Page 186 of The Lands Defying
I look up at him and nod. He will keep me safe, I know that. He wouldn’t let anything happen to me even if he can’t help it.
He rubs his nose with mine and pulls back, his eyes going over my shoulder.
“Hello again, wolf.” My eyes widen at Darius’s words. I try to spin around, needing to see Runa, but he stops me. “Are you going to come to me?” A growl comes from behind me, and Darius smirks. “Your human counterpart needs you, so you either come out willingly, or I drag you out.”
“Darius!” I hiss. I know deep down that it will be that way, but he doesn’t have to be so harsh about it. I’m hoping it won’t come to that.
“No, Rhea.” He looks down at me. “For every time she refuses, it puts you in danger, you nearly fucking died because you used up too much power from not being able to control it properly!”
Oh. I thought he was thinking about how we need my power to help in the coming battles…but I didn’t think of this. It should have been obvious because his eyes are full of fear as he says it, and it’s fear for me.
“Dar,” I say gently, but he shakes his head and storms past me.
“Wolf, let her lead you out,” he says, and I turn and see glowing, blue eyes watching him, a ferocious growl spilling from her lips the closer he gets. “You have to come out or it will kill her. Is that what you want? Is that my punishment for what I did? You want her to die—”
I blink, but Darius isn’t there anymore. I look around, trying to find him but he’s just…gone.
My eyes go back to Runa, and she’s already watching me as my chest heaves with nerves.
She doesn’t growl at me, she just…stares.
I take a breath and try to relax my posture, wiping sweaty hands on my pants.
“Hi,” I whisper to her. She’s not kicking me out this time, she’s not doing anything.
As we watch each other, I think of all the things we have been through over the years, all the things that they did to us in the basement. It kind of feels like I’m facing my past all wrapped into her stare.
“When I was fourteen and they…” I squeeze my eyes shut from the onslaught of memories, but then I shake my head. No. They won’t drag me down “When I was fourteen and you came to me after they were putting me through so much pain, I couldn’t have been more thankful for you,” I start, not moving from my spot. “You saved me from agony, and then you tried to rip them apart, we both did. But they were much stronger, weren’t they?” I say softly.
I watch as those balls of light float around, hovering to her a little, showing just a smidge more of her.
“When they started on you, Runa...” My eyes sting and I clear my throat. “I wasn’t thankful anymore. They were hurting you, and you wouldn’t let me come back because you were trying to protect me, weren’t you? You took that pain in my stead.”
She makes a sad sound, and a tear finally drops. I quickly wipe it away.
I need to be strong here.
“I hated and loved you then. Hated you because I had to bear witness to your pain, and loved you because you did that for me. I had you come to me at fourteen, but then they quickly took you away from me because you have never come out again.
Her eyes blink at me.
“I know you are scared, I have been scared too, and I have let you live within me, and be your grumpy self when I should have encouraged you to come out more, worked with you sooner. I’m sorry for that.” I pick at my fingers. “But Runa,” I say, shaking my head. “We need you to come out. I need you.”
She doesn’t move, doesn’t make a single step toward me as my heart crashes against my ribs.
“I can’t do this without you.” I point to the glowing balls of power around the space. “I cannot control it fully, you know that, you have felt that. We need to protect those we love.”
She makes a chuffing sound.
“We need to protect Josh and our pack… we need to protect Kade.” A whine. “Let me see you, come to me Runa, Vallier.”
I don’t think she will move at all, and my heart begins to sink that this isn’t working, but then, she takes a step forward. Just one, slow, hesitant step.
“We were hurt when we were young, far too young,” I continue to keep talking, hoping it will help. “We didn’t deserve any of that. We were innocents in the hands of monsters. I don’t want the monsters to keep a hold of us any longer. We are stronger than that.”
Another small step, and I nearly go to my knees. “That’s it, you are safe with me.”
Another step.
