Poisoned

2 Weeks Later,

February 16th, 2007.

It was a cold winter night.

The raspy weather blew terribly, roaring at the three racing through the woody path that leads to an unknown destination. The chilly air sang as the beasts of the night continued racing along. Pushing their paws to go a tad bit faster.

Stormie's dark brown furs glazed with snow dust as she ran over the few cracked trees in her path before getting to the edge of a high mountain. She focused her deep crimson red eyes on the sight. There, she caught a clear view of the dark woods and glimmering city. The alpine view was an ankle deep of pristine snow.

Maria stood close to Adrian. Her wolf is snow white with cold steel-blue eyes while Adrian is darkest brown and black with golden yellow eyes. Charming in his lustrous, thick fur. They stood close to a flowing stream, howling louder in the night's silence. Their strong paws trodden as they explored their little Dreamland.

As Stormie looked around, she noticed a white blanket of snow covering the trees, ground, and houses. It surprised her by how quiet everything seemed. The only sound she could hear was her paws crunching in the snow. The smell of damp pine trees made the air feel fresh. It felt so peaceful to be walking in such a magical place.

Just then, Stormie saw someone in a red velvet hood. It was a red riding hood. She was looking directly at her from the woods, thought it was getting brighter. The flower moon has almost faded within the sky and Stormie wondered what brought her back this time.

'Everything was over, right? Wolfsberg manor is saved now.'  Stormie allows the thought lace her mind.

Adrian and Marian chased each other home while Stormie stayed behind.

Looking at Madam Valerie, she noticed the basket of apples at her right arm. Unable to see her properly, Madam Valerie walked away in the clouds of snow.

Though its flakes were slightly rough and icy cold on Stormie's skin, she proceeded. Just then, she realized that she had transformed back into her human form. She ran after her instead of giving up.

Madam Valerie stopped at a point and Stormie released her held breaths.

"You're back again. Why don't you pay my family and I a visit if you truly want to see your Alpha?" She tried contending the volume of excitement in her racing chest.

It took a while before madam Valerie turned back. "I'm sorry." The words dropped from her lips with regrets. Then she walked closer, dropping to her knees.

"Get up, ma'am. Don't kneel before me ever again. You're an elder in our territory, as well. You deserve more respect."

"I came to check on you personally. Wolf to wolf.... To give you this and to tell you thank you for honoring my last offer." She handed Stormie an apple from her basket.

"So you came all the way from wherever you live... Probably Austria to give me an apple?" Stormie blushed. Imagining how loyal she was. "What's it about these apples, though?"

She asked, looking at it with curiosity.

"Every apple in my basket of goodies holds a special blessing. Apples are the shape of our hearts. Likewise, it fulfills our heart's desires."

"Okay then. Thanks so much for sharing your basket of goodies with me." Stormie smiled while Madam Valeria walked to a black horse. Mounting on it before riding off.

"A horse?" Stormie raised an eyebrow. "How elegant?"

A firm smirked spread on her lips as she walked home. It gave a special feeling, knowing red riding hood came this far to give her this. The apple looked big, fresh and yummy.

'It took a lot, howling all night.' Stormie pondered, wiping off the apple on her dress before taking a bite.

"Hmm... Yummy. This actually tastes like the apple of life." She sighed, taking another chew.

"It's so juicy. Umm... I feel strange." Stormie held her head, feeling lightheaded. Her deep crimson red eyes glowed as she struggled. And then, it faded.

"What's happening?" Stormie's voice sounded raspy. Her vision blurred out again.

The apple dropped and rolled away toward the running black horse. She wasn't sure who it was, but the rider, who was longer a lady, turned back at her. It seemed to be a man. It seemed to be Jerry that took the form of Madam Valerie. The taste of chemical filled her chest as she struggled, breathing. Drooling in the cloud of darkness. The sudden dizziness.

"Aww! My head..." Stormie moaned in pain. Her body slumped and collapsed against the snowy floor. Making her fall out of that warm, red liquid called life.

"Soothes you right, Alpha." He gave a tight-lipped smirk at her lifeless body. With a pump fist in the air, Jerry cackled maliciously. Riding off into the chilly darkness.

Black ravens stood by her unconscious body, their starry talons making a crunchy sound in the icy snow around her.

Adrian and Maria got home, about to rest, a raven cooed. Standing by his window. Concerned, he moved closer, having a disturbed sensation.

"What about Stormie?" Adrian asked.

"I think she stayed back. Is everything alright?" Maria asked worriedly.

Adrian peeped in the direction of which the birds flew and he could hear the raven's talons scrunch the snow. With his eyes, he could see theirs. Black companions, white ground, Grey sky, red apple. He could see all of it. He could sense all of it.

Adrian jerked off and ran out of the house.

"What's wrong?" Jessica asked, just stepping out of the bedroom with sleepy eyes.

"Umm... I think Stormie is in trouble." Maria confessed and ran out.

Getting there, Adrian touched Stormie's skin. It was as cold as ice. Turning her over to see if she was still breathing, Adrian didn't sense any life in her.

She was just silent and still.

'Is she dead?' he dancing eyes wondered, as tears filled the empty space of his eyes.

The sun, like a white ball of life, arose above the horizon of fluffy clouds of blue. The powdery snow that just melted gave a slushy thawing of effect. Adrian and Maria dashed to her in a jiffy. Snow pallets blew softly in the flaky morning breeze that fade away.

Without wasting time, Adrian carried her above his shoulder while Maria took the apple. It's confusing where she got it from. She was just alone a while ago. Looking around, she noticed how silent the morning was. There was no trace of anyone or footsteps around.

Jessica was still in her nightgown when she hurried out of the house, impatiently waiting for them.

'What could have happened?' She questioned herself endlessly until she caught their view from a distance. Jessica raced to Adrian as he held Stormie's lifeless body.

"What happened?" Jessica panicked, noticing the coldness of her body.

"I don't know, mum. Let's go in first!" Adrian threw into a tizzy.

The three of them rushed in, unsettled. Jessica opened Stormie's room door while Adrian placed her to lie on her bed. She rushed to her, opening her eyelids and checking her veins. Everything was cold and blue.

"I'm so confused right now. Should we take her to the hospital?" Jessica asked, worried.

"No.. They'll find out she's wolf's blood and our secret would be exposed. That's a risky decision!" Maria cut in. "It was just full moon hours ago and she's Alpha."

"So, what are we going to do? Who are we going to call?"

"Just calm down, let me think." An exhausted sigh escaped her lips.

Maria held the apple in her palms. As if listening to her inner voice with lots of commotion, she closed her eyes and suddenly opened it. It's cold steel blue glowered as a loud cry whispered in her head. She howled in the noise, trying to find her own voice.

"Owwww!!!!" Maria could hear a pack of wolves howling in her head. She held her chest in so much pain.

"No, Maria! Not now!" Adrian hit her from behind, but her eyes were still cold, steel blue. And no matter how hard she tried to stay out of it, she just howl and grumbled.

"Owwww!!!" she howled as her breath thickened.

"What's happening to her?" Jessica panicked.

"I don't know... Maria, stop whatever you're doing and come back!" As Adrian held her tight, she heard the loud thud of the black horse running closer. Then away into the heap of snow. The lady in the red velvet hood, riding closer, then a malicious grin of a man riding away. Yet, she held onto the red apple,

It was all in her head. Adrian calms her down, not to wolf out.

Suddenly, the apple rolled out and dropped off her trembling hands.

She catches her heavy breaths, placing her hand on her head.

"What did you see, Maria?"

"Black horse, white snow, red apple, vampire Jerry." her breath tightened as she panicked. "He's getting away... He's getting away!"

Adrian turned to his mum with a frown.

"He poisoned her?" Jessica asked.

"Yes. He's a vampire lord. He won't get to power until she dies."

"How do we find him? How do we treat Stormie?" Adrian shook Marua aggressively and her eyes transformed back to honey brown.

"I have no idea. I think Wolfsberg needs her." She replied.

"Should we call Sir Shkodra? We need to tell him."

"Yes, it's possible he might have a cure. A solution somewhere."

Jessica rushed to her phone, dialing his contact.