Chapter 14: We Go, Together (Ch.14)

"Alpha." A voice called from Zariah's door.

"What part of I want to be alone was not clear enough?" Zariah asked in a chilling tone as the door to her study was opened and footsteps approached her desk.

Zariah glanced up slightly, her cold gaze meeting Darren's concerned eyes.

Zariah's gaze softened slightly as she noticed the look in his eyes and she bit her lips, mentally reprimanding herself for her harsh words.

"I did not know it was you." Zariah said, Darren's brows furrowed at Zariah's words.

"You didn't pick up my scent from floors away like you always do?" Darren asked in a sarcastic tone.

Zariah was quiet for a moment, her expression once again turned cold as she turned her gaze back to the file on her table.

"What is going on with you Zari? Over the past month, you've become increasingly cold and distant. You live in your own world, you can barely stand any other presence around you but your ownself." Darren asked in deep concern.

"I was always cold and distant." Zariah replied in a matter of fact tone, still not glancing up from the file on her desk.

"Not to me..." Darren said in a quiet tone.

Zariah paused briefly before she resumed flipping through the document on her table.

"Zari, you barely speak unless it's a cold and unfeeling reprimand, not to me, not to Allen, not to Nile...hell, you do nothing but work and make plans to embark on dangerous missions outside the barrier without letting me know!" Darren exclaimed in frustration.

"I remember instructing Allen not to say anything about that." Zariah murmured quietly, her gaze still focused on her work.

"Why the hell not?!" Darren asked in part frustration and part fury.

"Do I have to report my decisions to you?" Zariah asked as she placed down her pen.

"I am the head warrior of Crimson Moon and I am your family! I have the right to know!" Darren snapped in a furious tone

"Is that why you did not leave to find your mate along with the others? Because you feel the need to babysit me?" Zariah asked in a dark tone.

"You've changed Zari... It's been only a month and I'm not even certain I know you anymore..." Darren said, shaking his head slightly.

Zariah felt her heart constrict painfully at Darren's words but she stilled her heart reminding herself that at least this time, her change would keep everyone safe.

Whoever came too close to her ended up dying for her, it had happened to Allen, Darren and Nile in the previous lifetime and now... even Torin was gone, Zariah would be damned if she lost anyone else.

"I didn't change...I grew up. Head Warrior Darren of Crimson Moon, I know why you are here and my answer is no, you shall not be joining me on the mission outside the barrier." Zariah replied, turning her gaze away dismissively.

"You forget that we share the same blood, you take orders from no one and neither do I." Darren growled out before he lunged at Zariah.

Zariah noticed his movement too late and her reflexes were not fast enough to escape his attack.

Darren tackled Zariah off her chair and Zariah growled as her back slammed painfully into the wall.

Zariah released a hiss of pain as Darren's claws cut into her flesh, blood spilling over the wall and everywhere else.

Darren stumbled backwards in shock, his eyes wide with horror as he stared at Zariah cradling her injured arm while an array of unmentionable curses streamed out of her lips.

"Seriously Darren?! Like what the hell?!" Zariah exclaimed as she lifted a furious glare to meet Darren.

"Why didn't you dodge the attack?!" Darren asked in horror as he regained his bearing and hurried to Zariah's side, grabbing her arm.

Zariah shoved him away in anger, turning around to head out of her study but Darren blocked her path.

"You must have seen me coming Zari,your reflexes are impeccable, you've never failed to dodge any of my attacks...why did you let me hurt you?" Darren asked in a tone filled with hurt, Zariah made to push past Darren but he would not budge.

"Zari..." Darren began again but Zariah cut him off.

"I can't okay?! I couldn't get out of the way! For heaven's sake, I didn't even see you coming!" Zariah snapped in a frustrated tone as she sucked in a deep breath to calm herself.

Darren fell quiet for a moment, his gaze fixed on Zariah for a short time before his eyes widened.

"Where's Torin?! What happened to her? Let me speak with her!" Darren demanded, his gaze narrowed.

"You can't speak with her Darren... she's gone, Torin is dead! And without her, I am nothing more than a human! "

"So I can't hear you coming! I can't pick up your scent from floors away! I can't do anything anymore, do you understand?! So just leave me be!" Zariah snapped in a pained tone.

"Did I hear it right?" Allen's voice reached Zariah and Zariah heaved a sigh as Allen and Nile stepped into her study.

"Oh great, it's a party now." Zariah said as she stormed back to her table and slumped down into her seat.

"Zari...how...how did this happen?" Darren asked in a shaky tone, it seemed the news had hit him hard, Zariah could not blame him, Torin was Darren's family too.

"I don't know." Zariah replied quietly, keeping her gaze fixed on her table.

"Nile, take a look...there has to be something!" Allen exclaimed, his words jolting Nile out of his shock as he hurried to Zariah's side.

Zariah's eyes fluttered closed as Nile placed a hand on her forehead, she felt the familiar warmth of his spiritual energy brushing through her spiritual cognition.

Nile took a step back after his observation, lifting a hesitant gaze to Darren and Allen.

"Torin is still there...I can feel her but barely, she is in a deep slumber, not any better than dead but she can never truly die as long as Zariah is still living." Nile began slowly.

Zariah's gaze snapped up at Nile's words, the pain from her bleeding arm forgotten.

"You can save her?" Zariah asked, her heart dropping in disappointment when Nile shook his head.

"No...as long as there is a tendril of her in you, I can harness it and restore all your abilities, speed, reflexes, senses, everything... But you will never be able to feel, hear or speak with Torin again... and you will not be able to take her form." Nile revealed in a sad tone.

Zariah nodded slowly, it was already more than what she could have hoped for and at the very least she knew now that as long as she lived, Torin would never truly die.

"How did this happen? Just how?" Darren asked in bafflement.

"I do not have the answers Darren, but I know where to find them and so regardless of the danger, I must go to the outworld." Zariah said in a firm tone.

"Then we go...all four of us, together." Darren replied in a stern tone, his narrowed gaze daring Zariah to challenge him.

Zariah was quiet for a moment before she nodded slowly.

"Inform the element lords, the positions of Alpha, second in command, head warrior and spirit guide will be vacant for an indefinite time...there will be much responsibility on their shoulders." Zariah murmured as she rose to her feet and headed out of her study.