Chapter 188

Elena:

“You are the famous Elena who had Vladimir staying a bit longer than we expected.” A woman, who I learned is Eleanor, said.

“Human,” Natasha, the woman who actually got me out of the room, said. The fact that she did had me scared to death, but when my eyes met Vladimir’s…

Flashback:

“Open the damn door, Elena, I am Natasha.” She said, making my heart drop at the urgency in her tone. I opened the door, and she nodded, holding her gun in her left hand as she bared her canines.

Her eyes were golden, but she didn’t bother as she nodded at me to follow her.

“Vladimir…”

“Come on, now is not the time to ask questions. There was a lot of gunfire, and the last thing that I am going to need for you is to be caught in an ambush.” She said, making my heart drop. “We’ll get you to Vladimir when he is out of this place.”

“He’s…”

“So far,” she said, looking down at me. “Let’s hope that things proceed to remain in our favor. But you know, being his mate, and being as special as you are, we wouldn’t want you being held hostage until he’s gotten to you, do we?”

I smiled, and she nodded.

“Now for the important question,” she said, watching as four men approached us. She broke one’s neck, shot the other, and used the third’s body as a shield, making the fourth man shoot him before she shot them both. “Do you know how to use a gun? Because you are going to need it…”

End of Flashback.

I kept my eyes on the laying man on the bed, he was awake, watching us, and Eleanor sat by his side. I could assume that she was his mate.

Vladimir put his hand on my shoulder, gently squeezing it, and I smiled as I looked up at him.

“The strongest of humans too. She managed to endure Konstantin long enough to survive until I found her. And not to mention, despite being somewhat impatient, she managed to hold strong for me.” He teased, and I raised an eyebrow.

“When you’ve been living in the same man’s house for eight years; I doubt that patience is the virtue that you would be looking for.” I said, and he laughed. He kissed the crown of my head as he looked at Killian. Both men exchanged a glance before he looked down at me.

“I have to admit, I was curious about the woman who caught my best friend’s attention. Vladimir is rarely ever the type to find himself caught with a woman. He normally had himself a few moments of fun; therefore, to find him with Konstantin’s woman. I did doubt you.” He, Killian, said, looking at me. “But then again, I am not one to talk about falling for my enemy’s beauty.”

Eleanor playfully slapped the man’s chest, and he winced, making her smile. “An angel within the demon’s den.”

“At least we know that he fell for someone. I did believe that you would end up being alone your whole life. You know, you’ve rejected so many women over the years…”

“Seriously, Natasha?” Vladimir asked, stopping her. She smiled and gave him a playful wink.

“Well, now that you are free of the demon. I think that you might want to find your family?” Killian asked, making me frown. “You know, you’ve been locked for a long time…”

“You don’t want me around?” I asked, and he shook his head.

“You are going to stay wherever you please. Be it with your family or by our side, within our pack. You finding your parents wouldn’t mean that you have to leave. But I am sure that you might miss them?” He asked, looking at me. “You might want to at least find out whether or not they were safe, where they lived…”

“What if I don’t?” I asked, stopping the man. Vladimir looked down at me for a moment, trying to process my response and I looked away from him, not wanting to meet his gaze. “It is very kind of you to offer, but they left me to the demon. I don’t want to find myself wanting to go back to them. I don’t want to ask why or how, I just want to live in peace. I know that IF I do see them, that is what would happen.”

“Is that your final answer?” He asked, looking at Vladimir.

“You looked for them, didn’t you?” I asked, looking at the two of them.

“I was hospitalized, little human.” He said, turning his attention to me. “Vladimir, however, might have a different story to tell you.”

I looked at my mate for a moment and he wrapped his arm around me, pulling me out of the room. He didn’t say a word for a moment, and it wasn’t until we were outside the house that he spoke.

“They looked for you, for a long time, they tried finding a way to get to you. Konstantin was sure to keep you hidden until he made them believe that you grew ill, and one day, you died.” He said, making my stomach churn. “To them, to the whole world, you were dead, malyshka. They wanted to find you, but they couldn’t.”

“They chose to move away from the home that you grew in. Somehow, despite the pain, your parents learned to live. They lived for you, your sister too. And now you even have a brother.” He said, making me frown in confusion.

“How do you know all this?” I asked, and he smiled. He nodded at the window, and I couldn’t help the tears that fell from my eyes when I saw them outside, sitting on a bench in the front porch. My sister, and brother? If I could call him that, were talking while my parents shared an anxious expression.

“They came here to see you when they found out that you were still alive.” He said, making my heart race. “I know that you might not be ready for this, not entirely, but look, they are here for you. At least you should know that your sacrifices didn’t go for nothing. Because of you, a family survived, and that makes you the strongest hero in this story.”

He took my hands in his, gently kissing my knuckles before pulling away to look me in the eye. “I’ll be waiting for you by the door if you choose to come and see them…”