SOULLESS

CHAPTER 16

Cybele took the elevator to the upper floors of the hospital and found her father with Sinder, walking towards Ari's room.

Both girls stared at each other for a few minutes before Frank broke the ice, saying,'I should talk to Frank while you girls catch up', leaving them alone to enter one of the offices

'Hi Sinder, I was just coming over to see you. How are you feeling?', Cybele said to Sinder, who remained quiet.

'I heard that you have found your mate. Congratulations, "Cybele said again, but still Sinder remained silent. Cybele exhaled loudly before saying, 'Please excuse me, I need to check on Ari.'

As Cybele walked past Sinder, she was pulled back into a bear hug. Shocked, it took Cybele a few moments to process what was happening before she reacted by hugging Sinder back.

'You smell like breast milk,' Sinder teased after a few minutes.

'No, I don't', Cybele replied, pulling away from Sinder, who was laughing.

'But seriously, why are you not resting, Sinder? I know we are both white coats, but you shouldn't push yourself too hard.' Cybele said.

'My mate and my dad are talking in my room, so I want to use the opportunity to see Ari before I am discharged today.' Sinder replied.

'Walk with me then, since we are going the same way,' Cybele said again.

And both girls walked silently side by side before Sinder said,

'My brother told me Ricard stood trial for what he did'.

'Yes, and I am so sorry, Sinder, I truly am', Cybele said.

'You dont have to apologise, but truth be told, your mate is a jerk. I can't believe he would hurt Ari like that,' Sinder said, making Cybele sigh

'You and me both', Cybele responded.

'And you still want to go on with the ceremony?'Sinder asked, looking at Cybele.

'Right now, all I want to do is make sure my sister is ok. Whatever comes tomorrow will be dealt with tomorrow, "Cybele replied. Looking back at Sinder.

'You sound like uncle Frank', Sinder said back to her.

'I will take that as a compliment. We are here, "Cybele said as they arrived at the VIP floor where Ari was being cared for.

'Why are there so many royal warriors here?', Sinder whispered.

'Ricard', Cybele responded before walking forward towards the guards.

'I am Cybele nd this is Sinder, we are both here to see Ari', Cybele said to one of the guards.

'No one is allowed through without permission from either prince Kohan or Duke Farad', the guard replied politely.

'I do have the prince's permission to see my sister. You may verify if you wish', Cybele responded.

The guards' eyes glazed over for several minutes before he looked down at Cybele, saying, "Her attending doctor will meet with you shortly.'

Gina came out of a room to meet with both women in the corridor.

'Good afternoon, ladies,' she said cheerfully to them.

'Sinder, I am glad to see that you are on your feet again. Being a white coat certainly has its advantages. Your wounds healed at a very fast rate, but I will still need to examine your back before I discharge you'

'We are here to see my sister doctor Gina', Cybele said to her.

'Yes, I have been told, and I know you have proper clearance to do so, but she is currently sleeping, and given her delicate situation, I don't advise that she be disturbed.'

'Is she in danger?' Sinder asked

"Thankfully, no. The blood proved to be helpful and helped her pull through the toughest part of her recovery. Now we wait', Gina says

'Wait for what?', Cybele asked.

'To see what happens when she fully recovers', Gina responded and continues toel explain looking at Sinder.

'You are an elite warrior. trained to take hits and adapt to pain, but Ari is a human, the trauma her body has just experienced will certainly have an effect on her mental state. For me, that is my greatest worry.'

'When can we see her?', Cybele asked as her father walked towards the three women to join their conversation.

'Trust me when I tell you that not seeing her right now is the best way to keep her safe,' Gina responded.

'Is she in danger?' Sinder asked, and Gina looked at her, not knowing how to respond.

"Not while under my protection," said a deep voice behind Gina.

Everyone bowed at the sight of Prince Kohan, who looked at his best friends make with curiosity.

'I am guessing you must be Sinder', he said to the small woman, who was surprised the prince knew her.

'Farad won't stop talking about you. so it's easy to pick you out from the crowd with his specific descriptions,' Kohan said smiling, making Sinder blush.

He looked at Cybele and said to her,'Doctor Gina has been my personal physician for over a decade, I trust with my life and will need you to trust her decisions as well. Ari is safe and stable, but...'

'But we can't see her', Cybele finished

'Not if Gina advises against it', Kohan responded but stopped abruptly to sniff the air, his eyes turning black.

'Doctor Gina!'A male screamed behind them, and they all turned around to find few of the royal guards growling with their eyes darkened as they moved slowly as if hypnotised towards a particular direction. Kohan roared and majority of the wolves on that floor and several below cowered at the sound but three royal guards turned to challenge him, growing and snarling at him.

'This can't be happening', Gina mind-linked to Kohan in a shocked tone as she ran towards the room Ari was being kept. She turned to Cybele and Sinder saying . 'follow me now!'

'What's going on?' Cybele answered following behind Sinder

'Go with them', Kohan growled at Lionel, who looked at the prince to find his face was almost inhumane as he had partially shifted to intimidate his opponent's.

Kohan looked him saying, 'I need you close to Ari so you can protect her.'

Lionel followed the girls and punched a guard that tried to stop him who was subdued by royal guards still loyal to Kohan.

As the three guards were being subdued, Kohan felt someone trying to reach him through his mind-link.

'Kohan... something... is... happening' Farad said with difficulty.

''What's wrong? Kohan asked worried

'There is a scent in the air and its driving my wolf crazy', Farad said again.

'Is it only you?' Kohan asked

'What?' Farad responded

you alone?' Kohan asked again as he walked towards Aris room.

'No Arnold is with me' Farad said growling.

'Stay with me friend, is he affected?' Kohan asked.

'No, but several other males like me are being affected', Farad answered

'I need you to gather all the males on your floor before they lose control of their wolves, do what you have to but make sure you have them quarantined in a room. I will tell you what is happening as soon as I can get to you', Kohan responded.

'Yes my prince. but hurry', Farad responded.

Kohan reached Ari's room but was stopped at the door by Cybele. who was shaking visibly at the sight of him and the aura that surrounded but held her ground.

'Forgive me your majesty but I can't let you come in' she said cowering. Kohan snarled at her and punched a hole through the door just beside her head but she still refused to budge.

'You are unmated and unmarked your majesty, you can't come in' she said closing her eyes but still using g her body to block the door.

At her words, everything began to fall into place in Kohans head. He reined back his wolf and spoke as gently as he could, 'Call out Farads mate. I need her to come with me, now'

Cybele looked up at him and nodded quickly before glazing her eyes over. Sinder walks out of the room to find the prince looking down at Cybele with a huge hole very close to her face.

'Your Highness', she questions

'Your mate needs you, come with me now', Kohan says to her.

'Go inside and stay with your sister, you are not useful to her if you are dead. My mated guards will stand at the door', he said to Cybele who nods and immediately does as instructed.

As he walks through the corridor, he orders 'I want all unmated and unmarked males and females removed from this hospital, floor by floor. I wanted soldiers at every entrance. Nobody else come in today. MOVE NOW!'

'What about these three?' asked a royal guard.

'You three dared to stand against me. I knew my brother sent you, which is why I didn't let close to me. When this is over, you will tell me just how much he knows before you die', he said addressing the three spies.

Bind them and don't let anyone near them, we need to find out what they have told our enemies', he says to the guard.

'Yes sir', the guard replies

Kohan walks with Sinder but notices that she has difficulty keeping up with his stride due to her injuries not completely healed. He lifted her up gently and told her to hang on. but notices that her back is wet with blood as some of her stiches have come undone.

'

You're bleeding', he says to her

'I am fine, I bent over trying to get Ari into a bathtub to lessen her fever which is very high. I dont understand how she's conscious, my brother told me her wounds were worse than mine', Sinder said.

Kohan stopped and dropped her on her feet to say to her in the elevator. 'Whatever you saw or heard on that floor must never leave that floor. Do you understand?'

'Why your highness? So many peoplecare worried. they need to know she's okay', Sinder asked.

'Farad says Ari is your best friend, if you truly value her life speak nothing of what you saw to anyone', Kohan responded and Sinder simply nodded.

The elevator doors opened to reveal utter chaos, young men between the ages of sixteen to twenty seven were all acting crazy and the hospital staff were having trouble trying to sedate or calm them.

'What's causing this?' Sinder whispers

'Where are you Farad?' Kohan asked through the mind-link

'Left wing, last room on the right', Farad responded.

Kohan lifted Sinder again and marched towards the direction given.

'When we reach your mate, I want you to mark him'

'What?', Sinder responded

They got to the room and opened the door to find Farad tied to the bed with Arnold standing watch beside a middle aged warrior. Menace was growling and snapping ferociously but upon seeing Sinder, he started whining.

'What happened papa?', Sinder asked her father

'I don't know' her father replied

'One minute, we were talking and suddenly we both smell the pheromones of a woman in heat and everything goes to hell', her father responded

'Wait, he's responding to another woman's scent?', Sinder asked with her eyes narrowed.

'it's perfectly normal Sinder. don't hold it against him. He's not yet marked and he's unmated, he's bound to react instinctively' her father responded.

'Mate!', Menace called to her.

She ran to him and held his hand, 'I wanted our marking to be special, she whispered', he nodded in understanding and turned his neck to her. She elongated her fangs and bit him, while her eyes turned gold. Slowly Menace began to calm down until Farad took back control.

'Hello mate', he says lovingly to her as he looks at her teary eyed face but stopped smiling when he smelt blood.

'Untie me now!' he growled turning to the warrior who rushed to him with a knife cutting the ropes. Sinder holds unto him weary and tired from all the stress her body had under gone. Her father upon noticing her blood dripping to the ground rushes out to get medical help.

'What happened to her?' Farad said looking at Kohan.

'I noticed that she opened her stitches and rushed her here as fast as I could', Kohan responded.

'Go, I'll be here when you get back, the prince needs you', she says to him as he gently places her face down on the bed.

'I like him', she continues. 'Hes nice when hes not scary', Sinder whispered as Frank and a few nurses rushed into the room to attend to her, with Arnold behind them.

'What's going on Kohan?', Farad asked looking at the prince, who was looking at Sinder with a hint of sadness in his eyes.

'It's Ari', Kohan responded through their personal link

'What happened to her?' Farad responded

'I think she is ...'

A claws peak warrior barges into the room shouting at Arnold 'SIR, THERE ARE HUNDREDS OF ROGUES COMING THIS WAY. ITS WAR SIR'

The prince, the duke and the head warrior all go to look out of the window to find hundreds of rogues fighting through wolves headed towards the hospital.