth.

"Yes, they're coming from the pack hall, and they belong to Ethan and Laura," she replied.

Although I could hear the whispers, I couldn't yet tell their direction or determine who was speaking. It was all so new to me, and I felt like a novice trying to navigate the complications of my newfound abilities.

Elizabeth reassured me that with time, I would come to understand how the werewolf nature worked and better control my powers. However, as I tried to vision my werewolf life, a cloud of doubt loomed over me. How could I ever get used to this world when Ethan was plotting to end my life? I wondered if I could ever find a place of safety and belonging within the pack.

The heavy doors of the pack hall swung open, revealing Ethan and Laura standing alongside the physicians from the previous night. It appeared they were already discussing the matter at hand. However, the physician who had suggested the healing ritual was nowhere to be found, leaving me to wonder if Ethan had already beheaded him as threatened.

I stood behind Elizabeth as she shaded me from Ethan's sight. As Ethan's attention turned towards the opened doors, he only saw his mother, Elizabeth standing.

"Mother, if you've come to confront me regarding Emily's arrest, I'm really not in the mood," Ethan said, his voice filled with frustration.

"I'm not here to confront you. Rather, I'm here to plead with you," Elizabeth responded as she took my hand and gently pulled me forward into Ethan's sight.

"Mother!!! Why is she here and not in the basement?!" Ethan roared in fury upon seeing me standing there.

"I asked for her," Laura declared, stepping forward to stand between Ethan and me. Her involvement seemed to further stoke Ethan's anger.

"Why is she here when I ordered her arrest? Who let her out?!" Ethan shouted, his rage was persistent.

The hall trembled with tension as Ethan's voice echoed, sending chills down everyone's spines. Amidst the fear, Laura stood her ground, unafraid to voice her objection. That's something I admire so much about her.

"She did nothing!!!" Laura's spirit wolf echoed her fierce words as she shouted back at Ethan.

Ethan's demeanor softened slightly; he knew that his anger could jeopardize their long-standing friendship. He had known Laura for a long time, and he didn't want me to become a source of contention between them.

"You're angry at someone who saved your life by risking hers? Are you this adamant?" Laura's words rang with conviction.

Ethan turned his gaze away, feeling a twist of guilt for his harshness towards me. Elizabeth held my hand, offering silent support as we cautiously approached where Ethan and the physicians stood. I kept my eyes downcast, avoiding any direct confrontation with Ethan.

"So, why is she here?" Ethan inquired, still conflicted.

"She was at the feast," Laura explained.

"And so were you and I. Why do we need a third party for this investigation?" Ethan questioned.

Laura took a deep breath, gathering her thoughts before continuing. "You were poisoned at the feast, but you claim you didn't eat or drink anything."

Before Laura could elaborate further, I felt compelled to interject, reminding Ethan of something he had seemingly forgotten - he had indeed eaten something before we entered the secret hall for the meeting.

Ethan's gaze shifted to me. "I did? I can't..." He stumbled, but then a sudden realization crossed his face, and he remembered that he had indeed eaten something before the meeting.

Laura immediately inquired about what Ethan had eaten before the meeting commenced. Ethan delved deeper into his memories, searching for that urgent piece of information. It was clear that he was reluctant to accept my help, and he seemed determined to remember on his own. However, the memory of what he had eaten was still blurred in my mind, he only remembered that he ate something while showing me around the feast.

As everyone waited for Ethan to disclose what he ate, he struggled to come up with an answer. Instead, he attempted to deflect the question, asking whether it truly mattered. He insisted that the focus should be on the fact that he was good poisoned during the feast.

Laura sighed, acknowledging Ethan's point. Indeed, the details of what he ate might not be as critical as the fact that he had been poisoned. Now, it was time for the physicians to shed light on the situation.

"The poison Ethan consumed isn't just any poison; it's a dark poison that affected not only Ethan but also his spirit wolf," one of the physicians proclaimed.

"What!" Ethan exclaimed, his surprise evident. He pressed the physician to explain what he meant by saying that his spirit wolf was poisoned.

The physician sighed, acknowledging his limited knowledge about dark poison and its effects on a spirit wolf. "I'm not an expert in this field, my Lord," he admitted.

"Then get me an expert!!!" Ethan's furious shout echoed through the hall, demanding immediate answers.

The other physicians exchanged glances, aware that what they were about to say would likely anger Ethan even more.

One of them hesitantly spoke up, stammering slightly, "My Lord, Lucas is the chief physician and the expert in such matters. He was supposed to provide you with more details about the dark poison within you, but the guards locked him up this morning."

My heart skipped a beat at the mention of Lucas's name. So, he was imprisoned and not beheaded. Relief washed over me, knowing that he was still alive.

Ethan was taken aback by the physician's revelation. "What do you mean there's a dark poison within me? Does this mean the healing ritual didn't work?" he asked, his voice tinged with worry and frustration.

"The ritual only healed you physically, but I'm afraid your spirit wolf is still poisoned," the physician explained somberly. "There's a high chance you may experience agonizing pain from time to time, and during those periods, you might not be able to transform into a wolf, or heal from a severe injury."

The gravity of the situation sank in, and I could see the distress on Ethan's face. The bond between a werewolf and their spirit wolf was profound, and any harm to the spirit wolf could have crucial consequences for the werewolf.

To be continued... A way Out; The Artifact In Grendor