Bound

Chapter 17 - Guilt

Skylar

"So, what does any of this have to do with me?"

There are so many questions I could ask based on everything Dmitri has said to me, but this seems like the most important. If what he is saying is true, then why is he here, directly exposing what he is to me? It doesn't make sense. None of this makes sense. Why he is around me? Why there was a murdered werewolf and a Hunter right on my doorstep? The weird feeling of being watched that I felt the other day and regularly before. The shadow I saw in the woods outside my sunroom. It boiled down to this one question. Why me?

"Your name was part of communication intercepted within the Hunter's network." He is studying me intently, almost looking for a reaction. I'm not sure which one. Shock, disbelief.

"Why? I know nothing about any of this." A flash of relief crosses his face before it disappears and settles back to one that is unreadable.

"We don't know why either, Skylar. With me moving to the land bordering the town, I have taken over the protection agreement. When I learned from the previous Alpha that this communication was intercepted, I had my men posted at your shop and at your house as a precaution in case anything happened."

It suddenly dawns on me, what he has said, as a huge wave of realization, followed by guilt and remorse, set in.

"So basically, if what you are saying is true, someone has died because of me." I'm unable to keep the tears out of my eyes. "Oh my god, I caused someone's death. Geez, what about his family?"

If I didn't have a panic attack before, this would surely be it for me. I can't stop the tears that are streaming down my face, blurring my vision. I'm hoping this is all a joke but looking at Dmitri, I don't think he can joke, and the tone of everything he has said has been sincere. Why would he lie about any of this?

Dmitri gets up and moves around the table. He grabs my hand, pulling me out of the chair before wrapping his arms around me.

"Stop it, Skylar. That isn't your fault. It was out of your control and mine."

That's not what my mind is telling me. If he weren't outside my house, making sure I was safe, he would never have been attacked. He would be alive. Dmitri unwraps his arms from around me and puts one massive hand on my lower back, leading me back inside the house. I'm still crying, unable to stop the tears. My nose is running, and I'm sniffing to keep the contents inside. 

He leads me to the couch in the lounge area, gently pushing me onto it. "Where's the bathroom?"

I point in the direction of the passage.

"Lie down," he says, opening the interior doors to the sunroom and grabbing the blanket from the chair.

I do as he says, putting my head down on a big fluffy green scatter cushion, tears still streaming out of my eyes.

Dmitri returns, draping the blanket over my body before heading down the passage. When he comes back into view, I see a toilet roll in his hand. He hands it to me, then turns and heads to the kitchen. I quickly blow my nose and put the wad of used paper on the floor beside the couch.

He returns again with a glass of water and two headache tablets from the pill bottle on the windowsill.

"Here, take these." He hands me the pills and the glass of water. I do as I'm told, handing him the unfinished glass of water before lying back down. He places the glass on the side table and then perches himself on the edge of the couch where I'm lying. I shift slightly back, giving him more room. My eyes are still leaking. That must be why he gently strokes my arm through the blanket, all the while keeping his eyes firmly on mine. I close my eyes, feeling exhausted. Last night's shitty sleep and the events of this evening have taken their toll. Before I know it, I'm asleep, the last of my tears hitting the pillow as darkness takes my sadness.

Dmitri

I look down at Sky's sleeping face, puffy and red from crying. She still looks cute. Sad and tired, but cute.

Thinking back to the last few hours, I could never have envisioned the conversation panning out like it did. Who would have thought that the town rumor mill would prove helpful by creating an opening for what I had to tell her? I am surprised she believed me so easily. Most people want proof. I had no doubt she would later expect the same, but for now, she assumed what I said was gospel. I couldn't figure out if that was naivety or just trust in my being genuine. I hoped the latter.

There were many times she could have broken down, but the fact that it was because she thought she was the cause of Ruan's death really endeared her more to me. Crying profusely over someone you don't know and a family you have never met shows a level of empathy, not all people possess. And doing all that without needing proof that it was true. She is like a weird little puzzle I can't quite piece together. She doesn't follow the norm, and I can't seem to predict her behavior. She is fragile and strong all at once. The need to protect her is growing exponentially, coupled with a possessiveness that is uncharacteristic of me. Already she is changing me, and she doesn't even know it.

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