Under the Devil's Claws

Chapter 8

RASMUS:

Anxiously, I tap my fingers away on the arm of my golden piece chair as I await results from my men. Results that should have made their way to me the day before. And even then, I gave the grace of waiting until today but for a few hours now, I have received nothing still.

I am more annoyed with myself than with them about events unfolding under my very nose. All of this should have been taken care of properly from day one if I had ensured I looked into things without the need to be a little careless.

But I want to make things right now. I want to set the record straight for myself. Perhaps a twist of events could be of a good effect on me. Until then, I have to keep on waiting for that very option that works out.

The doors into my abode open and right from where I am seated, I can see someone come into the room with me. The anxiety in me quickly fades away like it was never there before.

Before the approaching one could ever take more than two or more steps forward, I have seen from his face that he is not about to give me good news.

“Speak!” I order as I halt him halfway to my seated location.

He instantly complies, and with his head bowed in my presence, he says, “I have failed you, my lord.”

I rub slightly on the arm of the chair, feeling how much material was used into melting down the gold and then turning it into this fine piece of art that denoted both the symbol of this pack and its heritage.

“What more would I have expected from your lot? You bunch of washouts who know nothing about getting the job done the right way,” I let out those words, staying calm as I do so. “I should have known better than to hope that you will be up to any good,”

“I’m sorry, my lord. If you wish, we could do it again. And I’m sure that this time it is going to work out. We will get back the girl to you as instructed,”

“First tell me how she managed to elude the reach of skillful warriors from the team that you had chosen. Obviously, I know that her loyal friend would be with her but what else happened?”

“She received help from two other wolves. And from my report, I think one of them might have been a higher body. But I cannot entirely say because there was no way for me to look into it.”

“A perfect plan laid to waste,” I whisper the words, but it was acidic to even my ears. The hatred that went with it was what stirred up the acid vibe from it and I enjoyed hearing such come out from my speech most times. Then I look at the warrior who still has his head bowed and say, “You are going to redo the mission. And until you get what I want, don’t show your face here!”

*****

LAYLA:

A nap was what I needed after all. Because as soon as I got up, I could feel my bones stronger than before. The pains around my back have even subsided but I still felt it behind me because it had been an injury and not a bone-crushing situation. Not bothersome enough that wouldn’t let me sleep on my back if I wanted. At least that is how I have done it twice already.

I was sitting by the edge of the bed reflecting on yesterday’s events in general. It was more like I was trying to review everything that occurred and that is why I was making the situation events play out in my head.

If I had been looking in the proper direction, I would have gotten how those wolves sent to me had attacked but I could not get to see them. But I know what was right behind me then, which means they had been lurking around the woods of the training area. Okay to say that the location was not a haven anymore and I sure would not be seeing myself there except it was in a troop.

I’m just glad someone got to me before I managed to get whisked away because I know for sure that they were not there to harm me.

I knew I was not totally safe from the reach of the monster yet. Perhaps that was the reason I started having those nightmares about him of late. And now, look what happened. He sent his people to get me and they almost succeeded in doing so.

The creak of the door has me looking up in its direction. A head pokes into the room instantly and I can tell that it is Caleb by the door. However, before he could say anything, I beat him to it.

“I think we need to leave.”

Confusion flashes on his expression. And the next thing he is right inside the room fully, looking at me like I said the most ridiculous thing ever heard on earth.

“Why? Because of what happened?” he asks as he crouches in front of me.

“What other reason would it be if not that one?” I raise my brows because I feel I could read an underlying meaning to what he was talking about.

“Oh, there are different reasons that could bring you to such thought. The handsome alpha’s son is an example,”

I cannot believe that he would even think I would pass that as a genuine reason to try to save my skin. I mean that is ridiculous. Leaving a supposed haven because of a man? Sounds even more ridiculous as I think about it.

“You are dumb,” I have to tell him as I roll my eyes at his stupid idea. “Why would he be the reason for my decision? Let’s be realistic here, Caleb. I’m trying to save my skin,”

“I know. Just wanted to cheer you up a little,”

“And you think joking around using that arrogant man’s name would cheer me up? Think again. You’re only making me feel worse than I already am so bug off.”

“Okay,” and he gets up on his feet. Instantly he turns around and starts walking out of the room which only leaves me confused.

“What are you doing?” I ask, trying to make sense of his act.

“Bugging off as you said,”

I smack myself on the forehead. “Oh geez, I didn’t mean it literally.”

“Sounded literal to me, though,” He continues walking off as he speaks and I just watch in surprise as he continues to do so.

It wasn’t until he finally got to the door did I decide to stop him. “C’mon, Caleb. Why do you have to be like this?”

And he finally stops, turning around while beaming with a smile. I snare at him especially when he starts to approach me back. Knew he only wanted me to say the words in a way that would make him feel important. Guess I did that willingly already.

He joins me on the bed, sitting close to me before putting his hand across my shoulders and makes me rest my head on his shoulder. And trust me, I like the feeling that came with it. It was always genuine comfort for me whenever I am in such a position with him because I know how much sincerity that came with his affection.

“So how are you feeling now?” I hear his voice go right through my ears. More like vibration due to his thick masculine voice.

“Much better,” I say. “The nap helped a lot.”

“What nap?”

“The one I had not too long ago. Let’s say about an hour or so,”

That is when he shocks me in a kind of way. “You never had any nap, girl. It was a sleep routine as I would put it. That was like five to six hours ago.”

Instantly I snap my head off his shoulders, shock registered on my face. I cannot believe what I just heard and I do not try to hide it when I am looking directly at him.

“What do you mean it was not a nap. I thought I had myself on the bed for a little while,”

“Well, it’s not just for a while. Been a long time. Checked up on you severally but you were fast asleep all through so I didn’t bother to wake you up. Besides you needed it. I could tell how much pain you were feeling then just by looking at you,”

I still am surprised that it has been such a long time since I slept. “Here I was thinking that it hasn’t been long,” I say but decide to get it off my mind immediately after that. I recall that I was going to ask him about something which I proceed to do. “Did you get to meet with him?”

“Who?” Caleb asks.

“Derek?”

“Oh, yes, I did.”

“And what did you discuss with him?”

I get a short response from him, “Nothing.”