Chapter 9 Under his protection
Elena's POV
“You need to go back,” a woman said with worry in her voice. I had seen her before but where.
“Do I know you?” I asked, confused.
She reached out to touch my cheek, she looked sad now. “I don't think so.” Then she vanished.
I looked around the darkness, the woman was gone but I wasn't alone.
Wake up.
The word echoed through me. The voice felt sweet and safe, like I knew its owner.
Wake up, Elena!
I gasped as my eyes flew open. I had opened my eyes too quickly, the lights burning my eyes. When it finally settled, I noticed I wasn't in my room, my room didn't have a ceiling.
“Elena?” I knew that voice.
Liam
I turned my head slowly, my neck aching, and found him sitting beside me. His black eyes were bloodshot and he had dark circles under his eyes like he hasn't slept in a while.
“You are awake,” he breathed, relief heavy in his voice. “Thank the Goddess you are awake.”
I tried to speak but my throat felt dry. “Can I have some water please? I croaked.
He moved immediately, lifting my head as he pressed the cup to my mouth. I drank quickly as the burn in my throat reduced.
“What happened?” I whispered.
He hesitated before he spoke. “You don't remember? You collapsed in the garden.”
My memory of that day came back, the theft, council meeting, rogues attacking, the garden, the rogue, that woman and my necklace.
“You remember now, don't you?” Liam asked but it didn't feel like a question.
I nodded, looking at my hands.
“I told you not to leave the hall Elena, I specifically told you to stay put,” he looked so angry I was scared he would hit me.
“I didn't mean to, I just felt like I had to, please don't punish me,” I pleaded.
“What—why would you think I would hurt you,” pain flashed through his eyes.
I opened my mouth to say something but then I closed it. If I had learnt anything in my life, it's that talking gets you nowhere, only into more trouble.
He sighed. “ How are you feeling? Any pain?” He looked over me. I felt my cheeks get hot from all the attention.
“I'm fine, but my neck feels sore though,” I said.
He looked at my necklace and frowned. I clutched it instinctively.
“What?”
“It doesn't hurt?”
I looked at him confused.
“Your necklace, you were screaming and clawing at it in the garden, it looked like it was burning you. I tried removing it but it wouldn't come off.”
“Oh.” that was all I could say because I didn't remember that part, maybe they were still gaps in my memory.
I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to remember everything exactly what happened, but everything was still kind of blurry. I sighed and looked at Liam, who was lost in thoughts.
“I'm sorry,” I blurted out before I could stop myself.
Liam looked at me. “For what?”
“For everything, for being like this, for not listening to you and causing you trouble.”
The room was silent now.
I looked at him waiting for him to explode and say that he wanted nothing to do with me, mate bond be damned.
Instead,he looked at me with surprise. “You almost died, and you are apologizing?”
“I shouldn't have been there,” I muttered. “I should have—”
“Elena,” he said sharply.
The way he said my name had shivers running down my spine. “It's okay, you are fine now, that's what matters.”
I looked at him in shock. “So you aren't angry, you are going to reject me? I whispered.
Now it was his turn to look shocked. “No, why would I, you are my mate, you have no idea how much you mean to me, you were supposed to be dead, but here you are, my little miracle mate.” He smirked.
I blushed at his words, my fear reducing to almost nothing.
I tried sitting up properly but my body felt stiff. “How long have I been asleep?”
“Three days,” he replied.
“How? That's not true,” I remembered Alpha Derrick's words, I was officially a rogue now.
I looked at Liam, would he let me stay? Maybe he would but if he knew I was a thief then would he change his mind.
“Something's on your mind, little mate, tell me,”
I gulped. “It's just that in my pack—my former pack, I was accused of stealing from the Luna and my alpha said after the council meeting that night, I would officially be a rogue.”
“And,” he looked at me, his hooded eyes doing weird things to my body.
“And I didn't do it, I would never steal from our Luna, that would mean death for someone like me.” I muttered.
“I know you would never do such a thing and yes, your pack disowned you but my pack has reclaimed you as ours, you are officially a member of the Black Moon pack.”
“Thank you,” I muttered, feeling relieved.
It was quiet again.
“Is something wrong with me?” I asked finally.
“I don't know, when I got to you, you were glowing Elena. Even when I brought you here your eyes still glowed at night.”
I was scared now. What was really wrong with me and who was that woman?
“But I do know this,” he reached out to touch my hands, tingles flowing through my body.
“I'm not leaving you because you are mine in every way.”
I looked at him, and for the first time.
I felt safe.