The Rejected Mate

Chapter 115

115

Alaric's POV

"Don't think I don't feel bad for what is happening. I have a hand in this, and I know my jealousy caused it, but you have to support me now, Ryan. That's all I ask of you. I allowed my emotions to get the best of me, and I would like you to give me a new slate so I can work this out for us."

"Alaric, we need to find her. She has to be found. I don't want anything to happen to her; I want her alive and unharmed. If she loses a hair off her head, I would have you to contend with." Ryan wasn't playing around with his words; I should have allowed their love to thrive.

My jealousy pushed me into this, and now I'm being captured by some rogues who want all Alphas and Generals dead so they can take over their packs and expand their territory. I should have noticed Arielle's absence, but my eyes, crowded with jealousy, made me blind.

I have to find a way to end this once and for all, and even if it means trading my life for hers, we have to find her in this dungeon. Since there are other dungeons, there's a tendency that we're going to find her among the captives.

"She loves you, Ryan, and trust me, when this is all over, I would let you both get married and have a good life together. We're just married for the throne, and now that she's found you, it's better I stay clear of your path to a union, childbirth, and even more childbirth," I divulged as Ryan held my hands.

"We're going to find a way out, back home, and we're taking Arielle with us. We just have to find her, but you have to stop acting all righteous now because, in truth, you're a sinner. You're the one who allowed your treachery to get us here, so it's better you accept it." Ryan wasn't willing to concede to my words; he wanted me to feel the pain of carrying the blame for putting their lives at stake. I'm the one to be blamed, but that doesn't mean that I should take the fall myself.

"You also escorted me down here. When we were captured, you had your chance."

"Don't start with that, Alaric. You and I know that I can't leave you alone. I have to be there with you. When we're together in one place, we're better off alone in separate places." Ryan was right; I didn't doubt his words.

"I need you to stop hanging me on that cross of blame for a second and let me think of a subtle way to get us out of here. There has to be a way; I have to lie in wait for the soldier that would be treated."

One of the soldiers who helped the wounded soldier out of the dungeon returned. I was certain that they were going to catch Gabe and his accomplices, and I wondered what punishment they would face when they were nabbed.

"Who did this?" He pointed to the dead soldier. I couldn't help but think about carrying the blame, but that'll keep us separated, which isn't good for me at the moment.

"They did it," Ryan divulged.

"They needed the keys, so they created a diversion and killed everyone. I'm certain that they don't have a way to leave, but trust me, soldier, those men are vicious. They would surely be a thorn in your flesh, and if you let them go, more people would be willing to escape."

"That passage is a trap. No one leaves this pack through that part except us, the soldiers. There's no way you can leave without being questioned as a guard."

"So you're saying that a guard can walk through that passage, but a prisoner can't?" Ryan chuckled.

"Why am I speaking to you?"

"You needed answers, and I gave them to you. It's only fair that we have a conversation." Ryan sighed as he stood up to his feet and approached the bars, getting closer to the guard.

"They don't know what it feels like to be a soldier at this point. They kill a man in cold blood and act like it's nothing. They stabbed him in the ribs; he could have survived."

"But he ran out of oxygen to breathe. Isn't that what killed him?" I wondered what Ryan was trying to achieve with the guard.

"Are you a doctor?"

"I know a lot of things; let's say I'm knowledgeable." I kept mute, watching Ryan exchange words with the guard who was standing over the first dungeon guard who was murdered by Gabe.

"I don't know what will happen when the Alpha finds out a member of his pack was murdered," he conveyed his thoughts. I guess he was wondering what he was going to do with the body.

"I know the exact person that did this. You should ask who Gabe is; he's the one responsible for this and for the second soldier who's recovering." Ryan exposed Gabe, but I didn't know where he was going with all this relaying of information.

"Oh, he's recovering? A good friend of mine; I wouldn't let him die. This wasn't his plan; he was forced into this."

"You can make it look like the murder didn't take place in the dungeon. Take his body through the passage and dump it there. When they're captured, you take some guards down through the passage, as you said, and there you make it look like they were the ones that killed him. It never happened in the dungeon." Ryan helped him with a brilliant idea, but I knew Ryan was also putting himself at great risk by saying too much.

"I guess you know a lot."

"Like I said earlier, I'm knowledgeable."

"Get back to your spot," he ordered as Ryan stepped back.

"What were you trying to achieve, Ryan?" I inquired in whispers.

"I wanted him to find Arielle for us, but I guess he's not going to do that since I didn't trade his answer for an answer to my question." He whispered into my left ear. I couldn't deny the fact that this wasn't what I expected.

"How do you make a guard find someone? You'll be putting both parties at risk," I advised.

"What have you done so far to find Arielle? Don't start with this again, Alaric. I'm warning you, or the guards will be separating another fight soon." He warned.

"Some guts I would say, Ryan, but I don't have a problem with that. But there's something I do have a problem with: you should have told me about your relationship with Arielle before now." I wanted to know why he kept it secluded.

"What union are you talking about?"

"Don't act like you don't know what I'm talking about." I wondered why he wanted to cover it up.

"Come on, Ryan, the way you both are so together, making it seem like you're both in love but want it hidden for now since it's not yet matured." I explained my words in better terms, but he only laughed at me. I wondered if he was mocking me.

"Alaric, you're getting this all wrong. Arielle loves you so much. She's cared for you and loved you ever since, but you're too blind to see it. It seems more like a huge fig leaf is covering your eyes from seeing the truth. It's right there for you to have known, but you didn't, and I can't decipher why."