Chapter 10: A Visit from the Past

Thorne’s POV

Adrenaline blurred my vision as I stumbled into the woods. I looked around frantically, trying to make out the space between the trees in the dark. This was the direction I was told Ruelle had gone  but there is no sign of her in these woods and to say I am filled to the brim with panic would be the understatement of the century.

I had secretly hoped to the Gods that Ruelle would eventually decide not to attend this gathering but of course things couldn’t go my way. I sprinted in circles in the woods, peering around and behind the large trees in search of even a glint of white hair. That is as much help as I would get to make finding her easy in the thick darkness of these woods considering her dress is black. I come to a stop amidst the trees, my hands going up to rake through my hair and my knees falling to the grass.

“Fuck!”  I swatted at the grasses in front of me. There was no sign of her here.

Guilt surged through me like venom, my mind already working up the worst case scenarios of what could be happening to Ruelle right now on my account. It was all my fault. Nothing could have prepared me for the heaviness that spread through my chest as soon as I caught Ruelle’s gaze and saw her eyes brimming with tears. I immediately felt the urge to put my fists through something.

Immediately she walked out, there was no controlling my legs. They followed on their own accord, without a care in the world of who was hit and ignored on my way out.

Including my date, Nyra.

Nyra was my nemesis. The secret I tried to hide but always found a way to come to the light. She was the almost invisible but very prominent connection to the rough past I had during the time I grieved my father. A good relationship that eventually turned sour and is now mostly full of hate.

Nyra was the typical power hungry, backstabbing woman who cared for no one else but herself. She was going to do everything and anything to get to dine with the people at the top and she was ready to use just about anyone to get there. And today, I happened to be her victim. She had an Alpha she wanted to make acquaintances with but didn’t receive an invitation to the Gathering this year, so she decided to take matters into her into her own hands, by blackmailing me and making me bring her as my date.

Normally I wouldn’t bat an eyelid at her requests and would confidently tell her to fuck off, but not when she has a secret that could potentially destroy the loyalty of my people in my leadership. And also destroy all my relationships, including the most important one that I have barely had the time to form.

I had to be the stepping stone that Nyra used to attend this party tonight, on the condition that one, she keeps her pretty mouth shut about my secret and two, she gives me the information she has gathered about the rogues responsible for my father’s death. I had agreed to her terms on the condition that she tells no one that we were together which I knew she was practically aching all over to do. Even she knows I don’t tolerate lies.

But the most important reason was because I didn’t want Ruelle to get the wrong idea. A bit too late for that now since she is nowhere to be found.

The panic in my veins had suddenly transformed into white hot rage. At Nyra for making this happen to me, at Ruelle for being so damn impatient and running carelessly without caution into the woods at night, at everyone else who allowed this to happen and most importantly, at myself for being a bloody fool. For making mistakes that were irreversible and tied me down to a woman I had nothing but loathe in my heart for, and for being a bloody coward where the woman I actually yearned for is concerned.

The person I wanted to kill the most was me.

I walked further into the woods, my ears and senses alert to catch any movement or rumble among the leaves. I had already come to the conclusion that Ruelle wasn’t here, but I decided that I would rather check behind every damn branch with the hope that I will eventually find her than to allow myself to believe she isn’t here. Because that would mean she was captured and it would lead to the worst case scenario.

What if she was attacked by rogues?

I shake the thought from my head immediately, pressing my lips together and moving forward. The timing doesn’t match. I don’t believe that I was too late for that to have happened already. I practically ran here as soon as she did.

My wolf was suddenly on high alert, his growl rumbling through my ears. That was enough sign that Ruelle was close by. That fueled me to go further, my movements now slow and meticulous. Although I felt her, there was still no physical sign of her, neither was there any sound. All I had were my senses and my eyes.

Oh little silver moon, where the hell are you?

I peered around with trained eyes, my fists clenching and unclenching at my sides. A sound comes from the shrubs by my left and I turn my head in that direction so fast I almost get a whiplash. The sounds of heavy footsteps follow and I immediately break into a sprint.

“Ruelle!”  I scream. My eyes are trained on the golden furry creature escaping into the woods but before I can get on it’s tail, a weak moan reaches my ears, one I recognize so well. My feet come to a halt, my frantic eyes taking the scene before me. Ruelle is sprawled on the grass, her hair sticking to her tear stained cheeks and her eyes barely open.

I rush to her side and immediately gather her up in my arms. “It’s okay. You’re okay”. I swipe her hair out of her face and pepper kisses all over her cheeks, making a mental note to investigate who that golden wolf was and what it did to her. One way or another, someone was going to pay for this.

Ruelle parts her lips as though she wants to speaks, but nothing comes out. I carry her honeymoon style in my arms and race back to the keep as fast as I can on my feet. I study her briefly, my eyes raking over her small frame. There are no cuts or bruises on her face or arms but for her to be this weak then something definitely happened.

“What happened to you?”  I voice out my worry, despite her eyes being closed. I doubt she can even hear me. The slight twitch behind her lids tells me she isn’t completely unconscious so she probably can. I suddenly get the urge to put my fist through a wall. This is all my fucking fault. If I didn’t fuck up by bringing another woman to the event then none of this would’ve happened.

On getting to the keep, Ruelle’s mother, Amarinthe, is the first to usher us in, her worry evident in her face as she takes in her limp daughter in my arms. Carlos is present too, although I have no idea how he got here seeing as we didn’t even come to the event together. He must’ve followed me here being the responsible prick he is and having seen the state I was in when we left my keep. I was damn near ready to punch a tree down.

Garron and his daughters were in the living room, and from the look of things, the Gathering had to be cut short. I would be worried if it wasn’t. Garron rushed over as soon as he saw us, his daughters rising from their seats with what looked like fear and shock.

“What happened to her?”  He asked, his frantic eyes taking in his daughter state with his arms stretched out in front of him.

“Don’t know yet. Call a doctor”. I told him and headed for the stairs immediately, not paying any mind to anyone else present. I had no idea where I was going, all I knew was that I needed to get her to her room. On my way up the stairs, I heard Garron screaming at the top of his voice for his Beta to get the family doctor. Amarinthe rushed worriedly behind me before making a stop to her kitchen.

“I need a warm cloth and a bowl of water”. She told the maids, her voice relatively calm. At the top of the stairs, a young girl corners me with her eyes wide and mouth open wide.

“My lady!”  Her hands fly to her mouth.

“Take me to her room”. My voice startles her and she nods frantically.

“This way”. She says, her voice and arms shaky as she leads the way through a narrow hallway leading to Ruelle’s room. She opens the door and walks in, hurriedly pulling the covers off so I can lay her down. Ruelle lets out a weak whimper as her head hits the pillow, her eyes fighting to stay open as she slips in and out of consciousness.

“It’s okay, baby. You’re home”. I whisper into her hair, my hands holding her face. Her eyelids  crack open once again and she wordlessly takes me in, her eyes raking all over my face. I can’t ignore the pang of guilt that strikes me as I hold her gaze, the thought that none of this would’ve happened to her had I not brought another woman to the gathering looming dangerously at the back of my mind. “I’m sorry”. I whisper to her finally, my eyes shutting tightly and my head falling unto her face. “It’s all my fault. I’m sorry, Ruelle”

Her handshade, who watched the exchange between the both of us wordlessly, suddenly darts out of the room. She returns a few minutes later with an old wolf in her trail who I assume is the family doctor, considering his solemn look and grey hair. He has a small purse in his hands, a pair of thinly rimmed glasses resting on the wrinkled bridge of his nose.

He walks over to the bed and stares at me, his head hanging forward due to old age. “Can I..”. He motions towards Ruelle and I wordlessly move out of the way for him. He clears his throat and approaches her, his shaky hands coming up to adjust his glass on his face as he studies his patient closely.

“I’d like a word, Thorne”. Garron’s voice grabs my attention from the door. I manage to peel my eyes from the bed to find him peeking further into the room with worry in his eyes. I don’t follow him immediately, in fact it takes everything in me not to tell him that the only person I would like to speak to right now is his daughter and since she can’t talk right now I have no interest in opening my mouth.

But I know he is worried about his daughter which he has every right to be and I might use his help later on in dealing with it.

I take one last look at Ruelle before leaving the room and shutting the door behind me. I would find out what happened to my little moon in those woods and make whoever touched her wish they were never born.