Chapter 34 Freedom or not
Auren's pov
I’m having some kind of flashback. The memory isn’t quite clear but I heard Linda’s sweet voice, my uncle's first wife.
“It’s so cold tonight, isn’t it?”
Her voice is soft and kind. The kind of voice that always made me feel safe. I’m sitting on the edge of my bed, small and covered in a thin white nightgown, my feet still dirty from playing in the yard with the other kids.
She steps behind me and drapes a blanket over my shoulders, tucking it around me.
“There,” she says gently. “Better.”
“Thank you,” I whisper. “Have you seen Mom and Dad? They’re not in the house.”
She kneels in front of me, smiling in that warm, motherly way she always does.
“Oh yes, Auren. They went into the woods to pick up something. Something just for you.”
My stomach tightens even in the memory.
“The woods?” I ask. “At night?”
She nods. “You want to see? In fact I just got the sweetest idea, why don’t you go and surprise them? You’re a big girl now, Auren. You're the future Luna and you need to show them how strong and fearless you’re. I bet you they will be very proud.”
She leads me out of my room towards the exit. “Just go that way.” She points. “They’re right in there. They’ll be so happy to see you.”
The images dissolve.
I’m running now, through trees with something chasing me and breathing hard behind me. Branches scratch at my arms and moonlight filters through the leaves in broken silver shards. My breath is loud in my ears and my heart is racing.
“Mom!” I screamed with tears running down my face. “Dad!”
Something roared and hit me from behind, I fell to the ground hard. My vision is blurry and I taste dirt. I don’t know how long I lay there but when I came to, I saw two sets of legs in front of me and heard voices. “…cover this up…”
“…Alpha…”
“Mom?” The voices stopped.
“Oh my God, Auren! What did you do!” I hear Linda scream, her voice high and hysterical.
I push myself up, feeling something slick and wet on my hands. I look around and saw my parents on the ground in front of me.
The images flashed……broken bodies…..blood…..chest ripped apart……more blood….
I choke on a sob and I blink hard trying to come back to reality. My chest is heaving and my skin is damp with sweat. I look up just as Eron walks in through the door.
“Sorry,” he says casually. “I had to deal with some things. I was told you needed me, Alpha.”
His eyes flick to me and his lips curl. “I see you brought her back. Why? Gotten tired of her already after she finished whoring out to the first man that looks her way?”
“Just sit the fuck down,” Magnus snaps.
The sound of his voice shocks me more than Eron’s words ever could. He never gets snarky with Eron all the time he lived with us.
“They came here for answers about her parents,” Magnus tells him.
“You mean the ones she killed?” Eron says, glancing at me.
“Yes, she did,” Magnus says firmly. “I just explained everything to them in detail, so now they know the truth.”
“If it’s even the truth,” Dravik growls.
I stay quiet. My head is still full of blood and screams and Linda’s soft voice pushing me into the woods. I will tell Dravik about the flashback I had when we leave here.
“So what does that have to do with me? I wasn’t there.”
“I’m also here to make sure you reject her properly,” Dravik says, standing from his chair.
Everyone turns to Eron. Seris’s face twists in shock and my uncle looks annoyed but not surprised.
So he knew about us…….I should have known. But that doesn't explain how he knows we’re still connected.
“You told me you rejected her!” Seris shrieks and I cover my ears with my hands. Seris’s shrieking when she doesn’t get her way always feels like a bulldozer grinding through my ears.
“I did,” Eron says lazily. “And she accepted.”
“Lies!” Dravik snaps.“All fucking lies. Listen boy, I don’t have time for this. If you rejected her completely like you claim then how were you able to force a blood tie on her?”
“You did what?” My uncle’s green eyes widened with shock.
I watched him. Either my uncle is a good liar or he really didn’t know. But I can’t tell…….Maybe if I had a wolf.
Dravik moves closer to him, every step heavy with threat.
“Say it. Fucking Say it and reject her now,” he roars and I feel myself tense up.
“Eron, just reject her,” my uncle mutters.
“No.”
“What did you just say boy?” Dravik moves more closer squaring up to him but Eron stands his ground looking unafraid.
If I was the one in his place, I would be preparing for death.
“Eron don’t be stupid,” my uncle snaps. “Do what you’re told.”
“Fine!”
He moves around Dravik coming to stand in front of me. I quickly look down, not prepared to look into his eyes and see the new hatred in them.
What had I ever done to him?
We were friends.
“Look at me, whore.”
My head jerks up, my mouth opening in shock.
“I, Eron Blackridge, reject you, Auren Silverveil,” he pauses. “As my mate now and forever.”
“I, Auren Silverveil, accept your rejection, Eron Blackridge,” I mutter quickly, wanting to get this done with.
Something inside me breaks free, not pain like the first time, but it feels more like release. I see Eron's face screws up as if he is in some kind of pain and he holds the desk for balance.
That's different too.
Then suddenly a knife slams into his stomach and Dravik’s hand is on the hilt as he twists it in.
“That,” he says coldly, “is for calling her a whore.”