Through The Thorns~ The Guild Leader Chronicles Book One (COMPLETE)

Chapter Forty-Two

Through the Thorns

Forty-Two

My eyes fixate on Cauis. His face is clouded with anger and disgust. In his eyes is a sliver of something I don't want to get to know. Never before have I seen that look in his eyes, and it terrifies me. Absolutely mortified by that look, my feet stay firmly planted where they are, my lips unable to part in response.

I hear movement behind me and force myself to take a deep breath. I feel Septimus' presence as he enters the room, his own heart racing. "Let go of him." Septimus tells Cauis firmly. I turn my head and look at him. His features are just as firm as his voice while he glares at Cauis. "Come here Luke."

Cauis grips Luke's collar tighter, and forces Luke to stand in front of him, putting Luke between the two old friends. "Excuse me, Septimus? Are you telling me what to do now?" Cauis' voice is still murderously low, and now Septimus is challenging him.

Septimus flinches at the tone in Cauis' voice. I stare intently at the two, not knowing what to do. Septimus refuses to submit, and it's physically hurting him. Yet, Cauis stands by and watches it happen. His anger at Luke for nearly killing me shadows over everything. The look in Cauis' eyes intensifies, making my jaw lock as even I feel the weight of his words.

"Let him go." Septimus chokes out as he fights the Guild Leader's tone. "Come here Luke, he won't hurt you. He needs you." Septimus breaths a little easier. He brings his arm up and motions for Luke to come to him.

Cauis growls at Septimus, but releases his death grip on Luke's shirt, shoving him forward. Luke scrambles forward, righting himself when he comes to Septimus' side. Septimus and Cauis glare at each other, but I see a very small nod come from Septimus. I breath a sigh of relief as Septimus submits. He didn't refuse to listen to Cauis because he wanted to challenge him, but so Cauis wouldn't kill the reason we had to come to the future. Why we had to leave everyone we love behind. My family had disowned me, and Cauis never had anyone other than Septimus. Yet, Septimus is the one who gave up everything. He'd given up his mate, their child, his pack, everything, just so he could help Cauis and I when we needed him most. And right now, Cauis very well may kill Luke.

Cauis comes to my side, still glaring at Luke and Septimus. "So what now?" Cauis asks me.

I look up to him, not quite sure. I had been expecting it to take years to find even just one of them, and here the werewolf is, standing before us. I shrug at Cauis, shaking my head a little. I have no clue what to do next.

"How about one of you tell me what exactly this prophecy is you keep going on about?" Luke demands. "How am I involved?"

Septimus looks at Cauis and I. "Esmerelda had a vision centuries ago about how to restore the balance of nature."

"A balance she disrupted." Luke breaths under his breath. Cauis growls at him. I'm sure if he wasn't the wolf we needed, Cauis would have killed him already.

Septimus grabs Luke by his shirt collar, and pins him against the wall. "Listen here you little shit. I've had enough of your hatred towards Esmerelda. You do not know her, and if you did you would gladly tear your own heart out if it pleases her."

I step away from Cauis, towards Septimus and Luke. "Enough, all of you." I tell them, and glance for just a second over my shoulder to Cauis so he knows I'm talking to him too. "This is a waste of time. We've found the wolf, now we need to find the vampire. Standing around arguing and trying to rip each other's throats out is not going to help matters. Septimus, let him go."