TO RULE RED RIVER

Part 24 - The Forced Mark

ISLA

I feel cold.

It might be summer outside, but for the last few days I feel like I've got ice water flowing in my veins, when in reality, what's flowing in them is so much worse.

My wolf whimpers in my head, she's so weak and so far away in my mind, I can barely feel her anymore even when I call to her.

"Please don't leave me." I whisper to myself as I watch the flames crackle and dance in front of me. "I don't want to be alone."

I couldn't stay in the sterile healers ward any longer, the pity stares and whispers from the wolves there were making me feel worse, so I begged Gamma Alice to bring me back to the pack house. I would've asked my parents, but typically they decided to go on a business trip right after their only daughter was attacked instead of being home, which just makes me resent them even more. I'm now in the guest room next to my brothers as I can't face going back into my own chamber just yet. For the last few hours, I've laid across the fluffy carpet in front of the log fire with a blanket pulled around me, but even this close to the flames I feel nothing. I feel no heat.

"Isla." Kai gently calls my name.

I didn't even hear him enter my room. I don't bother to get up and look at him, I'm mad at him. Instead of staying by my side these last two days like I needed him, he left when my parents did.

"Isla." Kai calls my name again even louder now, as I feel him kneel behind me.

"Leave me alone." I choke out.

I feel Kai brush my hair with hands. "I know you're mad at me for leaving, but it was for a good reason."

But I ignore him as tears roll down my cheeks and another shiver of what feels like ice water runs through my body once more as Hunters mating venom continues its assault on my body that I'm defenceless to fight back against.

Before I know what's happening, Kai rolls me into his arms and sits me up with him holding me to his chest.

"What the fuck have you been doing to yourself?" Kai says with panic as he looks at my bandaged neck that's spotted with blood.

"Not that you care." I sniffle. "...but... I tried to claw it off, I tried to claw it of my skin, but it won't go away." I sob. "...and my wolf is too weak to heal where I've scratched myself." I say bitterly.

"Oh, Isla." Kai says quietly as he holds me closer to his chest for a few moments as I break down crying. "I'm sorry I left, but It's because I brought some one back who might be able to help." Kai whispers into my hair. "Please let her try."

I pull away and look at him frowning, it's only then another figure catches my eye that's stood by the door way making me shrink into Kai's chest as panic hits my heart. No, I don't want anyone to see me like this.

"She's a healer witch, Isla. Please let her try. I trust her." Kai says to me sensing my unease. "Astrid, this is my sister, Isla." He says to her in a gentle voice beckoning her over.

I watch as the witch steps closer, I'm surprised to see that she looks even more nervous than I am from how slowly she is to move towards me. The only light from the room is from my fireplace as I've had all the curtains closed for the last few days to block out the world. As Astrid kneels next to me and I see her face properly for the first time, I can't help but gasp a little, she is easily one of the most beautiful females I've ever seen. Certainly, no wolf in this pack matches her beauty. Her hair is long and jet black in contrast to her skin that is porcelain white but looks soft to touch and her eyes are like bright amethyst gemstones. She's breath-taking.

"Hi." Whispers Astrid as she gives me a gentle smile.

"Hi." I whisper back, before chewing on my bottom lip.

"I want to be honest, I've never healed a wolf before, but I want to try and help if that's ok?" Astrid says to me quietly.

I slowly nod to her, as let's face it what fucking choice do I have, as I grip onto Kai's hand to give me courage.

"I'm going to take a look, ok?" Astrid says as she slowly leans forwards and unwraps the bandages from my neck as I see Astrid eyes flash brightly before looking back at my face whilst Kai's grip on my hand tightens.

"No more clawing at yourself, Isla. Some of these are really deep, you could've cut an artery." She says to me seriously.

"I couldn't stand his mark on my skin." I sob out as she nods her head with understanding before throwing the blood-soaked bandage in the fire and turning back to me.

"I'm going to heal where you've hurt yourself first, then see what we've got to work with." Astrid says quietly as she pulls up her sleeves then slowly reaches for my neck.

I instinctively flinch at her touch, but she doesn't pull away as I start to tremble unsure about all this suddenly in case, she hurts my wolf inadvertently as I lean back a little more on my big brother for support.  I then watch her as she closes her eyes, and her brow starts to crease up from concentration.

"Fuck, it's working." Whispers Kai in my ear, I can hear the amazement in his tone. "Your scratches are disappearing."

After a few moments Astrid pulls away panting before she opens her eyes and looks to my neck, her fingertips are silky smooth and slightly cold as they glide over my skin. "That bastard marked you deep." She murmurs before her eyes fix back onto mine "...but I think I can remove most of the scar, but it's going to hurt."

"Do it, I don't care." I say quickly. "My wolf, can you save my wolf?"

Astrid chews on her lip as she looks back to my neck that back to my face. "The venom is harder to extract, I don't know any witch that has tried it before so I've no idea how effective it will be. There's certain herbs and plants I will need to collect for me to swallow as a counter antidote to the venom, so it doesn't attack my system when I try and absorb it from you. It may take several attempts until we see results if there are any."

"It won't hurt you, right?" Kai frowns as Astrid looks at him.

"I don't think so, but it will wipe me out so I will need to rest a lot between attempts. For Isla, I'm afraid..." she says as her beautiful purple eyes look back onto me full of sadness "... each session will cause you immense pain as we purge your system.  I must warn you, I'm pretty confident that I can remove the venom, but there's no guarantee your wolf with ever recover or survive."

I take a shaky breath as Kai pulls me into his chest tighter as I hold my hand over his. "I understand." I whisper. "I just need his venom out of me. I can taste him. Every so often I can taste liquorice and dandelions in my mouth, and I know it's him. I can't take it.

"I have to ask Isla, as he attacked you on a full moon." Astrid sighs, before trying to find the right words. "I have herbs that can stop... you know."

Kai goes rigid behind me, before I pat him on the hand. "No, I won't be needing those. The attack was interrupted before he got the chance to...take it further." I say quietly.

Astrid nods, looking relieved before she looks to my brother. "Kai, you need to hold Isla down for this, she needs to stay as still as possible."

"Just close your eyes and it will be over soon." Kai whispers in my ear as his large arms clamp around me so I'm pressed hard to his chest before I see him nod to Astrid.

"Do it." I choke out, as I bare my neck with the forced mark upon it to Astrid then close my eyes.

Within seconds an intense heat scorches my skin like a blow torch melting metal as I scream out with agony.  Kai has me in a vice-like grip stopping me from moving as I hear him pleading and apologising to me in my ear but all I can hear is my wolf whining in my head as tears run down my face from the pain.

I keep my eyes slammed closed, desperate to think of anything else but the burning sensation to my skin when my wolf flashes me a memory of Finn and I doing that stupid dance together when we were younger in our wet shoes. 

Just like that day when we danced and everyone else melted away into the background, when nothing else mattered in that moment but Finn and I swirling and dancing about, that is what I think about until I finally pass out from the pain with a smile on my lips thinking about the boy with the green and brown eyes.