Chapter 9
A L D R I C
Was she determined to ruin my life for me? I wanted to know. Elysia was lying on one of the infirmary room beds; the same beds where she would cure my wolves. Though I watched the color come back to her skin, I couldn't help but feel worse.
Did she forget I was a werewolf? Did she forget that I could have caught that arrow in my hand in seconds before she played out the role of some hero? I couldn't believe she forgot who I was - a werewolf.
She was breathing softly. I fought against the need to hold her in my arms, to kiss her, to somehow take her away. It was so powerful. She was a witch, I kept reminding myself.
Why are you so desperate for a mate? I asked myself. It isn't worth it. She wasn't worth it. But I couldn't stop the inner need no matter how I tried. Besides, for hurting her village, she was certain I was a monster.
"Beta." A voice behind me bought me to reality.
I turned and faced Nyra. I knew what she was thinking. I was getting too attached to some witch. The witch may have hexed you. There's something wrong Aldric. What is wrong with you? I heard it all; I knew it all but they didn't know the truth. And they never will. I would make sure of it.
"I don't know why you're so attached to this witch. Yes, she saved your life, but every wolf in this pack would do that for you," Nyra stated.
"And I would the same for them. Also, I am not attached to her."
"Do you believe she has hexed you in some way? A lot of the werewolves are beginning to worry. I believe that was the first thing you were asking her when you first met her."
"I promise you Nyra - I hate witches and their kind more than ever. This witch's just different. Have you ever heard of a witch that saves wolves? I believe she can prove to be very valuable to us. If we can get her on our side, imagine the secrets we can receive from the witch world. I'm simply trying to obtain her trust."
Lying seemed so difficult in my head but once I said it, even I believed me. I could see Nyra's facial expression changing; she too was believing me. If anyone had a true, concrete reason to hate witches, it was me. She knew that; every wolf in my pack knew that.
"I like this approach, Beta and I do trust you. But whatever it is, Beta Aldric - I don't think you should be so worried for her. You have important matters to take care of. The Alpha will be here in a matter of days. What you truly need to worry about is how you need to get to rid of her before he arrives. I may have stood by your decision to take her in to cure our wolves but I will not have the strength to face him if he questions a witch. He will kill her, Beta. You have to get rid of her if you want her alive."
"She's not well enough -"
"But she will be dead when the Alpha arrives."
Nyra was right. There was no person in the world that could contain the Alpha's rage when it came to witches. If there was anyone that hated witches more than I did, it was my father.
I turned back to Elysia. She originally informed me that the witches of the Mae Coven despised her as much as wolves did. And I burned the witches' homes. In her state, they wouldn't help her. If anything, they'd kill her. What if she was lying - she was under the truth potion; she couldn't lie.
I stared back at Elysia. Keeping her in the infirmary wasn't an option; I wasn't willing to take her back to the village if it meant she was going to die.
Why does it matter? Let her die. No. She's a witch. She's a witch who saved your life.
I seemed to continuously go back and forth in my head. I couldn't decide. I didn't know what to say or what to do. Was I truly losing my mind?
No. I wasn't going to let her die. Where was I supposed to keep her safe? The Vani Cabin wasn't an option. At least one wolf would end up telling the Alpha I was harboring a witch on the pack grounds. Then, I realized the safest place for Elysia was with me. There was no other wolf that I knew of that would keep her alive.
I knew what to do.
I went to Elysia and wrapped her cloak around her body to the best of my ability. My fingers barely touched her arm but I could already feel the immense power pulling me towards her. If I touched her skin again, I wouldn't be able to pull back. The fabric was the only thing that stood between us.
Then, I picked her up in my arms as I did when I carried her back. Her head fell onto my chest almost naturally. I was careful to keep her shoulder straight and not cause any pressure on her wound.
The wolves would believe I was sending her back to the village. That would be my story.
As I walked through the infirmary, I could see all the medics' eyes on me. Then I see Arden. She wasn't even supposed to be here.
"Where are you going?" Arden asked me.
"Getting rid of her."
"Aldric. How are you going to do though - it doesn't make -"
"Arden." I hissed. In a second, I wanted to ask her to leave this infirmary. I wanted her to never speak to me again.
I grew up with Arden. Despite our differences, she was someone I considered as a close friend. Normally, I liked it when she questioned me. But right now, in front of everyone, she wasn't just questioning me, she was disrespecting me. I made her swear to never bring it up.
Maybe my father was right. His words were clear: If you are too kind to your wolves, they will think of you as one of their own. But you are not. Your job is to protect them, not be their friend.
"I'm taking her back to the witch realm. She's wake up in another different village."
She was looking down again.
When I walked past her, I finally realized that all eyes were on me. It didn't matter. They knew better. Before I knew, I was walking out of the infirmary and back into the snow. It was so strange carrying her in my arms. She seemed so peaceful, so gentle.
I wanted to protect her from everyone. Elysia told me her wolves had destroyed her home. In a couple of sentences, I learned that behind her brave stature, she was hurt by this warlike everyone else.
Elysia was an orphan. Her home had been burned now. Her closest friends were dead because of the wolves. Yet, she was willing to save the life of wolves.
You didn't give her much of an option. If she didn't, she probably believed she was going to die. Regardless, when I see her look at me, I don't sense hatred. I don't see hatred when she looks at wolves.
She made my head spin.
As I walked through the forest, I travelled to the only place that I knew of in these woods that would lead back to the castle. None of the pack members knew of the secret hideout leading to multiple doorways to the castle.
One of those was my chambers.
It was a tunnel designed for safety in case of dangerous attacks. It didn't take long for me to reach my chambers. I had memorized the tunnels and the secret hideouts of the castle since I was very young. Once I enter, I place Elysia on my bed.
I sit beside her for a while and then let her rest. Then, I see her eyes fluttering and she blinks properly, and all my anger is released. I hate her. I despise her. I didn't care if I would be shouting seconds after her eyes opened. Why did she take an arrow for me?
"I wanted to know what the hell you were thinking when you took that arrow! I'm a werewolf - I saw that arrow coming! Are you a fool - were you trying to find a reason to make you stay?" I didn't believe that to be true, but all I was infuriated. I still couldn't believe she would do something so stupid.
Elysia glared at me furiously. Her eyes widened and I could almost see her pupils dilate. She threw the blankets away and rose from the bed. For a millisecond, I felt the saw the pain in her eyes as she struggled to move her arm but she quickly replaced it with her anger.
"Of course!" She snapped, even though it had been moments since she woke up. She must feel a lot better, I realized. "I took an arrow that could have nearly pierced my heart because I wanted a reason to stay. I went through hell because I wanted to stay in a place where everyone despises me!"
Elysia had stepped dangerously close to me. Her body was centimetres away and my wolf almost craved to hold her but I ignored him.
No.
You will not go near a witch.
"You are a fool, Elysia." I finally say. "I don't even know how you managed to survive this long in this world. I'm surprised someone as ridiculously stupid as you managed to survive." I hissed.
That's all she was. A stupid, little girl who was also incredibly lucky. She was lost and confused. I remembered the first time I saw her. After a while, she trusted me almost instantly. That too was a stupid decision; If it were any other werewolf that found her in the woods or if she didn't have her cloak on, I wouldn't have hesitated to put her to death.
Even if she was my mate.
"How dare you!" Elysia yelled. If it was possible, I had angered her even more but I expected this. Someone needed to tell her the truth. But as I said the words, I watched her anger melt, her shoulders settle. She must be realizing how stupid her actions were. "One mistake doesn't make a fool, Aldric."
"One mistake?" I wanted to laugh. "You trust people too easily. You make a home out of everything. You act all strong and powerful but past that exterior, you're just a scared little girl who has no idea how easily this world will destroy her. Do you think you can protect yourself? The only reason you are alive right now is by sheer luck, Elysia!"
This time, I could watch her facial expressions turn back to anger.
"Do not act like you know a single thing about me especially when you don't know anything!" She hissed and finally jabbed a finger into my chest. "Do not mistake my kindness that for weakness Aldric! And what about you - I know about your anger issues, your inability to express your emotions and the fact that you are a killer. Not to mention, you are conceited, defensive about everything and you believe everyone in the world is out to kill you and your pack!"
"It is my responsibility to protect every single person in my pack and I don't know if you forgot, but we are in the middle of a war, Elysia," I tell her.
Was she pretending to be some kind of saint? We are at war. Half the world is determined to murder the other half and she's worried about wanting to be kind. This witch was insane.
"I have certain responsibilities. I have to protect my wolves from future attacks. I have to warn other monsters that I am much worse."
"At least I won't die a coward," she hissed.
A coward? Did she call me a coward?
"What did you say?" I snapped.
"At least, I won't die a coward. You are such a coward you can't even say thank you to me without turning me into some kind of villain."
"If you think I'm going to be indebted to you for some silly mistake you made, you are wrong. I will not thank you because I knew that arrow was coming. I know it before you -"
"Then why didn't you know I was coming?"
"Because I didn't think you were a fool at that time!"
She turned away. I could feel the frustration in her.
"Next time I sense you're in danger, I'll just let you die." Elysia finally said. When she sat back on the bed, she suddenly turned to me again.
Good. I wanted to say but I decided to keep my anger in control. I had already been yelling.
"Where am I? Wasn't I at the infirmary?" Elysia demanded, scanning the room. I watched her eyes scan the large room that was the bedroom. She turned her attention to the dark mahogany bed and scanned the extremely tall ceilings that were decorated with intricate designs. She looked to the right to the bookcases and then back at me.
"You're in my room, "I finally said.
"Your bedroom? Why?" Elysia asked.
"You're not well enough to be back on your own and I couldn't keep you in the infirmary."
I watched her facial expression change once more; she was so easy to read. I could see the confusion, the bewilderment.
Maybe Nyra was right; maybe I did care about Elysia too much. She looked away.
"I don't understand you," Elysia said.
"What - surprising to believe that I don't want you dead?"
"I thought that was the only thing you wanted."
I don't respond.
Instead, I walked away. I couldn't look at her anymore. I couldn't fight with her anymore.