Free Web NovelChapter 52: Hold it in!
Raven
"Get up!" she snapped, pressing her hand tightly against her nose as though it might block out the stench of my vomit. I remained on my knees, one hand braced weakly against the floor, my stomach still churning.
The second time had been worse.
Much worse.
It had drained me in a way I hadn’t expected, leaving my limbs heavy and my vision slightly blurred at the edges. Even breathing felt like effort, each inhale shallow, each exhale unsteady.
Still, I wasn’t complaining.
Not really.
I lifted my head slowly, leaning back against the cold wall for support. My gaze drifted upward just in time to see Gessia rummaging through the bag slung over her shoulder. She pulled out two small green bottles, their glass faintly glowing, and without ceremony dropped them into my lap.
"Drink it," she ordered sharply. "I’ll have Yoria send food to your room."
She was already stepping back, as if her task was complete, as if I were nothing more than something unpleasant she had to endure.
"Sleep," she added, her tone clipped. "You’ll feel better when you wake up."
A quiet hiss escaped her as she turned away, clearly disgusted. Moments later, the door slammed shut behind her with a force that rattled the frame.
Silence followed.
I stared down at the bottles resting in my lap, my fingers trembling slightly as I picked one up. The glass felt cool against my skin. Tilting it gently, I watched the liquid inside move—thicker than water, almost luminous.
Carefully, I uncorked it.
The scent that rose was...unexpected.
Not bitter. Not harsh.
Almost pleasant.
That alone made my brows knit together in confusion.
I hesitated for only a second before bringing it to my lips.
The moment it touched my tongue, I felt it.
A pull.
Something deep, instinctive, like my body recognized it before my mind could. It was subtle but undeniable, like being drawn toward warmth after standing in the cold too long.
I swallowed.
And everything changed.
The weakness vanished.
Not gradually. Not slowly.
Instantly.
My breath caught as I scrambled to my feet, my body suddenly light, energized in a way that felt almost unnatural. My fingers flexed, my legs steady beneath me, my chest rising with a fuller, easier breath.
It was...incredible.
I had never felt anything like it before.
It was as if something inside me—something buried deep—was being scrubbed clean. Energy surged through me, flowing from my chest outward, filling every part of me until I felt whole again.
More than whole.
Better.
My eyes widened, my heart pounding—not from exhaustion this time, but from something dangerously close to excitement.
Instead of drinking the second bottle, I paused.
Then I hid it.
Carefully, I pushed it deep into the straw mattress, covering it with the rough bedding until it was completely concealed. My hands moved quickly, almost instinctively.
A small smile tugged at my lips.
If one bottle could do this...
Then more would mean everything.
All I had to do was get more.
Yoria brought the food, just like Gessia had said she would. The smell filled the room, warm and filling, but I couldn’t bring myself to eat it.
Not now.
Not when I knew what I needed instead.
Quietly, I poured it out, ignoring the twist of guilt in my chest. Food wasn’t what I needed anymore.
Not really.
I moved to the bed, lying down slowly, but not before making sure to open the window. Cold air rushed in almost immediately, brushing against my skin, seeping through the thin fabric of my clothes.
I loosened them further, letting the chill settle in.
I needed to get sick again.
And it didn’t take long.
By evening, the effects were clear.
My hands trembled as I walked, my steps slower, weaker. My reflection in a nearby surface told me everything I needed to know—paler skin, duller eyes.
Convincing.
I collected the evening food with the others, keeping my head down, my movements just unsteady enough to draw attention without suspicion.
"You look horrible," Xarna said bluntly when I approached. "You should go back."
Coming from her, that meant something.
I didn’t argue.
I nodded immediately and turned away, clutching the bowl in my hands as I made my way back.
I almost made it.
Almost.
But then I saw him.
Rex.
He was heading straight toward me, his expression dark, his stride purposeful. My stomach tightened instantly.
He stopped directly in front of me, blocking my path.
"Get Gessia," he ordered a nearby guard without even looking away from me.
I lowered my gaze.
This wasn’t good.
Not at all.
It didn’t take long for her to arrive, and the moment she saw me, something in her expression shifted—shock, confusion, and something sharper underneath.
"...your potions no longer work?" Rex snapped, his voice loud enough to draw attention.
Gessia didn’t answer immediately.
Her eyes locked onto mine, searching, calculating.
"...why does she look like she could pass away in a few days?" he continued, his tone filled with irritation. "She looks more human than werewolf—and humans still look better."
A few people nearby let out quiet murmurs.
I kept my head down.
"I’ll give her something stronger," Gessia said quickly. "It must be the pregnancy."
The word hit like a strike.
Pregnancy.
My grip tightened around the bowl.
The murmurs turned into whispers.
"Pregnant? She’s unbonded, right?"
"Whose child is it?"
"She knows better than to let that happen..."
The voices overlapped, growing louder, sharper, cutting through the air.
I wished the ground would open and swallow me whole.
Rex ignored them.
"Heal her," he said coldly. "She’s useless like this."
Gessia bowed her head slightly. "By tomorrow, she’ll be fine."
She gestured for me to follow.
I didn’t hesitate.
I walked behind her, my steps measured, controlled, even as my chest tightened with something dangerously close to anger.
The whispers followed.
I didn’t need to hear them clearly to know what they were saying.
By the time we reached the Alpha building, my jaw ached from how tightly I had been clenching it. freeweɓnovel.cøm
Upstairs, in her lab, the air felt different—heavier, suffocating.
I expected another potion.
Instead, she turned on me.
"I didn’t give you an ordinary potion," she began, her voice tight with restrained fury. "It was a greater mag—"
She cut herself off, dragging in a sharp breath.
"If we had another omega, I would get rid of you in a heartbeat," she snapped. "You are useless. And still, somehow, you’re a burden."
Her anger filled the room.
"How many bottles do you see glowing?" she demanded, pointing sharply toward her worktable.
My eyes flickered toward the door for just a second.
That was my mistake.
The slap came fast.
My head snapped to the side, a sharp sting spreading across my cheek.
I lowered my gaze immediately.
The second slap came just as quickly.
I bit down hard, forcing the tears back, forcing myself to stay still.
She was shaking.
Not from weakness.
From rage.
"It took me time, energy, resources," she continued, grabbing my chin and forcing my face up. "And you look like you’re one step in the grave."
Her blue eyes locked onto mine, cold and furious.
"I will enjoy ripping that filthy spawn out of you," she growled.
My cheek throbbed, the metallic taste of blood settling on my tongue.
I said nothing.
I couldn’t.
"Sit," she ordered.
I obeyed instantly.
Tears slipped down my face despite my efforts, my hands clenching tightly in the fabric of my skirt.
I hated it.
Hated how powerless I looked.
How weak.
But I held onto the thought buried deep inside me.
Hold it in, Raven.
You’ll get what you want.
And then you’ll be free.
