THE STARE

CHAPTER SEVEN 

DORIAN'S POV 

We all stared at the doctor. We all waited for him to say something but he continued to look at us with that terrified look on his face. I could tell that something was not right and it terrified me greatly.

 I have never felt fear like this before and that does not even make sense because I don't even care about Rhea. Before today she was just Lyra's slave, before today there was nothing interesting to know about her except the fact that she was abandoned by her parents. She was nobody significant, she was just the girl that Lyra had picked up from the street. A sad lowly creature that the kind Lyra had given s second chance.

I raked my fingers through my hair in frustration.

“Well? Are you going to keep standing there or are you going to actually talk!” I yelled at the doctor without meaning to. I'm usually known as the kind, cheerful, approachable brother and now I don't think I am upholding those characteristics well. 

“Uhm…” he stuttered with his head bowed low.

“Your highnesses, I'm sorry but I don't think your mate will survive this, she is just too weak and injured,” the doctor said. There was a loud thud coming from the space next to me. I turned to see that Lucian had slammed his fist against the wall, his fist had left a big indent on the wall. I was shocked my Lucian's action since he is usually detached. Lucian always has his face fixed in a perpetual blank stare, he never shows emotions and now he is punching the wall?

“Now listen to me you little thwart, make sure she survives or else!” Lucian growled in his Alpha voice. His eyes shone golden, his hand held on to the doctor's coat roughly.

“Lucian,” Cassian said staring at my brother with a warning look on his face. Lucian finally let go of the doctor and walked away only to return only a few seconds later.

“What do we do? How do we save her?” Lucian asked. His voice and demeanor was a bit more composed than it had been before although the slight redness of his eyes still suggested his anger.

“Th…there is nothing more we can do for her at this hospital. I'm really sorry your highnesses. I…I really wish I could help,” the doctor said in a hysterical manner. He was still shaken from Lucian's outburst.

He cleared his throat as if to regain his composure.

“There is nothing modern medicine can do for your mate. Only the old religion can save her,” The doctor said. The last part was spoken in a whisper. It was the part that gained the most reaction from my brothers and I.

I looked from Lucian to Cassian, the look on their faces suggested that they were considering what the doctor had just said. The look on their faces suggested that they were considering consulting the old religion.

“No no no. Don't even think about it!” I yelled at Lucian. He is the oldest, the smartest in most cases so he should know better. Consulting the old religion will… consulting the old religion is the worse idea ever.

“We have to save her. She is my…our mate,” Lucian said looking away from me. Are you fucking kidding me! He is supposed to be the most practical and even he is willing to make this terrible mistake?

“Father will disown us! No not even that, he will kill us!” I yelled but it felt like I was speaking to walls. They looked like they had already made up their minds.

“You both can do whatever you want but I'm not joining in,” I said defiantly.

“Fine Dorian, do whatever you want,” Cassian said with an irritated look on his face. Him and Lucian walked into the hospital ward with the doctor. 

I wanted to walk away from the hospital, I wanted to not care but somehow I could not keep my mind at peace.

“Argh! Why do I care so much what happens to her! Why can't I just not care?!” I said to myself.

That is because she is our mate. She completes us, please save her. I heard something say from within me. 

What the hell! 

Who…what is that?

Save her Dorian, she is our mate. 

The voice said again, I looked around, there was no one around. What the fuck!

Who is that? Who are you? I asked out loud and immediately felt stupid.

I am Imra, your wolf. The voice said and it all clicked. Of course, it's my wolf speaking to me, I am so stupid, I should have known. After the bond linkage, a werewolf wolf becomes present. I would have probably guessed that more easily if I had actually listened during ethology classes. 

Save Rhea. Save her. 

Imra said and continued to say like it was a chant or a mantra. My head was starting to ache from the noise.

Fine! I yelled. I'll save her.

“Guys wait up!” I said when I spotted Lucian and Cassian headed for the parking lot with Rhea in Lucian's arms.

**

We all looked straight ahead at the priestess’ shrine. It looked terrifying, like something straight out of a horror movie. It looked like a place that has been abandoned for at least a century. It looked like the sort of place that ghost most likely live in.

I swallowed hard. The fear permeated my body. I tried to get over the fear. Unfortunately, fear just like anxiety makes me ramble …a lot.

“Just to be clear, no one is telling dad,” I said, trying to ease up the tension in the car.

 They did not reply, Cassian just held on to the staring wheel with his eyes glued to the entrance gate of the shrine. Lucian held Rhea more closely but like Cassian he was also starting at the gate.

“So? No telling dad?” I tried again. Cassian rolled his eyes in irritation, Lucian looked like he was going to punch me if I said anything else.

“But what if we call dad? I mean he will understand right?” I said.

“We will tell him that we had to do this for out mate. I mean he might understand that, he might not actually kill us for consulting the old religion. He might actually understand right?” I rambled on.

“Dorian shut up!” They both yelled in unison. Yikes.

“Okay but that was a valid question so…” I said and quickly shut up when I saw the looks on their faces. I had to save my life by shutting up.

“Dad is so going to kill us,” I said under my breath. I could almost see his face… his angry face. He is going to kill us! Why do we even have to do this? Why did I have to be linked to Rhea! I was there living my life peacefully then suddenly that annoying moon goddess decided to stress me by making that Rhea my mate. Argh!

“We might not come out of here alive,” Cassian said abruptly in his quiet stern voice. 

Wait what?

“A lot of people come looking for miracles at Aurie's shrine but only a handful make it out  alive,” Cassian said, he looked from Lucian to me. Lucian had this determined look on his face like he did not mind laying down his life. He had the same look he usually has when he goes for war against a rival pack. That fearless look. The look on Cassian's face mirrored that of Lucian's. They both turned to look at me.

“Are you prepared to lay down your life for our mate,” Lucian asked me. Cassian stared at me.

“Uh…” I stared at the gate.