When I heard that Rhydian was back in the castle, I was beyond excited. I took the time to clean my skin, getting rid of Caydens scent that I was certain still lingered on it. I had my hair perfectly styled and took way too long deciding what to wear.

I had never put this much attention in my appearance. Rhydian did that to me. He made me self conscious about my appearance but not in a desperate 'I want to look good for him' kind of way but in a slightly less desperate 'I want to look good for him' way ...which I think is a good thing.

It was a struggle to hide my excitement as I made my way to the meeting room where he was waiting for his chiefs. I knew they would be coming by soon but I was too excited to wait. I had no clue what I would say to him but I would figure it out then.

I entered the meeting room. It was very windy because of the lack of an entire wall. Rhydian sat with his back to me. He had some documents in his hand that he was going through.

I stood right behind him but he didn't even acknowledge my presence. He should have heard me come in and also caught my scent.

" Rhydian?" I peered out from behind him and planted a kiss on cheek. He turned slowly to face me, his face expressionless, his eyes ...blank. I felt a tingle of panic resonate through me at the lack of emotion in his eyes.

I moved to seat on the long table and forced a smile on my face but I knew something was wrong.

" Why didn't you tell me you came back from the border? I missed you." I said quietly.

He gave me an unreadable glance and went back to staring broodingly at the documents in his hands. I bit my lip to keep from sighing out in frustration. He could be so ... annoying at times.

" Do you want me to leave?" I asked letting my hurt show in my low tone and he cracked with a deep sigh. He pulled me into his arms with his left arm, until I was straddling him in the chair and played with the ends of my hair, twirling the strands in his fingers but he didn't say a word.

I waited, doing my best to be patient but after a few seconds passed with him remaining in this brooding state, I asked

" Is something wrong, Rhydian? Are you still upset about the attack?"

He shook his head slowly and I realized all his movements were slow. He always moved quickly and with a purpose but now ... something was off about him but I couldn't place my finger on what it was. His eyes did have bags underneath them but that was just because he wasn't getting much sleep. He was also squeezing his right palm, like he was stressed.

" You're not sleeping well." I commented placing my palm on his cheek. His skin was hot. It was always noticeably warm. Warmer than most but now it was really hot. He must be really stressed.

He suddenly looked at me, arresting my eyes and said in a quiet tone,

" I won't share you, Devenity."

My brows wrinkled up in confusion as I regarded him. I wracked my brain, trying to understand his sudden statement but I couldn't.

Before I could say a word though, the doors were thrown up. My first thought was that the Alpha chiefs had arrived but thankfully it was Carrison. He rushed in ...looking like an entire vampire army were on his tail.

" There's an emergency Rhydian.' He said without even sparing me a glance.

Rhydian turned to face him, looking even more tired at the prospect of more things to do.

" What is it?" He asked and I froze when my eyes fell on his mouth.

" We found the body of a dead Omega here in the castle." Carrison said.

" And?" Rhydian asked looking irritated. I could understand why. A dead Omega was a sad thing, yes but not urgent or an emergency like Carrison said.

I snapped my attention back to Rhydian's mouth. His tongue ...his tongue was turning a black?

" The manner of her death ...we think there's a disease in the castle."

〰️〰️〰️

The body of the dead omega was a gory sight. She had been a young woman, but now, all that was left of her was a swollen blackened body with still boiling blisters and wounds.

I peered into the room from the door. Rhydian wouldn't let me in, worried that it was communicable. Moon witches had immune systems only slightly stronger than that of humans. The only people in the room were Rhydian, the Dowager Luna, Carrison and the royal healer.

I was immensely worried. Werewolves don't fall sick or succumb to diseases. Their immune system was highly superior. The dead omega should have been able to fight it better.

" When did she start showing signs of the sickness?" The healer asked from inside the room and a handmaid who'd worked with the dead Omega answered.

" The night ...after the attack." The girl said timidly. She had slept beside the dead girl but was perfectly fine. Her temperature had been taken and was normal for a Werewolf meaning that the disease was probably not communicable but still, Rhydian didn't let me into the room.

" First the attack, now this ...disease that can kill werewolves?" The Dowager Luna shook her head. " This is clearly a threat to your rule from the East ... Rhydian!" She snapped. " Don't get too close to the body."

Rhydian ignored her and knelt beside the dead girl. He took her right hand and inspected it. From where I stood, I could see her palm. It had a black stripe across it that was covered in wriggling maggots. This was the only part of her body that had already begun to decay.

It made me think of why just that part was already in such a state of decay.

There was no disease strong enough to kill a werewolf. The only thing strong enough to weaken them was the wolfsbane plant extract but the effects of the plant would be very different from from what we were seeing.

Rhydian got up, his right hand still folded in a tight fist.

" What do you think?" He asked the healer.

" I suspect poison." He said and everyone in the room gasped in shock. " Poison mixed with wolfsbane. On its own, the poison won't work on a werewolf but mixed with wolfsbane, the extract can weaken the immune system enough for the poison to take effect."

" What are you saying?" The Dowager Luna queried, sounding alarmed. " Do you know what you're insinuating? How can you be sure it's poison?

The healer took a spoon and used it to open up her mouth. I gasped at the sight of her tongue. It was swollen and black. I felt panic beginning to rise as I glanced at Rhydian. His tongue was beginning to blacken.

" Wolfsbane doesn't do that to a werewolf. All it does is to weaken and bruise. All these that you see on her is the work of a poison. I can't identify it yet but I believe her hand was the point of contact."

" It wasn't oral?" The Dowager Luna asked.

The healer shook his head.

" No. My guess is that skin contact is enough for this kind of poison. That stripe on her hand was the point of contact. The concentration of the poison is there. That's why it's in such a state of decay."

All was quiet for a while as they waited for Rhydian to speak.

" I dont buy the idea of poison." He said slowly. " I want to know everything about whatever this is as soon as you figure it out." He instructed the healer and exited the room closely followed by the others. " I want no word of this leaving this room." He instructed and everyone nodded.

He took my elbow roughly and pulled me along. I noted that he still kept his right hand in a tight fist. He didn't stop walking till we were in a quiet corridor.

" Are you alright, Rhydian?" I asked worriedly. He had a sheen of sweat on his forehead and I realized I'd never seen him sweat before, not even when he'd been running with me on his back for hours.

I placed the back of my hand on his forehead and my eyes widened in surprise. He always exuded the usual werewolf heat but now his temperature was much higher. " Good goddess Rhydian, you're burning up!" I exclaimed.

" I'm fine, Devenity." He said, leaning against the wall and pulling me against him, tucking my hair behind my ear. He still used his left hand and I froze in realization.

" Rhydian ...let me see your hand." I said taking his right hand. He pulled it away, straightening up.

" Come on, I'll take you to your room, Deven." He said, not meeting my eyes.

" Rhydian!" I exclaimed not backing down. I held on tight to his right hand and after scowling at me for a few seconds, he relented.

My jaw dropped at the blistering black stripe across his palm. Whatever this was, poison or a disease, he had it. I remembered the body of the Omega and my heart threatened to fail me.

" Oh no." I groaned out, worry taking over me. " Why are you hiding this?" I queried.

" Because it's nothing to worry about." He said with a nonchalant shrug.

For a few seconds, I blinked at him, my annoyance growing. Nothing to worry about?

" Did you not see the dead Omega?" I almost screamed at him.

" Omega, Deven." He said calmly. " I'm not an Omega. I'm an Alpha. My Alpha blood is completely pure. I won't succumb to any disease or poison so don't worry yourself."

" But you're already showing signs it." I countered.

" You don't know that Deven. You don't know anything about this. I've just had a rough few days. I'll be fine in a couple of hours." He promised giving me a smile but it didn't reach his eyes.

" Maybe we should tell someone." I suggested quietly.

" For fuck sake Deven, there's nothing to tell. I'll be fine. There's no point upsetting the palace anymore than it already is. There's a lot going on already." He said and I nodded, reluctantly. He was right. His Alpha blood was going to keep him strong and so there was no point making a fuss but I couldn't help but be worried.

" I need to leave the castle." He informed and kissed my forehead. " I'll be back in a couple of days. If you need anything, Carrison is around. Go to him." He said looking at me worriedly.

Two days without him? I groaned inwardly but nodded and let go of his hand.

" We'll all be leaving for the Boulder district along with you." The Dowager Luna informed joining us along with Carrison. " We need to find a way to fix that barrier once and for all."

" Mother -" Rhydian began but she continued.

" I've already spoken to the moon people and they have all agreed to join us at the red forest."

Rhydian sighed and leaned on the wall, tiredly. The fact that he was actually showing his weakness worried me greatly but I kept my mouth shut.

He'll be fine.

" You know about the red forest, Deven?" He asked and I nodded.

Rhydian nodded, still leaning on the wall. I know he told me he was alright but I couldn't help but be immensely worried. He said his Alpha blood would heal him but so far, it hadn't done anything. He was succumbing to the poison ...he needed medical attention.

I made up my mind and turned to the Dowager Luna.

Before I could talk, Rhydian suddenly snapped his eyes towards me. He must have heard my decision.

" Deven," He warned but I ignored him.

" Your majesty?" I said to the Dowager Luna. " Rhydian, he's showing signs of the poison." I said.

Rhydian swore making me cringe. I didn't dare look at him. I kept my terrified eyes on the Queen mother. Her eyes mirrored mine but they were not on me. They were on her son.

" That's not possible." She said, her voice suddenly small. " Your blood is pure from a line of Alphas. You can't fall sick or succumb to poison." She cleared the worry from her eyes, remembering the healing qualities of their blood and turned angrily to me. " What nonsense are you spewing, Devenity?"

" His hand -" I began.

" For fuck sake Deven don't you ever listen?" Rhydian snapped at me.

I ignored him.

" It has that black stripe on it, like on the Omega. And his tongue, it's blackening ...like the Omega's. He's tired. Look, he can't even stand properly. Rhydian carried me on his back for hours and he didn't even break a sweat but now ...he can't even stand."

I was almost crying out of worry. It hit me so suddenly. The last time I was this worried was when it came to my mother. It was at this moment I knew without a doubt in my heart that I loved Rhydian. With every inch of my soul. I didn't want him to get hurt or feel tired. I didn't want him to ...die.

" She's right." Carrison said quietly, his eyes on his Alpha.

Rhydian swore once again and pushed himself off the wall.

" I feel fine!" He thundered but that was his undoing. His knees buckled and he used the wall to keep himself upright, breathing hard.

Carrison moved quickly and took hold of his Alpha. My eyes widened at the sight of the blood suddenly running from his nose.

Rhydian touched his nose and then looked at his bloodied fingers with shock in his eyes. The Dowager Luna remained frozen, staring at her son with fear in her eyes.

Rhydian shook his head, moving his fingers from his sight.

" I'm fine." He muttered repeatedly, like he was trying to convince himself of it.

" Let's get him to his room." I said to Carrison. Someone needed to take charge of this situation. The three of them were too stunned to function. It wouldn't do for anyone to see the Alpha bleeding. Knowing the way servants talk, it would be all over Aradia within the hour.

Carrison helped Rhydian to his room and we followed. I held on to the Dowager Luna to keep her walking. She was in shock it seemed.

It was a long walk to Rhydian's room because we were moving slowly.

" We need a healer." I said taking Rhydian from Carrison. I helped him to his bed and he sat down. His hands were shaking ...his whole body was shaking and the fact that he wasn't trying to convince us that he was fine worried me greatly. I would prefer it if he was talking. It would mean he still had the strength to talk.

" I know you'll be discreet." I said to Carrison as he left. No one could know about this. It could lead to a full on coup if the power loving Alpha chiefs so much as suspected their Alpha wasn't at full strength. Rhydian could lose his throne. Aradia could turn into a waring country overnight.

I agreed with the Dowager Luna. This was all staged. Someone was doing this.

I turned to the Dowager Luna. She was still standing where I left her. She was definitely in shock. I sat her down in a chair and rang for a servant.

The girl came in and her eyes widened as she took in the scene.

" Go down to the kitchen and get the cooks to make some chamomile tea, immediately. I also want a bowl of water boiled and brought up with a towel." I said to her and with a nod, she turned to leave.

" Oh and keep this in mind," I said stopping her. " Not a word of what you've seen must leave this room." I said, calmly but sternly. " If I do hear a peep, trust me, I'll remember your face and I'll make sure you regret it." I assured her.

" I won't say a word, my lady." She said with a shaky voice and hurried out of the room.

" My son..." I heard the Dowager Luna whisper. She was still seated on the chair, her eyes blank. I took a blanket and put it around her.

I heard Rhydian groan and rushed to him. He had fallen over on his side, still shaking violently and was beginning to foam at the mouth.

I screamed when I saw him, collapsing beside him with no idea what to do. This shouldn't be happening. His Alpha blood was pure. It should be able to fight this, whatever it was ...unless something was tainting his blood.

The healer must be right. Wolfsbane mixed with poison. In other words he had wolfsbane in his blood, tainting it, making it weak and unable to heal him.

Blood ...he needed more blood, I realized. Strong and pure werewolf blood. The closest person was the Dowager Luna.

I rushed to her and pulled her to her feet. She had aged in a matter of minutes, worried about her only child. I felt bad for her. She has lost her husband and now she was scared for the life of her son.

I sat her on the bed and tapped her face severally.

" Your majesty ...your majesty!" I began, glancing worriedly at Rhydian. He was still foaming at the mouth but the Dowager Luna remained unresponsive from the shock. I lost my patience with her and shook her shoulders. " For fuck sake, Mryna your son needs you!" I screamed at her and she came to, her eyes widening.

She glanced at Rhydian and I was worried she would go into shock again but she pulled through.

" Oh my ...we need a healer." She says, wringing her hand in worry.

" First, he needs your blood." I said to her.

Her eyes widened in understanding and her fangs came out as she brought her wrist to her mouth, tearing a gash in it. I helped Rhydian up and she positioned her wrist against his lips so the blood pulsing out would get into his mouth.

For a few seconds, Rhydian resisted the blood, thrashing his head from side to side but soon, he grabbed her hand, sucking eagerly on the gash.

I rubbed his back as he took in his mother's blood. After a few seconds, the door was thrown open. Carrison and the healer rushed in.

" Keep giving him blood." The healer instructed, setting his bag on a table and rummaging through it.

" Will it be enough to heal him?" He Dowager Luna asked, hopefully.

" No. It won't. I suspect he has an obscenly large amount of wolfsbane extract in his blood. Your blood will strengthen him for a while but it will be overrun by the wolfsbane soon enough."

The Dowager Luna shook his head.

" That makes no sense. I've seen the effects of wolfsbane on werewolves before. It doesn't make them foam, or blackens the tongue."

" That's the poison working with the help of a large amount of wolfsbane." The healer said sounding slightly irritated. He had said this before. " That's why the Omega died so quickly but the Alpha is still alive. He's more resistant. A large amount will eventually weaken his immune system enough for the poison to work. He won't be able to fight it."

Rhydian coughed and then pulled away from his mother.

" No, take some more." She urged but he waved her off.

" I'm fine." He said and I glared at him from behind. He was so stubborn.

" For now but soon, you'll be just as sick. One thing about wolfsbane is that it takes a long time to leave the system. If you don't have fresh blood in you regularly, you'll be weakened enough for the poison to work." The healer said.

" What do we do then?" I asked.

" We need to find a cure to this poison whatever it is." Carrison said.

" We don't need a cure." The healer said and we all looked at him like he was insane.

" We just need more pure blood." He continued. " Enough to keep him strong until after the wolfsbane has left his system. When his blood is fully pure, his body will be able to fight the poison. The poison isn't the problem. The wolfsbane is." He explained.

I realized he was right. The poison would only become a problem if the wolfsbane remained in his system without anything keeping him strong.

" Alright then, I'll provide him with blood." The Dowager Luna said.

" You can't do it alone." The healer warned. " He'll need a lot." He glanced at Carrison. " The Alpha's beta will have to chip in."

Carrison nodded eagerly.