CELINE'S POV

I gurgled some thick liquid in the back of my throat - unable to breath because my throat was filled to the brim. The liquid oozed out of my mouth frantically, I could feel it spreading all over my neck, cheeks and under the sweater - onto the bare skin over my chest.

I slowly blinked my eyes open and groaned loudly, the gurgling stopped but I continued throwing up that thick liquid - leaving a metallic taste inside of my mouth, my heart was hammering against my chest.

"Celine! Celine are you okay?!" There goes that same question, I felt my fingers twitch - my legs were still numb with a tolerable burning sensation.

I opened my eyes completely and my vision was blurred - completely glossed over by unshed tears which seemed to have waited to finally fall out of my shut eyes.

And they did, one by one the tears streamed out as I gazed directly at Marina who stood across from where I laid over a bed - the feeling of something taking hold of my hand made my head snap to the side, my gaze falling on my mothers.

"D-darling." My mother sobbed out, her hold on my hand tightened comfortingly - while her own eyes shed tears making my heart clench.

I shook my head and stammered for a way to tell her to stop crying, to not cry for me.

"D-don't cry." A hoarse voice whispered - the words were barely audible but I realized that the weak voice came from me and my mother let out an even louder sob, her eyes shutting tightly as if to hide her pain and pity from me.

I turned my head to look at Marina who silently watched me with worry filled eyes - I noticed that her hands were fisted tightly by her sides and how her jaw was clenched; as if to prevent her from crying as well.

"H-hello." I greeted hoarsely, my bottom lip trembled upon the feeling of cold tears touching them, Marina hung her head once a small whimper escaped her.

"P-please d-don't cry." I stated in another barely audible whisper, my throat dried up completely making my voice even hoarser - I huffed out while trying to clear my throat.

"My darling, I'm so sorry!" My mother wailed loudly, making my eyes widen - my head snapping her way curiously, she pulled her hand away from my own and slapped both of them over her face; hiding her tears from me, making my stomach drop.

"W-why?" The question escaped me breathlessly as nerves swirled inside of my stomach - my teeth gnawing on my bottom lip which still had that liquid on it.

"I failed you! I should've watched over you - I lost you once but I wasn't sure I would lose you again and I did! I am a terrible mother-" she stopped once her loud heartbreaking sobs echoed in my ears making my eyes avert from her shaking body.

"S-see? I can't even obey your wishes! You want me to stop crying, but I can't! I can't stop Celine! I failed you in so many ways! I'm still failing you!" She yelled out, her hands flying away from her face and to her sides, showing me the tears which pooled on her cheeks and her eyes which were completely bloodshot. I took in a shaky breath and shook my head.

"N-no. No. You're not. You ... are an amazing mother, you did everything right. It wasn't your fault. Mommy, think about your health, you are pregnant. Don't cry for me and for things that aren't even true, please. I whispered, my brows furrowing worriedly as I watched her shoulders shake violently, her hands going around her stomach and her head shaking.

"I'm failing you both." She snapped breathlessly, her shoulders slouching and her head falling - I shook my head and sighed, suddenly feeling completely drained.

The sound of a door opening made my curious gaze turn to the door in this unfamiliar room - in came an old man with a brown beard and long gray hair, wearing a long black coat and gray pants.

Behind him followed Axel, making my eyes widen and then I watched as Dustin came in and shut the door behind him, his hair messier then usual making my stomach drop.

The men reached me and my shoulders shook in fear of the unfamiliarity between the man and I, Axel gazed at my mother who sobbed beside me.

"Marina, take yourself and my mother out of here please." Axel ordered nicely making my eyes widen more - my gaze flying to Marina's. She nodded her head and walked towards my shaking mother, placing her hands around her shoulders, she guided her out of the room silently. I gulped nervously once I was alone with my brother, mate and the weird man.

"Celine, how are you feeling?" My brother asked hesitantly, I tried to raise my hands to wipe my tears but they were too numb - all I could do was feel my fingers twitch. I shrugged.

"B-bad." I bit out hoarsely, my words literally scraped against my dry throat making my throat ache even more - I scrunched up my face.

"Can you tell me what is hurting you right now?" The unfamiliar man suddenly asked, his voice was deep and husky, coming out like smooth silk making my insides churn, I nodded absentmindedly; feeling comfortable.

"M-my throat a-and I can only m-move from m-my neck up ... e-everything else is n-numb." I stuttered out in a whisper once again, trying to ease the aching in my throat by speaking slower and quieter. The man hummed to himself above me - my gaze was on the wall across from me; I was too scared to look at him.

"Can you see what you are covered in?" He asked me curiously, I gulped and bit my bottom lip - trying to look down but I couldn't get my eyes close enough to see what covered me. So, I shook my head 'no'.

"Do you want to know?" He asked cautiously, I furrowed my brows and turned my gaze to his hesitantly - his pale blue eyes watched me intensely making me take in a shaky breath before nodding slowly.

"Blood - you are covered in black blood, Princess." He stated strongly, his eyes not once averting from my own - waiting for my reaction, but all I did was gasp loudly - my heart hammered against my chest and they could all probably hear it.

"Do you know why?" He asked - his tone of voice held some form of accusation, but was it directed towards the future or the present? I pulled my lips into a thin line and nodded my head, the feeling of four eyes burning holes into my skin made a shiver crawl down my spine.

A certain smell made my insides warm up completely; comforting me.

"Because you are the holder of a spirit, known to be crazed, dangerous and completely feral. It is trying to consume your soul, and mind - in order to take your body. The blood is only a claim that it made to tell you that it's close - almost ready to expose itself." He explained thoroughly, after each word my eyes managed to widen to a huge extent - my breathing came out labored.

Almost ready to expose itself? Take my body? Consume my soul and mind? I felt lightheaded.

"I will do some check ups on you - give you some potions to delay the claiming but it will not be strong enough to hold back the spirit. Once it grabs hold of you, it will never let go. Madness is a terrible thing, Princess." He said, his eyes watching me narrowly - sending a shiver down my spine.

I snapped my wide gaze to Axel's, my bottom lip trembled and I could hear the echo of my erratic heartbeat in my own ears.

"B-bring dad. Bring him now." I ordered in a weak voice, my fingers twitched in both fear and nervousness - I gulped loudly to moisten my dry throat.

Axel nodded right away, his hands going up and then down, as if to tell me to relax, but how could I?

I am going to be claimed by a spirit, a feral spirit and the only way to get rid of a spirit like that is to kill it, to kill me.

•
•
•

After Axel left, he brought my father and then the man did his check ups - my heart now had a steady beat and my body trembled a bit slower.

"So?" Father asked, his authority filled voice made my stomach clench but I was happy to see him again, and to feel his large hand holding my own.

"Like I said, it is close - almost here, almost ready. I can give her a potion to hold back the claiming but it won't delay the spirit for long." He explained, not one emotion was given from his tone or his face and it sent chills up and down my arms.

"Give her the potion Holden, give her anything you can to help - even for a while." My father said, I lowered my gaze at his words, my heart clenching. He rubbed his thumb over the skin on my hand soothingly, noticing my sudden fallen mood.

"There is something that will help even more but I am not sure if she has a mate in order to do it." He stated, my eyes widened at the mention of that four letter 'm' word, the feeling of Dustin's glare burning holes on the side of my head made me shrink into the bed.

"She does but they haven't marked or mated, will that be alright?" My father asked in a strained voice, I scrunched my face up at his words - my cheeks warming up in embarrassment; not because he mentioned mating but because I just realized how long it has been since meeting my mate and we still haven't done either, while other mates do both as soon as possible.

"Yes it will; where is her mate?" He asked, I bit my bottom lip roughly upon feeling my heartbeat quicken.

"Right behind you, Holden." My father said, I could hear the hate he tried to hide seep from his voice at the mention of where my mate stood and it made my heart skip a beat.

"Alpha Cadman? Well, okay then. I need you both to shed blood and mix your bloods together - I will pour it into a cup that holds a certain potion, Princess you will drink it." He explained slowly, my head snapped up and my eyes were wide, I licked my dry lips while gazing at Holden who suddenly had a cup in one hand and a knife in the other.

"Can we start?" Holden asked my father, but by the nod that Holden sent my fathers way I knew my father must have given him a nod of his own. I sighed inwardly - but I knew I had no choice.

"Alpha Cadman." Holden muttered before giving Dustin the small knife - Axel watched the scene unfold in front of him silently while I watched Dustin.

He took the knife from Holden, and quickly pressed it against his opened palm - his eyes locking with my own making me gulp loudly, he sent me a ghost of a smirk as if to tell me 'weak, that's what you are, weak'.

"Squeeze your blood into the cup, please." Holden said to him, Dustin nodded and shut his bloody palm - putting his hand into a fist.

Holden put the gray cup under Dustin's clenched hand and with one squeeze red blood oozed out of Dustin hand and into the cup slowly - I took in a harsh intake of breath.

Holden pulled away and took the knife from Dustin, and with his eyes still on me; Dustin licked his bloody palm and cleaned off the red liquid making my eyes widen - this time he sent me real menacing smirk.

I shuddered and brought my attention to a waiting Holden - he gave me the bloody knife and watched me without the need to explain what to do.

I used all my strength to raise my numb hands and somehow - with a low grunt they were able to rise up; but not too far.

I brought my hands closer and I pushed the tip of the knife into my palm with a scrunched up face - then I dragged the knife downwards and watched as blood started dripping out of the slit I just made.

The feeling of everyone's gaze on me made me gulp again.

I licked my lips once Holden put the cup under my bleeding palm, I tightly fisted that hand and squeezed the blood with a grimace - using all my strength to move the numb hand.

I watched as my own blood fell into the cup, joining Dustin's and the potion. My hands fell limply to my sides once the job was done and my head fell back onto the soft pillow - I felt drained once again.

I felt Holden take the knife from me before a hand was placed under my neck - my father's hand to be exact and I understood why, they could obviously tell that I couldn't move my body.

Holden slowly placed the cup over my lips and the cool feeling of the brim touching the skin of my lips made me lick them - I inhaled the scent of the potion but was met by the smell of my mate.

I looked at Dustin through the corner of my eyes and I noticed that his cold blue eyes were already locked on my own. The feeling of the cup moving upwards made my lips part open quickly.

Dustin's gaze fell on my parted lips and his face hardened - my stomach twisted while my brows furrowed; my gaze not once leaving his face.

The potion, and the mixed blood entered my mouth - I expected a disgusting flavor but I was greeted by a sweet, cold taste making me greedily intake the liquid - it was soothing my dry throat.

Holden pulled the cup away from me and my mouth shut subconsciously, my gaze was locked on Dustin's cold eyes - my heart was beating steadily against my chest.

The feeling of tiredness filled me and I could see my vision darken because my eyelids drooped - the sound of my father talking entered my ears but the words weren't heard by them.

My brows furrowed, and before I could even question what was going on, my eyes shut completely and my whole entire body fell limp - the hand under my head left me and the soft pillow became my holder.

Once again darkness consumed me, but I would rather have that then madness.

•
•
•

UNKNOWN POV

Ha! They think they could delay madness! They think they stand a chance against the devil himself.

I laughed loudly; my menacing laughter echoed against the dark walls of this lair, my heart had already fallen into my stomach upon gazing into the crystal ball but it still managed to skip a beat.

I watched the Princess fall into the darkness once again and then the men moved away from her to talk with that so called Warlock Holden, I chuckled once again at that.

Nobody could rid the spirit without killing the person that it takes place in.

But they are coming - the war is close, so close.