Lycan's Affection

Brandon watched as the prayer session was put together, right outside the palace. It was freezing cold, and with every minute, it simply got colder. He gave a small sigh. Conaan got even paler and paler, and his body even weaker. The healer had checked on him over twice, adding more incense. His room was now filled with smoke, milky in color with a strong smell.

The windows were open, and he now took a breath only once every hour.

Eleanor swallowed as she tried to reach the only source of light in the dungeon. It was a window high up, almost over two feet above her head. It was far too small, and she would need a knife to break the bars.

She swallowed as she jumped again, then suddenly felt a a pair of hands on her waist.

She turned and Conaan was standing there, his hand warm agaisnt her waist, his smile small as he watched her.

"I think I could reach it for you. Say the words, and I will."

Her breath faltered as her eyes swept over his face, tears filling her eyes, stinging them like the vision did her heart. She could have sworn it was real, reach out to cup his cheeks and pull him in to her. But there was no scar.

He was the Conaan before her. The unscarred, beautiful man, and all of that had changed after her.

"Conaan..."

He smiled again, and right before her eyes cleared off, the warmth on her waist the only indication that he could have even been there, the ghost of his smile lingering in the empty space before her.

She swallowed, blinking hard as she turned to the window again, her resolve now doubled despite the frantic tremble of her hands.

She started to reach for it again, just as the door clicked. She turned sharply, expecting Alexander, or even Jane. But it was neither.

Matthew was standing by the door, his hair disheveled. He was holding a large quilt in his hand, and a small bottle on the other.

"Eleanor."

She swallowed, her eyes wide. Matthew was always very sweet to her and at some point, he had harbored some infatuation. But he had gotten over it since she was soon to be his brother's wife, even though he still remained just as sweet.

"What are you doing here?"

He said nothing and walked in quick, then dropped the bottle on the floor. He immediately wrapped the quilt around her body, then closed it up in front of her.

"I am so sorry, Eleanor. For everything Xander has done and..."

She shook her head as he dropped his hands, and she held the quilt instead. "Thank you."

He leaned closer a bit. "I managed to distract the guards, Eleanor. If Conaan is as sick as I think he is, he will need you. You are really his mate, aren't you?"

She nodded. "I am."

It was the first time she was saying it, but it felt strange, yet right. It felt right. She had been stupid to think it didn't.

He gave a small, wistful smile. "You both would make a terrific couple. I will take you to the back. You can..make your way from there, right?"

Without waiting for an answer, he started to turn away. Eleanor grabbed his arm, stopping him in place. "What about you? Maybe you should come with me. Conaan wouldn't..."

He shook his head. "My brother may be so insecure about his authority over the pack, but...he isn't a bad person. He took care of me ever since and even though I know this is right, I still feel a little like a traitor. So just come, please. Please."

She swallowed and nodded as he grabbed the bottle, then held her hand and slowly led her out of the dungeon. He stayed to lock the door back, then took the key with him and replaced it in the large box that held all the keys to each dungeon.

The walk was short, and soon enough, they finally made it out of the dungeon's long hallways. It had to be somewhere around midnight from the placement of the full moon, and Eleanor swallowed at the memories that the light brought back.

Matthew led her to the small gate even though he knew that she knew exactly what it was. He helped her jump over it, and she waited, now outside the pack, for him to jump over too.

He landed in front of her with a small thud, then gave a small breath and smiled.

"Do what you have to do, Eleanor."

She nodded, then slowly wrapped her arms around him. It was a little awkward, his loyalty towards his brother fighting his loyalty towards her, but he soon pulled away and gave her a small smile.

"Here," he said, thrusting the bottle in front of her.

Her eyes widened. "Is it perhaps..."

"I know you would want an antidote, but...there is none."

She felt her heart sink. "None?"

"Yes. There is no antidote. This is... a weapon. I thought to give it to you because...Xander wants to use this against the lycans soon enough. He would have tested it on you too. He needs to see how strong it is, before using it."

Eleanor's brows furrowed. "But it's not like he can get all the lycans to eat something..."

Matthew shrugged. "He intends for them to inhale it. They are still working on it. They are going to make it like a gas or something, I am not sure. I don't know if this is right..."

"No, Matthew. No matter what happens, I will keep you safe."

He shook his head. "My brother. I don't care what happens to me, but my brother...please."

His voice was teary, and he managed a strained smile. She reached for his cheek, then let her fingers caress his skin.

"Thank you, Matthew."

He smiled, and let himself lean in to her touch a little, before he pulled away. "Take care, Eleanor."

She nodded, then turned away, the quilt wrapped around her. Even as she bounded off, she turned and saw him, still standing there, his hands tucked in his pockets, his eyes solemn.

Brandon waited outside the room as the healer checked on Conaan again. He could hear the woman slightly cough now and then, but then went silent later.

He paced about, his heart in his throat. The prayer session was going on outside, and the night had aged by now.

It only made him even more anxious now. So much time had passed and...

Suddenly, he heard a loud gasp from the room as the sharp sound of a breath sucked in, accompanied it. It felt like a last attempt at something, and then a small thud on the bed followed. Brandon's eyes widened and he could barely keep himself from breaking into the room.

The healer emerged just as quickly, her eyes wide, and filled with tears.

"His highness....His highness..."

Brandon took a hold of her shoulders, lightly shaking her. "What happened to him? Tell me what happened?"

She swallowed, tears choking her, her head shaking. "His highness is... His highness Conaan is..."

Brandon pushed her aside, His patience now mostly gone. He pushed his way around her, then sauntered into the room.