The Rose That Never Withered (Wattys 2017)

‡Chapter 18- The Truth I Seek‡

I closed my eyes as I remembered the outcome of this fight.

Julianne would die.

"Open your eyes Eli" Regan cooed.

"No" I firmly said "I know the outcome to this."

"Do you really?" he questioned.

A loud roar resounded from my right making me lose my balance, as I fell with a soft thud on the grassy ground. I opened my eyes in surprise as I saw that I was indeed in the middle of the fight; a large wolf was on my right, while Julianne was on my left in a crouching position. They were ready to tear one another to shreds.

"See for yourself" Regan said. He suddenly appeared by my side and bent down to say it directly to my face. "See the outcome you speak of" he finished.

Julianne gave out a teasing laugh on my left as he said "Oh I see. Protecting her are we? What's so special about her? Have you marked her mutt!?!" he chuckled. It was followed by an animalistic growl on my right.

Hesediel. It was Regan's past life as Rose was to mine.

"A playmate perhaps??? Someone to play fetch with!?!"

Another, louder, more vicious growl emanated.

"No Hesediel" I shouted but it looks like he couldn't hear me. "Don't fall for it..."

It seemed to anger Hesediel more on the right as he growled at Julianne and snapped his jaws threateningly.

"It doesn't even matter if she is!! I'll just suck her dry like all those harlots back in town!" Julianne said.

All those reports back in town, they were almost all female. I couldn't believe it. Was he responsible for all those gruesome death? This- This was not Julianne. This was someone else.

Julianne-

It was the same monster I met on the balcony last night.

Julianne shifted his attention back at the girl behind the tree for a moment, quickly transferring it back to Regan. It didn't even last for a second.

I doubted if he even saw Rosabelle that night, as my memory had offered in my perspective.

"What are you waiting for!?!?!" Julianne shouted. His raven locks splayed everywhere as wind whipped past his face with every motion. Half of his face was in the light of the moon, the other hidden in the shadows of the night.

He looked murderous.

Now that I have seen the whole picture, that command was more directed to Regan than I was behind the tree. That flashback during that night when I held the book, somehow I had believed that he was trying to save me. But now, it was clearer that he did not care for my welfare at all.

I'm doubting if he ever did.

Something seemed to snap at Regan. He charged towards Julianne, snapping his jaws towards his foe's neck. Julianne had been anticipating his move and held his jaws between his hands, trying to avoid Regan's sharp teeth from piercing his flesh.

"Oh goodness, did I hit a nerve!?!" he teased. He was struggling to hold Regan's snapping jaws away from him, while also trying to protect his body from his foe's sharp claws.

He was using Regan's temper to his advantage; baiting him to lose all sense of decision on the situation.

How could I have not noticed this during my flashbacks? Julianne had clearly been in the wrong here!