Origin

Chapter 24- "No promises."

Compounding an infectious disease was not an easy task; there were a lot of moving parts, completed simultaneously, to work effectively. The cooks had to finely grind the mushrooms, break down the contains of the cave, crush the sax berries into a jar to collect the juice, while the proper heat was applied. If the toxic chemicals burned too long it would become airborne.

Gatherers hunted for sax berries; a light purplish color, pleasing to the eye but if ingested causes loss of sight and hearing. If the berries are made into liquid, the effects may include vivid hallucinations, skin rash or if entered the bloodstream, brain damage.

Some of White Bear wore protective wraps when working with the ingredients, others who had been after the toxins for decades felt safe enough to work without protective guards.

As they worked on the toxin, I went home to see Sebastian and Nick laid out in the living room, liquor bottles sitting on the counter and two more on the coffee table.

I spotted a marker on the end table, I fought the urge to doodle on their faces as they snored loudly, remembering I was covered in deadly dust.

I went to shower, washed my hair, face and scrubbed my body thoroughly three times before rinsing and repeating the process. I grabbed my towel on the back of the door, wrapped it around me, spotting my father's green toothbrush in the cup holder.

"Don't let your teeth rot." He would say. "No mate finds that attractive."

I rolled my eyes at the thought of him. I didn't understand him. He spoke about me finding my mate often, but when I did he didn't hesitate to try and kill him. Or was it just his hate for Alpha Rohan festering all these years? Was that why he was unable to accept Sebastian?

I quickly escaped the bathroom, walking down to my room. I got dressed, returning to the bathroom I grabbed my dust filled clothes and burned them in the outside trash can.

When I came back inside there was one drunkard attempting to stand up right, leaning against the wall of the living room.

"There is something in your walls." Sebastian squinted at me, smelling of lemon.

He spun me around, so I could see the gaping hole next to the refrigerator, wires sporadically poking the air. "We tried to destroy it and defend the place. I think we killed it because I don't hear it anymore."

He tucked his head in my neck, kissing his mark. "Did I get a gold star?"

I breathed out slowly, not sure how to feel. I knew how crazy a night with Nick and his concoctions can be. They needed to blow off steam, be a guy: break shit then almost never fix it.

I turned to face him, smiling. My nose was touching his. "Hm, you only get a gold star when you repair the hole."

"Damn." He pouted, pulling away.

I walked in the kitchen to give him a glass of water. His eyes focused on my movements, I could feel them trailing me until I was in front of him, handing over the glass.

He smiled, like a child, silently thanking me for the water as he poured it over his head. "So refreshing."

I stared at him, closely as he started to sway. I grabbed his face, his eyes were dilated. "Sebastian, are you high?"

"No." He laughed. "I'm just in love with you. Is that what you see?" He widened his eyes at me.

My heart stopped for a moment at his confession. It was the first time he said those words and it struck me like lightning, held me in a world of his own. His hands gentle, touching my hair, he moved in close still holding his gorgeous smile.