Sydney's pov........
I've been in this house for days now and everyone have been treating me nicely including the servants well everyone except Jude and Axel. Jude did not treat me like he liked me but he didn't treat me like he hated me either just neutral while Axel simply despised me but the more he pushed me away,the more I wanted to be with him. Sue,Sia,Julia and Alia told me to make sure he fell for me and believe me I've tried but it isn't working.
It was late in the night when I decided to get a coffee downstairs but then I sighted Jude sitting on the stairs,I saw this as a great opportunity for me to have a discussion with him so I sat beside him. He glanced at me but looked away almost immediately "what are you doing here?" He asked coldly
"Well I came down to get some coffee how about you couldn't sleep?"
"Yeah". He replied casually. There was a long silence between us before I sighed " why do you hate me so much Jude?"
He shook his head "I don't hate you Sydney"
"Well you and Axel treat me differently from the others like you despise me"
He brought out a pen from his pocket and began playing with it "Silvar was my sister,my elder sister and the only family I had left"
I did not know exactly what to say and I was about to say something relevant to him but then he continued talking"every time I look at you,I see the man that killed my sister so don't blame me if I behave coldly towards you"
"Am sorry"
He looked at me then he looked away and bit his lips "sorry doesn't cut it Sydney,its not your fault okay I just find it hard to trust anyone"
I nodded "but my dad killed your sister and I totally understand why you don't trust me,you don't wanna lose anyone again"
"If anything happens to any of them........ His hands suddenly started shaking
" are you okay?"
He quickly put his hands into his pocket and stood up "I...I have....I have to....I have to go now" his lips were trembling
I stood up "are you sure you are okay,do you need some coffee"
"No am fine" And he suddenly collapsed down the stairs till he was on the floor and he started hypernating but his eyes were still open. I rushed to his side afraid to touch him in case touching him could make him get hurt "I'll go get help Jude just hang on okay" I have never seen such a thing happen to someone in my entire life and i wouldn't lie to you,I was kinda freaked out. I thought about going to tell Axel but he might not answer me or believe me so I rushed to Hunter's room and by when i knocked the third time,he opened the door and he raised his brows when he saw me "Sydney is everything okay?"
"Ju...Jude....." I said almost breathless
"What happened to Jude?" Alia asked coming to stand beside Hunter,she was only wearing a robe
"We were talking but then his hands standing shaking, he got up saying he was going upstairs but suddenly he collapsed and started hypernating"
Hunter expression's suddenly turned into one of the great worry "oh no"
"I'll go get the others" Alia said as myself and Hunter rushed downstairs.
"Jude" Hunter said as he knelt beside him "Jude hold on,you're gonna be alright,just stay with us" he croaked rubbing Jude's palm and I helped by rubbing his legs but it wasn't helping,Jude was still shaking and jerking. Suddenly the others rushed downstairs and Axel pushed me out of the way,he took Jude in his hands and placed him on the couch. Alia sat beside him and worked magic on him,suddenly he stopped jerking "am sorry" he whispered to Axel who was holding his hands before he closed his eyes
Alia sighed "his okay now just tired"
Axel disentangled himself from Jude and glared at me "what did you do to him?"
"I didn't do anything"
"Of course you didn't,he only have panic attacks when someone talks about Silvar or any of us getting hurt"
I slumped on the couch and put my hands over my face "it's my fault,am so sorry"
Axel pointed his fingers at me "if anything should happen to him,I will make you regret the day you were born"
Hunter put his hands on his shoulder "this is not the time to push blame on anyone Axel"
Axel nodded then carried Jude in his hands and left,Hunter and Mark following closely behind. Sia came and sat beside me "it's not your fault Sydney"
I shook my head "it's my fault"
Sue shook her head "no it isn't, how could you have known he usually have panic attacks"
I swirled my hands through my hair "please tell me his gonna be alright and out of harms way"
Julia nodded "his gonna be alright Sydney"
AXEL'S POV..........
I entered Jude's room to see how he was faring after last night's attack,that Sydney had to leave this house. I sat beside him and then he opened his eyes and smiled at me
"How are you feeling?"
"Better at least am not dead". He sat up on the bed
I cleaned my eyes " you know when I saw you in that condition,I was so scared"
"Yeah Alia told me I was almost gone?"
"Did she tell you if she has found a solution for the panic attacks yet"
"Nah!but she said she is still working on it"
"I can't bear to lose you too Jude not after Silvar.....
" am not gonna die yet Axel,I still have a lot of the things to do in this life"
I smiled and he suddenly held my hands "don't let her go"
I raised my brows confused "don't let who go?"
"Sydney"
I rolled my eyes "Ohh Jude not you too,I thought you hated her"
He removed his hands from mine "at first I couldn't see what the others saw in her because all I saw when I look into her eyes was the person that killed my sister but yesterday I saw everything she is the one"
"Jude......
" I agree her father is responsible for Silvar's death but if every child gets blamed for his or her parent's mistake then almost no child would be innocent including you Axel"
"Jude.........
" am not saying you should love her Axel,all am saying is that you should give her a chance everyone deserves one"
"Jude.......
" if Silvar was still alive then she would have wanted this too,she would know that it is right thing to do"
Jude sure do know how to change one's mindset. If I did not agree with him then he was not going to let me rest over this matter.
I sighed "okay then one chance and if she does any nonsense,I will throw her out of this house"
"Fine by me" He turned to face the door "you heard him guys,Sydney you have been given a chance so you guys can come out now"
Ohh!so they were all eavesdropping in our conversation,everyone entered the room including Sydney and she smiled cheerfully "thank you". I immediately wanted to tell her to keep her sorry to herself and I really wanted to take back my words of giving her a second chance but then Jude hit me on my shoulder as a signal and warning not to mess up and i got up "it's only one chance so don't be so happy about it cause I know it won't last" and I left.
Sydney's pov..........
Axel had given me one chance,and I've made good use of it. For the past two weeks,we have been on good terms I think cause although he has not yet allowed me into his life but he has not me he despises me either. I missed my dad and I really wanted to know what happened to him that day i got kidnapped so I decided to go discuss with the one person I know I could discuss such matters with and yet i wont be really nervous about it......Hunter. He was in his office when i finally saw him and the door was opened down so I just entered only to see him lost in typing on his laptop
"Am I maybe disturbing you?"I asked
He closed his laptop and stared at me putting his hands on his chin "no not really,come sit" and I sat on the chair that was opposite to his "sorry for not knocking,the door was open down so I thought I should come in which was very wrong of me"
"Its okay am not annoyed about it,so what brings you here?"
"I wanted to discuss something with you"
He frowned "is it about Axel,is he troubling you?"
I shook my head "no not at all"
"Okay then am listening"
I took a deep breath"Well before I lost consciousness and got kidnapped,I saw my dad been wolf handed and I just wanted to know if he is dead"
He looked at me blankly "no he is not dead"
"Okay then are you guys keeping him as a hostage somewhere,if you are then can I please speak with him"
"There is nothing to be scared of Sydney, your dad is at home"
"Home?what exactly do you mean"
"Yeah that day we attacked your clan,we didn't actually come there for your father,we came there for you"
"Now you are getting me all confused Hunter,I don't understand what you are talking about"
"Well you see,nothing matters more to a father than his children so we thought kidnapping you and telling your father you were dead was going to shatter him,a punishment worse than death itself"
I stood up abruptly "no..no...no"
Hunter raised his eyebrows "what happened,why do you look so terrified?"
"Because yes my dad will be shattered but he would definitely declare war to take revenge on the people that killed his beloved daughter"
Hunter grinned "okay then we would fight back"
I sighed "no way,I don't want you guys or my family getting hurt,I care about you guys too much"
Mark suddenly rushed inside breathing heavily like he was almost out of breath "Hunter,Axel has sent for you"
Hunter stood up "why is something wrong Mark?"
"I cant explain it so it would be better if you saw yourself"
We got to the bar,and what I saw sent cold through my spines, on the floor sprawled a lot of dead bodies,Axel and Jude where busy checking for any survivers
"Are they any?" Hunter asked
Jude shook his head "no they aren't"
"Do you know what caused this Alia?"Axel asked
Alia took an empty glass from a table and perceived it "every dead person here was given a large quantity of wolfsbane"
Wolfsbane is one thing that could kill a werewolf,it was both fatal and dangerous for them just like garlic was for us vampires.
"I came to this bar yesterday" Hunter said looking around the bar
Julia's eyes widened "did you drink anything from here?"
"Yeah I think I took one shot"
"We need to get you tested" Axel quickly stated
"So did you guys go around to ask the people in the community about this incident and did they have an idea of who or what did this?" Hunter asked obviously changing the topic
Sia shook her head ",no one knows anything,not a single clue"
"It could be shape shifters" Sue suggested
"Or wendigos they have something against this community after all" Jude shrugged
"It can't be wendigos because then they wouldn't have attacked only werewolves and they would probably eaten them not poison them" Mark explained
"It could have been vampires" Axel suddenly stated facing me
I shook my head "it can't be vampires,we have never been in possession of wolfsbane before"
"Yeah but........what he was about to say was cut short when Hunter started coughing,using the wall to support himself. He waved at us when he caught us staring "stop starting at me like that you guys am alive and okay,I just need to rest" he suddenly titled his head and threw up black blood on the bar floor,what the hell!!!!!
Axel expression suddenly changed into one of deep and genuine worry "Hunter what is wrong?"
"I don't know Axel but I don't feel so good" and he collapsed.
****************************************************
The pack's doctor came and examined Hunter confirming our fear that he had been poisoned with wolfsbane. The doctor said that if he took his medications properly,then he had about two weeks to live but if he didn't, he had less than two days to live. When he left,Sue sat beside a still unconscious Hunter on the bed "maybe I can help him,even though it's a little" she took his hands in hers but then she started wincing in pain,she was hurting but she was ready to let go
"Sue that's enough now" Sia said but Sue did not listen. Suddenly Hunter opened his eyes and grabbed Sue's hands removing it from his and he frowned "don't do that again"
"But you were hurting"
"But you were gonna kill yourself"
Sue stood up and Axel took her vacant space beside Hunter while Alia walked up to Hunter and started rubbing his head,Hunter faced Axel "what did the doctor say?"
"That you are okay"
"Don't lie to me Axel"
Axel looked away but Hunter smiled "am gonna die aren't I?"
Axel snapped at him"don't say such rubbish Hunter,you are not going to die okay?"
Alia frowned at Hunter "what are you saying now Hunter,what about me what will happen to me when you die, have you forgotten we are mates and we swore to always be together and not let even death bring us apart"
Suddenly the door bell rang and when I went to see who the servants had opened the door for,I came face to face with the pale face of the moon goddess, Queen Selena and I bowed in utmost respect"my Queen,what a pleasant surprise,have you come here to see us?"
"Where is Axel" was what she whispered before she collapsed
"Selena" I heard Axel gasp,he carried her in his hands and layed her on one of the couches "Selena what happened to you,why aren't you saying anything?" He asked worried but she did not even blink
"Axel" we heard Alia panicked voice call. We ran upstairs only to see Hunter grunting in pain on the bed,red lines were showing and moving all over his neck and am pretty sure it was the wolfsbane fighting their way all through his body to get access to his heart "Hunter" Axel said in a panicked voice
He faced Axel still grunting and gulping like it was difficult for him to speak "Axel it hurts a lot,please make it stop"
I have never seen Hunter so helpless and in so much pain before,tears were at the brink of his eyes threatening to fall,it was simply terrifying to see him in this condition.
Axel picked an injection from the tray "this is our only option Hunter,you have to be injected, it won't completely take away the pain but it would make it bearable"
"Do it,anything to stop the pain" he croaked. Axel jabbed the injection into his neck and Hunter gasped "thank you" he whispered before his eyelids closed.
Axel dropped the injection and barged out of the room,Jude running after him and the rest of us followed except from Mark and Alia who stayed behind to watch Hunter. Axel was sitted on the floor beside Queen Selena's couch his heads were in his laps while Jude was sitting beside him.
"Just let it go Axel,let it out" I heard Jude tell him his hands on Axel's shoulder and Axel's shoulders suddenly started shaking,was he crying? I never knew he was capable of expression such strong emotions
"His devastated" I heard Julia say behind me
"What do you mean?why is he crying?is it because of the situation Hunter is in?" I found myself asking
Sue shook her head "not only because of Hunter but also because of Queen Selena,they are both his best friends"
Sia sighed looking at Axel with deep pity"I can't just imagine the type of pain he is passing through,both of his friends are terribly unwell,its probably because the three of them share a very strong bond even stronger than normal family and pack ties"
I stared at Axel whose head was still in his laps and who was been consoled by Jude,I wanted to be the one there consoling him and letting him lean on me and cry on my shoulders but I think it was better if Jude or any other person did it cause Axel did not recognize me as his friend or a part of his big family nevertheless his own mate.