The Golden One

The Darkness

"Ayo?" I whisper softly while giving her shoulder a gentle shake.

Christopher has lifted her onto the sofa on the far side of the room. Her body is completely limp but I can hear her heart lightly pumping in her chest.

Her eyes flicker open and they are filled with fear.

I can sense Christopher holding back from demanding to hear what she has seen. Was it about Carl? Is he going to die? I have so many questions too but it is important to make sure Ayoke is ok first.

She pulls herself up to sitting, her breathing ragged and shallow.

"Ayo, don't rush." I coo while stroking her hair.

She takes a moment to calm herself before bringing her eyes to mine, hers fill with tears.

"He's in so much pain, M." She starts sobbing as she speaks.

"And there's so much more pain to come." She cries as she buries her face into my shoulder. I stroke at her hair while holding back my own emotions. Carl has been a great supporter since I arrived here. Hell, he's become a very good friend and it hurts to think of him in so much pain.

Christopher paces behind me, muttering and swearing to himself. He blames himself for not being here and in a way, it's my fault. Our bond had pulled him away from here when they needed him most. However, I can't help feel a little grateful. He was kept out of harm's way or it could be him lying in that hospital bed.

Ayoke pulls her head away from my shoulder and lets out a sorrow filled sigh. I brush away the tears still trickling down her cheeks.

"What exactly did you see?" I ask gently but desperation hangs in my voice. I need to know what's coming and what I can do to help. She sits up tall, rubbing her eyes and nose free of tears and snot.

"It was more of a feeling rather than what I saw. It's strange, this darkness is clouding my vision. It's unlike anything I've seen or felt before." Her voice has a slight shake to it, she seems terrified. I've never seen her like this. She's always my strong and sassy Ayo. That thought only scares me more, what could possibly have her this shaken?

"I'm not entirely sure everything I saw was about Carl. It started with him but it trailed off into someone else. I think it was the wolf that bit him." She continues while fiddling with her fingers.

"It seemed like his wolf had taken control, it was feral, and he was just a passenger in it's body screaming to get out. The pain he had came from being trapped, from being forced to watch the destruction he was causing but couldn't do anything to stop. As well as the obvious physical deterioration, I think that's what this disease is; it lets the savage wolf inside take control and there's nothing the human half can do to stop it." Once she finishes we all look over at Carl. The blackness in his veins is spreading rapidly and when he had woke, he was thrashing and shouting so the Doctors had to sedate him again.

Christopher swears loudly and leaves, Ayoke starts to cry again and I can't help but feel I have to push my sadness down. To be the strong Alpha I always am.

Carl isn't my family. He isn't my lover. He is my friend, my very new but dear friend. And we have no way to help him.

So I have to hold it together for him, for them.

*****

The days keep passing and Carl's condition continues to go downhill. Christopher is either by his side or in his study reading through books and papers searching for any mention of the disease and anyway to cure him.

I have taken on the day to day running of the pack so that when Carl returns (yes I've decided it's when not if), everything is in order.

I try to comfort Christopher but he ignores my offers for comfort, barely speaking to me or even acknowledging my existence. I feel he blames me for taking him away from his pack and it hurts.