The Lost Queen

Ch. 17: Night of the Ball

Rayne hated running late.

She hated make-up, she hated dressing up, and she hated juggling everything at once. But there wasn't time for a breakdown yet. Hell, there wasn't even time to deal with her morning sickness or celebrating being two months along. There was just preparation and meeting with the vampire from hell.

Rayne cursed under her breath and sped down to the science lab where Dr. Reynolds was awaiting her arrival. Her pinned curls that her mother worked hours on loosened with her speed and the make-up Amira painted on her face hopefully wasn't ruined so early on. She wasn't sure if she could survive another lecture from her.

Dr. Reynolds, as expected, was waiting for her inside the lab. He looked up from the tablet balanced in his hands and smiled, pleased to see her.

"Hello, Alpha Vance," he greeted.

"Evening, Dr. Reynolds," she responded, blowing out a tuft of air. "I'm sorry I'm so late. Mom and Amira took longer than expected."

"It's no worries at all," he dismissed. He nodded his head down to the frozen body of Ambrosius and beckoned Rayne to come closer. "I know you're limited on time, so we'll make this update quick."

She peered over the body. Dr. Reynolds gestured to the results on his tablet and explained, "I finished running the tests and couldn't find much of anything abnormal compared to what we already know about the vampire. Most of his blood results came back normal, and the venom in his fangs was ordinary."

Her gaze flickered up to him. "What blood tests didn't come back normal?"

Dr. Reynolds' eyebrows furrowed. "That's what I'm trying to figure out. I pulled blood from the vein that the elixir was injected into, and ran it for several tests to figure out how the elixir works. But the tests from that vein specifically come back inconclusive and I can't get any answers from it.."

"Inconclusive? How is that possible?"

"I'm not sure," he murmured. "It's bizarre, but it could have something to do with the elixir itself. But I have to make sure taking more of the elixir from that vein isn't going to put the pack in danger."

Rayne brought a hand up to her forehead and sighed. "Great."

Dr. Reynolds placed a sympathetic hand on her shoulder. His brown eyes made her shoulders drop a fraction. "Don't worry, Alpha Vance. I should have things figured out by tomorrow morning. The few tests I'm waiting for will have results by tonight."

Though Rayne wanted to worry, she knew it was all out of her hands. A part of her wanted to stay with Dr. Reynolds until those results came in, but she couldn't leave her pack to face the Fae alone. With all of their mistrust, it was a miracle they even agreed to go to the ball. Hell, some of the young pups were even excited to go. She couldn't put all of her pack's responsibility on Jarrah. Not on such an important night for their child's future.

And when Dr. Reynolds gently encouraged her to go, she knew she had to.

"We'll be back late this evening. But please, don't hesitate to come to the palace if anything's wrong," Rayne pleaded.

"I will," he reassured her. "But we'll be fine here until you get back. Enjoy yourself, Alpha Rayne. You deserve a night off."

Though Rayne didn't think alphas could get an entire day off, she smiled anyway, bowed her head, and left to join the rest of her family. It didn't take long for her and her mother to throw on their dresses and unpin the curls twisted around Rayne's head. Through Jarrah's fahpo and his use of the elements, he fashioned carriages made of enlarged, beautiful wildflowers that would get them to his kingdom faster than being on foot. Not as fast as flying, of course, but quick and accessible all the same.