Page 137 of The Dark Rising
“I wanted to give you something back that was taken from you.” I swallow past the lump in my throat as emotion threatens to choke me. I felt like since I was captured and put in that basement, all anyone has ever done was take from me what I had not freely given. He has no idea what he has just done for me. The single flowers were more than I could hope for with seeing a lesia flower again, but this?
I bite my lip and my feet take me the last remaining steps to the male who gave me a field of lesia flowers. I pick a flower from my bunch, the best one and hand it to him, suddenly nervous. He’s the Alpha of the Elites. What would he want with a flower? But the urge to give him one overwhelms me. He did all of this for me, he didn’t have to but he did. I want to show him my appreciation and this is the only thing I can think of right now.
I don’t look up as I hold it out to him, nerves flowing through me and a shyness overcomes me that I don’t feel often. It’s not enough that it overshadows the elation I feel though. I hear rather than see him swallow, and then his hand is reaching out, his fingers grazing mine as he gently takes the flower from me.
“Laeliah,” he murmurs, and my head snaps up, a smile on my face at him calling the flower beautiful. But he’s not looking at the flower, he’s looking at me.
My chest rises in the deep breath as he takes a step closer, towering over me as he raises his hand and carefully, so carefully tucks the flower in my hair, just above my ear. When he’s happy with it, his hand comes down to my cheek, and he holds it in his grip.
“Laeliah,” he repeats, looking deeply into my eyes as he tilts his head down and places the softest of kisses against my forehead.
I close my eyes and let the feeling of tenderness fill me, letting out a small sigh at the contact. Moments like this where he’s so gentle with me are not often, but it makes me cherish them more, unable to help the way it makes me feel. Cared for, adored. I don’t get to feel that a lot of the time so when I do, I wrap it up within me for safe keeping.
Darius makes a noise in the back of his throat before rubbing his thumb over my jaw. “Go and play, little wolf.” He takes a step back, a small smile on his face that I want to see more of. “I’ll watch over you.”
I go to him and raise up on my tip toes, placing a kiss on his cheek. “Thank you.”
Then I turn, smile, and I run.
I run through the flowers that were my childhood that were stolen from me but now have been given back. Runa howls in delight inside of me, and I echo it in the giggle that escapes me. And then I twirl and spin, letting my magic flow after me like ribbons dancing on the breeze in pure happiness as their sweet scent tickles my senses. I laugh, the sound so free and innocent that I wonder if it even came from me as it has been so long since I’ve heard it, but it did come from me.
I don’t stop moving in a field of blue flowers that my enemy made me. Just for me. Well into the night and when the sun begins to rise, and the flowers stop glowing, I still play, run, twirl and befree.Darius gave me something so precious, and I’m not even sure he realizes it.
I stop in the center, my chest heaving and my smile wide. Turning to Darius, he stands there all imposing, arms folded, but I see his own smile on his face as he watches me.
I add that to the smile with the wisps, the pups, when he kissed me under the moonlight.
I add that to my precious memories to keep as he tilts his head at me and smirks.
And then I continue to play while he’s there, watching over me and never leaving my side.
Fifty Two
Rhea
“Hemadeyouafield of lesia flowers?” Josh asks and I blush, nodding. He shakes his head and looks at Sarah. “Do you want that?”
She laughs and pats his shoulder. “No, don’t worry, I won’t have you planting seeds in the middle of the night.”
“As long as he doesn’t hurt you again,” Taylor says a few seats down from me. All my pack are sitting here in the dining room. It has been a while since we all gathered and I thought it would be a good time to fill them in on the fact that it was Darius who helped us before we arrived here.
I look toward Taylor. “He has done things I’m sure we are all angry about, but we cannot deny he has helped us also.” My eyes go toward Sarah and she nods. “Darius helped us escape Wolvorn,” I tell them, and Seb chokes on his drink.
“What?”
“He gave the port stone to you, Anna.” I look toward my friend whose mouth has dropped open. “Unbelievable, right?” I shake my head.
“How is that possible?” Colten mutters, seated next to Hudson as usual.
“He told me that even though at that moment I was a traitor, he couldn’t leave me there. So he placed the port stone on Anna in the hopes that we would be close enough to escape, and thankfully we all did.”
“He couldn’t leave you there because he couldn’t deny his instinct to protect,” Hudson says, side-eyeing Colten. “It overshadows duty at that point.”
I nod and sit back in my seat. “I figured as much that you all would know by now without me voicing what is going on between us.” They all nod, and I chuckle. “It has been quite a few months, hasn’t it. All our lives have changed. I can’t help but feel we took Eridian for granted, and didn’t cherish it enough. I long to see the link trees again and play with wisps and see the wolves.” I sigh and look up toward the ceiling. “I want to go to the graveyard and place stones for Solvier… For Josie and Danny.” I sniffle and wipe my hands down my face. Looking toward my members, their eyes are just as seldom, their grief clear.
“We will go back there and guide them to the lands,” Josh says, gripping Sarah’s hand tightly on top of the table. “We may not be home right now, but we will be. After we have gotten our pack back, the Highers are dead and gone, and the rogures are no more, we will go home.”
Home. Will home still be Eridian?
