CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR.
ROSALIE'S POV.
I couldn't move away before the combusted girl got to me. She got hold of my hair and pulled me to her height with it, almost snapping it off my scalp.
"Who's a child?!" She snapped.
"Ah!" I shouted painfully, and I was unable to wiggle her grip off. She held onto my hair too firmly.
"Rosalie!" Jacqueline growled in a different voice. A voice which was clothed with anger, it was also authoritative.
I didn't know how fast Jacqueline moved. I just knew that in the next minute, I got back to my self-consciousness, the girl's hand had been snapped away from her shoulder, and it was dangling with its grip still on my hair with blood gushing out.
He cut off the girl's hand.
"Arg!'' I yelped and immediately got rid of the hand away from my hair irritatingly.
"Stay back," Jacqueline commanded me which I harkened.
I didn't need to hear that command twice. I ran to a big tree, and hid behind it, taking cover and peeping at the little girl's fearlessness.
I watched as her hand, which had been cut off, began to grow back, and Jacqueline immediately launched an attack towards her, giving her no time to fully heal herself.
She kept on groaning with each attack, and I began to feel pity for her. She already seemed to be struggling with Jacqueline.
When I thought she would give up, she didn't, rather, she took off away from Jacqueline, giving them a meaningful space between, and when she stood there, gasping, Jacqueline spoke up.
"What do you want from Rosalie?"
She laughed crankily, "Everything. I want everything from her!" She replied in her new strong voice which sounded so deep and threatening. Like that of ten drunk men.
I cringed for Jacqueline's sake, though he was not bothered.
"Don't you know you have to get through to me first?" Jacqueline questioned her, and then he began to move slowly towards her, "I must give it to you that you've got balls to come here. Not only did you people kidnap my messenger, but you also want to damage people in my territory. How dare!"
He ran towards her angrily, but when he almost got her, she transformed and flew into the air. Taking Jacqueline by surprise, she spun and cut right into Jacqueline's arm with one of her tails, which, when I counted, was five.
"Jacqueline!" I shouted and wanted to go out of my hiding to help him, but he shut his bloody eyes my way.
"Don't you dare!" And I had no choice but to stay in hiding.
'How did I even want to help him?' The thought struck my mind, and I realised what type of fool I was being.
I didn't even have my wolf with me. I was a mere human, who could be killed by just a little fling to the wall.
I realised I couldn't help Jacqueline like this, neither could I help myself looking like a weakling.
I backed away and relaxed my back on the tree, slowly, bitter tears began to run out of my eyes. It had a lingering taste of regret.
I regretted taking wolfsbane, and thereby weakling my wolf. I regretted ever being so soft and easily manipulated. I regretted a lot of things, I even regretted leaving the pack in the first place.
I shouldn't have left, maybe if I stayed, things would have turned out to be better.
I felt like vanishing away into extinction.
If I could, I would just teleport away from that scene and to my room in the human world, or better still, reincarnate or reborn to the ancient world where I won't be known by anyone, nor be prey for anyone.
If only that could just happen.
I would be the happiest me on earth.
The groans and growls from Jacqueline and the girl were becoming louder, and I knew I couldn't hold it in anymore.
I covered my ears with my hands, trying to shut my ears to everything happening, with my knees pulled to my chest and my face buried in my knees, but still, everything managed to pierce into my ears.
'I just want to disappear!' I thought with my involuntary tears increasing.
I soon heard someone whispering my name, "Hey, Rosalie."
I raised my head and saw Carl gazing down at me.
"Carl," I called in a shaky voice, and some tears escaped into my mouth, reminding me of my bitterness.
"Hey. Come on, I'll take you away from here."
He gave me no time to protest or argue. He scooped me into his arms and began to run away with me.
''What about Jacqueline? Aren't you supposed to help him?" I panicked.
"The phoenix is the least for Jacqueline, he could kill her with just a snap of his finger, but right now, he wants to weak her all out. He wants her to be too weak to commit suicide since he would be questioning her later." He explained to me, not stopping or reducing his pace for anything.
"Why will she kill herself?" I questioned out my confusion.
"Phoenix are very loyal to their king, so, if you question them about anything relating to their king's secret, instead of snitching out their king, they would kill themselves, letting the information die with them."
"Why? Aren't there any relatives or people they care about? Why will they take their lives like it's nothing?" I couldn't help but ask.
"They do. That's just to tell you how faithful they are to their king."
I couldn't say more, for we had gotten to the pack house, and we were heading to the room.
I cleaned my eyes and tear-stained face before hiding my face away on Carl's chest for a bit to hide from the inquisitive eyes on me.
Everyone we met seemed to have something to say about me.
When we were safely hidden in my room. I sighed, let go of Carl, and allowed him to drop me on my bed.
"Thank you." I appreciated him calmly.
He shook his head, "It's nothing. I am only following Jacqueline's order."
'Really?! So it's all Jacqueline.' I thought with a mixed feeling. I was happy and mad.
Mad that I was beginning to be worried about him again and that I was beginning to feel indebted to him. I was happy because even with his uncared attitude, he still cared about me.
"Will he be fine?" I questioned Carl again to be sure.
"Sure. I'm very sure he will. Though I will have to go now, I have to prepare some things for his arrival."
"Sure. I'll just take a bath and await his arrival. I have to thank him."
Carl furrowed his brows, "Do you think that's necessary?"
"Yes, it is."
He nodded after. "If you said so."
He began to walk away, and he was opening the door when I stopped him, "Hey, Carl."
He turned to me, holding the door knob, "Do you need anything?"
I nodded.
"I want my wolf back," I told him in a whisper.
He let go of the knob immediately, "What?" He whispered back.
"I want my wolf back, Carl," I repeated.
"Why? You seem okay without her."
"I realise I can't survive more days in this pack without my wolf, so, I want her back. Can you help me?"
"Why not Jacqueline? He's the alpha, and he can get her back for you with a week's training with him."
I shook my head, "No. I don't want it obvious. I want to keep it a secret, and Jacqueline is the main reason I would be keeping the secret. Please, help me."
He stared at me, studying me, and I knew he might disagree, so I pleaded more.
"Please, Carl, I beg you. I know you can help me to get her back. I mean, you're a beta and are half as strong as the alpha, even more than half. If I want any help, it should be from you.
"Please, Carl.
"I promise to be a good girl and to be docile. I won't let your teaching to waste, and I will pay rapt attention to you, believe me."
He stared at me for some more, then turned towards the door to walk away.
"Class starts in two days. Be at the training field by five. If you're late, just know that the class will be cancelled, forever." With that said, he walked away.
"Thank you, Carl!" I shouted after his retreating figure smiling.
I finally had something to be happy about.
"Yes!" I was jubilant.
"Just hold on there. I will get you back and show everyone I'm not one to be trampled upon, and neither can I be prey for anyone. I, myself, am a hard nut that cannot be cracked."
"But Jacqueline, how's he? Is he back yet?"