Mila and Elijah rushed down the stairs and went out of the door leading to the garden. No one spared attention for their arrival, as they all had rounded around Laura, Ben and an unfamiliar man. Laura was surrounded by her pack, looks of shock but also determination on their faces. They were ready to protect their queen.
The intruder was around Mila's age, he had a cocky grin on his face and wore simple clothing, pretty underdressed for this occasion. Five men were behind him, all with the same provoking smile and even more rugged clothes on.
Savages, sounded in Mila's mind.
Elijah seemed to feel the danger radiating off them, too, as he pushed Mila behind him and blocked her view. She was happy that he was there to protect her, but she was a grown woman. Mila placed a hand on his arm, implying that she at least wanted to stay at his side. He gave her a long look, his eyes filled with wary and distrust towards the 'guests', but he gave in and let her move to his side. Elijah would always protect her at all cost, but with the kiss they shared, his feelings intensified. Even though she was a werewolf, she was so fragile comparing to him. In such a situation he wanted to make sure that he could always step in front of her.
Just then Mila noticed that a corpse was laying at his feet. Her eyes widened in shock. In contrary to Elijah she wasn't used to see corpses laying around.
"Congratulations to your wedding, dear Laura."
Laura tensed, her eyes were filled with fury. Mila was sure that her friend knew this guy. It looked like very old history.
"I would hurry with an explanation to why you killed a member of my pack, if I were you."
The usually so calm leader hissed. It shocked Mila that the dead girl was a member of the pack, she probably had a family.
"Why so grim, Laura? This is a wedding. I came to bear a gift. One of my guys caught the little one here on my land, talking to a stranger...a witch if I remember right...about a new wolf in town. A wolf that has the ability to let a raging storm loose, like the one that raged at the time of the full moon..."
His gaze examined the faces of all of the guests. It lasted a split second longer on Mila as on the others. Elijah tensed and protectively wrapped his arm around her waist.
"Unfortunately, the witch slipped through my hands, but the traitor here didn't. As I'm a generous man, I thought I would clear this matter for you and give her a proper punishment. There you go."
James touched the corpse with the tip of his shoe carelessly and disgusted, but stepped back to symbolically hand it over to Laura.
"Thank you. But next time, you can call me before you execute someone. We could've gotten information out of her."
Laura spoke through clenched teeth. She wouldn't allow James to find out about Mila. He would either kidnap or kill her, depending on his mood. Of course Elijah would protect her, but even an Original had his limits.
"But she was a lair, wasn't she? You would've told me and the other alphas if there was a new creature among us, wouldn't you? Because then, we would have to hold a trial, deciding if she would be a threat."
James eyes suddenly bore into Mila's. He knew, he had figured it out. Mila flinched and grabbed Elijah's hand, but didn't lower her gaze, she stared back at him, trying not to show fear.
Next to her Elijah held his breath on the edge to lashing out. This wolf was a threat and if he tried to touch Mila, the Original wouldn't care if he would set a war off. The setting of the wedding was the only reason why he didn't attack just now.
"Interesting friends you decide to stick around with, Laura."
James gaze wandered to Elijah and they exchanged a challenging look. But before a fight could start, the wolf grinned, turned around and left without another word.
The tension ended all of a sudden. Everyone let put a sharp breath, some rushed to the dead girl's side instantly.
"We need to get out of here."
Elijah looked around warily and held Mila's hand. This girl surely wasn't the only traitor around here. The Original barely knew anyone here besides Laura and Ben and he was sure that there were enough around that could use a witches favor. Besides, the witch this wolf had caught was gone, off to tell their enemies of Mila's existence.
Mila allowed herself to shiver, she was scared like hell, but this was Laura's big day. She couldn't leave her alone like this. The young wolf caught her best friend's gaze. Laura nodded, implying that she was ok. She knew that Mila needed to kept save after such a threat.
After sighing defeated, she followed Elijah to the car. It was a silent ride, so many things had happened today. Words stayed unspoken, especially when it came to their moment in the library. They secretly took a side glance of each other, but no one dared to speak.
But when they reached the city, a discussion about Mila's safety broke out. Mila wanted to go to her apartment, continuing as usual. She wouldn't let herself be suppressed by this wolf guy. Elijah wanted quite the opposite, he wished for her to come to his home, even though he could understand that this invaded her privacy. They had shared a kiss, but it was still very complicated. But she wasn't save in her flat, adding that there was probably a very drunk boyfriend waiting for her. He wasn't good enough for Mila. Elijah himself wasn't good enough, too, but at least he never would hurt intentionally.
"Elijah, you can't lock me in. You've always respected me, don't stop that now. I want to live, I want to be a happy person. I can't do that when I'm always hiding, always staying in the shadows. Please, just give some more time in freedom."
She didn't beg or asked for his permission, she wanted for him to respect her wishes. It changed something in Elijah and he slowly nodded. Five years ago he would've acted differently. But he wasn't that person anymore. He found his own happiness here and understood that Mila didn't want to bind herself because of the lurking danger. Today he wouldn't call his thousand years of existence a 'life'. He spent thousand years of lifetime trying to protect a vow that never was meant to survive, he tried to find redemption for a family that broke him to pieces. But Mila slowly fixed him, with every look she gave him, whenever she touched him.
"Thank you."
Mila smiled lightly and squeezed his hand. He slowed the car down until it stopped in front of the house where her apartment was located in.
"Just promise to be careful."
Of course Mila knew that he didn't just mean their enemies or whatever they were, he also meant Dan. Elijah cupped her cheek with his hand and she closed her eyes. How should she tell Dan? She couldn't lie anymore, especially now that it was clear what Elijah and Mila felt for each other. Mila was afraid of Dan's reaction.
"I promise."
She looked back again at Elijah. His gaze shortly wandered to her lips, but he leaned forward and simply kissed her forehead. Mila sighed and got out of the car and went directly to the door, before she could think about turning around and continue to kiss Elijah.
The flat was dark when Mila arrived back in, which meant that Dan was already in bed. She let out a deep breath of relief and quietly went into the bathroom to change into her sleeping clothes. But on her way she was suddenly stopped by a hand on her shoulder. Mila flinched heavily in surprise.
"Hey."
Dan whispered. Mila's eyes were wide in shock and she quickly turned the light switch on and examined her boyfriend. He looked normal, not even that drunk. She didn't know if that should calm her or not.
"Hey..."
The young doctor had no idea whether she should tell him now or not. She felt so bad carrying this secret around with her, but Dan had become unpredictable.
"Mila...I want to apologize for earlier...I don't know why I was so overly jealous. I'm truly sorry."
Her gaze shot up, not expecting those words. He never had apologized for his behavior. The guilt grew heavier on her shoulders. Before she could open her mouth, Dan interrupted her.
"No, no, you don't have to say anything. Just listen. Mila, you're the most wonderful person I know and when you left me...I was broken, I didn't know how to live anymore. But when I found you it was all back. I love you."
Dan went on his knee and held out a small velvet box. Mila's eyes widened, but not in pleasure. He seemed to interpret it really wrong and was encouraged to continue.
"Dan..."
She started to interrupted him, but he didn't listen.
"Mila, will you become my wife?"
This went so wrong. She had told him dozens of times that she didn't want to marry, but this time he didn't listen and caught her cold. Mila did the most horrible thing she could do to him right now, but she couldn't hold it back anymore.
"I kissed Elijah."
She blurted and silence erupted. Dan's hand lowered and he looked at her confused, he seemed not to understand what she had just admitted. Mila ruined his big moment and she started to shiver in fear when his expression turned into pure rage.
Stepping back carefully, she stretched out her hands, helplessly trying to calm him. But he stood up and caged her at the wall.
"So I was right the whole time. You're such a whore."
He said dangerously calm and dared her to look at him. His breath hit her, she still could smell cheap alcohol on him.
"I...I'm sorry..."
She wasn't sorry for kissing Elijah, but she was sorry for cheating on him and she was terribly afraid.
"That's what you are, Mila. You're a dirty whore and you don't deserve anything. I should make you feel how I feel right now."
It was when his fist hit her face for the first time. She groaned both in pain and surprise. Mila knew he had a big problem with rage and alcoholism, but never had he been violent to her. The sweet boy that had been good to her in her old life was dead inside.
"Dan, no!"
But he didn't stop. He landed three punches in total on her face. When Mila felt blood dripping down her cheek, she lost hit. The magic inside her got the best of her and threw him into the wall opposite them. It had knocked him out and she stared at his unconscious body for some time. When she finally came back into reality, she left. She neither cared that he was unconscious, nor did she care that she didn't pack anything. Mila just knew that there was only one place where she could go. Where she was safe from harm. Elijah. His name sounded in her name for the whole way.
Suddenly it had started to rain heavily and Mila was sure that it had something to do with her magic. It was a long way to get to Elijah's home as he lived in a nicer neighborhood than her. By the time she arrived at his doorstep, she was soaked.
But she didn't care. She couldn't really feel anything, not even the throbbing pain in her face. Maybe this was how PTSD felt like. Or it was just the adrenaline that made her body move and not feel any mental or physical pain.
She knocked on the door and Elijah opened the door shortly after. Until then, her face had been blank, but when she saw his look changing from confusion to deep worry, she broke down. Tears started to run down her pale face and burned in the healing wounds.
This was what she loved about Elijah. Of course anger would come to surface later one, but at first, he was only worried about her. He cared so deeply for her that he could even but the urge of revenge aside.
Without another word he wrapped his arm around her shoulder and carefully led her inside.