CHAPTER 45: UNHEALED WOUNDS

SHAWN

I lay on the forest floor, unable to move and all I could see was the bright sky obscured by the broad leaves up above.

I remembered the way they had stilled last night, when Davina stood before us, like an otherworldly being ready to collect her debts.

We tried to stop her, and we ended up broken, left for dead.

"We need to go back..." Uriel rose, panting on the tree bark.

"What if something had happened to her?" Even with the deep gash on his chest, still bleeding even though he was an Alpha wolf who healed rapidly in seconds, he was still worried about her.

Same with Ethan and me, with our flesh almost falling out, unable to heal ourselves.

Still, we yearned for her. If she had to stay within our sight, while she pierced her claws into us, we didn’t mind.

"Let’s go back to the mansion. I am sure she must be there. I can’t stand the thought of that bastard harming her."

But I scoffed, "Do you think he can do anything to her?"

"You see what she has done to us."

"You are right. But something doesn’t feel right." Ethan huffed, as his brows knitted.

"None of us knew she had gotten her wolf."

"I suspected it." I glanced at the deep marks of her limbs left in the forest floor. "When I saw something in her eyes that night, when we saw her at the river, I knew something was happening."

"Right! But she doesn’t recognize us." Uriel glanced at me, with red-rimmed eyes that couldn’t hold his pain. His smile was gone.

"The Davina from last night, couldn’t recognize us. Is it because of her sudden wolf? Is something controlling her? It’s absurd!" He slammed his fists on the tree roots so hard his skin started to bleed.

"Yes, you are right."

I stood up, glancing at my brothers who seemed to be at their end. My injuries were minimal and I could stand the long walk back to the pack.

"We need to find out what’s going on. I’ll be on the lookout for her."

I grabbed the tattered clothes strewn across the forest floor and rushed out. However, everywhere I stepped was filled with blood.

The same mark Davina’s wolf had left behind, was littered everywhere as the words of the pack members reached me.

"A rogue wolf was captured last night!"

"We heard she will be executed—"

"Executed? No! The Alpha will probably lock the bastard up and make her face the consequences for the rest of the days!"

"Alpha Diego will protect his people."

I scoffed, knowing that man would abandon them in the blink of an eye if he had to.

And as I roamed through the streets to the mansion, my fists tightened around my clothes, covering my face.

My face and my brothers’ faces were still plastered all over, the bounty even increased overnight. But I didn’t stop in my tracks.

No matter what, I needed to know what had happened. I needed to see her and I didn’t mind if she would dig out my heart.

But then...swish!

Like the wind, my body was whisked away straight to a deserted alley. My breath was faint, with a strong palm over my mouth and neck, trying to stop me from thrashing.

On a normal day, I would have tackled this bastard to the ground, but then, I was weak and vulnerable.

But I couldn’t back down, as I clamped my teeth on the hard flesh.

"Fuck!" The bastard behind me gasped, and finally let me go for a split second.

I turned in the blink of an eye, snapping away from his hold and my feet collided with his chest.

Bang!

His body flew a few distances away, while I staggered backward, coughing up a mouthful of blood.

I sighed, wiping the thick liquid off, "Who the hell...are you?"

My eyes had scrutinized every inch of him. His clothes, looks and words let me know he wasn’t from here. A traveller maybe, but he had such strength and sharp eyes.

"As expected..." He stood up, dusting the dust off his clothes. "Even though you are injured, you live up to what I thought."

My brows creased, as my suspicion grew, "Who are you? Do you know me?"

He tilted his head, "Do you think I don’t? Your face is plastered all over."

I shook my head, "I don’t think that’s what I’m asking..."

"Why? Because you have been hidden alongside your brothers? I must say, your father has really done you all dirty. Hiding away such gems for his sadism."

I blinked, confusion setting in.

"Who the hell are you?" I snapped. "How the hell do you know my father?"

He stepped forward, his hard gaze on me but I didn’t move an inch, as I stared at him head-on.

His lips moved, and I waited for him to speak.

"Where are your brothers?"

"Huh?"

"Come..." He grabbed my hand, rushing me out of the alley. "Lead me to them."

The next second, I snapped my hand out of his grip and I had my fingers wrapped around his neck in an instant.

"Tell the truth..." I seethed.

However, he smiled, "Do you want to kill me now?"

"Well, if you do. You may lose your last hope at getting what you want."

"What?" My brows creased as my grip tightened. Blood drained from his face but he didn’t seem to be bothered or even in pain at all.

My attack was nothing to him and he was just playing along as he easily pulled out a wallet from his pocket and passed a card to me.

"You know that, right?"

I grabbed the card, quickly noticing the emblem on it.

My fingers quivered slightly, but then my gaze narrowed, "You are from..."

"Right. Your mother’s Pack, Blood Moon."

"How..." I gasped. "How did you get in here?"

Ever since my mother’s death, Blood Moon and the two Packs my father governed had been in disarray with strict border controls, and no outsider was allowed in, out, or across.

My brothers and I were about to take a huge risk last night but it didn’t work out.

"Why are you here?" I looked up at him. "I know you aren’t ordinary to be able to get into Alpha Diego’s territory."

He finally slid my fingers off his neck, while he patted my hand, "First, let’s get out of here."

"Where are your brothers?"