22 Seeing Him Again

I pushed myself to sit up, casting my eyes on him. He was gritting his teeth and his fangs protruded out, but he stood firm before driving his free hand through the wolf's chest and pulling out its heart. The wolf went limp and his entourage gawked at the scene that just unfolded before their eyes.

The figure in front of me then proceeded to force open the jawbone clamped shut around his shoulder before pulling out his arm and tossing the corpse far away from us. A few gaping holes was visible through his flesh. If he hadn't come in time, I highly doubt I could withstand the result of the attack.

He knelt down and scooped me up right in time to escape a lunge. Once I was on my feet, he headed towards the others chasing after me. The pack was furious at what happened to their leader and raced to avenge their lost comrade.

Even with his handicap, the man who came to my rescue dodged the spur of attacks swiftly. In the midst of it all, the female wolf tried to charge at me to me by sneaking away unnoticed but was met with instant death when she was barely three yards away from me.

I watched her get strangled mercilessly with his good arm wrapped around her neck. There was a bend at the elbow followed by a single and very audible snap and her eyes stilled forever.

We exchanged a brief look before I was pushed to the ground in his attempt to hide me from harm's way. Two of the attackers were in mid-air and once I was out of the picture, he caught them both and slammed the two massive bodies together, knocking them unconscious before dropping them at his feet.

There was one more. I turned just in time to see the last member charge from behind. My body moved on instinct and threw itself to protect the one defending me. He beat me to it and rammed his body against the massive wolf and a thunderous sound vibrated through the snowy fields.

I scrambled to get back on my feet. Two wolves were dead and three unconscious. Even if they did try to kill me, they're technically still my family. Though they didn't treat me as part of the pack, they were also only following orders. My eyes darted back and forth as my mind continued to debate. From the sidelines, my seeming ally pulled himself to stand once again. His first instinct was to turn to me and I tilted my head to meet his domineering gaze.

It was him no doubt—that perfect golden mane and electric blue eyes that I hated but could also stare into for hours. His handsome features were still intact, completely unchanged from the many years I haven't seen him. Nero took after him well, not missing a single one of those perfect details from his high nose ridge and structured jawline. But all things considered, I couldn't quite decide whether I was more scared or surprised to seen him on this side. Or the fact that he saw me.

"I didn't dream you that night."

He was bleeding out from that horrid wound running from his shoulder blade down and that was the first thing he wanted to say to me…

And for some reason, he actually made it sound like that was a good thing. I couldn't fathom what was going on in his head. He should be glad I disappeared from his life!

I knew deep down to my bones every night and day that he was ashamed of me and what we had. I also knew he hid me from the others because he had his pride and ego to preserve , but I couldn't accept that he covered up our relationship with a more promising one without even letting me know.

Worst of all, I had to find out from the woman who came after me that I was the Mistress when I was six months along with Nero and mindlessly believing I was a blessed to have such a warm family on Vampire Territory. Maybe he wanted to humiliate me in turn for being stuck in our arranged marriage. He probably set the whole thing up—treating me nicely and making sure I was happy so that I would carry his child who'd assist in their plans to infiltrate Wolf Territory.

That had to be it.

"Don't stay silent. Say something," he urged in his alluring voice that used to swoon me over every time. "Please…"

He took a step forward and I responded with a step back. Seeing my reaction, he halted as a hunter would to suspecting prey.

I scanned his face and there was a hint of desperation, something I'd never imagine on someone like him. He always carried himself with such poise that the whole world could flip upside down and he would remain unchanged. Perhaps I'm hallucinating things now from the cold or it may be the side effects of consuming vampire blood. It just didn't seem right at all.

"They all said you died but I didn't believe them-"

"I rather you did."

My tone was sharp. Too sharp perhaps.

At my words, his expression hardened like I had dealt a blow worse than the injury inflicted on him. His shoulders slumped and if it was possible and I wasn't imagining it, there was no longer a golden ring shimmering in his ocean eyes.

"You were here the whole time…" He hesitated for a moment to regain composure before parting his lips again. There was a mixture of relief and regret in his expression as he cleared his throat. "You're happy here," he commented with disappointment in his tone.

"You're disappointed that I'm happy?"

This was not the conversation I imagined if I ever were to see this man again. Not like I ever imagined seeing him again.

"Of course not. I'm only disappointed that you're happy…here…of all places."

His tone wasn't condescending or one of mockery. If I didn't know any better, I'd actually be fooled to think he missed me.

"What's wrong with here Alek?"

By the way his jaw stiffened, I could tell he was uncomfortable with my attitude and where this was going. I expected him to scold me, but instead he forced a smile and answered in a low whisper.

"It's the farthest place from me."

I scoffed. "Isn't that where you wanted me in the first place?"

"That was what everyone else wanted. Not what I ever wanted."

There was something in his gaze that left me on the verge of tears, perhaps because deep down inside there was a part of me that hoped his words weren't a lie. A part of me wanted so badly to believe that my memories weren't just a naïve child's wishful thinking—that there actually existed a time when he loved me.

"Then why didn't you ever do what you want?"

"Because it never mattered-"

"Because I don't matter." I helped him clarify his own thoughts. It was about time to and I finally have the courage to do it because I'm ready to confront it now myself. Unlike me who was young and confused, he just didn't want to admit it. "I didn't matter enough for you to stand up to them."

"I can't protect you from them."

"I didn't need you to! I only ever needed your love and support. But in the end, you didn't give me any of that. I know you tried arranging meetings with Nero in the garden and assigning Evie to stay by my side instead of serving Valerie, but those things are only atonement for the guilt you feel for not being able to give me what I truly need." I pounded my chest to emphasize the point before wiping my tears with the back of my hand.

He tried to step forward but I flipped up my hand to stop him. "I know it's asking too much for you to give up your position and jeopardize your power for someone like me, but if you don't do at least that much I don't understand how you can expect me to believe I mean something to you. Even Nero had the courage to rebel against the Elders' orders and risked his own life to escape with me! You couldn't even do what a child did in a heartbeat!"

My chest pumped up and down from expelling the anger and pain I choked down during the torturous six years I was stuck as the doll in his perfect dollhouse. Before I didn't dare speak too many words in front of him and never raised my voice or spoke out of turn in fear he'd dislike me. I didn't want him to get tired of me so I'd always try to please him and say what I hoped would make him happy. It must be a real shock to him to meet today's Alvena.

There was a pause before he suddenly appeared in front of me and grabbed my hand. The next thing I knew my legs were moving as fast as they could to keep up with his speed and to avoid falling.

"LET GO!" I yanked my wrist from his grasp before slipping backwards.

Right then, a monstrous shadow pranced over me, jaw gaping open like the pet crocodiles the vampires used to keep in their backyards. Recalling the imagery of their snapping teeth when one of the servants fell into their cage caused me to lose balance.

I tried to remove myself but couldn't get a firm grip from the snow and froze up. I knew it already. It was too late to save myself.