Bonded by Fates; The Core of Life

14. Running Away

Angeline POV:

I can’t hold it back anymore.

Dea and I are going to help the realm and then, I have to talk to Werloth about Melian.

Dea and I shifted to Delphyne and Hydra and we flew to the border.

The warriors are fighting against…trolls?

Oh Goddess, there were too many of them.

“Dea, I’m going to burn the trolls, if you see something else burning than the trolls, I want you to wash the fire away, OK?” I mind-linked her.

“Deal, Angel, let’s go”. Dea said.

Delphyne lowered the altitude and she directed her flames at the trolls. They were startled and started to run away.

Soon enough, many became ashes and the rest entered a formed portal.

Dea and I flew back to the castle and we shifted back into our human form.

I flashed us to the bedroom and we got dressed properly.

We flashed to the castle’s gate and the warrior Elves were already there. Werloth was with them.

Mary and Carmen also joined us. Werloth approached me and kissed my forehead.

“You were amazing there. Thank you for helping us, Angel”, he said before his gaze found Dea.

“Hi, King Werloth, I’m Andrea, Angeline’s sister. It’s a pleasure to meet you, especially because you’re my sister’s mate”. Dea introduced herself, smiling at him. He smiled back at her in approval.

“You’re very welcome in the Elves Realm, Princess Andrea”. He greeted her.

I glared at Werloth and that was the time.

“We need to talk about Melian, right now. She locked me inside a room”. I let him know and his eyes opened wide in surprise.

He was expressionless. He looked around and there were some Elves walking past us.

"We should have told him about our doubts before", Delphyne stated, and I just put her at the back of my mind.

“But, Angel, are you sure it was her?” He asked me and I just arched my eyebrows at him.

I wasn’t expecting this kind of question at all.

What would I expect anyway? She has been here for over 2 decades.

While it has been about a week for me.

“It’s true, King Werloth, I could see it through my vision, I saw Angel locked” Dea said in reassurance.

He frowned and seemed to be thinking.

“You know what, just forget it” I said and turned my back at him.

I grabbed Dea’s arm and moved away from him.

Other Elves started to talk to him and I was glad about it because he was about to come after me.

Soon, Melian showed up. She seemed worried about something.

“You. How dare you lock me up?” I gushed at her. She rolled her eyes.

“You just never die, don’t you?” She asked me, almost whispering.

Dea slapped her face and all the Elves froze in their spots, curious eyes were intently staring at us at that moment.

“What’s happening here?” Werloth quickly made his way to us.

“King Werloth, I’m sorry. I don’t know what happened. I think Angeline and her sister are jealous. Maybe she wants to make me look guilty and bad because I’d been here for long enough before them. But you know me, I always tried to do the best I could for this Realm” she said, and Werloth just nodded at her, still expressionless.

That’s unbelievable, and my frowning face was clearly stamped in disapproval.

“She locked me and tried to kill me, she’s the one who poisoned me and set fire to the hospital, for the Goddess’ sake”, I tried to tell him.

I knew how it’d sound, like a desperate teenager and I was probably playing by Melian’s side, but I'd had enough of it.

Werloth's expression was unreadable, my heart stung painfully.

“I’m out of here”, I gushed, arching my eyebrows and raising my hands up in a defeated way.

“Angel, please, wait”, he pleaded to me.

Desperation was fluttering in his gaze but it didn't change the way he acted towards this situation at that point.

“No, I think your expression already said enough”. I almost shouted.

I held Dea’s forearm and flashed at my grandpa’s pack house.

He was there and I just rushed to hug him like my life depended on it.

I started to cry like a kid, helpless, sobbing. My heart was clenching painfully.

“Pups, what’s wrong?” Grandpa asked me, caressing my hair.

“I just ran away from the Elves Realm”, I told him.

Dea approached me and also hugged me from behind.

I felt like I just felt in a trap. Melian’s trap.

“Please, calm down. Once you’re ready, we’ll talk about it”, Grandpa Randall assured me, and I nodded.

.

Werloth POV:

I didn’t want to believe it, but I knew that Angel might be right.

I had to investigate it so I needed Melian to think I was cool and I’d talk to Angeline later and explain my plan and everything to her, but she just flashed away.

I had to hide my panic as my heart was clenching painfully. No, I couldn't ever lose her. I couldn't stand this thought.

“Belin, please, cover me. I need you to watch Melian and her every step”, I told him.

“You know, I never liked her anyway. It’d be my pleasure”, he replied to me.

Belin approached Melian; she had a big grin on her face.

I was about to enter my castle when I saw the waitress girl coming towards my direction.

“King Werloth, please, listen to me”, she pleaded, trying to keep her voice down. She was panting.

I approached her, grabbed her arm and flashed her to my office.

“How did you escape?” I asked her and I focused my mind inside her mind.

She wouldn’t lie to me.

“Melian let me go. I need to talk to you, Your Highness. I know that somebody like me will end up being killed as Melian would still enjoy the good life, but it’s important; that girl, your mate. She’s in danger. Melian has been trying to kill her ever since she came to our Realm. She also sabotaged the competition. She used a wizard’s spell to trick them, that’s why she won. She said she would release me if I did what she asked me to and I did. She handed me over this paper”, she took it out of her pocket, “I did as she told me to, but I just knew what it was all about when I finally called the wizard, she’s the one who made them attack today” she gushed just like that and I was speechless.

I felt my right hand turning into a fist.

It's been a while ever since somebody could make me enraged like that.

I knew the waitress wasn’t lying. I was making sure she wouldn’t, but I also didn’t feel any hesitancy on her side to say it.

“Why did you come back?” I asked her, trying to calm down.

All I could think of was Angeline. I was uneased.

I had to go after her. She belongs by my side. Giving up on her wouldn't ever be an option.

She was mine. It was the first time I felt that close to losing control over myself and my feelings.

“I couldn’t let anything bad happen to her. She’s innocent. I was afraid of my fate, that’s why I ran away”, she explained.

“But what about in the restaurant?”

“That was Melian’s doing. I wouldn’t help letting her in if I knew that she wanted to kill our Queen. I thought she was only going to give her a laxative or something that wasn’t supposed to murder someone”, she said in an obvious tone.

I just let myself fall on the chair.

“You’re saying that I’d been tricked for the last two decades?” I asked her, but I already knew the answer.

“I’m sorry, but yes. She said she loved you and she wouldn’t let Angeline be with you”, she told me.

“What’s your name?” I asked, trying to mask my uneasiness.

“Aubry”

“All right, Aubry. Let’s try to do something. I’ll keep you hidden and I’ll make an appointment with the Elders council. She will be judged and punished accordingly. I need you to be my witness and I'll keep you safe and away from her. Is that all right with you?”. I assured her.

She nodded and I could feel her relaxing through her mind.

I let go of her mind and I took her to my private area of the castle. I asked Balin to prepare food, clothes and whatever she might need.

I went back to my office and I sighed deeply.

Now I had to go after my mate, I wouldn’t ever let her go.

We belong to be together; she holds the other half of my soul and she’s crazy if she thinks I’d simply accept her being far away from me.

I was panicking.

I heard a knock on the door.

“Come in” I said, and to my utter surprise, Dain was the one who came in.

“Your Highness…” he started, but I cut him before he finished.

“Please, Dain, you know there’s no need for formalities with me” I said, and I knelt down to be the same size as him.

I tapped his head and I wondered why I felt such a strong connection with Dain.

His presence alone calmed me down.

I relaxed as I could control myself again.

He was special, he was outgoing, strong-willed and brave. Besides, he’s the only elf child we have around the realms that can manipulate fire.

He chuckled and nodded with his eyes glistening.

“I just want to know if you saw Princess Angeline. She was here, but now she’s gone. Didn’t she like me anymore?” He asked, his expression was concerned mixed with confusion.

"Please, you two have to be together", he said. He looked sad and my heart clenched.

I chuckled and shook my head.

“You know that it's not possible to dislike you. I’ll bring her back, don’t worry. I’m sure she’s also missing you terribly”, I reassured him and he smiled at me before turning his back to leave.

I was determined that I would go after her.

Now more than ever. I had more than one reason after this encounter with Dain.

“Liam, can we meet? It’s about Angeline. Have you seen her?” I mind-linked him.

“Actually, no. I’m still on the mine, is everything all right?”, he asked me.

“I hope so, something happened and she flashed away even before I could talk to her”, I let him know and I heard him chuckling.

I frowned.

“Don’t worry, I’ll let Alice know about it, everything’s going to be fine”, Liam assured me, and I thanked him in response.

I wanted to go after her but I had no idea where she had gone.

.

Angeline POV:

I told my grandpa everything that happened and he chuckled at me.

I frowned.

“What’s so funny, grandpa?” I asked him.

He shook his head.

“Nothing, it’s because somehow you reminded me of your mother”, he said, caressing my hair, “look, Angel, I’ve known Werloth for way too long and I can assure you that I don’t think it is what it looked like. You can stay here for how long you wish for, anyway”. Grandpa said and I couldn’t be more thankful.

Suddenly, a flash and Mom was in the pack house with us.

My eyes opened wide in surprise.

“Mom, how did you know I was here?” I asked and I glanced at Dea.

She shook her head, then I glared at grandpa. He also shook his head.

“Angel, look at me. Do you really think I needed someone to tell me where you could possibly have gone? All it took was a mind-link from your father and I knew exactly where you were. Werloth is worried about you. What happened?” Mom asked me and I looked down.

“Wait, mom. But how did you know I was here?”

“Because it’s the same place I ran away to once”, she chuckled as she said it.

“What? You? Running away?” Dea asked with a frowning face.

“Yes, I did. Now, who’s going to tell me what happened?” She asked again and I took a lungful of air.

“All right, remember Melian? She’s the one who tried to kill me. The Elves Realm got attacked and she locked me inside a room. It seemed like someone cast a very strong spell because my magic didn’t work, neither did my mind-link connection. Lucky me that Dea was watching me and she helped me to get out. We helped to protect the realm. As soon as I saw Werloth, I told him what happened and he didn’t trust me”. I let her know, as my eyes were filling with tears.

"I can feel you, I also miss him terribly", Delphyne said, and it was more than that.

I felt like we had already completed our bond. Being far from him is turning out to be unbearable.

Mom held my hand in reassurance.

“Darling, did he tell you that?” She asked me and I frowned.

“Told me what?”

“Did he say that he didn’t trust you?” She asked me again.

“No, he didn’t. But he didn’t stand for me and I knew why. I wasn't there as long as Melian was, it was two decades since she had been there, by his side. I understand that, but it hurts”. I gushed.

Mom hugged me in her heated embrace.

“Angeline, come here”, she pleaded to me, holding my hand and taking me to the couch.

We both sat and she never let go of my hand.

“Look, when I ran away, it was because I was reckless and I was figuring out things on my own. I assumed things and that was my mistake. You know I love you and I’ll always stand for you and your brother and sisters, but I can’t let this love blind me either. I have known Werloth for way too long as well. He is calm and always tries to look expressionless and act rationally in hard times”, she said, arching an eyebrow at me.

“OK…?” I simply replied.

What did she mean?

Was I reckless running away?