Page 34 of Their Mate
I stiffened visibly, my eyes flicking between Edward and Logan before returning to her. “So, what happens if Aidan or Declan get bitten by this Elder Lycan?”
Her expression turned grimly serious. “If they’re bitten, it’s a death sentence. Born wolves can’t survive it; there’s no fix, no cure. They’ll turn, become violent, savage lycans until their bodies burn out. The same goes for regular humans. They’re lost as soon as that bite lands.”
I felt a cold chill snake sharply down my spine, my voice tense as I spoke up. “And what about those who were human but have been turned into wolves—like Declan and the rest of us? Do we have any chance?”
Her gaze shifted between the three of us, evaluating carefully, clearly hesitating to offer even a shred of hope. “There’s one slim possibility. Humans who’ve been bitten and turned into wolf shifters like you three, you have a chance. If you’re bitten by the Elder Lycan, there’s a twenty-four-hour window. If within that window, you’re bitten again by a pure wolf—a natural born wolf shifter—that second bite can counteract the Elder Lycan’s poison and neutralize it.”
Edward raised his brows, expression tense, calculating. “So, you’re saying if this Elder Lycan bites me, I’ve got exactly one day to get bitten again by a pure wolf, or I’m lost?”
She nodded slowly, seriousness etched deeply into her face. “Exactly. But remember, it’s only for humans turned wolf. Born wolves don’t have even that slim chance. Humans don’t either.”
I shook his head slowly, blowing out a harsh breath. “Then let’s bloody hope Declan and Aidan are still alive out there and untouched. Otherwise, things are about to get a whole lot worse.”
Logan’s jaw tightened visibly, eyes narrowing in grim determination. “We don’t have any more time to waste. We need to find them, fast—and pray we’re not already too late.”
CHAPTER 11
Edward
The dark, damp alleyway felt oppressive as we gathered around, all of us tense and wired with restless energy. Logan stood close to our captive—our mate—watching her carefully, his dark eyes narrowed and assessing. Jamie paced restlessly, fingers tapping impatiently against his thigh. As for myself, I stood close enough to monitor the alley’s entrance, always watching, always ready. Old habits die hard; being alert meant staying alive. And right now, staying alive seemed trickier than usual.
A sudden scraping noise echoed from the alley entrance. Instantly, every muscle in my body snapped tight, instincts honed from years of service firing on all cylinders. Logan stepped protectively toward our mate, while Jamie pivoted smoothly, ready to spring if necessary.
A large figure staggered out of the shadows, limping badly. I recognized him instantly. Relief surged through me, quickly replaced by concern and a cold spike of dread.
“Aidan!” I barked out, stepping swiftly toward him. “What the bloody hell happened?”
Aidan stumbled into view, his face pale and contorted in pain, his eyes shadowed and haunted. Blood streaked one side of his face, his injured leg dragging heavily behind him. He staggered toward us and almost collapsed, catching himself roughly against the alley wall.
Logan moved quickly to catch Aidan beneath one arm. Jamie shifted to support him from the other side, easing him down onto a discarded crate.
Aidan sank down with a grunt, sweat streaming down his face, breathing labored and uneven. “Bloody hell,” he rasped, “that hurts.”
My jaw tightened, the soldier in me surfacing instantly. “Aidan, where’s Declan?”
His gaze snapped up sharply, sheer panic flashing across his features. “He took him,” he ground out, his voice shaking. “The bastard dragged him right off, and there wasn’t a bloody thing I could do about it.”
Jamie’s voice sharpened instantly, his whole body going rigid. “Who took him?”
Aidan shook his head fiercely, breathing heavy. “It was huge, bigger than any lycan I’ve ever seen—fast, savage, unstoppable. Just its howl scared off a whole pack of lycans without it lifting a finger. Declan tried to fight him off, but it was like a mouse against a mountain. I tried too, but I was injured. Couldn’t move fast enough, could barely fight. That monster hauled Declan away like a rag doll.”
Logan’s expression darkened sharply. “Did it bite either of you?”
Aidan hesitated, breathing harshly, gaze darting toward his injured leg. “No—at least, I don’t think so. Just clawed me good. But Declan… he was bleeding badly. If that thing’s bite is as bad as—” He trailed off, gaze shifting toward our captive, realization dawning on him. “Wait. You lot know what it is, don’t you?”
She sighed, her expression tense and grim. “The creature you faced wasn’t just a lycan. He was the Elder Lycan, the strongest, smartest, and most dangerous of the lot of ‘em. He’s been turning wolves and humans alike into his twisted lycan creatures.”
Aidan sucked in a sharp breath, eyes wide with horror. “And Declan? What happens if that bastard bit him?”
Sera hesitated, visibly reluctant to answer, but the intensity in our collective glares was unmistakable. She finally spoke, voice quiet and grim. “If the Elder Lycan bites a born wolf, there’s no hope. No cure. It’s a death sentence—they’ll turn into a savage monster and die within a few years. Same goes for regular humans. If a human-turned-shifter is bitten by the Elder Lycan, there’s a twenty-four-hour window where being bitten again by a pure wolf—someone not infected by lycan blood—can counteract it.”
Aidan exhaled, the sound of his relief mingling with worry and dread in his expression. “Then maybe Declan still has a chance.”
Logan nodded his head decisively. “Declan was human first, then turned wolf later—he has the same chance we would. A slim one, but it’s there.”
“It’ll have to be me,” Aidan spoke, his voice solemn.
Sera nodded slowly, solemnly. “Exactly.”
