CHAPTER SEVENTEEN:DARK

Ariel's pov

I turned all over the bed, sweat breaking through my brow. "Hush, hush," the maid whispered, swiping my sweat with a clean handkerchief.

"Where's Derek?" I pushed her hands away.

"He's not here," she replied, soaking the towel in water and placing it on my head. "We have to stop the fever before it becomes dangerous."

I grimaced, pain coursing through my body. "It hurts," I whispered, rolling from one side of the bed to the other. My veins pulsed with an otherworldly energy.

One moment I was chatting with my maid; the next, I was on the floor. I had no memory of what happened.

"Calm down, everything will be fine," the maid cooed, using the hand towel to calm the fever.

But I couldn't calm down. The pain was too much. "Iiii can't breathe properly," I heaved, wishing for something more than just a hand towel on my face.

The maid's eyes widened as she dropped the towel on the floor in surprise. "Your fever is increasing," she warned.

I coughed, spittle drawing over the bed. "What's supposed to happen to me?" I asked, fear creeping into my voice.

The maid's expression turned grim. "This is definitely not ordinary," she whispered. "You need help."

But I didn't trust anyone except Derek. "I can get you help," the maid promised. "You just have to trust me."

I held her hands firmly, pleading with her not to leave me. "Please don't leave me," I begged, scared and alone.

The maid stared at my hands, her face twitching with fear. "You really need help," she urged.

But I refused to budge. "No, what I need now is to not be left alone," I argued.

The maid hesitated, unsure whether to tell me something. "You ain't seeing this, are you?" she asked, raising my hands.

I winced in pain as she revealed the black veins spreading across my fingers. "What are you doing?" I cried out, horrified.

The maid pointed, her voice barely above a whisper. "Look, you have black veins all over your fingers."

I stared, my breathing labored. "What!?" I exclaimed, my mind reeling with the implications.

The maid's expression shifted from concern to fear. "I don't know," she admitted.

But she knew something. I could sense it.

"I need to go now," she said, standing up and walking towards the door. "Else who knows what might happen to you."

I panicked, holding onto her hands. "Please don't leave me," I begged, tears streaming down my face.

The maid smiled reassuringly. "Don't worry, I'll get help."

But why was she smiling? I shook my head, confused, and stared at her again. But she had already disappeared into the darkness.

I lay back in bed, my whole body aching with an otherworldly pain. I stared at the empty ceiling, the bulb hung up in the room seeming to mock me.

What was happening to me? I thought, wincing in pain as I struggled to sit up.

I didn't know what to do except wait for Derek. I shifted the bed covers, the hotness from my body making it warm.

I stared into the empty room, my gaze shifting to the corner where I had drawn my first painting. Everything started going wrong with me immediately after I stepped into this pack. I thought to myself flinging my sheets aside and stumbling out of bed, my legs falling apart from the pain. I staggered, grabbing the couch in the room to steady my breath.

Leaving this pack was the best thing for me, I told myself, trying to dull the pain.

I inhaled and exhaled sharply steadying my breath as I limped to the door. My whole body seared in pain.

I reached the door, turning the doorknob gently, and peeped to check if anyone was in the hallway.

The eerie silence was oppressive, as if the whole house was plotting against me. 

The usual light that was usually turned on to ensure guests, maids, or whoever was going down the hallway was dark didn't get lost was switched off.

The darkness made my spine tingle with fear as I swallowed hard, contemplating whether to go back to my room or continue my journey.

No, I wasn't going to back down now. I gripped the door handle tight, afraid it would slip out of my hands and dissolve into the darkness.

I stepped outside, firmly closing the door shut so I wouldn't make any noise.

I stepped on my toes, the pain making it even more painful. "Ouch," I whispered, holding my head.

My head was pounding as if someone had used a hammer to brandish my skull.

I fought the inner thoughts in my head, begging...begging me to wait for Derek instead of going down this dark hallway alone. No, this was what I had to do for myself, I grimaced, as a fresh wave of pain hit me.

I walked stealthily down the hallway, my eyes scanning the shadows for any sign of movement. 

The evening sunset pouring towards the end of the hallway, I breathed in a sigh of relief pressing my finger to my lips, thanking the moon goddess.

I walked out of the hallway towards the kitchen, knowing it was the quickest exit out of the packhouse.

"Hey, what are you doing here?" a voice rang out from the kitchen.

I bit my lips, my hands clammy and sweaty. I had forgotten all about the pain right now; I just hoped I wouldn't get caught.

"You're so slow," the voice slurred again.

I looked up to see the voices were coming from the kitchen. Another wave of pain hit me from my shoulder, and I let out a groan.

"What was that?" the voice spoke to the other.

"I don't know," the other replied.

The harsh voice barked orders at the calm one. "Well, what are you staring at me for? Go check it out!"

A maid came out of the kitchen, her eyes scouring the area for any clue. I hid beneath a drum of water, holding my breath.

"There's nothing here," she slowly said, walking back to the kitchen.

The harsher voice chastised her. "Of course, it obviously ran due to your sluggish movement."

The voice spoke in a low tone, barely enough for me to hear. "Here, take this to Ariel and make sure she eats it."

The maid stammered, "Whattttttt if she refuses?"

The voice spoke loudly, "Then be ready to tell that to the Alpha king. Now, be gone!"

Blood rushed to my head, my heart beating loudly. What did the Alpha king want with me again?

I remained hidden, watching as the maid scurried away, the mysterious food in hand. It wouldn't be long before he finds out that I was not on the room I had to get out of there, and fast. But where could I go? .