From Substitute To Queen

She nodded, fresh tears spilling down her cheeks. "Sable, I'm scared," she confessed. "I know, baby. But you're going to be brave for me, right?" Sable replied, trying to reassure her. One of the Rogues cut through Daisy's bonds with his silver knife. As soon as her arms were free, Sable pushed her toward the path. "Run! Now!" Daisy took off like a shot, her little legs carrying her toward safety as fast as they could. "Smart girl," the first Rogue said. "Now it's your turn to pay," he threatened, as both men started advancing on Sable. In that moment, facing certain death, something primal awakened inside her, and she closed her eyes.

"Esme," Sable called to her wolf. "We need to fight." "Finally," came her fierce response. "Let's show them what Crawford women are made of." Then she began to shift. Both Rogues immediately shifted as well, becoming snarling brown wolves with yellow eyes and foam around their muzzles. They circled her like predators, looking for the best angle of attack. The larger Rogue lunged first. Sable dodged to the side and raked her claws across his flank, causing him to howl in pain as blood matted his fur. "Good! More!" Esme urged.

The second Rogue came at her from behind. Sable spun around and caught his front leg in her jaws, biting down until she felt bone crack between her teeth. But before she could deliver the killing blow, the first Rogue lunged toward something at the edge of the clearing. His jaws clamped around a silver blade that had been driven into a tree trunk - some kind of trap they had prepared beforehand. The metal was coated with a dark liquid that made her nose burn – Wolfsbane. He charged at her, the poisoned silver blade gripped between his teeth, aiming straight for her heart.

However, a massive black shape exploded from the treeline. Carlan, in his wolf form, was enormous, easily twice the size of the Rogues. He landed between them, wielding his power with an authority that stopped them in their tracks. With a swift motion, he intercepted the silver blade meant for Sable's heart, causing it to sink deep into his own massive chest. His agonized howl shattered the night. "No!" Sable howled back, watching his blood begin to soak his black fur. But he didn't fall down.

His massive paw struck the knife-wielding Rogue across the face with enough force to break bones. The man flew backward and hit a tree trunk with a sickening crack. The Rogue Sable had bitten tried to run, but Carlan's jaws clamped down on his hind leg, dragging him back into the clearing. That's when Edward and the other warriors burst into the clearing, also in wolf form. They quickly surrounded and subdued both Rogues, ensuring they stayed alive for questioning. But all Sable could focus on was Carlan.

The silver knife was still embedded in his chest. His breathing was labored, and his powerful legs were beginning to shake. "Carlan, hold on," she mind-linked him desperately. "Help is coming." His wolf eyes met hers, and even in pain, she could see the relief in them – relief that she was safe. "Are you hurt, Sabi?" he asked weakly. "I'm fine. Don't talk, just breathe," she replied, her heart aching. But she could see the Wolfsbane was already affecting him. His once glossy black coat was losing its sheen, and his massive frame was beginning to tremble uncontrollably. He collapsed onto his side, the knife still protruding from his chest.

His massive wolf eyes fluttered closed, and he went still. They rushed him to the hospital in the ambulance, with Dad, Marcus, and Katherine surrounding Carlan's unconscious form. Victoria had taken a terrified Daisy home to rest. The doctors diagnosed high-concentration Wolfsbane poisoning, a toxin so potent it could even kill a Lycan King. The poison had already spread through his circulatory system, turning his blood an unnatural deep purple color. They wheeled him into surgery immediately. During the surgery, Sable learned that Blair had also been brought to the hospital shortly after them.

Blair had been pulled from the lake with only minor water in her lungs. There were no serious injuries, and though she hadn't woken up yet, she was stable. The waiting room became their prison. Sable paced the same ten-foot stretch of linoleum until her feet ached. Katherine sat hunched in a plastic chair, her makeup long since cried away. "Please, God," she whispered over and over. Marcus stood off to the side, looking quite calm. Dad kept his arm around Sable when she finally collapsed into the chair beside him.

When the doctor finally emerged for the last time, his surgical cap hung limp in his hands. Dark circles shadowed his eyes, and his voice was hoarse from hours of intense concentration. "The surgery was successful. His Majesty is out of immediate danger," the doctor announced, bringing a wave of relief over them. Katherine launched from her chair. "Thank God! Thank you, Doctor!" "We managed to flush most of the toxin from his system," the doctor explained. "But his body has been through severe trauma. The next twenty-four hours are critical. We need to monitor him closely for any complications."

Marcus gripped the doctor's shoulder. "Can we see him?" "He's being moved to the VIP recovery suite now. You can visit him," the doctor informed them. They followed the doctor to a private room where the nurses transferred Carlan to a hospital bed. The rhythmic beeping of the heart monitor filled the otherwise silent room. Sable checked his vitals once more before sinking into the chair beside his bed, taking his limp hand in hers. Marcus stood at the foot of the bed, his hands gripping the railing, while Katherine hovered near Carlan's head, gently stroking his hair. Dad sat beside Sable.

A knock on the door interrupted the tense silence. Beta Edward entered, his expression grim. "I have the preliminary investigation results," he announced, looking around the room before continuing. "We've confirmed that Lucian helped Blair escape and return to Blackwood territory. The Rogues we captured are suspected to be Lucian's men, though they refuse to admit working for him."