Chapter 4 The Danger of Power
Darius’s POV
fuck...I could not stop looking at Calla. She was beautiful.
She had smooth skin and hair that shone. I know what I'd seen her turn into should've scared me, but I wasn't scared. I wanted to keep her safe.
Her hands went to her face, trembling. “I—I did? I just…” Her voice shook. “Look at me. Everyone can see me. I look… different. They’ll… they’ll hate me.”
“They’ll kill you if Lucas finds out what type of wolf you are,” I said bluntly. “You’re not just a wolf. You’re… something else.”
Her lips parted in a small gasp. “Why would Lucas kill me?”
“Because the prophecy says you'll be the one to destroy the alpha of the strongest pack and right now, the strongest pack now is Eclipse.” I crouched slightly so I wasn’t towering over her. “Not exaggerating. You can’t let anyone know.”
Calla’s eyes darted to the forest behind her and she hugged herself. “I…I don’t even know how to hide this. I can’t shift back… can I?”
“You can,” I said. “But not like before. You’ll need time, and you need rest, and right now I think we need to leave before anyone sees you.”
Calla nodded quickly, then stared at something in the trees. “Sierra.”
“Calla… What the hell? You look… wow.” Sierra looked at her friend with her mouth hung open.
Calla tried to explain, stuttering, “It’s—it’s complicated. I shifted once, and that’s it. I can’t do it again. Please, don’t…don’t tell anyone.”
Sierra turned to me. “What…what is she saying?”
I sighed. “She turned into a black and silver wolf, and we know that's not good according to the prophecy.”
Sierra shook her head slowly. “If Lucas finds out her wolf is different…he'll come for her.”
Calla exhaled, a shaky laugh escaping. “Lucas is arrogant but I don't think he's that scary.”
Sierra said. “You got rejected already, remember?”
Calla nodded and for a while she seemed sad, but it was short lived because she placed her hand on her head, “oh… My head hurts…”
I rushed to hold her but before I got to her, she fainted.
“Calla! Stay with me!” I picked her and carried her over my shoulder. With my strength, she weighed next to nothing.
She felt hot and feverish and she was still breathing, but it was heavy.
Sierra followed me as I carried her to my car. Since it was a Ferrari Carano, there was only space for two people. “Sierra, you'll have to take a cab.” I said to my sister, who looked like she would cry.
“I should not have left her side, Darius.” She pressed her lips together.
That's my sister, always the empath. “She'll be fine. Don't worry.” I placed Calla gently in the car, she was still unconscious, so I wrapped her in the jacket I carried earlier, brushing hair from her forehead. “Meet me at home.”
“How will I get a cab by this time to upper Manhattan?” Sierra whined.
I rolled my eyes at my sister. “You could always run, besides your wolf has the gift of speed.”
Sierra stuck out her tongue as I started the car.
When we got to my penthouse, I laid her on the bed in my room. Sierra's was locked. She shifted slightly, and her eyes fluttered. “Don'go...please…” she said sleepily.
I nodded, and caressed her hair. There was something about her that made me want to keep her safe. I'd never thought she was ugly, but now as I stared into her perfect face, I could not look away.
“I’m not going anywhere.” I said softly. She stirred again, and held on to my arm as if letting go might make me disappear.
Then she whispered. “Lucas…”
I scoffed. So she has a crush on Lucas? I gently pulled out my hand, snapping out of the moment. She hummed softly, still asleep. I swallowed and stood.
After everything that had happened today, I needed a drink. I went to the sitting area and poured myself a drink from the minbar. The liquid burned a path down my throat.
The elevator pinged open. I didn't bother to look, thinking it was my little sister, Sierra, until I heard Lucas’s irritating voice.
“Where is she?”
I turned quickly, still holding my half drunk glass of bourbon.
“What the hell are you doing here, Lucas?”
He scanned the room, and snorted. “I’ve always known you lacked taste.” He took a step forward, his face set in a frown. “Where is Calla?”
I straightened, setting my drink down slowly. “She’s… not here. At least not in the state you’re looking for.”
He took a step closer. “Don’t lie to me, Darius. Someone told me she defended herself against a rogue wolf and killed one. I’d like to know how.”
I squared my shoulders. “She’s safe. For now. And if you care about her at all, you’ll leave her alone until she’s ready to see anyone.”
Lucas laughed. “That’s not going to happen. An Eclipse wolf in Dragonclaw territory? That’s bad for my authority as an alpha. So hand her over, now.”
“I really don't know how your authority looks, Lucas. Get out.” I was fighting the urge to bury my fists in his face. Especially after what he did.
“How dare you?” He stepped so close that I could see the wrinkles on his forehead. “I want my step sister and you will give her to me, unless you want a bloodbath. Don’t forget I’m the Alpha of the strongest clan.”
“You don’t even care about her, do you? You only want her back so you can assert authority and brag about the rogue she killed.”
“Whatver I want with her is not your business.” He stared daggers at me, clenching and clenching his jaw.
My wolf growled in my chest as I wondered why Calla liked this rude, arrogant man that was so full of himself. “You’re forgetting one thing, Lucas.” I picked my glass up and sipped from it.
Lucas narrowed his eyes. “What’s that?”
“You rejected her.”
