Sold To The Alpha
Blood L**t Chapter 41

As the vehicles made their way back toward the Castle, Daniel was trying not to jolt his passengers, acutely aware of the pain Leo was feeling even if the Beta was trying his best to hide it, happily joking away with Vaya about her morning sickness.

'So how you holding up Leo?' Justin called from the front seat

'Enjoying the rest Alpha' Leo replied with a grin, 'not often I get driven around by someone else.

Vaya carefully lifted the Beta's shirt up to his chest, pulling back the dressings to check his wounds, giving a sigh of relief as she saw that they were healing. The warrior would have some nice new scars to show off but it looked like his wolf was taking care of him. 'How do I look Dryad?' Leo asked with a low chuckle.

'You'll live, but Carmen is going to have some choice words to say about those scars all over your torso' she added with a smirk as Leo groaned.

'Man! I risk my damn life for my future Alpha's mate, literally throw myself in front of a tree trying to impale my pack mates, and my reward will be getting my balls handed to me by my own mate when I get home for my efforts' he moaned lying back against the head rest and shutting his eyes.

Justin laughed, 'just don't take your shirt off before I have gone back to the pack house, I am not taking responsibility for any of that' he growled as Leo raised his eyebrows in horror.

'Alpha! What ever happened to standing by each others side till the bitter end? You got my back, I got your back? United we stand?' he protested.

Justin shook his head, 'Dude, when it comes to battle I will stand with you until my very last breath, but asking me to stand against your mate when she sees what you did to yourself? I am not suicidal, you are on your own my man' he replied as Vaya and Daniel laughed.

Leo huffed angrily, 'I can't believe it, deserted by my own damn Alpha in my time of need, what is the pack coming too?'

'This is preserving the pack mate' Justin argued back, 'if Carmen murders me for your own stupid decision, what would happen to our pack then?' he reasoned.

'Pfft, the Luna could lead just fine on her own, everyone knows she does all the work anyway, you are just the pretty face that visitors get to look at' Leo replied with a wicked grin at the back of his Alpha's head, earning himself a murderous look from Justin which he laughed openly at.

'We are nearly back at the castle Alpha' Daniel said, breaking up the bickering between Justin and Leo.

Facing forward again, the group watched silently as the forest leading to Viktor's castle came closer until they finally rolled to a stop.

Clambering out of the car, they waited for the rest of the group to stop and exit their vehicles before Viktor took the lead, making his way toward the forest and into the trees.

Walking along silently, everyone was on edge due to the eerie quietness around them, there were no sounds of wildlife, not even the scratching of small animals in the grass around them.

Following the barely visible path, Daniel held Vaya close to him as the group pushed ever deeper into the darkness of the trees.

After what felt like hours, they finally saw the welcome view of the Castle gates, firmly closed to protect the occupants from the outside.

Stepping forward, Viktor placed his hand against the cold metal, the gate giving way to his touch. Placing a foot over the boundary he turned and said aloud, 'Alpha Justin and party, you are again welcomed as guests into my home, by entering you are not swearing any allegiance to the castle and are free to leave whenever you wish without repercussions.

Striding forward fearlessly, Justin replied, 'thank you Viktor, we accept your hospitality' as he led his warriors over the threshold, one of the warriors supporting Leo as he was still unsteady on his feet.

Hurrying up to the castle front door, Viktor unceremoniously threw it open and began to stride quickly toward the stairs. Giving quick instructions to his warriors to take Leo into the kitchen and ask Carter to look at his wounds, Justin hurried up the stairs behind the Vampire King, Vaya and Daniel close behind them.

Rushing down the corridor, Viktor called out loudly for Auriele, 'we are back! Auriele, we have the potion!' he called desperately as he made his way into his sons room, dropping down beside his bed as his eyes fell on the lifeless body of his child. Justin, Vaya and Daniel entered behind him, Justin making his way around the bed quickly to pull his son into a tight hug as the young warrior let out a drained sigh of relief.

'Do you really have it dad?' he asked, his eyes hopeful but his body show ing signs that he was terrified to believe in case it was some horrible joke.

'Yes son, we have something that will help him' Justin replied soothingly.

The sound of Halle's footsteps echoed on the stone floors as she rushed into the room closely followed by Auriele who looked serene, her hair floating around her body as she smiled warmly at the exhausted travellers, her small black bag clasped in her hands in front of her body.

'You have the antidote Vampire King?' she asked softly.

Viktor shook his head, 'no, it seems we cannot make an antidote for something that is already an antidote, but this is a potion that will protect Vallance's venom from the effects of Agnes' serum' he said pulling out the acid green liquid that shimmered in the light of the room.

Stepping forward, Auriele took it gently in her hand, bringing it close to her eye as she studied the contents. Looking back at the Alpha and the Vampire King, her brow furrowed slightly, 'who gave this too you? This is a strong potion, even above the abilities of Agnes, I can feel it's aura through the bottle.'

'The High Priestess made if for us' Justin replied with a tight smile.

Her eyes widening slightly, Auriele held the bottle away from herself slightly as if afraid of the contents. Slowly she spoke, 'this must have cost you dearly, the High Coven is not known for its generosity, and if the High Priestess produced this herself then the price to you would have been expensive'.

Viktor nodded, 'lets just say I owe her a favour' he muttered distractedly, 'now please, can you administer it to my son? He looks close to death'.

Hesitating for a moment, Auriele nodded, looking up at Jason who immediately stood from the bed, making room for the witch to sit down in his place.

Standing next to his father who put a comforting arm around his shoulders, Jason and the rest of the group watched silently as Auriele rummaged in her bag, pulling out a small syringe that she lay on the bedside table. Placing her bag on the floor, the witch slowly pulled out the cork stopper, picking the syringe back up and tipping the needle into the toxic looking contents.

Pulling up the plunger, she filled the tube with the liquid, holding it upwards as she flicked the side gently with her index finger to rid the serum of any bubbles.

Pressing the top of the plunger, she watched as a small shot of the liquid came out of the needle before nodding satisfied.

Leaning over the unconscious Vampire, Auriele carefully tipped his head to one side, feeling around with her fingers until she found his vein, a pulse barely tangible under her touch. Piercing his skin with the needle, the witch slowly pushed the top of the plunger, the acid green liquid disappearing into Vallance's body.

Once the tube was empty, she retracted the needle and dropped it onto the bed side table, everyone waited as Vallance continued to lie motionless under the blanket that Jason had placed over him earlier that day.

Suddenly, Vallance sat bolt upright in bed, his eyes wide open, staring unseeing ahead, his face contorted with pain as his lips formed a scream that was completely silent to the onlookers.

'what is it? what's wrong?' Jason cried as he tried to fight off his fathers grasp, Justin having instinctively grabbed the warrior around the waist at the first movement from the bed.

Just as suddenly Vallance's eyes rolled back in his head and he fell back onto the pillows, his laboured breathing louder as the darkness of unconsciousness took him one more.

'What did you do?' Jason yelled brokenly, his whole body wrestling against his fathers arms, as the Alpha pinned his son to his chest, trying to calm him.

'Relax Alpha's son' Auriele replied softly, holding her hand up to the panicked warrior, 'That was just the first step, Vallance has been at the mercy of the antidote for a long time, it is going to try and figure out if this new concoction is a friend or foe, Vallance is in for a few days of slipping in and out of consciousness as the two potions battle for dominance within him.

Viktor shifted on the bed, 'but the High Priestess tested it, it worked in her bowl, we saw it' he muttered as Vaya and Daniel nodded agreement.

Auriele gave the Vampire King an understanding smile, 'it may have worked in a sterile setting Vampire King, but this is a living body, there are other things going on within him that could corrupt the potion, we are full of bacteria both good and bad, any one of those could cause the potion to alter or even fail' she said kindly.

'When will we know if he's OK?' Jason asked desperately, finally giving up the fight against his father's embrace and clinging to him as if he were an anchored life raft in a raging storm, tears starting to shine in his eyes.

'I would expect to know in 72 hours Alphas son' Auriele replied calmly standing up to take her leave.

'How will we know?' Viktor asked tightly.

Stopping in the doorway, Auriele looked over the group sadly, 'he will either be awake, or he will be dead. I am sorry Alpha, Vampire King, there is nothing further I can do for him, you must now wait for Vallance to make his decision on whether he will return to you or not.' Bowing her head slightly, Auriele walked from the room, returning to her own room, leaving silence behind her.