Destined for the Alpha (12 page)

"A bit." she admitted. Philippe seemed almost lazy when she was around; he was always in this small piece of heaven, reading a book by himself. "It's just different than mine." she sighed and looked back out the window wondering exactly what janitor meant and why so often her clan was called for missions.

She felt a tug at her arm and turned to see a panicked Philippe pulling her back into the library "Phil-" He put his hand over her mouth and dragged her further into the room, pressing her up against a wall. What was he doing was he going to hurt her? Was this his true nature? Did Peter know?

"Alpha Philippe?" a familiar female voice called, her eyes widened, it was Cordelia. Catherine looked up at Philippe who nodded and stepped back from her. The small Helian girl tried to press herself further into a wall and Philippe put his finger to her lips and she closed her eyes. The Cordelia woman was someone she did not want to mess around with.

"What is it, you insufferable woman?" Philippe walked away from where Catherine hid, between two shelves and underneath a large painting.

"Is that any way to address your superiors?" She replied

"What brings you to the slums then?"

"I heard you're babysitting the Helian brat, and I was wondering if I could talk with her."

"Word travels fast, but as you can see she is no longer here." Philippe sounded nonchalant but there was true fear in his eyes when he left her.

"You are a liar, Philippe." Her voice turned into a hiss and she heard soft steps on the plush carpet. "Catherine, little Helian girl, come out and have a chat with me?"

"What do you want with that slip of a girl anyways?"

"None of you idiots have noticed that she's far more than what she seems, and I'd like her for myself."

There was a pause and she felt her throat close up in fear. What would Cordelia do to her?  

"Leave now Cordelia, don't make me deal with you."

"Give me the girl Philippe and I won't deal with you. Come out Catherine before I hurt your friend. Aha!"

Cold, Long Fingers with red nails grabbed her wrist and yanked her out of her hiding place and Catherine realized she could not scream. A strong arm came around her waist and she was pulled away. It was Philippe, no longer composed, his eyes wild. "Leave her alone Cordelia, she is not yours."

"Why are you so protective you stupid halfling scholar?" shrieked Cordelia, her eyes seemed desperate. Catherine couldn't find anything but panic. Philippe was nowhere near as strong as her alpha, he was fit but Cordelia was right, he didn't look as if he had ever seen a battle. "Give her to me, and I won't hurt you, Philippe."

The man in question pushed her back behind him, "I know far more than you do, you stupid wench. I will not be handing her over."

It was a flash of silver but suddenly Philippe was clutching his arm and screaming, Cordelia had a blade, a blade that looked strikingly similar to the sacrifice blade she had seen with the sages. "What do you want from me?!" she cried and Cordelia stopped herself from stabbing the alpha again. "Leave him alone!" She stepped in front of the wounded wolf, hoping to prevent him from any harm. Why was it that everyone around her always got hurt?

"I knew a Helian would sacrifice herself before others, Philippe you played along nicely." Philippe attempted to pull her aside but Catherine saw the wound on his arm, which was a cut, surrounded by an angry burn, and was the knife on fire? She felt her eyes well up with tears, she had caused her scholar this pain, and it was always her fault.

"Catherine, you must run." He said weakly but it was a strangled cry that made her look away from the wolf and back towards Cordelia. A small thud as the blade she used to harm Philippe fell onto the carpet. It was George who had put his hands around her neck, and was squeezing her until she rolled her eyes back in her head and collapsed.

"Alpha?" George asked his eyes wide as he saw the blood dripping down his pack leader's pants.

"Is she dead?" He tried to sound composed through gritted teeth.

"No, I was-"

"Get rid of her! Take her to her alpha now." Philippe fell to his knees on the carpet clutching his arm; blood splattering on the white dress that Catherine was wearing. It looked even worse. "Fuck, fuck, it's the silver in the blade."

"How can I-I can't you're not in my clan, that's what Cordelia said." She remembered what Peter had said earlier when she had woke up "your blood can be used for any purpose." Could she risk losing any more? She looked down at the wound, the skin was turning purple. She turned around and grabbed the blade, turning it to her other arm. Catherine struggled to remember how the blood sacrifice went. If she could help Philippe she would do anything to help  "Blood requested, blood freely given." she echoed the words that the sages had said before the sacrifice, was it possible to do the same?

"Catherine no!" Philippe cried and she stared at the werewolf with determination in her eyes "say the words!"

"Ma petite chiot please you can't-"

"Say it!" she screamed

"Blood requested"

"Blood freely given!" she hissed as she sliced through her wrist again, watching it fall out of her wrist in rivulets and onto his wound. She felt lightheaded immediately and the words the sages had intoned fell freely from her lips "vlos belbaunin, joros emplaniilid" The same rush of power was almost euphoric as it flowed through her.

"Shit." Philippe watched his wound close up slowly as if nothing had happened and the Helian fell forward onto him unconscious.

Perhaps this is why Peter hadn't wanted her alone, or why she wasn't supposed to meet the sages, or Cordelia. The extent of her own power came at the extent of her sacrifices, and Catherine wanted to know how powerful she truly was.

Chapter 9

"Miss Catherine?" she fluttered her eyes open to see George leaning over her and groaned, her body felt completely tired, almost as if she couldn't move.

"Is she awake?" She heard Philippe say but could barely move to look at him and she groaned again "Get her some water, or something!"

She felt a hand gently turn her head to face him "Why did you do that?! Gods you barely even know me!" Philippe looked distressed, he looked tired, he looked scared, and the calm composure she had known was all gone.

She smiled at him and he sighed and pressed his forehead against hers "When your beta finds out…" he trailed off and grabbed her hand, squeezing it gently "Cordelia will be back. There is a reason she holds so much clout, you need to be more careful you silly girl." She squeezed back and he looked up at his delta. "George, get the doctor at least!"

"Sir!"

She exhaled heavily hearing him leave the room. She had never felt so weak before, but the rush of power was exhilarating, she had healed his wound so quickly. It amazed her that she could use her power outside of just her clan and she understood exactly why Peter had told her she was so valuable. She was like the sages, positively magical.

"I figured it wouldn't be long before I saw you again" came a voice she faintly remembered.

Philippe moved out of her vision to allow an older man and her eyes widened it was Frederick the man she saw on the night she met Peter. He had checked her over for wounds and made sure she was well cared for, it made sense, and she thought in retrospect, that he was the doctor. "Ohoho, yes, it looks like you've discovered too much already, clever girl."

He opened her mouth and poured a vial of bad tasting liquid in her mouth, it felt like ice travelling down her throat and then suddenly, she was freezing, like she had been outside in the snow for too long. She gasped and felt herself shiver, her teeth clacking together. Philippe looked distressed "Can't you do something?"

"I am doing something." Frederick looked irritated, Catherine wanted to tell Philippe she was alright but it was no use.

She drifted in and out of consciousness, her body tense and no amount of heat from the fire George stoked, or the blankets that he brought seemed to make it subside. It was the third time, when the chill that seemed to be endless subsided to just enough for a blanket and when she finally could move her hand and Philippe who was reading a book on the chair next to her noticed the motion "Catherine?"

"Philippe, I'm sorry." She rasped and she watched him hurried grab a cup of water and put it to her mouth, she drank slowly, the liquid lukewarm "I just wanted to help"

"You saved my arm, the silver, it infects the body, and it’s deadly to a werewolf. To stop the infection I would have had to cut my arm off." Philippe looked over at the fire, blush had risen in his cheeks "No one would have made such a sacrifice for me."

"It wasn't a sacrifice, it was the right thing to do." She replied and looked over to see George eagerly waiting next to the door. "What time is it?"

"It's around midnight" George replied dutifully, looking at the grandfather clock on the far wall, 11:47, it was overly ornate for a clock with gold filigree and large hands.

"Has Peter-"

"No, they won't be back until later, if they're quick" the scholar was gently rubbing her hand and she attempted to sit up, her body was still sore but she felt refreshed like she had taken a long nap.

"Awake finally?" Frederick asked stepping in from an adjoining room that she hadn't noticed until now, candles were lit everywhere and as she looked around to see ivory walls and high ceilings, it looked almost palatial, the gold shone in the soft candle light and there was gold almost everywhere.

"Awake." Catherine nodded "I went too far."

"It's natural for someone who has your power to take everything a little too far. You're just discovering what you can do, although I'd rather you do it safely instead of constantly giving your power over to others."

"I help those in need." muttered the blonde girl in the bed that was so big it almost consumed her small body.

"You should stop being around needy people," he looked pointedly over at Philippe who frowned.

"and what was I to do with Cordelia?" the man in question shot back "she's out for blood and god knows why."

"She's out for blood indeed, Helian blood is far more valuable than what little Catherine has been using it for."

Catherine fell back into the pile of pillows "Do you think Peter knew when he left?"

"No." Frederick and Philippe said at the same time.

"Your alpha has been waiting for you, for a decade at least, you are his chosen mate." Frederick continued "You are much more than a prize, you are fate."

"Oh." She wondered if that's what John and Ivan kept trying to tell her. She was meant to be with Peter and he had waited to have her for years, but how had he been involved with Cordelia? Her heart hurt just thinking of the vicious woman who had attacked Philippe and claimed to use him just to get to her. Was she too dangerous to even be around? She looked over at Philippe who was watching her with interest

"Will I be better before Peter comes back?" she asked honestly to the doctor

"You're no worse off than before you decided to perform a blood sacrifice in the library." Frederick said disapprovingly "however this kind of quick fix won't always work. So don't expect me to be back when you get out of control."

"I'll be more careful from now on." Catherine replied, not sure if it was honest or not, she did not know what constituted as careful when she wasn't sure of her own power. She could help people though, sick people, fatally sick people. What else could she do?

"This is…tincture of silver." He handed her a vial "It can kill a wolf, and restore your power. Since you're not turned yet, you can take it, when you do turn, this will eat you from the inside out. Understand what you have, and use it wisely."

Philippe looked wary of the vial and placed it on the nightstand. "Thank you."

Frederick nodded, running his fingers back through his silver hair "It seems that it's going to get interesting for me for awhile, I don't doubt that this is the not last time I will see you before your changing. Good night Catherine, Philippe." and the doctor walked out of the door George was guarding.

She watched him close the door and sighed, Cordelia was a very real fear, Catherine had no doubt that the vicious female would kill her given any chance "What did you do with Cordelia?" she asked Philippe who looked a little more relaxed now that his charge was awake and talking

"I returned her to her alpha." George replied for his alpha

"And what did he say when you asked?" the alpha wolf shot back, slightly nervous slightly fearful

"He knew. He did not ask." George's voice was quiet, and disturbed "how are you alpha? the doctor didn't look at your cut."

"I'm completely healed, Catherine…you saw what she did."

"I'm sorry." she repeated but she was honestly glad that Philippe was not even scarred from the incident, it was her fault in the first place that he was dragged into this mess. "Can we-I'd like to go back to the library."

"Can you walk?" Philippe asked honestly, not sure if what the doctor said about the girl was true.

She slid out of bed, she felt better than she had this morning, and wondered why Peter had not called a doctor? She felt Philippe grab her hand and tug her along to an oak door on the left of the fireplace, he opened it to reveal the back of the common room, rows and rows of books before her. George followed them out of the room and back into the warm plush library.

She still had blood on her dress, and she noticed that Philippe had not bothered to change either, he walked slowly and kept looking back to make sure that she was alright. Catherine smiled to reassure him. He led her back to the couch and sat down after her, pulling out a book and looking pointedly at his delta "where is the food?"

"I apologize alpha, I will fetch it now."

"Stupid dog." sighed Philippe as he opened up the book he had been reading earlier, he grabbed Catherine and pulled her close until she was almost on top of him. He nuzzled her neck and sighed "You saved me."

She laughed "of course I would."

"I'm not even your alpha, how could you make such a sacrifice for me, this was not in what I had read about Helian wolves."