Page 32 of Tortured Beasts

“How are you feeling?” Mr. Potter asked, coming out of the kitchen into the empty dining room.

“Itchy and sore,” I said, as he handed me a tray.

“I have some things for you to take. It wasn’t easy making your wolf take something for your pain,” he said, getting a bag and another tray.

“You know I hate to take anything,” I said irritated.

“Come on, you all need food and rest,” he said, rolling his eyes at me, walking to my bedroom.

I was hoping to tell him Katarina was awake and be on my way, but it looked like that wasn’t going to happen. My pain was unbearable.

When we entered the room, Katarina looked to be asleep in Aeon’s arms.

“Where is Lucien?” I asked, setting down the tray at the end of the bed.

“He’s worried about an attack,” Aeon said, looking tired. “He’s running the perimeter.”

“He needs to rest,” Mr. Potter said, as set his tray on the nightstand.

“I’m going to go help him.” Aeon set Katarina down.

“I’ll come with you,” I said, about to follow him.

“Stay with Katarina, you need to rest.” Aeon turned around to look at me. “Stay with her.”

I was about to argue with him when Mr. Potter called out to me, “Sit down, Zev.”

“Fine,” I said, hating that I was the weaker one.

“You died, Zev. Mr. Potter had to stitch up three knife wounds, one hit something important and you were burnt pretty badly,” Aeon said, as he walked down the stairs.

“Help me,” Mr. Potter called out to me.

I headed over to help him; he instructed me to mix a few things for him. Her face scrunched up in pain as he did something to her. She died last night, but she came back to us, just like we did. It seemed this curse saved her, but I didn’t know if that was a good or bad thing. Things just got way more complicated.

13

KATARINA

My body felt like it had been beaten several times, then beaten again. I was laying on my side when I opened my eyes, looking around to see I was in an unfamiliar room. I had no idea where I was, panic clawed at me, but when I saw Mr. Potter at the foot of the bed, I instantly relaxed.

“Katarina,” he said, as soon as he saw me awake.

He rushed to my side, worry etched on his see-through face.

“Hi,” I said, coughing with my dry throat.

The cough made my head hurt.

“Let's get you to sit up and you can have some water.”

Mr. Potter helped me up. I gritted my teeth at the pain coursing through my body. He grabbed a glass of water off the nightstand helping me take a sip. The cool water coated my throat, making me feel better.

“Here take this.” He handed me an uncorked vial and I took it immediately.

“Is everyone ok?” I asked nervously, remembering only bits and pieces of last night.

“They are fine,” he said, looking at my leg, feeling the tenderness. “They are running the perimeter, making sure we don’t have anyone at the gates.”

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