He's Alive

Ulo's Pov

Listening to Blaire tell us about how Indrik had been poisoned by his maid, my fists clenched as I bubbled with murderous intent. I had never liked that girl and now, she had just crossed the line by threatening the life of my friend. Listening to Jamil trying to defend her only served to increase my anger till I was practically steaming at the nose.

Before I could bring myself to speak, thunder suddenly rumbled and rain started to fall. I would have been amazed if I wasn't so furious because we hadn't had rain in a while. As it continued to rain though, I started to notice something. The rain wasn't normal by any standard. Each drop that landed on my head, on my shoulders, on my feet, felt as hard as a stone although it didn't hurt. Stretching out my arm, I caught a drop in my hand and examined it in the moonlight. Like I had suspected, it wasn't a raindrop, instead, the tiny things that fell from the sky were more like pellets, diamond sized pellets. I would have dismissed them as ice if they weren't so red. The thing I held was so red it could have passed for blood. I raised it to take a closer look but it dissolved without a trace. I frowned as I reached out to collect another but the rain had stopped as suddenly as it had started. Peering at the ground revealed the rest to have vanished. Even worse, the ground was dry. Nothing like a ground should look like after several rain pellets had dissolved on it. It was like they had all dissolved into thin air.

I turned toward my friends who met my eyes with an expression that was just as confused. I shook my head as a feeling of dread started to creep up my spine. Something told me that we had just witnessed an omen and although I would prefer it to not be true but I knew without doubt that it foretold anything but good.

I was distracted from my thoughts by approaching feet. I turned toward the area from which the sound had come and sure enough, a figure burst out, pulling to a stop before us as he tried to catch his breath.

"What is the matter?" I asked gruffly, not happy about the interruption.

Blaire caught on more quickly as she stepped forward. "Indrik." She gasped, her hands moving anywhere and everywhere in her nervousness. "Is he okay?" She asked. I cursed under my breath, ashamed to realize that I had forgotten about my fatally ill friend.

"He is okay. Elder Matthew said to inform you that he had to transfer some of his energy to him in order to save him."

My head snapped up as I tried to understand what that meant but again, Blaire was faster in realizing what had happened.

"Does that mean," her voice was faint as though she was afraid saying it out loud would jinx it, "his wolf has been unlocked?"

"Yes!" The messenger replied simply.

My head spun as I tried to process what the messenger had just said. Indrik had had his wolf unlocked? The concept sounded so foreign that for a moment, I didn't know what to make of it.

"He said I should let you know so you could pass the message across to the Elders so they would stop worrying." The messenger continued when he noticed that I was no longer listening. That worked as I raised my head and nodded. Sure! My friend from day one had suddenly achieved his life long dream which also means that a lot of things are going to change but I would have to worry about all of that later. For now, I had the task of informing everyone so they would stop worrying.

"I will be back." I informed the others as I made my way to the palace.

As expected, the Zeta and Gamma who had been pacing in the throne room while discussing in hushed tones had been relieved to hear about what had happened although I did not miss the looks of worry that temporarily flashed across their features before they concealed it with smiles. On asking about my father, I was informed that he was in the dungeon with the maid. I grimaced at the mention of the maid but made my way there nonetheless.

As I walked deeper into the depths of the palace, I couldn't help feeling a little nervous as cold drafts attacked me, almost like the angry spirits that had died here were reminding me that I was not welcome. Luckily, I was not planning to stay that long.

I was still a few feet away from the torture room when I heard the girl's squeal of pain, then, "he is going to die." I clenched my fists as I wished I could rush in and rip her tongue out. Instead, I calmly knocked on the door as I walked in.

My father turned toward me, a look that bordered between hope and fear on his face. I arched my brows in surprise. I had almost never known my dad to show his emotions. Seeing me standing there, he knew I was bearing news. The kind was what he did not know. "Speak!" He ordered, his eyes fixed on the girl whose head was bowed.

"Indrik is okay." I informed.

My father's head turned so fast, I was afraid he would get a whiplash. Hope burned in his eyes but it was quickly replaced by worry. "He found the cure?"

"No, Beta. The doctor transferred some of his energy to save him."

My father bowed his head for a moment. When he raised it again, he looked crestfallen. Another look that I had never seen before. "We should leave." He whispered as he started to advance. "Keep an eye on her."

"He is alive." Luna gasped as we made our way out and I could have sworn I heard a smile in her voice. Strange!