New World Queen (Part One of the New World Queen Trilogy)

My Alpha

I run through the forest, knowing full well that Alec is behind me and closing in. I don't know why I ran, ok, that's not true. I couldn't handle all the emotions running through my body. It was too much.
I stopped suddenly, doubling over, clenching my stomach, I started dry heaving. The force making my eyes water and my stomach scream in pain. My legs shake and my hands tremble. I can't get enough air into my lungs.
Hands pull my hair back from my face, pulling it together behind my neck. Alec's free hand began rubbing soothing circles against my back. I vomited harshly, and when nothing was left to come up it was just forceful heaving that took all my energy away. My eyes continued to water, Alec wiped away the tears and pulled me into his lap. Wrapping his arms around me he rocked us back and forth. I buried my face in his chest, trying to calm my body, emotions and mind.
"I'm sorry." I whispered. "I don't know what came over me." I tried to explain. But really I had no clue as to why I had reacted the way I had. Ryan needed me, and here I sat, throwing up and crying like a little girl.
"You have nothing to be sorry for Riplyn." He mummered. How many freaking times was I going to hear that phrase? I had plenty to be sorry for. I decided to let it go for now.
"Is he going to be ok?" I had to know.
"He needs time to heal but he should be fine. He needs you though Riplyn." Alec's voice was calm, soothing and peaceful. A deep tenor that calmed me from the inside out.
"I didn't think you would want me to go to him." I said honestly.
"We will have our time mate, but right now, you need to tend to Ryan." He replied.
"I'm sorry I haven't spent much time with you." He pressed his face into my neck and I felt him smile.
"I have waited for you for over a century, I have you now, there is no point in getting upset when you have seven other males to deal with along with your future. I am not going anywhere, we have eternity to get to know each other." He explained gently while rubbing my arm.
"You're so calm." I whisper.
"What's the point in getting mad and upset?"
"The others have." I reply seriously.
"And what does that do to you? It stresses you out, upsets you and confuses you. I like seeing you happy. Why the hell would I upset you when I like you happy?" I chuckled humorlessly.
"I'm not a happy person." I whisper, knowing it's the truth. He sighs into my neck and kisses me underneath my ear.
"You are, you just have a lot on your plate right now. It's hard juggling everything that's being thrown at you."
"I do it to myself."
"Why?"
"Why do I deserve to be happy? I've been tormented my whole life. Maybe that's the way it's suppose to be."
"I don't believe that for a second."
"Why not?"
"Because you are beautiful, you have a beautiful soul, you're strong, and level headed." I laugh because really, who the hell is he talking about...me? Ha! Nope.
"You have a warped view of me?"
"No I don't. I have spent the time I have known you studying you, watching you. Are you always rational, no. Are you hot headed? Totally. Do you make rash decisions, most of the time."
"I thought I was level headed?" I laugh. He chuckles.
"Riplyn, you are who you are but you do what you do because you feel it is right. You have fought to defend us, you're trying to make us each happy, but maybe you should step back and let us worry over you. Let us prove to you that we deserve you. Not the other way around. Just be yourself sweet girl, let us cater to your needs. You are OUR woman and it's OUR responsibility to make you happy, and put you at ease." His lips press against my neck again, my head tilts to the side. My marks light up and lightening bolts shoot through my body.
"Alec." It leaves my throat in a gush of air. I know what this is, I know what my body wants. I close my eyes and enjoy the sparks and bolts his lips cause me.
"Not now sweet Riplyn. You need to go to Ryan. He needs you." He pulls away from my skin, but places one last kiss on top of my head before standing up with me cradled in his arms and begins running back to the village.

In just brief minutes, we're back in the village, then front of the hut.
"I can walk, you know." I grumble at Alec. He chuckles and winks at me.
"How often do you think I get to hold a beautiful naked woman in my arms?" I eye him suspisiciously.
"I am really hoping the answer to that question is...never babe, you're the first." He chuckles again! The ass!
"Well, if you want my honest answer..."
"Give me their names and addresses and I will take care of them." I growl, whilst glaring at him. Chuckling again, he leans his face close to mine, kisses my nose and says softly.
"Never babe, you're the only one." Another kiss on my nose, "for the rest of our unnaturally long lives." He breathes the last part out staring into my eyes. When he leans to kiss my nose again, I grab his face and press my lips to his. For just a moment we are frozen, our lips pressed together. In the next moment, like clicks of a camera, I'm on my feet pressed against the side of the hut. Alec's lips moving across mine, my tongue darts out to taste him. He taste minty, surprising me a little, I didn't know vampires could taste minty. His tongue pushes back against mine causing a moan to release from deep inside me. My left side sparks to life, tingles and bolts of pleasure coursing through my body. I pull him closer but he yanks his mouth away from mine. I whimper from the loss, I want those full lips back on mine, I want to continue to taste him.
"We'll have our time, I promise. Go to Ryan, he needs you." Alec whispers to me, my eyes open and I look up at him. I release the grip I have on his shirt and smooth out the wrinkles my fist created.
"You're right." I sigh. "Sorry." I mumble disappointed. His smile is sweet and his honey colored eyes are so full of life, it brings a smile to my face.
"I'm not sorry. Soon my sweet mate. But I'm not taking you against a building. You deserve a little romance." He beams at me, showing those white teeth with his fangs hanging down slightly.
"Romance?" I ask, shaking my head.
"Yes. Don't you worry about that. Now, get your fine ass in there and take care of my co-mate and your alpha." I roll my eyes at him while saluting him.
"Yes sir." I mock, then turn. A sharp slap on my ass causes me to jump and squeak. And yes, I actually squeaked. He just laughs when I turn to him with a glare.
"It was too tempting. Couldn't resist." He says while eyeing my ass. I shake my head and go to the door. When I open the door the playful mood is immediately sucked out of my body. It's crowded as is now normal but it's the somber expressions on six of my mates faces that causes my heart to start to pound. Panic begins to rise inside me.
"What's wrong?" I search for Ryan and find him in the bed. Still, pale and not healing! "What? Why isn't he healing?" I move in blur to the bed, leaning down, I push Ryan's dark hair off his forehead and hiss when I feel hot he is. "A fever?" I look up confused at my other mates. "How is this possible?" I shake my head, this isn't possible. Ryan is a powerful wolf shifter, they don't get sick, they don't get fevers. I study his body, there's a blanket over the lower half of his body. He has been bandaged up but blood covers all the bandages. I reached down and carefully lift one of the bandages on his right side. Four long deep gashes caused by one of the challengers claws is still bleeding, the wounds are red and angry but I notice green vein like lines around the gashes.
"How is this possible?!" This time I scream it. This isn't suppose to happen.
"We think he was poisoned." Declan says matter of fact.
"Poisoned?" I shake my head again. "How? With what? I didn't..." I didn't see anyone poison him. "It makes no sense."
"Wolfbane." My head snaps to Colton, who is watching me with a scowl on his face. I am almost sure I am not the one he is pissed at but knowing our short history, I wouldn't be surprised.
"Wolfbane." I repeat, making sure I heard right. I remember reading about Wolfbane in one of the books at the school's library. It's poisonous, but only to wolves. Hence the name. And if I remember correctly, it stops the healing process in shifters. Not a good thing, especially when fighting with others, bacteria and germs can settle into the wounds, causing infection. Infection leads to fevers and fevers lead to death.
"No." The sound that comes out of my throat, pain, anger and again the possibility of loss. My shaky hands cover my mouth, I shake my head fiercely. This cannot be happening.
"There's got..." I stop, trying to think rationally.
"Arrin?" He looks up at me, eager. "Is there an antidote? Herbs, anything that can stop the wolfbane? I remember reading about it but I never, I don't think there's, do you?" My sentences are broken, confusing, there just has to be a way.
"I don't know of an antidote Riplyn. It's not used a lot, hardly ever. Its a low way to take out someone." He says, another little bit of hope leaves me. I am desperate.
"Easton?" My voice cracks when I say his name. I pled with him with my eyes. "Please, do you, can you?" He's a fairy, he pulls from nature, surely he knows something. But
I can tell from his helpless look on his face that he is just as clueless as the rest of us.
He starts to shake his head, "I've never heard of Wolfbane, it doesn't grow where I am from and I've never seen it used before. I...I'm sorry Riplyn, truly, but... But I don't know." There's pain in his eyes, I know he is telling me the truth.
"What about for his fever? Do you know of something that'll give us time, his fever is too high. It's too high." Again, the feelings of panic begin to course through my body, my breathing accerlates, my heart is pounding so hard that I can feel it in my chest and back. My eyes prickle with tears that I refuse to shed right now. 'Now is not the time to lose your shit.'
"I know a few different things that can help with his fever." Easton says, I snap head back to him.
"You do?" Hope lifts my voice a little and he nods.
"I'll go see what I can find." I nod at him.
"Thank you." I whisper to him.
"I'll go with him, I know a few herbs that'll help too." Arrin says. I sigh in relief and nod my head.
"Thank you." The words come out croaked, probably because I'm trying not to lose my shit. I look back to Ryan, I hear the door open, then close. Running my fingers down Ryan's fevered cheek, I take a moment to calm myself. I need to think, think rationally. What would Ryan do? Leaning down I press my cheek against his and whisper in his ear.
"Hold on baby, don't let go yet. Don't you leave me. I'll fix you. I have too. Just...just tell me what to do." I realize now that Ryan has become my rock. The last month I have spent here has been the closest thing I have ever called home. And Ryan was my, is my home. The late night talks, talking about anything and everything while Colton and Jaxon slept. I always laid on him, I need him. Please, don't get me wrong, I love all my other mates. But as I said before, they are each special to me in their own way. They each do their own thing for me. And Ryan was my rational one, he found me, he cared for me, he listened to me, he talked with me, we laughed together. He got me. I got him. I need him.
"Please don't leave me boo." I whisper again in his ear as hot tears roll down my cheeks onto his. I lose myself for moment, I allow the tears to fall and allow the grief to take over. I cannot lose him.
"How was he poisoned?" My body snaps upright, my fist clench together as my favorite emotion suddenly shows up. Anger, someone poisoned one of my mates. Someone brought harm to my family. They will die.
When I don't get an immediate answer I jump up and growl.
"How was he posioned?" My words are low, threatening and full of bloody promise. Oh, whoever did this will pay.
"The only way I can think of, the challengers." Colton growls out. Maybe it's a little late, but as I study Colton, his rigid posture, his hands balled tightly into fist, his jaw clenched tightly and the strain around around his eyes, he's in pain. Ryan is his best friend, his alpha, his co-mate. I look at Jaxon, his body as tight as a bow, his lips quiver slightly when he looks down at Ryan laying motionless on the bed. He's feeling the same as colton, as me, someone has tried to hurt our family. I suck in breath, I know what needs to be done. It's not just Ryan that needs me, they all do. They need me.
I hold my head up higher, I push the heartbreak away for now and pull on my big girl panties. I stalk over to Colton and jaxon. Standing in front of them both, I look up at them. Their waiting, they don't know what to do, and I know they need to do something or they'll go crazy waiting around.
"Do you have a jail here? Some sort of restraints, somewhere private?" I ask in a low voice. Colton's eyes flash, a cruel grin lifts his lips lightly.
"We do." He says tightly. I look to Jaxon who stands up straighter, they are ready to do what I need them to do.
"Find those fuck heads and lock them up. We need to question them." Both Colt and Jax nod their heads, I look over at my vampires.
"Will go with them in case they still have that poison? It doesn't affect you right?"
"No, it won't do a damn thing to us." Declan says, a sinister smile playing on his lips. I nod, glad he said that.
"Don't let them get hurt. I don't care how you have to get them, just keep them alive enough to talk." I growl out my order.
"It'll be taken care of mate." Declan growls, his fangs elongating from his gums in anticipation of a fight. I nod.
"Be careful." My voice softens with those words, I can't handle another mate of mine injuried. They all nod at me with fierce looks in their eyes, they won't let me down. They want those assholes as much as I do, and I know they won't come back till they have them. Most likely, half dead.
They all start to leave, "Collin?" He turns, his orange eyes bright. "Can you stay?" I ask, his brows rise but he gives me one nod of his head.
The rest leave, and Collin watches me from across the room.
"What are you thinking?" He ask, watching me curiously.
"Can you suck the poison out?" I ask quietly, I don't want to insult him, but there has be a way to get the Wolfbane out of Ryan's system.
Collin sighs, not a good sign. "Maybe if it was in one place but it's in his blood stream now. I can't pull just the poison out, it's mixed with his blood, if I try, I could hurt him worse." He says sadly.
"Shit." I plop onto the opposite side of the bed and bury my face in my hands. "Fuck!" What do I do? What to do? Think, Riplyn, fucking think!
I groan and shake my head. "How the hell did this happen? Why does this shit keep happening to me?" I am losing my shit, I can feel the panic taking over again. Even if Arrin and Easton can find a way to lower Ryan's fever, the Wolfbane will still be in his system and will keep him from healing. He will still die if I don't get the poison out of his body.
"Riplyn?" I glance up, Collin is kneeling in front me. His eyes are tender and sorrowful, watching me closely.
"What do I do Collin?" I shake my head, my bottom lip quivers and I bite it to stop it. I can't lose hope yet, there's something, there has to be a way. I just haven't thought of everything.
"I don't know sweet girl, but we will figure out a way. We have too. It'll come to you, you're smart, you can do anything." He snorts, "Jaxon says you're Mother Nature." He smiles sweetly at me. I freeze.
"What did you say?"
"That we'll find a way." He repeats. I shake my head.
"No, after that." My eyes shoot up to his.
"Jaxon says your Mother Nature?" And there it is! Mother fucking Nature! My eyes widen, my mouth drops, can I pull the poison out of Ryan?
"What? What is it?" Collin eyes search my face.
"Easton said, when we mate we would be able to pull from each other, right?" His eyes narrow.
"I thought you didn't trust him." He replies. My mind is now traveling a hundred miles a minute. If I can pull some of Collin's vampire qualities, use my natural gift with nature, maybe I could find and pull the poison out of Ryan. It's a long shot in the dark, but it couldn't hurt to try.
"Riplyn? Talk to me, what's your plan?" With the impatience of his voice, he must have been trying to get my attention for a while now.
"I can pull the poison from him." I whisper.
"No." He growls, my eyes widen.
"Why not?" My voice takes on a dangerous edge.
"Wolfbane is poisonous to shifters, you're half shifter, you could pull it out of him only to have it fill into your bloodstream. No! It's too risky." He shakes his head violently, stands and starts pacing.
"Do you have any better ideas?" I yell at him while standing. He's in front of me in a blink of an eye.
"We will find a better way. No way in hell you're trying something that risky."
"We are running out of time Collin! I have to try something. Plus, I am only half shifter, Wolfbane doesn't affect elves. And if I can pull from you, then I will have vampire qualities too."
"No! I don't like it! It's...fuck riplyn! We could lose YOU that way! No!" His head shakes the entire time.
"I have try. I'm not just going to let him die!"
"You would risk your life like that?!" He yells at me.
"Yes! I would do it for any of you!" I scream back at him.
"Even Easton? Who you don't trust, who you're scared of?"
"Yes!" Well, I didn't expect that! Go figure, who would've thought! Guess all the emotional shit pulls the truth out of you.
"You would?" My head snaps to the door where a very surprised Easton is standing with arms full of herbs. I open my mouth, shut it, open it again and yep, you guessed it, close it. Did I shift into a fish out of water all of sudden? He just stares at me, it's a stare full of wonder and awe. Of hope! I swallow hard and nod at him.
"Yes." I finally push out. It is not the time for this. Turning back to Collin, I suck in a breath to try to calm myself.
"Collin, I'm doing this. It is the only way. You said yourself you cannot pin point the poison in his system. But I can. I can separate it." I turn back to Easton. "Is it true that I can pull some of Collin's vampire qualities?" His eyes widen.
"No!" Collin shouts.
"Yes but I don't think thats a good idea." Easton says uncertain.
"Wait, what's going on?" Arrin questions.
"Our HALF shifter mate wants to take on some of my "vampire quaities", (he finger quotes that part), use her elf side to find the poison and suck it out!" Collin explains while yelling.
"I don't know." Arrin mumbles, his brows furrow and he scratches the back of his neck.
"It might work." Easton says thoughtfully.
"See!" I yell and point at Easton.
"Oh, suddenly you're going to trust the mate that almost killed you once." Collin yells at me. Easton glares hard at Collin, the herbs fall from his arms and a purple glow surrounds his hands.
"Watch it vampire." Easton growls in a low voice. Oh my...this is getting retarded.
"Ok." I hold up my hands and shake my head. "Enough."
"Oh, I'm sorry, did I hit a nerve? You almost take out our woman and you expect us to trust your fucking word? Fuck you Tinkerbell! Riplyn, no!"
"She might have a point." Arrin says ignoring the vampire and fairy about to kill each other.
"I'm doing it!" I say with my head held up high.
"NO!" Collin screams, he grabs my arms and shakes me. "We will find a safer way! You cannot do this."
"I have too! You have to trust me!"
"Not with your life!"
"I would do the same thing for you. I can't let him die! I won't let him die!" I yank away from him. "We are wasting time arguing about it, I will not lose him." I growl.
"I think we should let her try." Arrin says quietly.
"Who asked you?" Collin glares at arrin.
"We all have the right to give our opinions." Easton mumbles, seeming unsure.
"Not you! You don't have the right to breath the same air as her." Collin growls.
"Collin." I whisper his name, heartbreak in my voice. I need to approach this in a different way. I move over to him and take his hands. I kiss each hand and hold them against my bare chest. "Please, please trust me." The glow of his orange eyes dies down and sorrow fills them.
"I can't lose you, it's too risky." His voice is pleading with me. Pain shoots through my body, he has opened our connection, I can feel everything he is feeling. He's scared of losing me, lost if I'm gone. I open myself up to him so he can feel me, my fear, my pain, my sorrow, my desperation.
"Please, let me try." I know that regardless of what he says right now, I will do this anyway but I want his blessing, his support.
He stares at me for a long moment before he sighs and drops his head. "Arrin, you really think this will work?"
I look to arrin, he studies my face, "yes, this is probably the only way."
"Do you agree with this?"Collin double checks.
Arrin sucks a breath through his nose and nods his head yes, "yes."
Collin closes his eyes, squeezes my hands and nods in deafeat.
"Ok." He lets me go and steps back, not looking at me.
My heart breaks for him, but I know it's the only way.
"How do I channel him Easton?" I ask while watching Collin closely.
"Open your connection, Collin, you too. Give her the feeling of letting you fangs down."
"What about bloodlust?" Collin asks in whisper.
"Arrin, open your connection ok and push more elf into her, the less shifter she has right now the safer she'll be from being poisoned. I think."
"You think?" Collin growls.
"I strongly think." Easton says annoyed.
It happens suddenly, a powerful burn in the back of my throat, my gums begin to tingle, then throb. Then burst of peacefulness floods over me. It's all so confusing , I don't know what to think. I want to bite something but I feel even closer to nature. The two feelings contradict each other painfully.
"Riplyn?" I shake my head. "Focus, you have to use your elf side to find the poison then the vampire part to pull it out. You have to focus." I nod at Easton.
I blink several times to clear my head, first find the poison. I am at Ryan's side vampire fast. I straddle him and put my hands on his chest. He is too hot, the fever is getting worse.
Focus, find the poison. Closing my eyes I pull from arrin. My eye sight changes, I can see inside Ryan's body. I focus on that, I search inside his body and find a nasty green ooze flowing through his entire body. It's tearing apart his red blood cells, I can see the white cells trying to fight off the poison but losing. Inwardly, I know what I need to do, I start pulling and pushing the poison to one part of his body, his neck. It's same kind of power I used to pull the root from the ground for Colton's pants. It's a slow process, the Wolfbane fights against me, I pull more power. Clenching my teeth together so tightly my jaw hurts, I continue the process until every last milliliter is at his neck. I hold it there, and try to pull from collin, my gums start to tingle then throb, my mouth opens and I strike like a threatened snake. My new fangs pierce the tender flesh of his neck and I suck. I have to continue to push the Wolfbane out with my power and suck with Collin's power at the same time. The taste is vile and I gag at first. Get poison out, I tell myself. I do my best to ignore the taste and continue to suck the Wolfbane out of Ryan's body.
I pull until my mouth fills with blood, clean, pure shifter blood. I hear a low groan, then a raspy, "Riplyn?"
I have no chance to look to see ryan, my body seizes up, my muscles contract painfully, I hear a gurgled sound come from my throat before I collapse beside ryan. My muscles shake violently, my teeth feel as those they are rattling inside my head.
"She's having a seizure!" I briefly hear the words, they penetrate through my head trying to make sense of them.
I feel as though I am floating. Accept the Wolfbane, a subconscious part of me says. I try but a part me is fighting it.
"Arrin, push more of yourself into her. Her shifter side is fighting it. Collin you too."
My body shakes, my muscles ache, my head feels as though it is going to split in half. And finally the pain stops. Darkness fills me and I let it pull me down, knowing I need to rest now.