— Elaeya —
I woke in a familiar hospital room. Kaden was there. I tried to smile and tell him I was okay and to wipe those worries off his face, but the words caught it my throat. The place smelt clean and fresh, but there was this echo of filth, and blood, and gore that came back to me and refused to go way.
— Kaden —I was sitting on the stone wall that surrounded the barracks with Sam, drinking beer and trying to stay away from the office for a while.The day was beautiful. The sun was bright, but there were enough clouds to diffuse its intensity without darkening the sky. It was warm, but not too humid, and the breeze made training more comfortable.
— Kaden —I came out of the plane two hours ago, and was already through with the meeting. It hadn’t been that complicated. Nubinero had refused all our demands. This was the last minute-ditch effort to end things peacefully but their forces and mine were already in position for battle. Weeks of back and forth. I wasn’t that invested in the matter, but a few of my allies were, so I did them the curtesy of indulging them a bit.
— Kaden — I began to panic.We were heading to battle, but I smelled my mate. I smelled my mate!I tried to track the direction the smell came from but the it was so faint I could hardly notice it. I moved in circles half in a daze. I found a line, a line she must have been traveling, but I couldn’t tell which way she came from and which way she was going. And I tried to sniff both ways to see which seemed the strongest, the freshest.Sam noticed my change in behaviour and got closer. When I noticed him, I raised my hand to make him stop. I was afraid his sheer presence would make me lose her scent.It wasn’t completely irrational either as my own scent on her tracks was enough to nearly destroy what little clue I had.I went in further.I followed one side of the track all the way to a small stream, then I lost her. I checked all over, on the other side, everywhere. The track ended here. My best guess was she walked in the stream for a while, the water masking her scent.I didn’t rea
— Kaden —I took a careful step in her direction.She didn’t try to stop me this time.I took another step, then another.I could see she was hesitant, s
— Kaden —Fuuuuuuuuuck!The battle was already underway. I was supposed to lead this. I started this. And there was a girl ready to bolt, right there in the middle of the woods, and I couldn’t do shit.Dawn.
— Kaden —“What the hell has gone into you?” asked Ylva behind me.I felt her foot land somewhere on my buttocks. Everyone around us cleared up. There aren’t many people who’d dare kick my ass, literally, without expecting severe retaliation.No one wanted
— Elaeya —I was walking back towards camp with a complete stranger in tow. I didn’t know who he was, nor what he wanted, all that I knew is that I consented to this. Again. Twice in so few hours, I did something I would not have expected of myself.I took slow deep breaths opening slowly my senses and instincts—fust not open enough to face the kind of uncontrollable urges I have felt when first we met.
— Elaeya —Mother would be able to track me with my blood, no matter how far I’d be. My parents could track his phone, it should be safe.Yet, these facts didn’t lessen the tension in my body. I had never willingly stayed away from my family for more than a day. I knew of no safer place.