Xavier

　　The sound of loud howls echoed everywhere and my eyes shot open instantly. It was morning already. I looked at my body to see a towel draped around me. It was wet and cool.

　　The smell of hot tea drifted into my nostrils and I climbed down from my bed. I saw Valerie seated at my reading table and reading a novel. I was happy to see that she had already healed.

　　She noticed that I was already awake and she turned her neck to face me. She didn’t have any emotion on her face and she soon directed her attention back at the novel on the desk.

　　“Good morning.” I greeted her and picked up the towel, walking into the bathroom and squeezing out the sweat.

　　“Is that mine?” I pointed at the cup of tea standing on the small table next to the bed and she faced me.

　　“Yes, you were having terrible nightmares and sweating profusely so I covered you with the cold towel and prepared you this.” She said with that same stoic expression.

　　“Thanks.” I smiled and she shook her head.

　　“That means nothing. I still hate you.” Wow. She looked so serious.

　　I picked up the cup of tea and brought it to my lips, sipping the hot liquid gently. I moved closer to Valerie and took a look at the novel she was reading. ‘Blood Flu – The Apocalypse’ I remembered getting the novel two months ago.

　　“Were you infected?” I asked and she craned her neck upward to look at me.

　　“No.” She replied and stood up from the chair where she sat.

　　“Tell me about your nightmares.” Her statement caught me by surprise and I coughed, the tea sputtering out of my mouth.

　　“Come again.” I said even though I heard her first statement.

　　“Your nightmares.” She paused, “tell me about them.”

　　“Okay.” I swallowed and sat on the bed. She sat next to me on the bed and faced me.

　　“I don’t really much of it, but all I know is that when I close my eyes, I see everyone dead.” I said and swallowed hard as those painful images flooded my mind.

　　“I see everyone I love being killed by.........” I stopped and looked away.

　　“By what?” Valerie asked and grabbed my hand in hers, “Xavier, by what?”

　　I faced her and continued, “I see everyone I love being murdered by vampires.” Valerie’s face paled at my words and it was her turn to swallow nervously. I didn’t mean to scare her.

　　“No, Valerie, I didn’t m....” I started, but she cut in..

　　“No, I understand.....” She paused, “but I hope you know that not all vampires are vicious savages.” She continued. I nodded and I turned around as someone knocked on the door. I stood up to answer the door and opened it. It was Nathan..

　　“What is it?” I asked. He had an unreadable expression.

　　“You need to see this.” He replied and I nodded. I walked back into the room and grabbed a shirt, putting it on and following him. I followed him outside the pack mansion into the forest and he finally stopped walking. Some other pack members were gathered there.

　　I gasped as I saw two wolves lying dead on the floor. I didn’t have time to interpret the image when Gina walked up to me.

　　“They turned up dead this morning,” Gina said and I felt my fists clench subconsciously. I remembered hearing loud howls this morning. The other wolves must have been mourning them.

　　“What happened to them?” I asked angrily.

　　“There are no signs of attack and no injuries, so it wasn’t an external attack,” Nathan replied.

　　“Raphael examined them and concluded that they were poisoned.” Gina continued. I just stared at the corpses of the wolves in confusion. I didn’t know what to do?

　　“Who could do this?” I asked and Gina glared at me.

　　“No werewolf could do this, so it must be a stranger.” Gina replied.

　　“Which stranger?” The instant I asked that question, I realized who she was referring to and I glanced at Nathan. He didn’t look like he had any opinion.

　　No. She couldn’t be the one. She was with me all night, but........she was awake before me.

　　I refused to believe that and I remained silent as I returned back to my room, ignoring Gina calling out to me. I walked into the room and saw Valerie slipping into another dress. She sensed me and she turned around.

　　“What’s wrong?” She asked and I stared at her suspiciously.

　　“Two wolves were found dead this morning.” I said and her expression took three quick changes. At first she looked surprised, and then confused and then she looked at me in pity.

　　“Oh.” She said, “how did that happen?” She asked.

　　“That’s what I’m trying to figure out.” I said and Valerie suddenly looked extremely pale, even for a vampire. She coughed violently and blood sputtered out of her mouth. Her eyes immediately looked weak and she slowly began to fall to the floor.

　　Before she could hit the floor, I ran forward and carried her.

　　“Valerie! Valerie!” I screamed her name as she went unconscious. I lifted her and ran out of the room.

　　I created a telepathic mind link with Raphael, the healer and called out to him, “Raphael.”

　　He responded immediately, “Alpha?”

　　“There’s an emergency, come immediately.” I said and carried Valerie into the Healers dorm.”

　　Raphael soon walked in and he wasn’t alone. Nathan and Gina came too.

　　“She was coughing blood and she suddenly collapsed.” I said and Raphael quickly went on to examine her. I noticed his expression change to a sorry one and I grabbed his shoulder.

　　“What happened to her?” I asked, shaking him violently.

　　“She was poisoned with the same thing that killed the wolves,” Raphael said and I gasped.

　　“She’s still alive, but it’s only a matter of time.” Raphael continued. Oh no!

　　“Do you have the antidote?” I asked and Raphael nodded negatively.

　　“No. It’s going to be hard to find and she has less than 48 hours” He said. She couldn’t die. I couldn’t lose my mate the second time.

　　“I’ll find an antidote. I’ll go and find one.” I faced Nathan and he gave an approving nod, “Take care of her.” I told Nathan and Raphael and walked out of the room, Nathan following behind.

　　I got into a convertible parked outside the mansion and ignited the car’s engine, driving off. As I drove off, my wolf ears picked up Nathan’ words from a distance.

　　“Who are you?”