Defiance

1.1

I had an urge to say it back but I cannot.

I know the news of the Alpha coming tonight must have spread. I walked through the hallways of the castle as fast as I can. We have many preparations to do; the infirmary has to stocked with supplies. My father would bring many soldiers back. The soldiers that fought will be replaced by other soldiers. Eventually, including me too.

I met with Peter and Arden first.

"The Alpha might arrive earlier than expected," Peter says. "We got reports the wolves are returning this very moment."

I nod, knowing my father was a man who valued every minute, every second. I dismiss Peter and it's just Arden and me.

"Sya is going to be back tonight. She's alive yet why do you still look so upset?" Sya was Arden's mate. They had been apart for almost four months. 

"Happiness is a luxury and I'm scared if I express it, it will go away."

I simply nodded. She was right; in the middle of such a war, happiness was terrifying.

"Hunter is going to be back too. He's alive; I know you heard. Ebony and Freya also made it."

Hunter was my second in charge but also my best friend since birth. I trusted Hunter more than anyone else in the world but could I tell him about Elysia? I also pretended not to hear the way Arden put emphasis on Freya's name. I don't respond.

I can't promise what your mate promised you - Freya, but for tonight, I can promise you a kiss. The image of us tangled in my bedsheets comes to my mind. I imagined seeing Freya again; things could never be the same.

Why not? Why couldn't they be the same? I asked myself. 

Elysia doesn't mean anything. She's a witch. I was getting infuriated. Stop thinking about her. It was my wolf who kept secretly bringing her back into my mind; I know it was. He was determined to keep thinking of his mate but couldn't he see that his mate wasn't a wolf? That she wasn't even human? 

Elysia was a disease. 

A plague. A sickness.

I needed to find a cure. I needed to find it fast.

"What are you thinking about? You're angry," Arden says.

"I'm always angry," I muttered.

"I know and I know there was a time when you weren't - it's been three years. You still won't tell me anything. You were never the same."

"You're right. It has been three years. When are you going to learn I'm not going to change?"

"There's so much hatred inside you Aldric."

"It drives me."

Arden sighed; I can sense she finally wants to change the topic. "How did the healing witch do? Do you think she's safe?"

This wasn't the topic I wanted. "I don't know and I don't care."

"We both know that's a lie. I know you cared about her."

"I don't know. She said she'll figure out a way," I answered as nonchalantly as possible.

"You let that brainless little witch figure out a way? I doubt she'll survive a day anywhere you leave her."

"She's not brain -" Why was I defending Elysia? No. She didn't mean anything.

"So you agree with me," Arden smirked.