Page 70 of The Dark Rising
It’s quiet in the pack, no one in sight apart from a few who wander through the cabins on patrol, and I wonder why they are not checking the perimeter instead. Especially after we heard rogures nearby not too long ago, but we saw no one.
“Strange, isn’t it?” Josh says, startling me. I nod in response, unsure what to say, still a little angry and hurt at him. “It’s changed, more homes now, but it still looks the same as it used to, even with that huge tree over there.” He points to the right, and I see the tree he’s talking about. “The many times we used to climb that tree and get shouted at,” he chuckles, and an unwanted, soft smile spreads across my face, thinking back on the memories. “Your mom was scared to death of us breaking our necks.”
She was, though she would always help me by telling me the best places to put my foot, and which branches to grab that were strong enough to hold my weight. She always did her best to protect me, even toward the end.
“Do you think we made the right decision?” I whisper, unable to keep the question in. I’m aware of others listening, but they know so much already that I just don’t care anymore. Josh turns to look at me, a question in his eyes. “Leaving, I mean. Do you think we made the right decision?” I clarify.
His gray eyes turn angry. “Of course it was, Rhea, how can you even ask that?”
I glance down before looking over at my old home again. “What’s one person’s suffering to hundreds of children?” If I had stayed, Charles wouldn’t have taken kids. They would be at home with their parents, loved, happy and healthy. “They could have led a happy life with their parents. I had no one.”
“Charles took those children, not you,” he says. “You can’t blame yourself for what a sadistic old man has done.”
“No,” I agree. “But I can blame myself for staying hidden. That’s on me.”
“No, Milal, it’s fucking not.” He’s getting angry now, and I sigh.
Darius steps up to my other side, giving Josh a hard look before focusing on me. “We’re not sure what he wants with you, only it has to do with you being an Heir and wanting to breed you. You can’t blame yourself for his actions when all you are doing is trying to survive.”
They don’t get it, they don’t understand. What those children are going through is the same as what they did to me. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone.
I look out over my old home again, feeling Darius’s stare on me once again. A gasp is pulled from me as I spot a dirt filled field, the ground dry and dead. “The Lesia field.”
“They got rid of it,” Josh says, and my eyes begin to sting.
“How could they do that?” My voice trembles, and I clench my hands at my sides, very aware everyone heard the wobble in my voice. Darius looks back and forth between me and the field.
Josh squeezes my shoulder, ignoring how Darius tenses. “Why do they do anything that they do, Milal?”
“Just another thing they took from me,” I say, hating how much they have ruined. Destroyed.
“We need to move,” Leo whispers suddenly, and nods toward a male on patrol heading in our direction.
“Stay close to me,” Darius whispers, a hint of warning in his tone.
“Okay.” He holds my stare, making sure I will, and then we move.
Heading for the village, Darius takes the lead as we dart down the hill on silent steps until we reach the first cabin, making sure to avoid the male on patrol. Crouching underneath a window, we press ourselves against the wood and listen out for anyone nearby. Anna gave us a concoction to hide our scent, so they won’t be able to smell us, but if we bump into someone there is no hiding our presence.
We tread carefully, dashing between cabins and making our way to the back of the village until we squat down beside an old cabin, looking upon my old home. Shivers wrack my spine at being so close to something that caused me so much pain. We spot Zaide and Damian coming from our opposite direction, and they nod our way before walking up the few steps to the Alpha’s home.
My heart is in my throat as they knock on the door, and it’s not long until my Aunt Selena answers. I shift where I’m crouched, Runa restless within me at seeing her. My mother’s sister doesn’t deserve to be in my old home, doesn’t deserve our family’s last name, doesn’t deserve to live. Not after she betrayed her only sister and her niece. Her son.
Rage washes over me, and I go to move without thought, wanting her blood to coat the lands as mine did, for what she did to Kade. A hand shoves me back against the cabin, green eyes intense. He looks over at my aunt before coming back to me, shaking his head.
“Oh, hello boys,” she purrs to Zaide and Damian, and my body tightens at the sound of her flirtatious voice. I look toward her and cringe at the way her blue eyes roam over them lavishly. She was never one for monogamy, even though she is mated.
“Alpha Selena,” Damian says respectfully, “is Alpha Paul at home?”
“Oh no, he’s at Wolvorn Castle. Lord higher Charles wished to speak to him about the wayward traitor. My sons are also with him. What is this about?” She opens the door more, but Damian and Zaide don’t enter.
“I didn’t know he was there, that’s unfortunate,” Damian sighs like it’s troublesome.
“Could I help? I may be female, but I can be of assistance in many ways.” A growl builds up in my throat, and Darius’s palm covers my mouth, rubbing a thumb over my cheek. My eyes go to him as they continue to speak.
“We have spotted rogures around your perimeter, we are worried they are closing in,” Damian lies. “We already killed the ones that got close when we last came, but they seem active again near here. We were hoping we could show Alpha Paul where we think they could enter and discuss how to proceed.”
“I can come with you while he is out, that’s no problem. Let me grab my cloak.” She rushes inside the house before coming back out, closing the door behind her. “Let us go.” She loops her arm through Damian’s, and Zaide smirks over at him seeing how uncomfortable he is.
