Chapter 10 - Into the pack

VINCENT

My index finger taps constantly on the wooden surface of my desk, eyes locked on the door opposite. Vektra and Zack are downstairs cleaning the mess. It was a hell of a feast. Well, for us.

Soon, we'll have to relocate as the castle will be wrapped in flames. We had more than a hundred people dead in the ballroom, so only an accident would reason as a way of such a massacre. Plus, they would not be able to see our marks on their necks after that.

My mind brings to the surface the memory of her face when she realized what was going on. Her eyes were wide open and for a second, I was convinced she can see through me. I had to give her that she's feisty, trying to escape my grasp.

I let her go just to give her a head start and then I ordered two of my men to go after her. I had to feed well before accepting the power of her soul.

The doorknob clicks and the door bursts open revealing two men standing behind it. I don't like the look on their faces.

"I assume that you have her locked in the dungeon." I say with a piercing look on them.

They don't answer at once and my temper starts getting worse.

"Did you find her?" I ironically smile.

"We were ready to capture her when a rockfall took away the edge of the cliff and her with it." One answered.

Before he could even blink, I was next to him, my hands tearing his head off his body. Before the other could see what happened, the same fate awaits him.

I have to do it myself. Those idiots are only usable for getting the wolves distracted with their weak attacks when my war will break.

A thought crosses my mind, but I pray is not true. What if she went to the wolves' territory?

REY

It's been a long day and probably a long night as well. Since morning, I had a meeting with the trainers, going through the combat programs for the young wolves.

I have a pile of scattered papers on my desk trying to sort them out when the door flies open.

Luke storms into my office. I have a strange feeling about this.

"The patrol found someone wounded in our territory. The healer is on her way. They took her to the dungeons, for precautionary measures."

"A foreigner?" I ask.

"A human." Luke states and his troubled tone confirms my fears.

I get out of my office and follow Luke, descending the stairs to the living room, and from there to the dungeons.

As we descend the stairs to the dungeons, a familiar scent hits my nostrils and I feel my body tense as it engulfs me.

My heartbeat races fast. She's the wounded one.

I quicken my pace and pass Luke almost running down the stairs. Regret makes my heart tug; I wasn't there to protect her.

The dungeon is empty except for one cell. I dismiss the two wolves standing guard outside her cell and wait until they're lost up the stairs.

When they vanish from sight, I storm into the cell. Lila, the healer, is already in, examining her.

I run in and kneel next to her. A mix of agony, anger and regret fills me as I watch her lying unconscious on the floor.

Her dress is ripped in many parts, and any spot of flesh that reveals is either bruised or scratched. She probably was trying to escape from something. I take the hair away from her face, to take a better look at it. As I put the hair behind her ear, I touch a spot there that's covered with dirt and warm blood.

"She's badly injured." Lila exhales. "When they found her, her head was landed on a rock near the river. Right there." She points where my hand had touched her next to the ear.

"She'll make it, isn't she?" I turn to her, trying to cover the worry in my voice.

"I'll do my best. But you have to know that humans heal much slower than we. There's also a possibility that she'll experience some sort of amnesia when she wakes up, however, I don't know to what extent."

"Is it alright to move her?"

"Yes but, be gentle and very careful. I don't think there's any internal bleeding at the moment, but I'll need to do some more tests on her to be completely sure."

I place one hand behind her back and one under her knees. I lift her carrying her like she's not heavier than a feather. "I'll bring her up to the spare room on my floor. You can treat her there." I state and get out of the cell and all the way upstairs.

The moment I pass from the living room a bunch of our people are chilling out on the large sofas, chatting. Their heads snap at the sight of me carrying the girl upstairs.

I'm sure the news is already known to the entire pack. Soon, I expect some people to approach. Julia would be one of them.

Lila pushes the room door open, and I head inside, laying her carefully on the bed. Moments later, Luke arrives.

My hand reaches one of hers and takes it within my palm, gently squeezing it. My thumb is rubbing soft circles on the inside of her wrist. Stay strong my love. I want to whisper to her.

"I need to clean her up and change her clothes." Lila states from behind me.

She gives me a questioning expression, as I get up from next to her. "I was checking her pulse." I say deadpan.

I walk to the closet and shuffle through the drawers for some clothes. I find some of my own and place them on one corner of the bed.

"You can use these until we find something better," I say to Lila. "If anything happens to her, you report back to me immediately."

She gives me a nod and goes straight to the bathroom taping the water open. I motion for Luke to follow me as we exit the room.