Chapter-27. The challenge
[Xanthea]NôvelDrama.Org: text © owner.
The triplets were so lucky to have a mother like her. If I was in their place, I would give her all my attention and time to the point she'd get annoyed with me.
I shook my head at the funny thought and lowered my eyes.
My gaze fell on the reports the nurse had placed earlier. It was the immortality genes chart. My eyes skimmed through the reports. There was the gene sequencing data with the data comparison made from the ideal healthy gene and then right below them were High lady's genes sequences.
The data was indeed intricate and quite vast. No wonder it took over a week and might even take several days to read and analyze this data. I think what made the accumulation and analysis of this data even difficult was the genes being magical in nature. Computers wouldn't give accurate analysis because, right as I saw it, two gene sequences had already shown minor changes.
My eyes skimmed through the sequence data again. As I concentrated more, I realized that the change in the genes had a specific pattern. The seven days variations in the genes were inscribed together to mimic the genes as they would in the High lady's system. The same report showed the variations in the genes for over seven days.
In the last one minute, the data had shown minor changes in genes TTAH1 and TIH1.
"So, it was because of these two genes that the High lady suffered with TTA. TIH1 (The Immortality Harborer 1) are the healthy genes needed to build immortality, while TTAH1 (Thintoathanasia Harborer 1) are the genes that are causing the disease. There had been significant improvement in production of TIH1 genes over the previous week, as seen in the variability of the patterns. So, according to the standard prescriptions, the dose of the medicines could be increased by three doses per week."
It was only when Mavka let out a short cough and cleared her throat did I realize I was murmuring to myself out loud again. The High lady peered at me blankly while the nurse who was sorting the vials nearby almost knocked over the tray of vials as she gaped at me, blinking absentmindedly.
"I-I am sorry, High lady. I... have this really bad habit. It won't happen again." I walked round the bed and sat on the chair quietly, fiddling with my fingers.
High lady kept the photo under her pillow and looked at me. But before she could say a thing, Nyssa entered the room.
"Raven will be here soon. Keep the reports ready. He doesn't have much free time, but he took out a few minutes for this. He said our team will discuss the new dose schedule of High lady tonight." Nyssa notified the nurse. The nurse hurried and put away the vials while scrambling to the reports.
"Raven's coming?" High lady asked.
"Yes, High lady," Nyssa said with a soft smile.
High lady's face lit up.
If he was coming, it would be better if I left.
"I think I should take my leave now, High lady. Hope you get well soon-"
There was a crashing sound. I lifted my gaze and saw that the nurse had knocked off the tray of potions. The potion had spilled right on the reports that she quickly tried to rescue from the shattered glass bottles.
I covered my mouth with my hand.
Nyssa gasped.
"What have you done!" she snapped, and the nurse flinched back, cowering under her aura.
"I am sorry, healer. I didn't see-"
Frowning, Nyssa snatched the reports from the nurse and peered at her intently, pinching it between her fingers.
"The magical ink is ruined! How could you not see, you stupid! I told you how important these reports were, didn't I?"
"I-I-I am sorry, healer..."
"Raven will be here any time. What am I to do about your sorry? Do you think someone like you deserves to waste a single second of your alpha?"
The nurse fell to her knees, bowing as she apologized.
"You deserve to be punished-" Nyssa spoke through her clenched teeth as hand had transformed into claws.
My heart pounded, dreading the fate of the nurse.
"I am sure the gene sequencing center will have a copy!" Words escaped my lips before I knew it.
Nyssa narrowed her eyes, her glare traveling from the nurse to me. She looked clearly annoyed.
"And can you bring those reports from there before Raven gets here?" Nyssa asked sharply. "I didn't know mortals could teleport faster than immortals."
"I-I can't..."
"Of course you can't! You just like acting over-smart! You were leaving, right? So just leave. You can't even do your job properly, so don't interfere with my work. I don't wish to waste my time on someone like you either," she remarked scornfully.
An apprehensive knot tightened in my chest. I felt as though her ambiance would crush me to the floor.
"I-I... remember the reports. All seven variations... with the eventual shift in genes over seven days... if you want... I can write all those variations down..."
Nyssa ran her fingers through her hair and strutted to me as if I had offended her even more.
"Now, now, Nyssa. Calm down," High lady said. "Xanthea read the reports. Maybe she can help-"
"High lady, it's impossible for anyone to memorize this kind of data even if they recite it like a parrot for a month. And you want me to believe she memorized all seven variations of it in one glance?"
Nyssa lifted the spoiled reports to the High lady. High lady glanced at the reports and then lowered her gaze.
"You know what her real problem is - she's completely clueless about where she belongs in the Infernal pack's hierarchy. She wasn't offering help, but trying to be what she will never be. She challenged my authority and my power by stopping me from punishing the nurse," Nyssa said.
I looked at her and shook my head.
"You think you have more authority and power than me just because you have created a soul pact with the demon lords?" She stepped closer to me, and I stepped back from her.
"No... I was just-"
She grabbed my arm in a bruising grip, yanking me closer to herself. Tears stung into my eyes as I held my eyes low.
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"Let me make this crystal clear for you: after one year, whether you give them kids or not, they will kill you. Yeah, if by a miracle you do get pregnant with their kids, they might wait until the delivery, but then they will kill you. You can never become their luna. You know why? Because the triplet alphas don't want a weakling omega like you, they need a strong luna who deserves to stand by their side. And the reason they killed their previous brides is to dissolve the soul pacts and it can be done only when they kill the one they created it with. And a soul pact is worthwhile only when it's formed between two powerful souls."
My heart rate quickened at her words. My eyelids fluttered to the High lady, who held her gaze low.
Her grip tightened on my arm. Tensing my body, I drew my shoulders closer to my neck, expecting to receive the punishment on the nurse's behalf.
"All their previous soul pacts were worthless and so were those brides and so are you. A fucking disposable soul like you can only be used to-" "Nyssa!"
I didn't even have to turn to see whose voice had dominated Nyssa's within a second.
Nyssa left my arm with a jerk and stumbled a few steps away from her. But before my back hit the wall, Mavka saved me.
My chest heaving faster as Raven strolled closer to us.
Nesryn followed him, but stood beside me, frowning at Nyssa.
"What is all this about?" He asked, his gaze lingering curiously on Nyssa.
"Nothing. Just putting a mortal omega in her place," Nyssa said. "Telling her the difference between being a lowly breeder and a luna."
Raven smiled at her. "Wonderful. Spoken like a true luna," Raven placed his hand on her shoulder as though proud of her.
Her anger pacified as she gazed into his eyes, without a hint of hesitation in her eyes.
"Our little omega is a little too full of herself. I am glad you are already doing your luna duties. But what exactly did this omega do to get you worked up like this?" Raven asked and Nyssa narrated the entire situation to him. "Hmm. Interesting. So, you mean to say the reports are gone, and this omega claims she can write the seven variations of the report accurately to save this nurse from getting punished?"
"Yes, and will you stop enjoying it?" Nyssa gave Raven a look.
"How can I not? This will be fun."
He shrugged, giving her a teasing smirk. His warm eyes that lingered on Nyssa seconds ago turned into a cold attention as they roved over me.
He took a step closer to me, and I reflexively stepped back.
"Write the seven variations of the reports, omega. Meanwhile, we'll get the copy of the reports and then we'll match them both. And if I find a single mistake in your reports while I match it with originals, this nurse here will lose her immortality and then her life. How about it?" Raven said casually.
I looked at him with a stalled breath while Nyssa gave me a sly smirk, folding her hands under her breasts.
"What? You got something to say?" He asked, stepping even closer to me.
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He held my chin and made me look at him.
Nyssa's smile tightened as Raven stepped even closer to me, as her eyes darkened with a shadow of possessiveness. My chest almost grazed against his body as he towered over me.
"Go to your room and start writing the reports. The life of this nurse is in your hands, quite literally this time, go. My nurse will stay with you to collect your reports by tonight. No cheating," he said, skimming his eyes to Nesryn. "Nurse, you will bring her reports directly to me. If you make any stops in the middle, I'll know."
A nurse who had come with Raven bowed once and stepped to my side.
I bit my lower lip, stiffening my body when he casually flicked a few strands of my hair from my forehead, his finger lightly brushing against my skin.
"A-alpha... I really didn't mean to-"
"I don't care, omega. You said you could do it. And I wanna see you do it," he said in a deep velvety whisper.
Goosebumps ran through my body as his fingers trailed down my cheeks, brushing over the strands of hair that lined the side of my face.
I remained breathless under his searing scrutiny until he turned around and faced the High lady.
He began her checkup, and I knew he wouldn't listen to a word I say.
Nesryn held my hand and pulled me out of the room.
"Finally, that bitch's insecurities are showing. She is Raven's favorite, and they have dated each other since college. Of course, he was going to take her side. Huh!" Nesryn scoffed. Dated?
I looked at Nesryn but avoided asking the questions that formed in my mind. Maybe love was forbidden just for me. And most probably the triplets' chosen lunas were the reason. All of them already had strong women they loved and naturally they wanted to be loyal to them.
So why did they create a soul pact with mortal women? Creating a soul pact was like marrying someone in the Infernal pack's culture-
I forcefully stopped my thoughts.
The more I thought, the more questions popped up in my mind that I knew no one was going to answer them, so I refrained from thinking about them any further.
"You don't worry. I'll get all my spies to get a copy of those reports faster than Raven does. You just copy them down," Nesryn said.
"He'll know," I said, glancing at Raven's nurse following us closely.
"So, what are you going to do?" Nesryn asked.
"I'll write the reports. I wasn't lying when I said I remember. But can you please monitor the poor nurse? I am sure I made things worse for her."
Nesryn took out her phone and texted someone.
"Done! I'll make sure that Nyssa doesn't interfere with the copy of those reports. Just in case. Something else you want me to do?" she asked, and I shook my head. "I think I can handle this on my own."