Untamed - Wild At Heart

Chapter 23 - Every Scar Has A Story

"People may hate you for being different and not living by society's standards, but deep down, they wish they had the courage to do the same."

My teeth caught the old ragged shirt of Layla as she and Brody dangled over the edge. My paws scrapping the roof's edge as the weight of them began to drag me towards them. I could feel the clothing in my mouth beginning to rip I opened my eyes to find Thunder and Blaze had joined my side. I winced as I felt a shaking hand placed near my muzzle, I looked to find Layla was scrapping to pull herself up. I closed my eyes and took a few steps back before Thunder and Blaze took her from my grip. I turned to help Brody, as stubborn as he was. I leaned over the edge, I felt Blaze hold me down so that I wouldn't fall over the edge. My paws scraping the buildings bricks, indenting claw marks into it. I planted my front paws on the window seal and lowered my neck towards Brody.
"Brody grab on." I instructed him, my muzzle just out of reach.
"No! You'll drop me!" Brody called back, refusing my help.
"I promise I won't." I told him, daring him to look me in the eye.
I watched as his fingers began to loose their grip on the flimsy loose window seal. Brody looked up at me with despair, he began to reach with one of his hands. I felt his finger tips touching my muzzle, I tried to lower myself even more. My ears pricked as I heard the wood that held Brody beginning to split.
"Quickly." I urged him.
"Come closer." He moaned, trying to reach for me.
"I can't come any further. You are going to have to trust me and jump towards me." I told him.
I could tell that Brody didn't want to, I wouldn't blame him for refusing. But deep down I could see he was wanting to lunge at me for safety. His decision was too late. The wood split from above him and his hand fell short of my muzzle as he tried to jump. I leaned over and grabbed his shirt collar. At first I thought I had him, I felt the weight of someone on me but I was dreaming or whether it was just in the moment. I don't know. I opened my eyes, hoping to find him dangling around my neck. Instead a feeble and broken body laid on the ground. Wood laid around him, some laying on him. I felt myself being pulled up. I opened my mouth and let the mangled piece of clothing float to the ground. Once I was safe on the roof, I lowered my head and flattened my ears.
"It wasn't your fault." Thunder tried to reassure me.
"He... He was right there." I mumbled.
"Come on, let's get you home." Thunder urged me, leaning against me to lead the way.
We left the roof top and wandered down the stairs. When we left the building it all went quiet as everyone had stopped fighting. Had they found out? I flattened my ears as Thunder lead the way out into the garden. At the gates, Bandit and Travis' wolf were waiting with Chris beside them. Chris was leaned up against the gate posts but when we approached Travis' wolf helped Chris to his feet before he laid onto Travis' wolf's back.
"Time to go home." Thunder nodded to them.
We all wandered to the border before parting. Before we did Bandit approached but Thunder growled a warning to him. Bandit nodded in respect and lead his pack back to their border. Layla was laying on Blaze's back, she moaned slightly, waking up from her nap.
"Thank you." She mumbled to me.
"For?" I mumbled back, I wasn't really in the talking mood but knowing Layla if I ignored her she would surely take it out me when she was up to it.
"For saving my life back there. I know I have been an asshole ever since you arrived and I am sorry. I wouldn't blame if you had let me fall." She apologised.
"I'm alpha now, I have to look after my pack." I told her.
"Your dad fought bravely." She told me.
"He always did." I mumbled.
"There's a reason why I had shoved you against the book case and threatened you." She sighed.
Thunder flicked his ears and growled at her, I growled back before we stopped. Layla slid off Thunder and placed a hand on my shoulder. I signalled for Thunder to go ahead, I could see that he didn't want to but he knew better. When Thunder was a safe distance away we began to walk.
"I don't care. Every sibling has a reason to protect their own. I don't blame you for being protective." I told her.
"Yes, but you deserve a reason why." She sighed.
I could tell that she didn't want to tell me, obviously it was a secret they she had kept for a reason and now she was going to tell probably the one person she was told not to tell.
"I do deserve a reason why but I already know that you did to protect your brother. That is a reason enough for me." I explained to her.
"But it ain't a good enough reason for me." Layla sighed once more.
"How about you tell me later, your tired and it has been a long few months." I tried to find a reason for her to not tell me.
"Yes it has, but I would prefer to get this off my chest now then later." Layla sighed once more.
I could tell that there was no way to avoid this, I sighed and we continued walk in silence. My ears pricked at the sound of a rabbit darting out of the way. My wolf's instincts wanted to chase it but we didn't. Layla stopped and leaned against a tree.
"What's wrong?" I asked her, thinking that she was injured even more than we had thought.
"Nothing." She mumbled.
"It don't seem like nothing." I raised my eyebrows at her.
"It's just, I feel slightly relieved that I am going to get this off my chest." She chuckled.
I sighed and laid down, my body was beginning to ache and once I laid down I could feel it beginning to overcome my body.
"Blake knew that you were his mate." She mumbled.
"What?!" I exclaimed, I didn't think that this was the secret she was going to tell me.
"The day Blake had helped you escape the hunters was the day he had realised that you were his mate. He tried to hide it but it pained him to see you and Jesse having so much fun together. That was why he left the day of the invasion." Layla explained.
I was quiet, replaying every moment in my mind. Blake was the one who had saved me from Brady, Blake had saved me from Jake, Blake had brought me home, Blake had been there all the time and I didn't notice. I whimpered allowed, and placed my head on the ground.
"There you two are." I heard Blaze call out to us.
"I just needed a break." Layla took the fall.
"Well, we ain't far from the house, I'll give you a ride home." Blaze told her.
Layla hoped onto Blaze's back before winking at me, I whimpered once more before following Blaze. We entered the house to find that mum and Lucile had cooked up a big feast.
"Thought we should celebrate." My mum commented.
"You guys can, I ain't hungry." I mumbled before going up the stairs and entering my room.
I closed the door and locked it before leaning up against the wall, I felt a tear run down my cheek and my heart began to ache.