Chapter 8 Regrets

(Hilda)

He had leaned, pressed a brief, tender kiss to my lips before he left for the door. 

Once he was gone, I let out a breath I hadn’t realized I’d been holding. The room felt strangely empty without him, and I tried to shake off the feeling of unease that settled over me. I needed to clear my head, to think about what had just happened between us. 

Hours passed, and King Arlo’s servants came and went, bringing food and tending to the fire. They were efficient and polite, but there was an undercurrent of tension in their interactions with me. I couldn’t help but notice the way they avoided eye contact, the way their hands trembled slightly as they set things down. 

Curiosity got the better of me, and I finally asked one of the servants, a middle-aged woman with a kind face, what was going on. 

“Why do you all seem so… nervous?” I asked, trying to keep my tone light. 

The woman glazed around as if checking for eavesdroppers, then leaned in closer. “It’s King Arlo,” she whispered, her voice barely audible. “There are rumors… stories about him. About what happens to his mates.” 

A chill ran down my spine. “What do you mean?” I asked, my voice trembling. 

The woman hesitated, then took a deep breath. “They say that all his former mates have disappeared. That none of them were ever seen again.” 

My heart pounded in my chest. “Disappeared? What are you saying?” 

She looked at me with sad eyes. “I’m saying that you should be careful, miss. King Arlo is a powerful man, and he doesn’t take rejection well.” 

The woman’s words echoed in my mind long after she had left. Could it be true? Could Arlo, the man who just held me so tenderly, really be capable of such things? I didn't want to believe it, but the fear in the servant’s eyes had been real. 

Of course. I know this is too good to be true. To even think that the Alpha King wants to be my one and only…

I couldn’t even hope for that. I couldn’t dream of it. To open my heart again would only bring more pain. 

I paced the room, my mind racing. I needed answers. But I didn’t know who to trust. Arlo would be back soon, and I didn’t know how to face him, how to ask him about the dark rumors that surrounded him. 

The hours dragged on, and night fell. The servants brought me dinner, but I barely touched it, too preoccupied with my thoughts. Every creak of the house, every whisper of the wind outside, set my nerves on edge. 

I needed answers. I couldn’t let myself be drawn into something dangerous, or at least, more danger than I was already in. I couldn’t let myself become the subject of another one of his mysterious disappearances. 

As the night deepend, the tension gnawing at my insides became unbearable. I knew I couldn't wait for Arlo to return. The servant’s warning replayed in my mind, and the urge to flee grew stronger with each passing moment. 

I had to get out of here. 

Quietly, I gathered a few essentials from around the room. Luckily the servants had left food, so I stored what I could. I slipped on a clock to blend into the shadows and moved towards the window. 

It was a risk, but it seemed like the safest option. Opening it as silently as possible, I slipped through and climbed down, my heart racing with every step. 

The night air was cool, and the moon cast an eerie glow over the grounds. I kept to the shadows, my footsteps light and quick. Every rustle of leaves, every distant sound made me jump, but I pressed on, driven by the need to escape. 

As I neared the edge of the estate, I heard voices approaching. Panicking, I ducked behind a large tree, holding my breath. Two of Arlo’s guards walked by, their conversation barely audible over the pounding of my heart. 

“...he’s been called away for some urgent matter. Won’t be back until morning,” one of them said. 

“Good,” the other replied. “Gives us a break from his temper. Did you hear what happened to the last one who crossed him?” 

The first guard laughed nervously. “Yeah, vanished without a trace. You’d think people would learn by now.” 

Their voices faded as they continued on, but their words confirmed my worst fears. Arlo was dangerous. I had to get as far away as possible before he returned. 

I waited until I was sure the coast was clear, then resumed my escape, moving quickly and quietly through the trees. the further I got from the house, the lighter I felt, as if a weight was lifting off my shoulders. 

But I couldn’t let my guard down. Not yet. Not until I was far away from Arlo.

The forest was quiet as I crept through the shadows, my breath coming in short, panicked bursts. I needed to put as much distance between myself and Arlo as possible before he discovered I was gone. I had to find a place to hide, somewhere he wouldn’t think to look for me. 

As I passed a clump of rocks, I felt a sudden, intense presence behind me. Before I could react, a strong hand clamped over my mouth, muffling my scream. I struggled, kicking and writhing, but the grip was unyielding. A familiar voice hissed in my ear. 

“Running away are we?” 

Arlo.