Hades' Cursed Luna novel Chapter 20

Chapter 20: Nerexylin

Hades~

I watched as she writhed and murmured, her forehead crinkling like she was in pain. Her fingers and toes twitched as the Nerexylin worked its magic. Depending on the dosage, it could be fatal, but with the measly 10ml I injected her with, she would feel just a bit of discomfort.

I could have easily injected the deadly amount of 100ml, but I couldn't afford to fry her brain with the stress the drug would induce. I needed her alive, unfortunately. So she was lucky.

There was a tightness in my chest that made it slightly harder to breathe all of a sudden. I pulled on my tie, loosening it a bit, but it barely did anything. Cerberus prowled, uneasy in my consciousness. His low growl reverberated through me.

"Hades, is something wrong?" Kael asked, his voice laced with worry.

I shook my head.

I swallowed thickly, the air suddenly heating up despite the air conditioning.

Then she screamed—a raw, guttural sound that cut through the air like a knife.

Cerberus bristled at the sound. Then there was a knock on the door of the white room. I trudged over and opened the door.

"Your Majesty," my Thetas greeted, bowing. "The diplomats have arrived," they informed. "They are waiting in your office."

"Kael."

"Right behind you," he assured.

I turned back to the twins. "Watch her," I ordered them. With that, I walked out of the room with Kael right behind me. The further I walked from the room, the easier it became to breathe.

Kael glanced at me but said nothing, and I did not engage as we made our way to my office.

The tightness in my chest only seemed to ease the farther I distanced myself from the white room. Cerberus paced restlessly in the back of my consciousness, a low growl rumbling beneath the surface.

"Are you sure you're all right?" Kael asked quietly as we neared the doors to my office. His voice was calm, but I could hear the concern behind it.

I didn't answer him. I couldn't explain this unease—not without sounding like I had lost control. And I couldn't afford that right now, especially not with the diplomats waiting.

The doors opened smoothly, revealing the grand room within. At the long table, the diplomats sat quietly, waiting. Representatives from several packs, all here to finalize the terms of an alliance that had been hard-won after weeks of negotiations. Tension still simmered beneath the surface, a fragile peace barely holding after we'd been on the precipice of war.

"Your Majesty," the Silverpine Pack's diplomat greeted, his face a mask of cold neutrality. His eyes told a different story. They still didn't trust me—the feeling was mutual. If it had not been, I wouldn't have asked for Ellen.

"Let's proceed," I said, taking my seat at the head of the table. I kept my voice measured, not giving any hint as to what was happening to Ellen.

The discussions began smoothly enough, with polite but cautious exchanges about territory boundaries, trade agreements, and the fine details of mutual protection. It was obvious that our loyalty was fragile and dependent on this alliance holding—for now.

The diplomat from the Bloodwood Pack, one of the packs within the extended territory of Silverpine, spoke.

"Your Majesty, we appreciate the efforts that have gone into maintaining the peace. However, certain raids on our borders persist. While minor, they are concerning."

I could feel Cerberus stir at the underlying accusation, his growl vibrating through my chest. "And I trust those border issues have been resolved through the proper channels?" I asked coolly, my gaze locking onto the diplomat's. "My people do not act without orders. Perhaps the issue lies with your neighboring packs, not mine."

I could have rolled my eyes. Allied packs of Silverpine had a habit of stealing from one another and blaming the Lycans.

A pause. He swallowed, his gaze shifting slightly. "Of course, Your Majesty. We merely seek to ensure that... misunderstandings do not escalate into something worse."

I could feel the tension thickening in the room, but outwardly, I remained composed. The alliance was fragile, but necessary. Every one of them knew how close we had all come to war, and yet, the peace we'd managed to secure still held by the thinnest of threads. They feared what would happen if those threads snapped. It would snap, but the Lycans would most definitely be ready.

Kael shifted beside me, clearing his throat just enough to gain my attention. I glanced at him, and he gave me a subtle nod. There was an urgency in his eyes that told me this meeting was about to be cut short.

I ignored the diplomats for a moment, lowering my voice to address Kael. "What is it?"

He leaned in just enough so only I could hear. "It's her. The twins sent word—she's not reacting well to the Nerexylin."

My hand tightened into a fist beneath the table. I could feel the tension returning in full force, Cerberus bristling within me. I kept my voice low and controlled. "How bad?"