Defiance

0.9

Chapter 9

A L D R I C 

Was she determined to ruin my life for me? I wanted to know. Elysia was lying on one of the infirmary room beds; the same beds where she would cure my wolves. Though I watched the color come back to her skin, I couldn't help but feel worse. 

Did she forget I was a werewolf? Did she forget that I could have caught that arrow in my hand in seconds before she played out the role of some hero? I couldn't believe she forgot who I was - a werewolf. 

She was breathing softly. I fought against the need to hold her in my arms, to kiss her, to somehow take her away. It was so powerful. She was a witch, I kept reminding myself. 

Why are you so desperate for a mate? I asked myself. It isn't worth it. She wasn't worth it. But I couldn't stop the inner need no matter how I tried. Besides, for hurting her village, she was certain I was a monster. 

"Beta." A voice behind me bought me to reality.

I turned and faced Nyra. I knew what she was thinking. I was getting too attached to some witch. The witch may have hexed you. There's something wrong Aldric. What is wrong with you? I heard it all; I knew it all but they didn't know the truth. And they never will. I would make sure of it.

"I don't know why you're so attached to this witch. Yes, she saved your life, but every wolf in this pack would do that for you," Nyra stated.

"And I would the same for them. Also, I am not attached to her."

"Do you believe she has hexed you in some way? A lot of the werewolves are beginning to worry. I believe that was the first thing you were asking her when you first met her."

"I promise you Nyra - I hate witches and their kind more than ever. This witch's just different. Have you ever heard of a witch that saves wolves? I believe she can prove to be very valuable to us. If we can get her on our side, imagine the secrets we can receive from the witch world. I'm simply trying to obtain her trust." 

Lying seemed so difficult in my head but once I said it, even I believed me. I could see Nyra's facial expression changing; she too was believing me. If anyone had a true, concrete reason to hate witches, it was me. She knew that; every wolf in my pack knew that.

"I like this approach, Beta and I do trust you. But whatever it is, Beta Aldric - I don't think you should be so worried for her. You have important matters to take care of. The Alpha will be here in a matter of days. What you truly need to worry about is how you need to get to rid of her before he arrives. I may have stood by your decision to take her in to cure our wolves but I will not have the strength to face him if he questions a witch. He will kill her, Beta. You have to get rid of her if you want her alive."

"She's not well enough -"

"But she will be dead when the Alpha arrives."

Nyra was right. There was no person in the world that could contain the Alpha's rage when it came to witches. If there was anyone that hated witches more than I did, it was my father. 

I turned back to Elysia. She originally informed me that the witches of the Mae Coven despised her as much as wolves did. And I burned the witches' homes. In her state, they wouldn't help her. If anything, they'd kill her. What if she was lying - she was under the truth potion; she couldn't lie. 

I stared back at Elysia. Keeping her in the infirmary wasn't an option; I wasn't willing to take her back to the village if it meant she was going to die. 

Why does it matter? Let her die. No. She's a witch. She's a witch who saved your life.

I seemed to continuously go back and forth in my head. I couldn't decide. I didn't know what to say or what to do. Was I truly losing my mind?