When Dmitri had come back home that evening, Adrianna could sense that something was off about him. Although Lenny was showing her support for him and which she liked in the beginning, she became suspicious when Lenny put on an act as if she was the biggest benefactor of Dmitri and she, his wife, wasn't thinking well about him. So she questioned Lenny more to understand her. She wanted to give her a benefit of doubt but when Lenny kept insisting that Dmitri needed to be alone to rest, that didn't bore well. Why would anyone ask her to stay away from her husband, and in this case Lenny?
Adrianna tried to delve into Lenny's cell, but she knew that Lenny had blocked it. And she had done that only because she was taking advantage of closeness with Adrianna and also the fact that her mother was a minister in her court. Those were indeed very powerful backings.
So the only option left was to intimidate Lenny but in a manner that she wouldn't become suspicious. Adrianna asked Lenny to go to her room and when she was sure that Lenny was in her room, she called ten servants and the Healer to attend to Dmitri.
Dmitri was looking very disoriented. His skin was cold, his eyes were not focused, he was blabbing something incomprehensible and couldn't even walk properly. Adrianna was utterly confused as to what could happen to a healthy man like him in just an hour. She left Dmitri outside the room but summoned Healer. Then along with ten servants she went inside their bedroom.
She saw that Dmitri was lying on the bed. His limbs were splayed on the mattress as though he had no energy. The room was shrouded in darkness and an unpleasant smell was floating in the air. The first thing Adrianna did was to switch on the light.
Dmitri grunted and his body arched. He had shut his eyes as if the light was hurting him. The Healer rushed to his side and held his hands. Then he felt his forehead and his mouth fell. How could this happen? He looked at Adrianna with wide eyes and said in a jittery voice, "It seems that the Alpha has been possessed."
Adrianna blanched. She stared at the Healer. Her brain couldn't process the information he had given. "Wh- what are you saying?"
The Healer observed Dmitri again. This time he put his finger near Dmitri's nose and then opened his eyes. Once he had examined, he reiterated his findings, "The Alpha is possessed and I am affirmative about it. The spirit that has controlled him is very powerful because it is trying its best to suppress him. The spirit wants to gain control over him and the Alpha is resisting him otherwise if it would have any other werewolf, the spirit would have gotten complete control by now. You have to get the spirit out of his body before the spirit latches itself in him forever."
Adrianna's body started to quiver. She kept her hand on her tummy and tears welled in her eyes. She swallowed those tears and then asked in a choked voice, "Why is he so cold?"
"He is cold because the spirit is not able to feel his heart. It is still adjusting to his body. The moment it adapts to the body, the body will warm up. It seems that the spirit had not had a human vessel ever and so it is not used to it. However, beware that it won't take long for it to adapt," the Healer warned.
Adrianna looked up and then towards all the servants who heard him. They were all aghast. How could this happen to their Alpha? Would he continue being the Supreme of all the Packs?
Adrianna sat on the edge of the bed holding her head. She had fought so many battles but this was on a personal front and this was the most demanding, most agonizing. What would she do if the spirit possessed Dmitri forever? Who was this spirit? Did she have to kill her soul mate? Would she be able to live without him?
Adrianna watched her husband whose eyes were rolled in their sockets and he was speaking in whispers. She took in a deep breath and asked the Healer, "How much time do we have?"
"Looking at the spirit, maybe another day or less," came the reply.
She took in a deep breath and said, "Make a concoction for him so that he is not able to move his limbs for the next few hours."
"But that wouldn't stop his body from warming up."
"I know, but that will stop his movements," Adrianna replied.
The Healer nodded and went to his hut to prepare the concoction.
Meanwhile Adrianna slowly crawled to Dmitri's side and called him. "Dmitri, if you are there give a sign. If you can listen to me please give an indication."
Nothing happened.
She entered his cell. It was so black inside. She could feel his anguish. Her heart reached out for him. "Dmitri, are you there?" she shouted inside his cell. She knew that it must be hurting his ears on the outside, but she didn't have an option.
Suddenly, the floor beneath her kind of shook, but very faintly. Adrianna was excited. He could hear her. Encouraged, she shouted again, "Dmitri!" This time the floor shook more. She stumbled on it. "If you are there, say something darling," she pleaded. She wanted him to give her a sign that he was there.
Nothing happened.
"Dmitri," she called him again, this time a sob ripped through her heart. "Please darling, come out. You can defeat this spirit. We can together defeat this ghost." Her sobs pierced the darkness around her. She felt shaky, inept for not being able to help him. She was planning on leaving his cell, when she heard a faint voice, "Pry-". Adrianna stopped. She held her breath and strained her ears to hear the voice.
"Prrr-yyy-ce." The voice was feeble but audible.
Adrianna's thoughts swirled so quickly that she got vertigo. With fidgety hands, she clasped her skirt and bit her lip. "Dmitri, can you say that again."
Dmitri had been fighting the power of Vikra over his body. Shunned in a corner, he could feel that his spirit was cruising through his body to acclimatize itself. There was no hope left until Adrianna visited his cell. With whatever energy was left, he gave her the clue. That was the last person he had smelled. So once again when Adrianna asked him, he garnered all his strength and shouted, "Prrr-yyy-ce!" After that he collapsed.
Adrianna's brain stuttered.
Prrr-yyy-ce.
Pryce.
PRYCE.
Her breathing became ragged. Dmitri was hanging in there. "Don't worry darling," she assured him and left his cell. Pryce was on her on her list now.
As soon as she was out, she ordered the servants to dress him up. While the servants dressed him, she went in their cells and erased all their memories regarding the current incident. The Healer was there with the mixture of herbs. Adrianna took it from his hand and made Dmitri drink it by force.
It was at this time that she heard a noise in the balcony. She hurried to check but there was no one. She knew what was going on.
The first person she had to get hold of was Lenny. The function had started and so she couldn't do much because her presence was required there. She wanted Lenny to be there to keep a watch on her. She had already alerted Nefasky and the Mozias to keep an eye on her.
Adrianna looked up at the sky and said, "Screw you author!"