THANKS SO MUCH FOR YOUR LOVELY SUPPORT. Also, today was my last day at work so YAY. Another few days off. I've actually applied for college again for Fine art, English lit and language and business (changing that to French.) I'm waiting to hear back. (It's the Uk college.)
BTW this chapter may not be as long because here's the thing; I ripped half of my nail off on my pinkie in work (had to go to the minor unit to have it sorted, it wrecked like a bitch) and it hurts when I move my hand a lot lol.
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Three days had passed since Colden had last seen Alice and his sister. With every passing hour, he felt his heart crack just a little bit more. Realistically, he knew that Alice was safe. More than necessary given Belle's craftiness. Yet the other part of him, the part that still held onto the sound of her body hitting the ground from the second floor, couldn't help but worry about the worst.
At this moment in time, it wasn't even Alice that worried him but the wide stretch of possibilities of who and what she was and how much danger that put her in. If King Lucien was after her then there must be something more.
But what?
Colden drank the rest of the whiskey, the glass cool and sturdy against his fingers. Drinking was the only thing he had been doing, considering that he had nearly killed Tom and trashed his wing... a sigh rumbled out of his chest, he rubbed the exhaustion out of his face and stood. There was too much to think about and too much to do.
Guilt swarmed into his stomach. He had overstepped his boundaries, again. Alice had seemed to calm down within his presence and he'd only gone and fucked that one up. To have kissed her like that when she was nothing but distressed...Colden tugged his hand through his dark hair.
His knees cracked as he walked towards the window, staring at the expanse of land. There was nothing there. Not that anything could get past yet his instincts were in an uproar. The sky was an ever ending darkness and the wind was relatively wilder. They were in the deepest part of autumn and the weather was bordering on winter. Colden's nostrils flared as his eyes caught the movement of a wolf.
Their eyes briefly met and Colden's narrowed in suspicion. When it reached the manor within light distance, the wolf transformed and in its place stood Belle. The moons glow accentuated her long and lean limbs and cast a silver halo over her face. The breaking of her bones reached his room on the third floor and Colden couldn't help but sigh in relief. He hoped that the time she had been away she spent it on finding out whatever that was going on.
It took Belle exactly 9 minutes and 54 seconds to reach his room. He leant against the wall opposite the door with his arms crossed against his chest. His outfit, which consisted of black skinny jeans and a white shirt, was crumpled and dirty. Colden couldn't find it in him to change. Not like it mattered, anyway.
Belle let out a whistle as she took in the room. Her eyes wide although a glint of amusement lingered on her face. Her lips tugged up into a smile as she met his gaze, this time not hiding her humour. Colden scowled- the situation was anything but funny. In fact, he could think of about twenty other situations that could warrant a laugh. This was not it. He arched an eyebrow as she overstepped a piece of broken furniture.
"They held you in good, considering that the damage is only visible in your wing," like a bird, his sister tilted her head to the right and her eyes scanned over the outlines of his body. "Tell me brother, what have you been up to?"
"Worrying out of my damn mind because someone wouldn't answer their phone," Colden couldn't help the bitterness that was laced with his words. It was not unusual for Belle to be unreachable when on a mission- whatever that mission may be- but with something like this he would have hoped for her to be more considerate.
"I was researching, actually. Had to visit a few people..." Belle caught sight of the discarded alcohol bottles that he left on his fireplace and raised her eyebrows, "you know, if you want to impress Alice you really have to stop destroying the wing and drinking everytime something goes to shit."
Colden snarled, "you took her from me." That had been the original cause of his anger. It was instinct to feel threatened and to be aggressive in such situations. The fear that the animal in him felt...a cold shiver raced down his spine at the thought of his mate being gone, for good this time.
"She was terrified and you were going to claim her before she had a chance to even like you," Belle returned her gaze to his face, "she wouldn't have forgiven you for that one, brother."
He knew that. And he was damn grateful that they had pulled him off. The fact that he had hurt his Delta... Colden swallowed the nerves. His actions were inexcusable.
"Have you seen Tom?" Belle asked as she plopped herself down on the semi-broken mattress. A spring stuck out from the right corner and the floor was dusted with feathers. It was the only thing Colden could think to save in his rage. Though it wasn't like he knew what he had been doing.
A sigh rumbled out of his chest. Colden rubbed his face, tugging back his hair that was now getting too long. It cast a shadow over his face which made him look older than he was. "Only when he's asleep, I feel awful."
"I'm sure he does too," there was a hint of seriousness behind her words, something that he often didn't hear with her. Colden swallowed the guilt once more, crushing it down with his palm until it didn't threaten to pull him under into another bout of animal rage.
"I couldn't help it," Colden began, his eyes cast towards the window, "one minute we were fine, getting on even, and the next minute she had this crazed and pained look on her face. I overstepped my boundaries and I think it set her off." He rubbed his face once more, "Tom was trying to calm her down and I took it as a threat."
"I know, so does Tom. He of all people understands." Belle walked over to him. Her hand was cold in the crook of his arm. "He protected her knowing what you would do, don't beat yourself up."
But Colden did and would for a long time.
"How is she?" He was unable to hold her gaze this time in fear that she would read the feelings he had been harbouring for days. The shame, the guilt...
"She has a lot of thinking to do but..." Belle leant against the window, her face illuminated by the moon, "she's nothing like I had ever seen and that makes her dangerous. It's not normal and I'm worried that if we won't do something now...we won't be able to save her." The look in her eyes struck a deep and aching cord within him. Nausea engulfed him at the thought of having to kill Alice- he would be the one to do it because of his title. It was Colden's biggest worry; that he would be forced to make a decision on something that he wouldn't be able to live with.
They needed to save Alice before she lost her sanity completely. He swallowed the bile that rose in his throat.
"There's another thing," Belle's face turned dark as she pressed her hands against the window pane, gazing out to the dark forest. His nostrils flared as Alice's scent that still faintly hung onto her body wafted up his nose, "she explained what happened. It doesn't sound good, not in the slightest. If we are to do something we have to figure out what it is and why it's attached to her."
Colden's body turned cold at his sister's words, "what do you mean?"
It took Belle over half an hour to recount everything Alice had confessed and with every word and revelation Colden felt his blood freeze and a new form of numbness spread in his chest- it was fear. He wasn't scared often, or for anything, but this time Colden felt like he had too much to lose. There came the issue of her family and how that linked into to everything going on. Not to mention, the darkness that was sweeping over his mate like a plague.
A darkness that filled Alice with rage and hate for his kind. Why? And more importantly, how is he supposed to figure it all out?
The heat coming from the fireplace warmed his face as he sat in the red plush chair, his elbows rested on top of his knees and his head was in his hands. Colden felt the animal in him stir, felt his skin tighten and his gut wrench. His wolf wanted to be let loose, he wanted to feel the air against its fur and the see the moon with its bare eyes... He couldn't think straight.
"When was the last time you shifted?" Ever since their parents had died his sister had taken on a motherly role, despite being younger. And each time it shot a pang through his chest and into his heart at the realisation that she was the only family he had left. Apart from Alice, if he could even consider her that.
"Three nights ago," when he had attacked Tom and nearly claimed Alice without her permission or want. There were no wolf laws against it but it was frowned upon; courting was very much part of the mating process, something that he had disregarded that first night in the club. Every time his thoughts centred around what he had done, the rules and traditions he broke, his gut filled with livid and burning self-hatred.
Colden was lucky that no one had challenged him or his title. He didn't doubt his strength but he wasn't particularly fond of spilling blood. Especially pack blood.
"No wonder you're so damn anti-social," he caught Belle's frowning face from the corners of his eyes, "I'll start the cleaning while a crew gets here, you go run."
Colden's body pulled at the thought of shedding the human skin. Yet he shook his head, "I have things to_"
"Go. Now," his sister pointed towards the door, her eyes daring for him to disagree or protest. Colden swallowed the sudden nerves that rose within him. He may be an Alpha but Belle was terrifying. Not that he would ever admit that to anyone. Besides, there was never much use in arguing with a she-wolf. They were always temperamental and they always won, no matter what.
With a reluctant sigh, he mumbled a quiet thank you and left before Belle could kill him with her eyes. There was one thing he knew though- this was just the beginning and it would only get worse. He just hoped that he'd be able to stop the worst of it.
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Colden remembered his first shift at the age of thirteen. He couldn't remember what triggered it, just that it had hurt and that he had suffered. It had been the most painful experience of his life. Nothing could compare to the breaking of your bones, the tearing of your muscles or the elongating of your limbs.
It was strange to the think that within the span of a year things did. Meeting Alice was one of the most beautifully exquisite things that had happened to him and at the same time, it was the most tragic. Colden had lost men and women in his fight for her and without a doubt, more wolves would die. In the past three days that he had been alone it was something he thought about often- what would happen if there was no family or pack left? What would happen if he couldn't win Alice over?
Would Will's death be for nothing? Would Peters- the guard who would always give Belle cookies- mean nothing? Or maybe his father's death, who died in battle to save his life so that he could grow old in so many centuries alongside his mate and enjoy life. Would all of that be for nothing?
Colden's paws thundered against the earth like lightning bolts in the sky. Soil flew from beneath his paws with every powerful move that he made. His breath came out sharp and laboured from hours of running yet despite the slow exhaustion that was starting to cloud his muscles, he felt exhilarated. The moment that he had shredded his human skin into his wolf freedom and instinct took over. It always did and it was easy to lose yourself to your wolf.
It would be easy to not have to worry about his issues.
The feel of the wind in his fur, the smell and taste of nature and fresh water as he lapped at the lake of Hades to refresh himself- it made it all the more tempting to let go. It was a blessing in many ways but there was a reason many referred to it as a curse; a wolf was more animal than human, it didn't care for trivial things like feelings or wars. It just focused on surviving and mating.
Alice's name rung through his mind like a melody.
His ears twitched at the sound of a moving bush. His eyes, gold and keen, gazed around the area with interest. He hadn't hunted in so long and his wolf longed for the taste of fresh meat and blood. Colden ducked low onto his belly, his large body camouflaged by the rose bushes that his mother had once planted.
The rustle came from his right and the sound of a small beating heart reached him- a rabbit. It was small but it would have to do. Colden kept his eyes set on the bush. Several minutes passed before it moved again, this time with more confidence as if the rabbit thought that it was safe. Blood rushed to his head as excitement pooled in his belly, the urge to kill and to show off his ability to provide circled in his mind.
It would take all of his will to not drop the rabbit off at Alice's doorstep.
Saliva dripped down his canines as he kept his body low to the ground and with quiet ease, he made his way towards his prey. The rabbit was oblivious to the approaching predator. Colden heard the burrowing of leaves as the rabbit searched for food. There weren't many left now that it was close to winter but the ones that were desperate to eat made their way out.
When he was inches away Colden lunged- his canines sunk into the rabbit's neck before it knew he was there. It thrashed and screeched as he bit down, breaking the small bones within its neck until the rabbit's body turned lifeless. Gone. Dead...it was nature and yet guilt resurfaced. His instincts squashed it down but remorse was always something that he couldn't help but feel. The wolf didn't care but he did.
Before his wolf had the chance to take off towards his sister's apartment where Alice slept, a howl echoed through the skeletons of the trees. It sent tremors through the ground, the soil beneath his paws rumbled at the force. Tom. Colden dropped his prize on instinct, the animal in him urging him to howl in response. But something wasn't right and perhaps it was the only thing that stopped him from doing just that.
Something was wrong. Something serious. Howls responded around him- his pack members acknowledging the call of distress from their Delta.
Colden took off without much thought, his heart pounded against his ribs and his breath came out laboured and harsh with adrenaline. He fought the animal side; he had left his prize for Alice behind and yet the human part of him knew that he would find something that would destroy them. It was his duty as an Alpha to protect, his duty to ensure the pack's safety.
He just hoped that Alice was ok. The thought of Lucien getting his hands onto her...a growl ripped out of his muzzle as the scent of blood reached him. It coated nature as like a cacoon as if the very essence was giving it life. A strange and unfamiliar scent clung to the surrounding trees. It had his mind spinning in a frenzy at the fact that someone got past. How? Who?
Within a matter of minutes, Colden found himself at the gates to the manor, exhausted and panting from the distance he had covered. Yet what he saw at the gates knocked the breath right out of him more than anything had in his life.
Lily lay coated in blood on the pavement. From where he stood, he could see her bright red hair spilt out around her like a blood moon halo. Her normally tan skin matched the paleness of the stars and the heaviness that hung around him- clinging as if it were to consume him- was overwhelming. She looked eerie, dead, if it wasn't for the rise and fall of her chest. But when Colden's eyes landed on the iron nails that pierced her stomach- a piece of paper under them- anger boiled his blood.
The wolves around him lowered their heads, their necks on show as he stalked towards Will's mate. Snarls escaped him the closer he got and when he met his Delta's eyes he knew one thing. King Lucien was going to pay.
Colden would have his head.
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I want to thank everyone for all the lovely comments and messages that I get. Honestly, I am a little overwhelmed which is why I don't answer a lot; I get around 400 notifications a day now. I will try to get back to as many people as possible within the next few days. :)
What do you think the paper said?
Hope you enjoyed. Btw, this chapter will be edited later on. I'm so exhausted that I just want to sleep for days.