Nevian shifted into his beast form, his powerful muscles rippling beneath his fur as he carefully scooped Valeska into his arms. Without hesitation, he bolted through the forest, his paws pounding against the earth with urgency. Taking the car would waste precious time, and besides, he knew shortcuts the vehicle couldn't navigate. The dense trees blurred past him as he raced toward his pack's land, his only focus on getting her to safety.
As soon as he arrived at his territory, the gates were opened and he directly went to a healer he was familiar with.
"Alpha, she's bleeding profusely," said the healer as soon as Nevian arrived. Then the healer gasped when he noticed the substance oozing from Valeska's injuries. "This is…."
"She was attacked by a vampire and he clawed her. Get her treated as soon as possible before the venom spreads even further!" He ordered, making the healer flinch.
The healer nodded in understanding as he immediately started the treatment.
Nevian excused himself and went outside.
He'd been patrolling the area after there had been reports of vampire attacks just to find Valeska being attacked by the very same type of creature.
His heart had almost leaped out of his chest when he'd seen Valeska in such a state, looking terrible and unable to breathe out of fear.
If he'd been any second late. He shook his head, not wanting to imagine what could have happened to her.
"Alpha," Adris, his loyal beta who had been by his side when Valeska collapsed, called out as he approached. "Your parents are requesting your presence in the waiting room," he informed, his tone calm but cautious.
"Who is with them?" Nevian asked, his throat tight.
"The Hawksley family, alpha," Adris replied, his arms behind his back.
Nevian gritted his teeth. "What could they possibly want this time?" He mumbled under his breath.
He glanced at the healer's house before taking his leave.
The alpha and his beta walked towards the main building, the guards bowing down as he passed them but Nevian was too preoccupied with his thoughts to even acknowledge their greetings.
The Hawksley family was one of the most prominent and influential families in the region. Six months ago, Nevian had been engaged to their daughter, Alora, after failing to find his destined mate despite years of searching.
"Nevian, you're here," Alora, his fiancée cheered as soon as her eyes landed on Nevian. She got up from her seat and rushed to hug him. Nevian's arms wrapped around her waist, sniffing her but she smelled nothing like Valeska which was surprisingly disappointing to him.
Nevian took his seat, knowing exactly what they were going to talk about in this meeting because he was the one who asked them to come.
"I heard you attended the annual Mating Moon Ball. Were you searching for your mate once again?" Mr. Ashbourne questioned, his sharp tone cutting through the room.
His words caused heads to turn—especially from the Hawksley family, their expressions shifting as tension settled in the air.
Alora stared at Nevian with wide eyes.
"Yes, father," he replied.
"And did you find her?" It was Alora's father, Mr. Hawksley that asked.
"I didn't," Nevian replied. "Even if I did, the wedding will still be held."
His words earned him a big smile from Alora as she stared at him with loving eyes. She'd always had a crush on Nevian since they were kids, so being married to him and ruling by his side as his Luna was a dream come true.
As Nevian said those words, he could feel his heart prick in pain, his mind still wandering off to where Valeska was getting treated, wondering if she would be alright.
A vampire's venom was lethal to both humans and werewolves, but what worried Nevian most was that Valeska had no wolf. Without its healing abilities, her chances of surviving the venom were frighteningly slim, and the thought gnawed at him relentlessly.
The older Ashbourne couple smiled.
"It's good that the wedding will be held soon since Nevian can't find a mate just like Alora. They will marry and give birth to lots of pups," Nevian's mother, Mrs. Ashbourne teased but Nevian's expression was all stoic and distant like he was glaring into space.
"Nevian." Alora tapped him on the arm, bringing him out of his thoughts.
"Oh yes, we'll do that," said Nevian, he replied. "Although the vampire attacks have been getting too brutal lately. They are not only attacking humans but werewolves too."
"If you're worried about the vampires disrupting the wedding, you don't need to be," Mrs. Hawksley said confidently. "We've already made preparations for such situations. You and Alora won't be marrying in Havencrest. My distant cousin has a pack in Oakridge, and you can have the wedding there—and even settle in for your honeymoon afterward."
"That's not going to happen," Nevian snapped. The thought of separating himself from Valeska and going far away from her made him feel a sense of protectiveness.
'Fuck you mate bond,' he cursed.
His statement drew several sharp looks from around the table, but Nevian's resolve remained firm. "The wedding will be held in Havencrest, in my pack," he declared.
"However, it's going to have to be postponed until Kieran is found. He's been sending his minions, and I can't shake the feeling that something big is on the horizon."
"Kieran is not going to be appearing anytime soon," Mr. Hawksley said. "The last time he made an appearance was twelve years ago."
"For a reason we don't know about until now and maybe he's back for what he'd been looking for," Nevian interrupted.
"Nevian, you're seriously not going to postpone our wedding over these silly vampire attacks, are you?" Alora asked, her voice laced with frustration as she clung tightly to his arm. Her grip was desperate, as if letting go of him would steal the very air she needed to breathe.
"You can't possibly be thinking of having our wedding while there's so much bloodshed everywhere," Nevian said, his tone cold and unwavering. "If you can't bat an eyelash when our people are dying, then I'm sorry, but I don't think you're fit to be a Luna."
"Now you're going too far with this. Watch how you speak to my daughter," Mr. Hawksley warned, his voice low and sharp, carrying the weight of authority as his eyes narrowed at Nevian.