Novel Squares
CHAPTER 24— NIPHRONE
CHAPTER 24— NIPHRONE
Zayd laid Quinn down on the bed in front of the doctor, then stepped outside when the man in white
asked him to. Quinn’s father was already seated by the door, and Zayd took a seat beside him. “Has
this ever happened before?”
“Never…Quinn has never gotten sick…she’s strong, she barely even gets hurt.”
“Then this…” Zayd sighed, running his hand through his hair. “Let’s wait to hear what the doctor says.”
And so, they waited until the doctor stepped out of the room an hour later. Both Zayd and Derrick stood
up, looking at him expectantly.
“She’s alright, but unfortunately, if she had taken more than what she already has, she’d be in a more
dangerous position.”
“What are you talking about?” Zayd asked him.
“Niphrone, we found it in her blood. If you do not know, then it is a poison that carries no scent. I don’t
know how she got her hands on it, but it is dangerous to werewolves. It can weaken, suppress or kill
our wolves. In her case, her wolf was weakened, but thank goddess that it’ll only take a few days for it
to recover.”
“Why would Quinn…? Could it be that someone put it in her food or something?” Derrick stepped
forward, nervously scratching the palm of his hand. “Quinn wouldn’t take something as dangerous as
that, she isn’t suicidal…”
“I’m sorry, but that isn’t something I can pinpoint from a blood test…whether it was given to her or she
knowingly took it can only be figured out when she wakes up and confesses.”
“When can we expect her to wake up?”
“Soon…it can be minutes or even a couple of hours away.”
Quinn’s father nodded, pointing to the door. “Then can I go see my daughter?”
“Yes, yes…you can.”
He didn’t waste a second more, he rushed past the doctor on his way inside, and Zayd followed him.
Both stopped in front of the bed, staring down at Quinn who was still unconscious.
Zayd turned towards her father. “If you don’t think she intentionally took the poison, then who do you
suspect gave it to her?”
“I’m not certain, but she has been having some trouble with the pack members. She’d been luna and
when she was suddenly rejected; like our alpha, the whole pack has lost respect for her. They stoned
her with fruits and even packed her food that was rotted and spoiled as an apology. A few days back
though, after she saved the pack from a disaster on the night of the celebration, the pack started to
come around. They brought her food that wasn't spoiled for once as a thank you. Could it be that they
are still against her? The fruits, she’d eaten them, we all did, but what…I…I don’t understand.”
“So you’re saying the whole pack could’ve been the cause of this?”
“They don’t see her as luna anymore…they probably don’t want her as their beta either…and it’s all
because of him…that fool who had rejected his own mate.”
“You’re right…” Zayd nodded, looking at nothing in particular. His eyes were austere, and the air
around him was heavy and unbearable. “It is his fault, must I really just kill him?”
Derrick gasped. “No, son, you can’t…you can’t kill the alph~”
Quinn coughed below them, and Zayd and Derrick quickly looked down at her. Her eyes, they were
barely open now, and she was looking…looking at Zayd. “Don’t…Don’t kill anyone.”
She tried to sit up, but Derick pushed back against the pillow. “Lay down, Quinn…you need to rest.”
“I’m fine now, dad…what did the doctor say? What happened to me?”
“You were…” He hesitated for a while. “You were poisoned.”
“What…? How?”
“It’s niphrone; the poison that has no scent. He said your life could’ve been endangered if you’d intake
more.”
“Niphrone…? When did I…? I didn’t…”
“I know, you must be shocked…I’ll get to the bottom of this. I’ll find out who gave that poison to you.”
Quinn shook her head, looking anywhere but at her father. “Don’t, it’s okay. I’m fine.”
“What do yo~?”
Zayd pushed Derrick aside, moving closer to Quinn. “You’re fine? You were unconscious in my arms
just hours ago!”
“And I’m fine now, this doesn’t concern you…leave.”
“Why do you keep saying that? Stop fueling my anger, Quinn.”
“What’s there to be angry about? Whatever it is, like I said, it doesn’t concern you.”
Zayd’s eyes twitched in anger, his hands clenching and unclenching by his side. He wanted to say
something, to argue about this being his business…but he walked out instead, deciding to walk off the
anger than to let it grow.
On the other hand, Quinn sighed; the breath full of nervousness and frustration.
“Why’d you do that? He’d been worried…he’s the one that took you here.”
“That doesn’t matter, he doesn’t have to be here…he is not needed.”
“Is he perhaps…your mate? The second chance we spoke about that night.”
“He…he…” Quinn blinked blankly. “He isn’t, he’s nothing to me.”
“Even so, he did seem to care strongly about your wellbeing…he was even skeptical to lay you down in
front of the doctor. I know you’re hiding something from me…but I’ll wait until you’re ready to tell me.”
Quinn sighed again, grabbing onto her father’s hand when he tried to leave. Her green eyes were Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.
blurry with tears. “Alright…I’ll tell you, dad…I trust you.”
“You don’t have to, don’t force yourself.”
“No, I want to…” She shifted on the pillow, looking up at her father with the most vulnerable eyes ever.
“You see, he is…he is my second chance. I don’t know if it’s because I was previously marked why I
can’t feel the mate bond, but despite that, I know we are mated. The attraction I have towards him is
something I’ve never felt before, but dad, I’m scared…I don’t want us to end like Jeo and I…so I keep
pushing him away, but I don’t know if doing that makes it all even worst. You’re the only one I can talk
to, father…what should I?”
Derrick took a seat beside her on the tiny hospital bed. “He is your second chance for a reason, Quinn.
You can’t keep doing this, in his eyes…you’re probably the same as Jeo. He rejected you for
somebody else, but you’re rejecting him because of a past he had no business in. He must be hurting,
just as much as you did…think about that.”
“I know, dad…but I don’t…he’s…he’s strong, he’s an alpha…he probably doesn’t want me. I’ve already
been marked and I…” Quinn wiped her eyes when they became too full. “I’m not pure anymore.”
“I doubt he cares, I wouldn’t. I’ve heard of his story. He did indeed wait for his mate for nine years, he
waited in misery. He became alpha king because he had nothing to do. When others had mates to love
and spend their time with, he trained. He had no weaknesses, so he became strong. And so, to lighten
his dull life, rumor has it that he looked for fights wherever he went…until he eventually fought the prior
alpha king and won. I don’t know if it’s true, but if it is, it must’ve been hard; watching people taking
something he doesn’t have for granted.”
Quinn sniffled. “Yeah…he probably felt left out.”
“And now he most likely feels even more left out. If these rumors are true, then he wants you, Quinn.
Having waited so long makes you desperate…and he seems desperate. Don’t lose your chance to be
happy, Jeo broke you, and the goddess gave you somebody to mend you, don’t run away from him.”
He smiled at her, moving her red hair from her forehead to kiss the delicate skin. “But it’s your choice,
do whatever you want…but always follow your heart.”
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