12 Chapter 12:

〰 Hrudra 〰

I walked into the casino, my wings hidden away but my silver hair and tears weren't so easy to hide. People stared at me in utter shock, unsure of what to think when I walked in with my shoes in my hand.

The grey dress from early still clung to my body despite shifting but I didn't care at this point. All I wanted to do was crawl into a hole and never come back out of it.

Hopefully, I can find sanctuary here with Claus and his men. I just never expected to be back so soon...

"Is that-"

"That's Hrudra the cold beast! Her beast form!" Someone a few feet whispered in disbelief as I continued walking. Though it was very tempting to kill them, I just didn't have the strength or humor to murder him.

Plus I didn't want to cause Claus any more trouble than I already was.

"Is she... Crying?" Another person asks bewildered while I bumped into someone not bothering to look up. I muttered an apology and continued walking, praying that one of Claus's men brought me to him. Though I'd be surprised if they would recognize me.

I was not the confident, copper-haired woman from before. Now I was the destroyed, white-haired girl crying in search of a friends shoulder to cry on.

Stumbling through, I finally looked up and saw him sitting at a table playing a few men. His eyes were looking down at his hand, looking completely serious like a mob boss was supposed to look.

I could see his ear twitch in the realization that I was watching him before he looked up and caught sight of me. His brown eyes seemed to harden at my appearance, knowing me already but he didn't seem to like that I was crying now.

Quickly, he stood up and shoved everything in the pot so he could come over to me quickly. In an instant, I broke down and fell to the ground in misery as he rushed to my side and knelt down to me. I felt his hands bring my face to look at him, his eyes zeroing on the gash on my head from the car accident just minutes ago.

"My dear..." He whispers, pulling his jacket off and wrapping me up in it. He pulled me into a tight hug as I cried into his shoulder, clinging onto him tightly. "Samson. Get new clothes and bring them to my flat. Lee. Find out who did this and where she came from. I want their head on my desk. Also, Ross, I want a first aid kit in my flat in less than ten minutes." His voice was deadly while he gave out orders to his men, he pulled me off the ground and held me closely.

The feeling of someone holding onto me as I cried out my past, my relationship, and even my future soothed me in ways that I couldn't even describe. I've never known a Satyr to be violent, but my mafia was a deadly man who got what he wanted.

I kept my face in his shoulder, shuddering at the thought of Proximo coming here but I kept quiet since my throat felt too raw. He carried me into an elevator and ordered someone to press the eleventh floor and to leave us.

"You'll be alright, my dear. The Satyr's will keep you safe until you are well once again." Claus assures me, softly rubbing my back and tucking the jacket around my shoulders more.

I couldn't help but start crying again as he continued holding me, letting me get it all out like a true friend.

〰〰〰

I winced from him touching the bump on my head when he smiled sheepishly.

"Sorry, my dear." He placed to small cloth on the desk beside me while wiping away the peroxide from my forehead. I continued staring down at my hands, my wet copper hair pooling over my shoulder.

After making me take a shower and change, he insisted on treating my head seeing as it hadn't healed fully yet. I didn't even fight him, knowing I had no will power to fight him.

It'd been almost three hours since it all went down and I was still numb from my outburst, hating that people knew about my past now. I wish I could go back and not even met Proximo just to make my life easier.

Never have I cried in front of people.

Yet I've cried in front of almost everyone in the casino including my team. What a fantastic day.

"Will you tell me what happened and how you got this bruise?" Claus asks me, handing me a water bottle when I smiled sadly and opened it.

"I got into a car accident," I tell him softly, sipping the water but feeling the need to throw up the moment it trickled down my throat. He saw my face shift and quickly rubbed my back, urging me to continue on. "That demon, he's... he was my mate." I choke out, hating that I was tongue-tied.

"Did he hurt you?" Claus asks softly, continuing to rub my back so I didn't start crying again.

"No... Yes... I don't know." I pressed my face in my hands unsure what to say as he pulled my hands from my face.

"It's okay. He won't be able to get here. I won't let him." Claus assures me while I nodded sadly. "Come, you can rest on my bed for now. You must be very tired due to everything that has happened. We can speak more once you wake up." He tells me, holding his hand for me as I grabbed it and got off his desk.

"Thank you for everything Claus. I-"

Ring.

We both looked at his desk phone before he pressed a soft kiss on my palm and let it go. He walked around his desk and picked up his phone, answering it on the speaker a moment later.

"What do you want?" He growls in an angry voice, surprising me that he was this deadly and that he put it on speaker. It was as if he didn't care what I heard.

"I know she's with you," Valrun speaks through the line easily as I tensed drastically and clutched onto the water bottle.

How did she know?

"I mean, where else would she go with little time and without thought? The twins are heading there now, Claus. Or you can put her on the phone and I'll call them back. Either way, she won't get far because she has shifted twice these last two days. She's gonna want sleep and her body will force her into slumber if she overexerts herself." Valrun says cleverly when I shook my head and sighed, holding my hand out to his phone.

Looking unsure, he handed me the phone as I placed it off the speaker and put it up to my ear. He may have let me hear his conversation, but I don't want to risk him knowing my dark secrets.

"Valrun." I softly said in a scratchy tone.

"Hrudra. Why did you run? You know he feels horrible." Valrun says in a gentle tone when I turned away from Claus and ran my hand through my hair.

"What was I supposed to do, Valrun? Forgive him? I will not go and make him feel better when he tortured me for the last two days and you expect me to go and comfort him? Fuck that." I snarl into the phone.

"I understand, but know that we didn't know your-"

"I shouldn't have to tell you!" I yell into the phone. "Why should I tell you my past in order for him to treat me like I am his actual mate?! When has that ever been a requirement in being a mate?! He didn't need to know that the first time we had sex! Or the second and third!" I snap at her.

"Hrudra. I am not defending him for his actions or words, but don't you think that you are the same way?" She says mysteriously when I placed my water bottle down.

"What," I said in a lower tone.

"Hrudra. Think about it. What do you know about his past? Do you even know anything about him other than being well acquainted with his dick and knowing that he tortured our Kho? Have you ever thought of anyone else other than yourself? I understand you're in great deals of pain for what has happened and what is in the open. But don't you think he is in pain as well?" She says, sounding cautious as I bite my lip to conceal my anger.

"You're calling me selfish for looking after my own wellbeing?" I question feeling my nose twitch in fury.

"Well. Yes, he was right from before. You are being a hypocrite." Her words stung as I shook my head and grinned evilly.

"Where are you?" I growl, wanting nothing more than to slaughter her for saying such words to me.

How could she?

Did she not feel the same way when her beloved passed away?

"I'm where you left us. If you wish to fight me, I will win." Valrun challenges while I felt my skin ripple in warning.

"Are you challenging your superior?" I ask when a soft chuckle came from the other line.

"I guess I am. What will you do? Hide behind you Satyr or come and show me who is the leader?" My Valkyrie needs to put her in her place hit me hard as I glanced back at Claus who was staring at me in a worried way.

"You challenge me Valrun, you will regret it for the rest of your life." I warn her.

"Are you stalling, Hrudra?" Her words caused me to narrow my eyes before pulling the phone away from my face and ending the phone call. Looking up at Claus, I smiled for the first time today.

"Can I borrow one of your cars?"