Bronze

Chapter 21

Leah

Today was the day I was set to leave. 

Just to make sure I had everything in order, I mapped out the route I was going to take with a pen. About twenty minutes passed Kane's border, I would call Markus. From there, I would tell him where to meet me and my terms for my surrender. 

It was that simple, but there was still one last thing I had to take care of. Two actually. I had to say goodbye to Wendy, and I had to make sure Kane was going to be alright.

After the day in the kitchen, I started having a weird sense of confusion. I realized quickly that it wasn't me, but Kane who was feeling this tremendous emotion. He was being torn between two halves, which I assumed were Katherine and myself, and hadn't seemed to shake it. I needed to be certain he would get over this before I left. 

When I went to his office for the last time, he was gone. I opened to door, found it empty and silent, and ran frantically to find someone who knew about his whereabouts. 

I found Andreas near his sleeping quarters a few minutes later. I was happy I found him, not because Ekon and Nika scared me a tad bit, but because I felt more connected to Andreas than I did the others. He was like the big brother I never had. 

According to Andreas, Kane had left to visit another pack. He would be back in a week or two. That wasn't good enough for me, so I asked for his phone number. When he refused to give it to me, I asked him again, but that time way more urgently than before. 

I got back to my room and dialed it the second I sat on my bed. 

It rang.

And rang.

And on the fourth one, he answered. 

"Yes?" he asked disoriented. 

"Kane? Hi, it's me," I replied. I didn't know what I was going to say. Up until this point, I was just so focused and worried about getting to speak with him that I forgot what I was going to say when I finally did.

"Leah?" He asked with a yawn. Was he on a plane? "Why are you-"

"I don't know, I guess I missed the sound of your voice. And when I tried to find you, Andreas said you had left to visit another pack. I kind of freaked out," I told him truthfully. He chuckled. "Well, since you're okay, I guess I should go then." 

I was about to hang up but was interrupted by Kane yelling out 'wait' into my ear. 

"Yes?" I asked puzzled, holding the phone away from my ringing eardrum.

He sighed. "I miss you, too," he said with an audible smile. My heart raced unexpectedly, knocking the air from my lungs. 

I didn't respond for a long time, enough time to spark worry. "Leah?"

"Erh," I gulped trying to form coherent words. "I-"

He didn't let me answer before he laughed under his breath. "I'll be back sooner than usual, okay? Just for you, my little rogue. I won't keep you waiting."

I let a tear fall from my glassy eyes. "Okay," I mumbled. 

We both hung up, and I was left with silence. Too scared of the noiseless room, I ran out with my stinging eyes to find my friend whom I knew I owed the truth. She deserved it more than anyone. 

She was in the kitchen where I knew I would find her. Slowly, she peeled potatoes at the long island counter, humming the same tune that I've heard her sing many times before. 

I squeezed beside her, scooting the stool as far over as it could go. "Good morning," I hummed in her ear. By now, she was used to my antics and just smiled at me.

"Good morning, Leah," she said. "How are you?"

"I'll be fine once I get this over with," I told her. I gripped her wrist, the one that held the potato, and pulled at it. "Come with me?" I asked. 

She stared, eyes bulging from their sockets. "You know I'll get in trouble if I leave," she said whispering. 

"It's important!" 

A few eyes peered over at us, scowling like judgmental statues. Some of the more older ladies looked to be the same age as said statues. 

She scanned the busy kitchen hastily. If we left now, we could escape the wrath of the overseer. I still couldn't get the thought of that paddle out of my head. 

Yanking, I pulled her from her seat and dragged her along the outside edge of the wall. Once away from prying eyes and ears, I stopped us and began letting my truth spill from my lips. 

"I'm so sorry, Wendy!" I cried into my hands. She held my shoulders and hugged me. "I should have told you sooner." 

"It's okay," she shushed me. "At least you told me."

I looked at her and smiled, but then was reminded of a certain alpha who I didn't want knowing my location. "You can't tell him," I said to her sternly. She picked up my meaning quickly, nodding to let me know she understood.

She sighed, casting her eyes away for only a second. "I'll stay quiet, but if they find out, there's nothing I can do. They have authority over me, Leah."

"I know," I said. "I don't expect you to betray your alpha. Just don't say anything for a few days. At least make sure I'm gone first."

We hugged after that. I couldn't bring myself to let go without crying, so I just held her in my arms until I felt my knees go numb. Then we hid in a broom closet until it was time for my departure. 

She gave me a black cloak to go over my clothes and pack. Then she led me to the door, ushered me outside with her phone in hand, and waved me goodbye. I waved back.

Turning around, I saw the fountain of the driveway before me and a bright stream of light behind it.