True Love Hunting

Chapter 37

"Come tell me what happened, Nadya. Let's get inside where it's safer, and you can explain what happened to us." He ushered me inside the front door, almost carrying me, and brought me to his study. He put me down on the couch there and called for his brothers to come and bring Aurora.

"Tell us everything that happened, Nadya," Cassius spoke as the rest of the family settled into the study.

"I have to leave. He's here. He's come for me, and he will kill you all if I don't either return with him or lure him away from you. I shouldn't be here. It will only bring the danger to your front door like I want to avoid." I stood up. I needed to leave.

"You are safe for the moment, Nadya. Just tell us what has happened." I sighed and walked over to the window to look over the gardens as I recounted the day's tale.

I breezed past the festival happenings until the last dance, where I had spotted Dustin. I shared how I had run and my vision had been fulfilled, how Spencer had shown up, prepared to fight Dustin alone when the other wolf had attacked him, giving Spencer time to get me out of there, and how he had brought me to the mansion to be safe, how I needed to leave. Cassius was suddenly there in front of me, holding me. He kissed the top of my head.

"You are family, Nadya. We would never abandon you to Dustin. If we come together, we can defeat him."

I shook my head, disagreeing with him. I wasn't worth the price that would have to be paid. My heart clenched at the thought of how I had almost agreed to marry Spencer. I wouldn't have been able to run then. I needed to leave; I didn't belong here. I didn't belong anywhere.

"Nadya, no." Cassius's hands stroked my head again as he disagreed with my thoughts.

I loved Spencer, but I wouldn't marry him. I wouldn't stay. Cassius sighed his disapproval as he listened in. I stood in his arms, tearing up, looking out the window. I sat up in surprise. I could feel a presence I hadn't thought ever to feel again.

"What is it, Nadya?" I didn't answer.

I looked out the window and gasped, covering my mouth with a hand. I turned and ran from the room out the back door. Cassius spotted what I was running toward and stopped at the backdoor, letting me run across the gardens to him.

As I neared my goal, my feet flew across the cobblestones that made up the garden pathway. I couldn't breathe. He was here. I finally closed the distance between us and threw myself at him as his huge arms caught me up in an embrace. He buried his face in my neck, and I started crying again.

It had been him. He had helped save me, giving Spencer the chance to carry me away to temporary safety. He held me, snuggling into my hair, breathing in my scent, I knew.

"I've missed you," he whispered into my ear.

I tightened my hold around him, unwilling to let him go. How had he gotten here? How had he known that Dustin was attacking me? I felt him pull back from me a little, so I eased my hold on him. His hands came to frame my face, delving his eyes into mine with a look of wonder and deep affection.

"Still as beautiful as ever," he whispered as he looked at me. I smiled at him, reaching out to touch his face as well.

"Hans," I breathed out. He smiled at me then, wrapping me up in another big bear hug.

"Nadya, my little Chivute, you are a hard one to track down!" He released me from his arms but took my hand to guide me over to the closest garden bench for us to sit down on. "I've been looking for you from the moment I heard you had fled your family. I wanted to bring you back to be with me, so I came here to convince you to leave and return with me. I wanted to ensure it was safe to approach you first, so I started to watch you, observing your new life for a short time. That's when I saw how happy you are here, how this really is your home now, how you had fallen in love, and I knew I couldn't ask you to come back with me.