As planned, when Jack came to see me the next day, I told a lie. I had considered telling him the truth, but when it became clear that Danny wasn’t going to leave us alone, I had no choice. I also tried not to let on how unwell I was. I’d barely been able to eat since the day before, and the combination of that and the pain was making me feel weaker and weaker.
In contrast, Jack actually looked the best I’d ever seen him. He’d put on some much-needed weight, and he just generally looked brighter.When he saw the wound however, his expression darkened. “That looks so bad Sophia. I can’t believe she did that to you.” Jack looked at me anxiously.
Danny patted him on the shoulder. “It’s okay. I won’t let her near your sister again.” He was definitely a good liar. “Our doctor is going to come and take a look in a bit. She’ll have it fixed up in no time.”
Jack nodded, but
A mixture of emotion washed over me. I wanted to get out, I did. But this mark…as insane as I knew it was, it made me want him. The prospect of being away from him frightened me. Another thought occurred to me. What about Jack?“But…how? And what about my brother?”Dr Squire began helping me out of bed. “Don’t worry, your brother’s tutor is one of Mr Roberts’ men too. We’re going to get him too. With the stone.”I let her dress me, but I still had so many questions. “But Dr Squire, this mark…I want to leave but…”She stopped and gave me a sympathetic look. “I know, you feel bound to Danny. However, I wasn’t lying when I said you could die. Mr Roberts can fix it though.”How was he going to fix a wound that wasn’t healing? It wasn’t like he was a doctor. I was about to ask her how he would do it, but my bedroom door opened and I shut
Dr Squire glanced at me. “Hold on Sophia. We’ll be okay now.”I heard the screeching of tires, knowing that the other Range Rover had come to a sudden stop. I looked out the back and saw that a line of blazing fire acted as a barrier between us and our pursers. I couldn’t even see Danny anymore. But then, I heard an ear-piercing howl that was fuelled with pain and loss. It wrenched my heart so forcibly, I wanted to throw myself from the car. I had never heard him howl, but somehow, I knew it was him. He was a creature of his fathers making, but I knew there was some good in there. I had seen glimpses of it. That was what I found myself mourning as a single tear made its way down my cheek.Dr Squire had slowed down now, clearly content that for now we were safe.“Will he be okay?” I whispered.She sighed. “Yes. For now. Remember what you feel for him is not real though. It is all to do with that ugly mark he’
It was either nothing, or blurriness. Darkness was most prevalent, but every so often I became aware of shapes or sounds. I didn’t like those times. It meant the hurt returned. I kept clawing my way back to the blackness, although I sensed something else was pulling me in the opposite direction. I wasn’t sure if the shapes and sounds were real, or if they were dreams. None of them made sense, so it was difficult to tell. Sometime later, I became aware of something or someone touching me. I didn’t like it. The more conscious I was, the more pain I felt. Time didn’t really mean anything anymore, and so I had no idea how long I was going in and out of this half-awake state.Eventually though, I came to realise I couldn’t be dead. I began to interpret the shapes and sounds as people, or machines beeping. Then, without warning, a room came into focus. My eyes must be working. I could now tell that I had been propped up with pil
I spent the next day or so recovering. My neck looked and felt a million times better, and I was surprised when Dr Squire told me that eventually I wouldn’t even have a scar. Through our time together, I discovered that she was actually a werewolf. Her and her mate had split off from their pack after not agreeing with how things were run. They didn’t agree with how werewolves conducted their business. Thale had taken them under employment in order to help infiltrate packs and prevent criminal activities. The wolf who had appeared in the middle of her road was her mate.The pull I had towards Danny began to fade away. I couldn’t say that my feelings completely disappeared, but I no longer wanted to run back to him. The report of him coaxing my brother to kill someone definitely added to the destruction of the fondness I had once experienced.Thale barely left me alone, although he had hardly said a word to me since our angry exchange. He slept on
He gathered me up swiftly into his arms, carrying me out of the room as if I was his new bride. Louis was still on the other side of the door.Thale called out to him on the way past. “Miss Bell and I are going to my room. Make sure we aren’t disturbed.”He didn’t wait for a response, he just continued to stride away with me in his arms. Ordinarily, I would have been embarrassed, but for some reason, I wasn’t. I was inpatient to have this man who was holding onto my body.As we travelled through the house, I ignored every single negative thought in my head. I didn’t think about being seduced by another man. I didn’t think about the fact he was meant to be marrying someone else. I didn’t think about Danny, or the way he had touched me. It was just me and Thale. Nothing else.He kicked his bedroom door open with his foot. Kicking it once more to close it once we were inside the room. Carrying me to the bed, he
I became aware of a blissful feeling. The kind that makes everything seem wonderfully hazy and warm. I realised I was being held by someone, and I opened my eyes to see Thale sleeping soundly next to me. He looked so peaceful. This was not something I really associated with him, but right now, that’s how he appeared to be.I stayed still in his arms, enjoying the opportunity to study him freely. I traced each feature with my eyes, marvelling at the contours of his eyes, the angular line of his jaw, and the fullness of the lips that I had suddenly found myself addicted too. He had been beautiful to me before, there was no doubt about it. But now it went beyond that for me, it was as if he was divine. The change in his breathing told me he was rousing, and I eagerly waited for his green eyes to reveal themselves. As he blinked and took a moment to take in my image, a sleepy almost boy-like smile crept onto his face.“Good morning Sophia, wer
I felt Thale stiffen beside me. I could sense he also wasn’t sure why Alvena was looking so pleased.Fallon greeted us as if it was old friends coming together for a holiday, which unsettled me further.“Welcome, welcome! Please, let my staff take your coats. How wonderful it is for you to be here.” He grinned broadly, flashing his perfectly white yet pointy teeth in our direction.Thale said nothing, so I followed suit. A maid came up behind me to take my coat, and I allowed her to guide it off my shoulders.“Come this way, we have much to discuss.” Fallon gestured for us to follow him through the hallway. The house reminded me a lot of Danny’s. It was mostly decorated in blacks and whites, although I could see accents of red every so often. Everything was immaculate. The only personal affects seemed to be strange abstract modern sculptures.Fallon led us to a room that I assumed was meant to act as living room.
Thale’s jaw dropped. “Absolutely not. That goes against everything Hereti believed in. He made the stone to control supernatural power, along with protecting humans!”Fallon’s whole demeanour suddenly changed as he leaned forward sharply, and I shrank backwards. “Don’t lecture me, boy!” Fallon roared. “I know very well what our history is!”His eyes burned. I knew this was serious. I even sensed Thale stilling. Fallon may act demurely most of the time, but he was clearly dangerous.“It is not the same as it was back then,” Fallon hissed. “Humans now have the technology to easily kill us, even when we shift. Their weapons could kill us in minutes.”Alvena piped up again. “Just because you happen to have a human mate Thale, doesn’t mean you suddenly have to protect them. There was a time…”“Shut up Alvena.” Thale’s tone was threate