Chapter 173 - Blood
*SELENE's PoV*
It wasn't unusual that I had this sudden feeling of Dandeline being in trouble. I always made sure she had some portion of my blood running in her veins, so anytime something bad happens to her, I could heal her immediately. The moment I felt her excruciating pain, I did not care if I was inside Waterwoods; I had to turn into my wolf and heal her.
"Fang, I am heading out," I said as I looked at Fang, who was looking around to see if someone was approaching here. "Dandeline is patrolling the borders today, something is seriously wrong."
Fang nodded his head, "I read your mind. I think you should take Channing with you."
"He is drunk!" I telecommunicated with a troubled voice as I felt another pang from Dandeline and I set my heal inside her into motion. "I think there is an attack. Something is wrong at the borders. We must hurry." I started running when Fang turned beside me into his black wolf and we sped off to where Channing was.
We ran through the thicket towards where the bonfire was being held. I was running as if this was the last run of my life and just when I thought I could surpass my fastest speed, Fang effortlessly ran through the forest with outgrown roots.
How much experience one needed to have to be able to run this fast without Suzan's abilities.
The moment we reached the group of other Waterwoods, Fang was first to approach Bane, "where is Channing?" He was quick with his think and his actions where Bane pointed to a log where Channing was laughing, singing with some of the girls.
The moment Fang went to go and get Channing, I came running up ahead, knowing Channing would not be in the mindset to run right now. Bane's eyes turned to me and, seeing my wolf, a low set growl emerged in the back of his throat. It was preserved a threat if a werewolf from another village turned in other lands. The others from Waterwoods who had gather got on alert and everyone started to follow the Beta Bane as their eyes started to turn golden.
"Careful!" A sudden command filled the environment with Fang's telecommunication, "if even a scratch comes on Selene I will rip your heads off your body."
Bane was the only one who retaliated, "But Alpha, she is a wolf of Winterwells."
Fang's wolf turned away from Channing, standing tall and might, coming to the stand the same height as Bane. I had only heard of how the previous Alpha's used to be barbaric and Fang looked nothing less to an Alpha king right now with the way he snarled at Bane, "Get everyone back in the village, now!" It was enough to send a chill down everyone's spine and I would be lying if I said I was not intimidated by the black Alpha wolf in front of me right now. He showed what a true Alpha looked like.
I turned to Bane, who was now submissive in front of Fang, and started to get everyone moving from there. "Sorry," I worded to him when everyone else was gone and Bane was carrying Sakura, as the girl had almost passed out.
Bane looked at Fang, who was talking about something with Channing, and then looked at me. "Do you need a change of cloth?" came his passive voice.
I was surprised for a moment but I answered, "No, thank you."
Bane had his utter loyalty to Fang and, for the reasons that Fang protected me, Bane was ready to help me, who would rather be locked up here in Waterwoods for breaking the law. Before leaving, Bane made sure the fire was out so no smoke gave out the location where everyone was mingling a while back. I was quick to help Fang carry Channing on his back as the man was still not getting the gravity of this unknown situation in his intoxicated state of mind.
Luckily, I had not felt another pang of pain from Dandeline, which meant she was all healed and safe now. After the fact that she was hurt twice, I had nothing on what was going on there.
It could be the people from the castle or maybe some other threat.
But if Dandeline was hurt, it was surely something bad and maybe big enough that other patrolling wolves get caught in it, too. Because Dandeline was not like the rest of us and that is why it concerned me.
"I will go ahead," I said as I picked up the speed. Fang did not deny or resist on the statement because he was already carrying Channing, who was being goofy enough and doing stupid tricks as he sat on Fang's back. I let the men come later because I wanted to search for Dandeline first. As the Beta of Winterwells, I was aware of who was patrolling today and where. Dandeline was given a spot closest to where we had the bonfire because she was safest to keep the secret of me and Channing going to Waterwoods.
"Dandeline!" I tried to find her and telecommunicate to only her, but it seemed like she wasn't nearby. I quickly crossed through the No-man's-land over to Winterwells's border and I could not feel her anywhere close.
That was when I saw a shiny wolf and I immediately recognised it. It locked eyes with me and ran in northwards; I started to follow it immediately.
I prayed everything was fine and Dandeline was safe because this wolf could only lead me to her. It was her wolf, after all, but Dandeline was somewhere else and I tried to sniff out others in the air. As I ran further and further along the border of Winterwells border, the smell of blood became thick in the environment and my heart clenched with all the possibilities of what the event could have turned out. There was so much blood that I smelled, it felt like I would suffocate in it.
"Beta!" I heard Dandeline's voice. Luckily, even in this panicked state, she had not forgotten that she wasn't supposed to call me Princess.
I looked around as the shiny wolf disappeared and I saw Dandeline emerge from behind a tree, sprinting towards me. Her clothes were filled with blood and as I approached her closer, I saw the massacre that had taken place here. My breaths laboured as I saw the trail of dead bodies lined up beyond where my vision could reach.
"Beta, there was an assassin..." Dandeline couldn't even finish her statement as her throat felt parched. She must have run from a long distance here.
I did not care about the story I wanted to lead on the situation because every one of my close friends was here tonight. Suzan, Sam, Arina, Ellie, Donnie and Connie... Others were still unknown to me, but their lives mattered enough, "How many can I save?" I asked Dandeline in haste. It was not fair and not fair at all that the few people I had got so close to had to face this.
This was the worst I could ask of and my breaths were already hyperventilating.
Dandeline had her head held low and her voice in a whisper, "Madam, only a few a counting their last breaths... others all... "
This can't be! This possibly can't be. My heart churned in my chest and my body started to feel cold. This was not a fair deal, and I did not want this. The thought of losing any one of my friends was excruciating to me.
"Where is Suzan?" I could not think of anything anymore. If I had to, I would try to bring them back from the dead with my abilities, but having them dead was not done for me.
Dandeline extended her hand and lead me through the path, where we passed two dead wolves and then a man who was laboured in his breathing.
The man was heavily clothed and face fully drenched in blood. "Wait! Let's save him first," I said to Dandeline, and she did not say anything. She knew what was to be done. Bring the knife out of her dress's pocket, Dandeline cut out near the wrist of my foreleg. I raised my foreleg and Dandeline made sure my blood sufficiently feel in the man's mouth. I had never healed anyone from their dying breath, but looking at Dandeline's bloodied and yet healed self, I was confident.
I turned on my abilities, and it took me some time. The injuries were heavy and deep, so it was taking more than the required time to heal. Within the next minute, the man was healed and along with him, my cut near the wrist also healed.
It was how my abilities worked. If I started healing everyone who had my blood in them heals along with me.
"Are you okay?" Dandeline asked him as she helped the man sit up. He had nothing to worry about, as he was already safe. The man nodded, and that was when I realised it was Benjamin who was shocked at how did he heal this quick. "Look here," Dandeline called him and placed her hand over his head, "forget about it and go to sleep."
Benjamin looked at Dandeline in a trance for a moment while I was losing my patience here and then his eyes slowly closed as he went to sleep.. "Hurry, we need to find everyone!" I said as I hurried past more dead bodies and it was already getting me anxious about Suzan and others.