In Deep Slumber

"Is this the base?"

Val said when he saw the headquarters guarded by several hunters. He and Tritan's hearts couldn't be more restless. Since then, their minds have been screaming that Elyna is in danger.

Val glanced at Tritan, who was as angry as him. Behind them, a temporary alliance has been formed between the werewolves and vampires. Who has the same goal, to save Elyna and Eir.

Both of them didn't want to wait any longer. Guided by Tritan and the vampires who had been investigating the hunter's base for several days, they descended quickly and attacked like shadows in the dark of night. Fighting could no longer be avoided. Because the vampire race was weakened due to the sleep of their king, the werewolf race was tasked with protecting those who were guiding them.

"Keep going ahead!"

Tritan and Val led that army, and they didn't stop even if they left the battle for their subordinates behind them. Their anxiety could no longer be contained. Especially Val. He felt like he could lose control at any moment if he didn't find his mate soon.

BANG!

An explosion sounded, and for some reason, it seemed like the explosion had taken something from Val and Tritan. Both of them quickened their pace. When Val recognized the figure of the hunter who had taken Elyna at that time, he immediately charged to kill the man.

"Fuck-"

The hunter managed to dodge. But Val wouldn't repeat the same mistake twice. Just as the hunter avoided his bite, Val used his tail to slam the hunter's body hard.

BAM!

Val slammed the hunter to the floor with force. Before the man could stand up, Val immediately sat on him and ripped one of his arms brutally. The hunter didn't stay still being treated like that. He tried to fight back, but he couldn't move because his own shadow moved to hold him down.

The hunter's gaze shifted to Tritan. Tritan's red eyes flashed. Tritan wanted to kill him immediately if only he didn't have to find out where Elyna was.

"Where is Elyna?!"

"How should I know, Bastard? Argh!"

Blood splattered from the hunter's body as Val released his other hand. The hunter had been greatly weakened from trying to withstand Elyna's attacks. He would not be able to withstand fighting Val and Tritan at the same time.

"Fuck!"

"Where did you lock her up?!"

"Fuck! Who are you talking about?!"

The hunter did not recognize Val in his wolf form. Therefore, he changed back to his human form. His cold eyes pierced the hunter. Val swore that he would rip off the man's legs if he ever talked nonsense again after seeing him.

"Where are my mate and my little sister?"

Sure enough. As soon as the hunter saw the familiar face, he immediately burst out laughing. He finally realized something. His eyes glanced at Val and Tritan alternately. Without them needing to speak, the hunter could already guess the relationship between his research subjects and them.

"Ha. Fuck. I wish I could live longer to see what you guys would do to wake that monst- Fuck!"

Val actually let one of the hunter's legs go. The hunter knew his end was near. Therefore, instead of telling Val or Tritan where Elyna was, he spat in the face of Val, who was crouching closest to him.

"Fuck you-"

Tritan didn't let the man win by beheading him first. The kidnapper of Elyna and Eir was dead. But since the commotion had started to die down outside, they knew the base was completely theirs.

They just needed to search thoroughly. That way, they believed they would find Elyna and Eir sooner or later.

***

After some time, Val and Tritan who followed their feelings finally arrived at the basement that required the access card of the hunter they killed to enter. The all-white room greeted them as they entered. But that wasn't what caught their attention. The expressions of both of them changed when they saw the large cocoon hanging in that place.

"That's-"

Val didn't continue her sentence because he already knew who was inside the cocoon. His inner wolf screamed in anxiety, while Tritan looked like he wanted to cry. The shape of the cocoon was more familiar in Tritan's memory. Only the vampire nobles who are cornered can create that final defensive space.

"Elyna. Something must have cornered her, so she had to use her blood to create a space where no one could touch her anymore. Elyna is in there. We... were too late to pick her up."

"Is... she okay?"

Val secretly clenched his fists as he asked. His bond with Elyna had not been severed. Therefore, he believed that Elyna was still alive in there.

"She'll be fine. However, depending on the injuries Elyna received, she will continue to be there until her body is completely healed. She performed a last-ditch defense technique without anyone teaching her. Judging from the thickness of this cocoon... I think she's trying to protect something other than herself."

Tritan touched the cocoon. Tears welled up in his eyes when he managed to find out something through direct contact with the cocoon.

"She, she tried to protect the baby."

Val's expression also broke. Their baby. That meant Elyna had realized that she was pregnant with their baby.

"Then... what do we need to do after this?"

While Elyna was sleeping, the baby in her womb would continue to grow. They would die if Elyna didn't wake up by the time it was time to give birth. Not to mention, a baby with Val's blood had to get regular nutrition so that he could continue to live and develop in Elyna's womb.

Tritan took a seat near the cocoon after hearing Val's question. He placed his hand on the cocoon. He sighed. Twice. Twice, he failed to save his sister.

"We just need to stay here until Elyna realizes our presence. I will continue the ritual. If we are lucky, Elyna will wake up in a few days."

"But if you speed up the ritual-"

"It doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if I do it fast or slow. I have to do this to save my child and yours."

Val fell silent. He wished he could do something for his mate too.

"Your task will begin later, Val. But for now, you might as well start by giving Elyna enough pheromone intake. She and your child need it."

Val also sat near the cocoon. After Val took a deep breath, he finally began to channel his pheromones into the cocoon.