Chapter 76

~Grace~

Oh my god.

Blood was everywhere.

I stood behind Alex, panting from the run on the way over, but I felt so cold. My body shook in horror at the sight.

Alex finally moved, sliding off of Christopher’s bloody body. I could only stare.

Alex turned to look at me. Blood splattered his face. He looked… so tired.

I returned his look and opened my mouth, but I didn’t say anything. What could I say?

Then, Alex’s eyes closed and he fell to the ground with a thump. Both Alex and Christopher lay motionless on the ground, covered in blood.

Enzo’s screams still rang through the air.

And I was frozen to the spot.

I needed to do something, I knew that. But what? What could I possibly do to help the situation?

Check on Christopher and Alex. I should do that. Maybe they’re okay, maybe there just seems to be more blood than there really is.

I took a deep breath and took a slow step forward. Once I began moving, it was like the warmth rushed back into my body, and I could think again.

I needed to check Christopher’s pulse.

I bent down, kneeling in the dirt beside him. He had shifted back from his wolf form, which wasn’t a good sign. I leaned down and placed my ear on his chest, feeling the warm, sticky liquid squish against my face.

I wanted to throw up.

But I had to do this.

Squeezing my eyes shut and holding my breath, I listened. There… yes!

A heartbeat! Christopher was still alive!

“Christopher? Christopher, wake up!” I shook him, but he didn’t budge.

I wiped the blood off of my cheek.

Okay. I needed someone to come help, but I couldn’t do that until I fixed the situation with Enzo.

Quickly, I move to Alex’s side. I could hear him breathing–slow and deep. He must have just fainted.

I took a deep breath and kissed his cheek.

“I’ll be right back, I promise,” I whispered in his ear.

He didn’t respond, but I didn’t expect him to.

Running back towards the ritual circle, I picked up Christopher’s book and opened it to the page of the ritual. I recognized the symbols.

Okay, you can do this.

I read through the instructions, then took a deep breath. Maybe if I were to perform the ritual again, it would fix whatever went wrong last time…? I didn’t know what else to do.

I began reading from the tome, the unfamiliar words feeling strange on my tongue as I spoke them aloud.

The symbols began to glow. Yes, it was working!

Enzo’s screams lessened.

I continued reading, steadily and carefully. I had no idea if I was even pronouncing anything correctly.

The symbols glowed brighter, and the candle flames shot up in the air. I read the last line.

The light died.

And it was silent.

“Enzo…?” I called out, cautiously stepping forward, but not crossing the salt line. Enzo lay on the ground, motionless and sweaty.

Finally, he groaned and shifted.

My heart started beating again. Thank god. I was so scared he didn’t…

It didn’t matter now.

“Enzo? Are you alright?”

He moved, gathering himself into a sitting position. I could see flush in his cheeks, he no longer looked sickly pale.

Slowly, Enzo opened his eyes.

“Damn, I hope everyone else doesn't have to go through that,” he groaned, rubbing his brows.

I sighed in relief and rushed forward, embracing him into a hug. He didn’t feel like he was burning up anymore, either.

Enzo slowly hugged me back.

“So you’re all better?” I asked, sitting back and looking at him excitedly. I examined him. Other than being sweaty and a little dirty, he looked so much better. The bags under his eyes were gone, and there was life in his smile.

“Yes… at least I think so. I feel much better,” he responded, looking down at himself. “Tired, but better.”

I hugged him again.

“Good! Let’s get Alex in here. I’ll need your help moving him.”

“Alex?” Enzo asked, giving me an odd look as he strained to get on his feet. “He’s out here, too?”

Right. Enzo must have missed the… encounter while he was under the spell’s effects.

“Yes… I wasn’t expecting him, either,” I said, looking in Alex’s direction.

Enzo followed my gaze and stared.

“Oh.”

“Yeah, I… I think everyone will be alright if we can get things wrapped up here, quickly,” I told him, giving Enzo a pointed look.

He nodded, understanding my urgency, and we rushed to Alex’s side.

Enzo gave a dark look at Christopher’s unconscious, blood-covered body, but said nothing else as he helped me move Alex into the circle.

He stood behind me as I opened up the book.

“I didn’t know you could do magic.”

“Me neither. But I had to save you somehow. Nobody else could,” I said, finding the spell’s page again.

Enzo only nodded.

I took a deep breath before I began reading again. I was so afraid the same issue that happened to Enzo the first time would happen again. I couldn’t bear to see Alex in any more pain than he was in already.

The flames and symbols glowed and died out again, same as when I did it with Enzo.

No screaming, this time.

The two of us stood silently in anticipation, waiting for Alex to do something.

What felt like a minute passed before Enzo spoke up. “Well, at least he’s not screaming-”

Alex stirred, and I felt like I could breathe again.

“Alex? Honey? Are you alright?” I called out, not stepping over the salt line yet.

He groaned and rolled onto his back. His face was scrunched, and he rubbed his eyes.

“What… Where am I…?” He muttered, looking up at the starry sky.

Thank god it worked on him, too. I rushed forward and knelt beside him, looking down into his golden eyes. They reflected the stars in the night sky, giving him an ethereal look.

I brushed the hair off of his forehead and kissed it. Just like Enzo, he no longer felt like he was burning up.

“You… we’re in the forest. You found us out here. How do you feel?” I asked quickly.

Alex lowered his brows, a confused expression on his face. “Right… my Beta… Enzo, he was in pain. I came to his rescue…”

I laughed. I couldn’t help it. So that’s what brought him out here?

I looked back at Enzo, who stood behind me.

“Well you sure saved me,” Enzo responded, smiling fondly at Alex.

Alex gave him a slight smile in return.

“Why are you out in the middle of nowhere?” Alex asked me, reaching his hand up toward my face. “And why am I on the ground…?”

I touched his hand with mine, holding it to my cheek. “I found a cure for the curse. Don’t you feel better?”

Alex stayed quiet for a moment, staring at the sky. I could tell he was thinking.

“...I do.”

He rolled on his side and pushed himself up. “You did this? For the clan? All by yourself? I’m so proud of you.”

Alex pulled me into a comforting embrace and I hugged him back, but I couldn’t help but feel guilty.

“Well… it wasn’t all by myself. I had Christopher help me.”