SIX - Wild Chase

Cordelia Blackwell 

Everything was a mess. I ran after Cadell and Daniel into the mansion, but they were way faster than me in my short legs and high heels. 

"How the fuck did that happen?" I heard Cadell yell loudly at the top of the stairs. 

I ran all the way up, my mind finally forming an idea of what could have happened, and my blood ran cold. The worst case scenario was that Sheila broke free and attacked Morgana. 

I dashed into the room, almost breathless. And I found Morgana sitting on the floor cradling a man's head into her lap. I couldn't see Sheila anywhere. 

Morgana looked up with tearful eyes, "It was a sudden surge of power." She seemed to be answering Cadell's question which he must have asked before I arrived, "She broke free, grabbed the glass of water on the nightstand, broke it, then stabbed him with it." 

"Who's that? Why did he get in here?" I asked stepping next to Morgana to assess the man's injury. 

"This is John Burke, Sheila's husband and mate." Daniel answered my question then turned to Cadell, "I'll look around the premises and alert the guards." 

"He's going to be fine though." I interjected quickly while taking out the glass stuck to his chest. "His enhanced healing will help I'm sure." 

"Cordelia." Morgana said in the tone I knew used only for bad news, "She used magic." She then opened the man's shirt, revealing black veins around the gash. 

"But how?" I asked confused, "Burning the bones should have weakened her, I know that!" 

"I can handle the injury." Morgana said with a strong voice. "Try and locate her before she hurts anyone." 

I nodded my head, turning to Cadell, "I'll need a few blood drops from you." I strode out of the room and through the hallway to the stairs. 

"Why?" He asked, following me. 

"You're her brother, blood will help me find her faster." 

It was a good thing that by the time we returned from the cemetery the party was over and everyone went back to the warmth of their house. I wouldn't even know how to explain half of what was happening.  

Cadell led me to the kitchen, where he sliced the palm of his hand with a knife and gave me some of his blood in a glass. 

I performed the spell on the counter and I could see images in my head of where she was. Exactly running through the woods, I believe the trail leads to the main road heading out of town. 

"She's following the trail in the woods leading to Route 59." I told him after performing the spell on the counter. 

I had those images of her running, I could slightly even feel her concern, the strong desire to finish something. 

The Alpha looked lost in thought, but I gathered that he must have mind linked his wolves to tell them the news. 

It still bothered me though, the fact that Jeanette McConnell had such strength in her despite her bones turning to nothing but ashes.

There must be something tying her to the Living Realm; I just need to find out what it is.

"Are you okay?" He asked me with concerned eyes, real concern. I raised an eyebrow, and when I didn't say anything he continued, "I heard witches get tired after doing spells one after the other, Magical Exhaustion is what they call it." 

"Yeah…" I trailed off, slightly awkward, "It doesn't happen to everyone and it varies depending on the spells."

"I have to go out there." He said tightly, "I have to find her myself." With determination burning in his eyes like wildfire. 

"Of course." I agreed quickly, and before I could think my words through I just spit them out, "Be careful out there." 

He looked visibly startled for a fraction of the second, then he gave the smallest of smiles; it was a smile that actually reached his eyes, and it made my heart leap out. 

I'm not sure what just happened, nor was I sure why I'm slightly worried about him. So, I dragged my feet up the stairs again to check if I could help Morgana and John with anything. 

She managed to put John on the bed, and I saw James half asleep on the armchair next to the window of the room. Morgana stood there with her back straight, but the signs of tiredness were clear on her face. 

"You used too much magic." I said in a matter of fact tone. 

She gave a weak smile, "All magic is too much magic for me these days." 

"This isn't the point." 

"I'll be fine." 

I nodded my head, then my eyes drifted towards James, "You sent him to me earlier." 

"I knew I couldn't have handled it on my own." She then let out a short sigh and took a seat on a chair, "Sometimes I feel like this whole night was planned out." She looked up to meet my eyes, "Maybe that's why no one noticed the changes in Sheila, because you were supposed to come here."

… 

It was an hour after midnight when I was startled from restless sleep on a chair. I opened my eyes and saw Alpha Cadell before me. 

His silky hair had fallen slightly to his forehead, his tanned skin was wet with sweat, and somewhere along the line, he had lost his white button up shirt. 

"Alpha, did you find her?" I asked him in my sleep voice, trying to wake my brain up. 

He nodded sadly, "I found a woman who looked so much like my sister, but acted nothing like her." He whispered the words, but the way he looked at me, like he was carrying the weight of the world on his shoulder, just broke my heart. 

I stood up, scanning the dark room quickly. Morgana took James into her embrace and they both slept peacefully in the armchair. John remained unconscious while recovering from his injuries. 

It was just me and Cadell. Something about the quietness of the night being disrupted only by the sound of his breathing had my heart clench. 

I took a step towards him, then another, then my hands rose to wrap around his waist pulling him into a hug. 

"I'll make her okay, I promise you that." I whispered softly into his chest.

He had a rotten personality, and his reputation didn't help his case either. But something about him made my heart go out for him. 

He was frozen in my arms, like a man who had never been hugged before. It was sad, pathetic, but still very relatable. I was about to pull away when he pulled me closer towards his body. 

I could feel his heat, his heartbeat, his chest rising and falling, and even the vibration of his voice as he said, "This is all I need." 

I pulled away, with difficulty as he held me tighter, "Let's get out." I whispered quietly, gesturing for the other two people in the room. 

Once we stood in the hallway, I closed the door with a soft thud. "So, what happened and where's she?" I asked him about Sheila. 

"Daniel's keeping her in a basement cell." He replied with gritted teeth. "I had to break her leg, I could see the bone protruding through her flesh, but she still managed to walk. She bit one of my warriors, took his ear off with her teeth." 

My nose automatically scrunched at the image forming in my head, "Once I'm done with the potion, everything will be okay." 

I heard the faint noise of footsteps, and Morgana appeared from the darkness with a frown on her face. "How's John?" Cadell asked her.

She nodded her head once, "He's getting better." Her eyes then drifted towards me, with more concern than before. "Cordelia..."

Yes, here comes the bad news.

"The spell casted on John. I know who created this spell. I know them very well." Morgana's eyes were trying to communicate something to me, I just couldn't figure it out.

No. No, it can't be her.

"It's Fiona, Cordelia. She's the one who created that spell. I'll know it anywhere." Morgana said with sorrow lacing her tone.

"Who's Fiona?" Alpha Cadell's voice pierced through the air, and through my shock that rendered me frozen.

"My mother." I muttered.