The Delta's Daughter Chapter 312

CRIMSON

I groggily open my eyes; my body is stiff and frozen. I feel worse than when I woke up in the cold and dark cell of Tolba.

I wasn’t sure what I would wake up to or where when my eyes finally focused. Frozen like an ice cube or not, I was relieved to find I was still out in the open.

I shake my head a little, the wet snow falling from my face and head. As I focus, the bright, blinding winter sky has me squinting as big fat flakes fall around me. “Shit,” I groaned trying to muster the strength to move my frozen limbs.

How long had I been laying here? What the fuck happened?

The memories come flooding back all at once, the dirt bikes, the crash, the blood.

I hastily check myself out, already knowing my wounds had healed. But what in the goddess’s name did those people hit me with? I thought they were coming to help, but all I remember is the agonizing sting of electricity shooting throughout my body.

I felt weak. Drained. But I couldn’t lay here any longer. My clothes were soaked from my blood and the blanket of snow that had accumulated over me.

Clambering to my feet, I dust off the now-iced flakes and look around. I haven't a fucking clue where I am. I spot my car, upended, singed, and smashed almost beyond recognition. One side of it has a gaping hole where whatever they threw at the vehicle, punched a hole the size of a bear's ass into it.

I stumble over to the vehicle and look inside, hoping to find dry clothes to change into. Unfortunately, to my demise, everything is charred. The car must have caught on fire when I was knocked out.

I was a million miles from home, with no clue where I was or how far from the road I had fallen.

I flex my fingers, to pump some blood through them, they feel like icicles, numb and cold. Like the rest of me. I try to gather my thoughts, try to shake off the lethargic feeling, and put myself together.

I glance down at my hands, and it’s then I see the color of my skin. My usual cinnamon-colored complexion is bland and pale, almost a grey color. For a moment my legs give out and I stumble. A crow cries cutting into the eerie silence of the mountain forest. I clamp a hand around my left arm which seems to be in pain. Yet nothing is broken, my body is fully healed.

So why am I feeling so drained, and why does my arm throb?

I pull up the soaked sleeve to inspect the area that is giving me issues and gasp out loud when I see not just a mass of dark bruising, but my veins are a deep hue of purple and angry looking.

My throat goes dry when I see a small hole, no bigger than a needle, but bright red, sitting in the center of the bruising and discolored veins.

What did they do to me?

It’s the logical question, the only one that comes to mind. They, whoever it was that attacked me, must have caused this.

Did they inject me with something?

I do a mental check of my vitals, wishing more than any time in my life that I had a spirit animal that could tell me what was wrong.

I don’t feel as if I have been poisoned, just that I had been hit by a few trucks.

As I run through the obvious possibilities, it’s slow to come but the thought makes sense. They took my blood. Almost drained me dry. That’s why I’m so pale, so weak. The thought that is exactly what happened horrifies me and hope I’m wrong.

But my gut feeling tells me, I know it’s what happened. Even without proof, I would guarantee it. I just know.

I’m left feeling flabbergasted, what would they want with my blood? Who the fuck were those people. Did they know who I was?

I stop in my tracks. Everything in me ceases.

They knew who I was. What I am. It’s the only possible solution, the only logical conclusion.

“FUCK!” I shout into the cloudy snow-filled sky. It was hard to determine the time of day, with the dense clouds hiding the sun from my sight. I hazard a guess it was late in the afternoon.

My thoughts turn to Tawny, becoming wild with worry. Did they know she was my mate? Is she ok? Is she safe?

The agonizing concept that she may be in danger fuels me to get my shit together. The feral need to be with my mate consumes me, as my skin shimmers and I begin to shift to four paws. A sheen of white fur ripples over me, replacing my skin. My teeth form to point as do my ears and once fully transformed, I look over myself to find My form not the usual Yellow and black spots or even the deep shade of red. But a sleek pure white that blends into the surroundings.

I walk around the mutilated vehicle, scenting it and latching onto the metallic smell along with the stench of burnt rubber.

While I lay unconscious, the snow had fallen and covered the path of any tracks the rolling car might have left. Luckily even with the blanket of white powder, I was still able to pick up the scent of the car hidden beneath.

I followed it and tracked it up the mountainside until I found the road.

Once at the road, I could determine which way The wolf kingdom was and took off knowing that’s where Tawny was meant to be.

A few hours into the run, my form tired and weary, I spotted movement by the side of the road. A deer. I came to a slow and hunched down. I didn’t have time to stop and hunt but I knew if I wanted to make it to the New Moon Kingdom, I needed to replenish my strength.

My prey hadn't noticed me yet, the color of my fur blending in, making my movements undetectable. Once close enough I pounced. Startling the unsuspecting food. My claws dug into the deer's back and my jaws opened wide, teeth clamping down on his neck.

He struggles but I’m a predator, and the deer struggles to stay on hooves. Piercing through his skin and shaking the prey, the deer struggles some more before the blood drains from the open wound in his neck and sinks to the ground.

I devour my meal. Cleaning my paws and muzzle off in the snow. I give myself a few minutes for the heavy raw meat to settle before I begin my journey again. Taking off at an impossible speed now I feel recharged.

I run hard. I run fast. Paws pounding into the snow that crunches beneath them. Day turns to night and night morphs back to day. I don’t stop. Not even when I see a town, tiny lights lightening it up in the distance.

I keep on track. Focused and determined to get to my mate. To make it to New Moon.

It takes me longer, but I reach the border, the air changing. The invisible barrier I pass over sends a flow of rippling waves over me as I cross from the bear kingdom to the kingdom of wolves.

This is only the border though; the capital is still more than a day's run away. I know I need to stop. To eat, to drink, but I can’t.

A heavy sense of forbearing sits low in my stomach. My instincts are still uneasy. They will be until I have her in my arms, and I know my Kitten is safe.

My hackles raise as I plow through the trees and enter a meadow. Growls and snarls filled the air and eyes gleam from the forms of wolves as they close in on me.

They have me surrounded.

I notice the sir is not as icy as in the mountains, the wolves' territory being lower. Snow still covers the ground, but unlike in the mountains, it's thin and just a smattering of white dust.

I shift to my feet, and the growls that follow tell me they don’t know what I am. I don’t shift as they do. My bones don’t crack or break. I’m an enigma.

“I mean you no harm!” I say lifting my hands as the predators close in on me. I have somehow become the prey, intruding on their land. I won't hurt them unless they attack. I truly hope it doesn’t come to that. “I am passing through on my way to the Capital. I am Kolby Crimson, future King of the Cambiador Kingdom.”

The growls still and the snarls cease. The wolves relax as two men shift to skin form and approach me. “You are a long way from the capital.” The first one says, his eyes taking me in, assessing me. Trying to figure out how much of a threat I am. If only they knew.

“And coming from the wrong direction.”

“I was visiting a friend in the northern parts of the bear kingdom when I was attacked, and my vehicle destroyed.” I have no problem answering their questions if it gets me back on track faster.

“Attacked by who?” The man asks.

I shake my head, “I don’t know who they were. Or what they were. My mate is already in the Kingdom, a good friend to King Kellen and his Beta.” I figured maybe if I name-drop, they will let me be on my way faster.

No such luck.

A female shifts, unbothered that she is surrounded by males, but none of them dare to look at her. “Who is your mate?” She demands an answer coming to stand in front of me.

I hesitate, but then decide it makes no difference if they know her or not, “My mate is Tawny Johnson, Princess and rightful heir to Cambiador.” Recognition flashes in the female's eyes, she peers at me a little closer.

She takes a step back and her eyes glaze over, and so do the males she stands next to. Obviously having a private conversation via mind-link.

When the haze clears from her eyes she speaks. “I know Tawny. I didn’t know she was a future Queen. She worked as an advisor for the now King. She visited our pack a few times with their Gamma Tyron.”

“You are trespassing on Pack land,” the male sneers, still hostile to my intrusion.

“If there is a better way for me to pass through, I will gladly take it,” I tell him, hoping to the gods he doesn’t try to imprison me.

That would just be… Let’s just say I have no intentions of massacring a pack, but if they try to take me, I will have no choice.

I suck a deep lungful of cold air and huff it out quickly, “I am meeting my mate to attend the coronation of Queen Tala. I would be most appreciative if you would let me pass through your lands, or direct me to a better route where I won't be causing a disturbance.”

“I don’t like werecats.” The large man growls, his lips curling into a sneer and eyes darkening.

“Don’t be an ass, Paul!” The female scalds him, slapping his arm. “Excuse my mate, he’s old-fashioned. I hate to tell you that you won't be making the coronation on time.”

I frown, “What day is it?”

“It's Friday, the coronation takes place in the morning.” She tells me and I feel my body slump with defeat.

I can’t miss her, I just can't. She will leave after the coronation, that’s what we had originally planned. Maybe. Will she go back to Cambiador, or will she head to Riocht or MacTire?

I just want my mate.

“I have to get there.” My voice is sharp and demanding, with a hint of desperation. I don’t have time to play around and be formal. They needed to let me go on my way.

“It would be easier by car. Even if we let you go, you are going to hit another Packs territory. They may not be as friendly as we have been.” The large man gives his input.

He’s right. The next Pack lands I try to cross may not stop to ask questions.

To my surprise, the man who doesn’t like werecats is the one to offer me a solution. His dark eyes bore into me, attempting to intimidate me, but his offer was born of kindness. Or maybe because of the female who stood next to him. “Follow us back to the pack house. We can offer you clothes and a vehicle for the rest of your journey.”

At first, I wavered. On one hand, the gesture was welcomed, and I would be able to drive straight into New Moon. On the other hand, I needed to keep my guard up. I was in wolf territory, and it was already made plain that werecats weren't liked.

“My mate,” The man side-eyes the female. “Knows of this Tawny. She has convinced me to help you.”

I nod with a slight smile and thank him. I shift back into the white jaguar form I had arrived in, not wanting to give them any more reason to be alarmed by my presence. Once they are in wolf form, I follow them across the meadow and through the forest until bright lights cut through the dense trees. Revealing a modern town with brick houses that line a street.

The packhouse, as they call it, is a large two-story house. Larger than the average home, but not quite as big as a mansion.

I find out, once we arrived, and they have provided me with jeans and a sweater, that the man was Paul, the gamma of the pack. And the female - his mate.

They offered a place for me to sleep, but I politely declined eager to be on my way. To Tawny. They handed the keys to the nice well-maintained car, telling me to leave it parked in guest parking at the palace and their Alpha, who would be attending tonight's party and tomorrow's coronation would bring it back.

As soon as I can, I put foot to metal and speed towards New Moon, hoping like hell, I don’t miss Tawny.

There's a sense of urgency in me as if I need to be there. And if I’m not, something bad will happen. While I drive, cautiously looking out the window and listening for the sound of a dirt bike’s pitched motor, my thoughts travel back to the idea that whoever caused me to run off the road, and I assume took my blood, what they would want it for.

Flashbacks of Tolba, play in my mind like a movie. Althea’s words rang in my ears. ‘He made them, designed them. Used blood magic to conceive you.’

And just because some immortal, told Althea my real father was still alive, It didn’t make it true. Someone must know about me. About him. Why else would I be targeted?

Could Abner not be as trustworthy as I thought he was? Could he have set this up?

But that didn’t make sense, if he wanted something from me, he could have taken it when I stayed under his roof.

A darkening feeling came over me. Not just fear that my Kitten may be targeted also, but a notion that what tawny had feared may be right. This was just the beginning of something much bigger than we comprehended.

That dark days were heading our way.

My foot pressed down on the accelerator harder, as I raced to find my mate. Desperate to make sure she’s ok.