Percy's POV
My vision returning back to my body I attempt to breathe in, letting in the surrounding water into my lungs as I sink deeper into the now crimson lake. My body being torn apart and dissected as my skin peels, "You ruined us...we were so perfect" The lake's voice speaking to me once again, fighting for my life I thrash around but move nowhere. Gazing down into the endless abyss as I lose more hope I glance at something...numerous body parts that are scattered throughout the water, all from different species but only one of each: Two arms, two legs and a torso. The only missing piece being the head nowhere in sight, my eyes barely able to stay open-feeling the water shift around me, I slowly rise up.
"Percy!" I look up to lock eyes with Adam and Athena's golden eyes lifting me.
"It's grabbing him!" Athena yells out in clear distress, the water still encasing me as they move me back to the solid ground. The bubble bursting as it makes contact with the floor where I start coughing up whatever remains left of liquids I had trapped inside of me.
"I-I'm sorry" My words croaking but Adam doesn't react, holding me in a tight embrace with nothing but silence. The feeling bringing me back to the vision I just had...they loved each other, so why? I peer back to the lake, ignoring the shouting from my friends behind me. A sharp sensation as if something's gazing right back at me, staring with a deeply rooted intent of pain and rage.
"Elder, he's hurt" - Yue
"It only confirms our beliefs young one, do not bring panic to the everyone. Nothing has changed" She calmly expresses, the complete opposite of what Yue's face is showing. A look of horror and fear as she scans my body from head to toe as if I'm just a foreign object to her. Feeling uncomfortable at the gazes I attempt to stand up but Adam pulls me back down in stubbornness, "I'm fine please let go" My voice still weak and unconvincing to him. "Adam?" Athena questions, a tone that sends a little shiver up my body.
"Adam...?" I turn to him but his eyes are closed and body unresponsive, Yasmine reaching over to touch him but he snaps back at her.
"What the hell!" She blares out as she takes her hand back
"It's Loch, Adam himself probably passed out from that amount of power he just had to use...even with my help. I don't know why it was so heavy compared to anything else I've held."
"Mine" I hear Loch murmur under his breath which brings me back to the images of him tearing apart those rogues..."Loch?" I ask worryingly, but only his closed eye lids shaking a little bit-showing he can indeed hear us.
"He's too physically strained to even move despite swapping to Loch, try to move again Percy." Athena expresses while reaching out to grab my hand and pulling, feeling a weight slowly being lifted I push Athena away after realising what he's trying to do.
"What was that for!?" She screams in frustration but then looks up seeing the sight of her brother stood up with a swiping motion in place of where her throat was.
"The fear of losing his mate...he's been a lot more broken inside than he's been letting on. You need to take care of him before he falls to the hands of the Megalo. He'd kill his sibling for you, I can imaging the rest of us are just dry leaves on the ground for him." The Elder explains, alarming us as our bodies tense. More images of the death I saw back at the pack house...Lucas and Lara. I can't let him be a victim to that, not just for the sake of me. I wouldn't be able to live with the guilt of getting my own mate killed...I just wouldn't.
"So how do we plan on separating him from Percy? I thought he didn't have the strength to move." Yasmine questions, still holding the hand that got cut a little bit from Loch.
"If they're both sleeping with only the senses of his wolf protecting them then can't we just wake them up?" - Percy
"Let me handle him, everyone else stand a little bit back" Yue informs us and so they comply, just me staying by Loch's side since his grip isn't releasing.
"I consider you a friend, that's the only reason why I'm doing this" She looks at me with a reflective gleam as if she's preparing to do something she regrets.
"Percy, close your eyes and imagine nothing but a blank canvas."
"Okay" I respond, her eyes closing with an increasing focus. The space falling silent as a white silk ribbon like figure starts swirling around us as it extends from Yue's back, entering Adam's head for a few moments. Coming out with a completely jet black covering the previous white appearance it had. His body crumpling to the ground and the ribbon returning back into Yue, her eyes opening to reveal the gold alpha glow I'm familiar with but her expression turning to one of aggression.
"Do not follow me." Her speech a dark and humid tone that carries a thick weight. Walking off without another word, "Queen of the pack known for their emotions and visions, she's able to manipulate some else's or if they're too intense she can remove them entirely. At the cost that she now retains those emotions for a while, so it's best to leave her be" The elder tells us which makes me feel bad but a sense of proudness that she was willing to do that for us.
"Thank you!" - Percy
"Let's just get him to a room for now, after that I can go about answering some lingering questions you may have?" - Elder
"Before that can we ask your name if it wouldn't trouble you too much?"
"Of course, you may refer to me as Selene. Otherwise, Elder is perfectly fine for me." Giving a little bow as she introduces herself to us. "I'm well aware of who you all are, so there's no need for further comments. Please just tend to your mate then come to see me, I'll be waiting by that tree" She points to a foggy grey tree with a green mint texture to it's leaves that extend up to the ceiling, appearing as if it holds up the entire structure here I stare in amazement for it's dull glow it holds.
"Thank you Selene, we'll make our way there the moment we get my brother laid down. We appreciate your patience with us disturbing the peace you had here" Athena formally addresses that we did sort of...definitely disturb their pack unison, the sight of people peeking over from the walls of houses as they watch us carry Adam away. Making me slightly uneasy compared to them previously jumping about with energy and joy, they instead stand quiet and firm almost like they're trying to defend themselves...from us.