Jimin
We had managed to get back to the house, leaving us with a couple of hours until the ritual or whatever one would call this would take place. The fairies had left, going back to their homes and we had insisted that the other wolves also go to their homes.
We appreciated everything they did for us to get Alina back, but maybe this was something we had to deal with alone – just us and her. Yet, I felt absolutely terrified. I knew she was going to feel hurt through the process and I knew it was needed but I still hated the process of it all.
Earlier, Jia and the other warlocks had healed Alina’s physical wounds. She still had dried blood all over her skin from those slashes and most likely the scars would remain. Although they were healed, she looked absolutely exhausted and weak as she sat down on the couch. I looked at her as her sin glistened with sweat. She was shivering even if she had a fever.
By mid-way, her body started to weaken to the point she needed to be carried. It was impossible for Jia to teleport all of us home so Alina had ridden on Taehyung’s back. Namjoon motioned for me to go to the kitchen as Jia, Shang and Don were there too.
‘So walk us through what is going to happen. I know you said it’s risky but what exactly is going to happen?’ Yoongi asked.
‘Well, as you know a vampire’s bite can be two fold. It can be either to suck out blood or to inject venom. In this case, she was bitten twice so there is quite a bit of venom in her system,’ Jia began to explain.
‘The venom,’ Don began, ‘it becomes one with the bloodstream. As the heart pumps that infected blood, the organs start to shut down in a way. The body starts killing itself. Then it rejuvenates in a way that stops its growing,’ he explained.
‘So basically, we need to do like a spell so to say where we can separate the blood from the venom and then burn that venom out of her system,’ Shang explained.
‘It’s going to be painful, for her and for you, especially you two who are bonded to her,’ Jia said, pointing to Yoongi and Taehyung.
‘You need to hold on and mentally prepare yourself for this too. You’re going to feel some of that pain yourself,’ Don added.
‘Is there any way we can soother her pain?’ Hoseok asked, but they all shook their heads. ‘Dammit,’ he murmured lowly but I heard him.
‘What makes the process so dangerous? I don’t mean to sound as if I don’t trust you, but she’s our mate,’ Taehyung said.
‘And we understand that,’ Jia said quickly, but she looked uncomfortable, almost scared as she fidgeted with her fingers. ‘Truth is, this is an ancient ritual which has not been done a lot. It’s not forbidden technically, but it’s not recommended either,’ she explained.
‘The body is forced to go through a horrible and intense trauma. Imagine, it feels like your whole body is on fire and being stretched. Not everyone can withstand that,’ Don explained.
‘I’m not sure about this guys. I… I know this sounds horrible but I’d rather have Alina as a vampire than no Alina at all,’ I said.
‘I know Jiminie, I am with you too. I think it’s safe to say that we all are, but as much as it hurts me to say this, we can’t go against her wish either,’ Jungkook said.
‘Kooks is right. We know her, she would never be able to live as a vampire. Besides the fact that she might hate us for it, she wouldn’t be able to cope,’ Jin said.
‘She would never accept to feed from a human or risk being with us. She’d let herself die slowly, painfully but she wouldn’t want to become a vampire,’ Namjoon said with a sad sigh.
‘I have to warn you. You’re going to hear her scream and you’re going to want to kill us for hurting her, but you can’t interfere. If you do, it’s all for nothing,’ Shang said.
‘All the pain she has to go through, it would mean nothing because we’d have to start again,’ Shang said.
‘We… we won’t interfere. Just please… please try your best to save her,’ Yoongi said.
‘I swear to you, we will try our very best Yoongi,’ Jia said. The look on her face and the tone of her voice somewhat convinced me. I knew they would really try their best.
‘We need to get a sheet and put her on the floor, so she won’t end up falling,’ Don said, getting down to business.
‘I’ll get it,’ I offered as I ran to my room. I opened the storage closet and pulled out a sheet and then closed the doors. My eyes fell on a picture on the nightstand. I sighed as I grabbed it and looked at it.
It was of all of us, with Alina right in the middle, between Yoongi and Taehyung. It was the most recent one we took. I smiled sadly as I rubbed Alina’s face on the photo.
‘Please be okay. Please come back to us,’ I said as I kissed the photo and put it back on the nightstand. I hurried back downstairs, skipping down the stairs as I went to the living room where everyone was.
‘Thanks,’ Shang said as he helped me to put down the sheet on the ground. Jia grabbed a cushion and placed it on the ground as well. I watched as Taehyung grabbed the unconscious Alina from the couch and placed her on the ground. My heart ached so much seeing her like this. She was always so strong and powerful and now she appeared to be so weak.
Jia, Shang and Don kneeled on the ground right around Alina. They took each other’s hands, closed their eyes and started muttering in what sounded like an ancient language.
I took a step back and I felt Jungkook wrapping his arms around my waist. ‘She’ll be okay,’ he whispered in order to comfort me, but I could hear the worry and concern in his voice. I took a chance to see the others – Hoseok and Yoongi were huddled together and Jin was holding Namjoon. Taehyung was standing at the side, eyes fixed on Alina.
I looked back at the three warlocks as light seemed to start to emit and surround Alina. Alina instantly groaned and I heard Yoongi and Taehyung both wince.
‘You okay?’ Hoseok asked Yoongi who simply nodded. Alina started clutching at the sheets, her heart racing against her chest.
‘Ahh,’ Alina cried out as she grabbed the sheet even tighter. She was *ing her eyes shut as her body seemed to arch backwards.
‘Ahh!!’ Yoongi and Taehyung both said at the same time as they fell onto the ground. Instantly, Hoseok was checking on Yoongi while Namjoon and Jin were with Taehyung.
My tears fell down and I did not bother to try and stop them or wipe them away. I felt Jungkook hug me tighter, but I also felt his tears on my shoulder. Alina screamed louder than ever while her veins seemed to become even more visible. I could see the bloodstream mixed with black and the scene made me want to vomit.
Alina opened her eyes as she cried and thrashed. ‘Stop!! It burns!!’ she screamed. Taehyung almost reached forward but Namjoon and Jin held him back.
‘Tae no!!’ Namjoon said as he held him. ‘You can’t. Remember, you can’t stop the process or it will be for nothing,’ he said.
‘She’s hurting Joon. She’s hurting so bad,’ Taehyung cried as Alina let out another scream. Taehyung shook his head as he pushed Namjoon and Jin off and ran outside.
‘Aish,’ Namjoon said as he looked at the door and at Alina. I knew he wanted to go to him but not leave Alina. I didn’t want to either but I doubted I could handle seeing it anymore.
‘I’ll go get him,’ I said as they nodded. Jungkook let go of me while I ran outside of the house where I found Taehyung. He was sitting down on the grass, knees up to his chest, hands on his ears as he rocked himself back and forth. I could hear him crying and sobbing as he did so.
‘Tae,’ I called out but he did not hear me. I sighed as I walked in front of him. He looked up just as I sat down in front of him.
‘Jimin I can’t…I can’t stay in there. I can feel it, I can feel how painful it is for her,’ he said among sobs.
‘I know. It’s painful for us to watch but it’s even worse for you and Yoongi,’ I said with a sniff of my own.
‘I can’t stay in there or I’m going to end up hurting them,’ Taehyung said while I looked at him. ‘My brain knows they’re doing this to save her but my heart just wants to rip them off of her and stop the pain,’ he explained.
‘I know. Me too Taehyungie, me too, but we have to have a little hope. Come here,’ I said as I opened my arms.
Taehyung smiled a little as he crawled into my arms. It wasn’t usual for us to do this, not with his bigger and taller frame, but sometimes, sometimes he just needed to bury his head against my chest while I simply hugged him. I heard Alina scream from inside and Taehyung simply held tighter, almost as if he was trying to block the screams.
After a while, it grew silent and Taehyung pulled away. He looked at me with worried eyes as his hand was on his chest. ‘What is it Tae?’ I asked.
‘I’m not sure, but something is wrong,’ he said as we both stood up just as Shang came outside.
‘We need you inside, now,’ he said. Taehyung and I exchanged a look, nodded and rushed inside.