Chapter 14

Our eyes locked, and in that moment, he immediately recognized the source of that grunt. Without hesitation, he grabbed my hand and we sprinted out of the Tower. As we made our way, he firmly instructed me to stay within the castle walls.

"It's Aries!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with certainty.

"Stay put, Clara. Don't venture outside the castle!" he commanded.

"No. I'm going with you, whether you like it or not, Alpha," I insisted, determined to stand my ground.

He simply shook his head, giving strict orders to the guards to keep me inside. I was frustrated with him, but there was no catching up to him as he raced towards Elijah.

Restlessness consumed me as I anxiously awaited their return. Suddenly, Martha came rushing towards me, her worry evident on her face. She urged me to leave the castle and go see Aries.

"I believe their group was attacked by enemies," she said, her voice filled with concern.

"Join me, Clara. Elias needs our help," she invited, her eyes pleading.

I immediately halted her, informing her of Alpha Henrick's strict orders to remain within the castle. It disgusted me to think that I was just waiting here, doing nothing. I couldn't understand why I felt so worried at that moment. It was frustrating to be consumed by this feeling. Even though I longed to retreat to my room and rest, I couldn't.

Moments later, the gates swung open, revealing a bloodied Aries riding on a wolf, none other than Alpha Henrick himself. Martha rushed towards him, gripping his face in her hands. Alpha Henrick transformed into his human form and summoned some pack members to take Elijah to the hospital. He approached me with a smile, but I simply glared at him, choosing to ignore him due to my annoyance.

"I'll come with you, Martha," I said, my tone serious.

We swiftly entered the castle, following Elijah as he was taken to a room. The doctor barred our entry, causing Martha to pace anxiously in front of me.

"Just calm down, Martha. Elijah will be alright," I reassured her, my voice steady. Alpha Henrick approached us, but I continued to ignore him.

I didn't even spare him a glance. I knew I shouldn't let my emotions get the best of me, but my blood boiled in his presence.

"What happened to Elijah, Alpha? Why is he the only one who returned?" Martha asked, her voice filled with concern.

"He was the sole survivor of the group," Alpha replied, his tone heavy with sadness.

"Why did they leave? What were they doing in that dangerous situation?" Martha questioned firmly.

"It was necessary. One of our rules is that all mates must be recorded in the Book of Magnus, which is kept in the cave near Silver Creek. It is the responsibility of the male wolf to write their bond on the day of the full moon. I never expected this tragedy to occur, as there have been previous visits where no harm befell anyone," he explained seriously.

"It has already happened, Alpha. Dylan is gone. And now we don't know what condition Elijah is in. So don't claim that you won't allow it," Martha responded firmly.

"Are you blaming me for everything, Martha?" Alpha Henrick asked, his voice unwavering.

Martha didn't immediately answer his question. Just then, the door to the room swung open and the Doctor emerged. Martha hurriedly approached to inquire about Elijah' condition.

"How is Elijah, Doc?" I asked, joining the conversation.

"Currently, he needs rest for his wounds to heal. He has a deep gash on his arm," the doctor informed us.

I heard Martha sigh in relief, and I gently patted her arm to reassure her that everything would be alright.

We entered the room where Elijah lay on the bed. Martha embraced him tightly as he slept. Slowly, his eyes fluttered open and met mine.

While Martha continued to hold him, he shifted slightly, prompting Martha to release him. I could see the pain in his eyes and his limited mobility. Sensing the discomfort, I stopped Martha and advised her not to squeeze him too tightly, as it might aggravate his wound. She apologized, but I couldn't shake the unease I felt as Elijah stared at me. Before Martha could notice, I bid them farewell and quietly left the room.

As I stepped out of the door, I caught sight of Alpha Henrick lost in thought. He let out a sigh and turned to face me. We locked eyes for a moment, but I quickly averted my gaze and made my way down the corridor to my room. However, I heard him call out my name, so I stopped in my tracks.

"Clara, are you angry with me?" he inquired.

"What do you think?" I retorted, facing him.

"Why are you upset? What did I do wrong?" he asked, his tone firm.

"Wait, are you raising your voice at me?" I raised my eyebrows in surprise.

"It's not like that. I just don't understand why you're acting this way," he replied.

"You left me behind when I wanted to come with you. How do you think that made me feel?" I demanded.

"I didn't want you to get hurt. Shouldn't you be grateful for that, Clara?" he reasoned.

"It's my duty to protect my pack, including you. I hope you understand that," he added.

Despite his explanation, I couldn't shake off my annoyance towards him. I knew I shouldn't have reacted that way, but I bid him farewell and headed towards my room. Along the way, I bumped into Jemma again. We exchanged a long stare before I continued on my way. However, before I could enter my room, I overheard her say something that made my blood boil.

"You thought she was an angel, but she's actually a demon. She's deceiving the Alpha!" she whispered.

I couldn't control my anger and lunged at her, grabbing her hair tightly. She let out a loud moan, and suddenly Alpha Henrick appeared before us.

He stopped me and held my hand tightly, causing me pain. I was taken aback by my own reaction and demanded to know what was going on.

"Let me go!" I yelled at him.

"What's happening here? Why are you hurting Jemma?" he asked, his expression stern.

"Why are you taking her side without even hearing my side of the story?" I asked, my tone firm.

"I'm not taking sides, Clara. Just tell me what happened," he said seriously.

"I contemplated shedding tears in front of him, hoping to evoke sympathy and make him angry with Jemma. Perhaps the words she would say to him would convince him," I confessed tearfully.

Alpha was taken aback by my revelation and cast a piercing gaze at Jemma. Jemma, too afraid to respond immediately, avoided Alpha Henrick's wrathful expression.

"Is this true, Jemma? Did you speak ill of her?" he interrogated Jemma with a furrowed brow.

"Uhmm," Jemma stammered.

"What has Clara done to deserve such treatment from you? Why are you speaking to her like that? What is your problem?!" he demanded angrily.

"She's just deceiving you, Alpha. She doesn't deserve to be Luna!" Jemma retorted firmly.

My blood boiled even more for this woman. I yearned to confront her, but I restrained myself, allowing Alpha Henrick to confront her face to face.

"Really?! Who deserves to be Luna then? You?!" Alpha asserted firmly.

"Remember, Jemma, no matter what harm you cause Clara, I will still choose her to be my Luna, not you!" Alpha Henrick responded gravely.

I could clearly see Jemma's fury as she glared at me. She fled from our presence, visibly wounded by Alpha Henrick's words.

"Are you alright?" he inquired in a cold tone.

"Thank you for standing by my side against that girl. She is a liar, Alpha, and she will stop at nothing to tarnish my reputation. Never believe what she says or will say," I replied.

"I know, and I have never believed her. I know she desires to be my Luna, but I cannot envision raising a child with her. You are the only one, Crema. You are the only one I see," he declared earnestly.

"How can you be certain that I am truly your mate? I mean, are you genuinely sure that you have feelings for me?" I questioned.

"Your scent, Clara. I am certain it is you," he responded with a smile.

"I can sense that you feel it too. But it saddens me to say that you are not yet ready," he added.

"Then you must wait for me," I said with a smile.

"Of course, so you are no longer angry with me? Have you forgiven me?" he asked, his smile widening.

Little did I know that my resentment towards him had vanished. He reached out, holding my hand tightly, and pulled me into a warm embrace. In that moment, I took a deep breath, cherishing the comfort of his hug. However, my surprise grew when I heard him utter Greek words to me, causing me to release myself from his embrace. What could those words possibly mean?