Renaissance

Episode 8

*Autry’s POV*  

I felt something on my left move while the older Cecelia was giving her menacing speech to my Cecelia. I looked at my left to see the man with a whip. He shook his head as if to say, ‘don’t look now,’ so I obeyed. It wasn’t like I had anything valuable on me other than my mate.  When her threats were over, and she very rudely dismissed us, I took Cecelia by her hand and started dragging her out of the packhouse. 

I took her through the garden and the road. Unfortunately for me, there was a long way to walk before we could be safely in the woods. I took a look at Cecelia. She looked broken, lost… almost like her soul had been drawn out of her. I shook my head and kept dragging her. It was not time for me to be lost in my guilt.  When we exited the gates and entered the woods, I took Cecelia a little further and made her sit down. I searched my pocket to find a hastily scribbled note inserted there.   

“Mr Garrett, I am afraid Cecelia is broken. 

I cannot tell you the reason, because it’s not my place to say to you. But, I think you might want to pursue the issue.  

I am so glad you came here and took her away. 

I want you to know that you have a friend in the Maya Pack.  

Please take care of our Cecelia. 

Loves,  

Caspian  

P.S. Please call me when you need anything from me. Phone number…”  

I looked at the note and then at Cecelia. I wondered what he meant by 'our Cecelia.' I squatted in front of her. Taking both her hands in mine. I tried to look into her eyes, but they were clouded. I pushed a strand of hair off of her face. “Cecelia,...” I said softly. She looked up. As soon as she realised it was me, she pushed me by my shoulders with such force, knocking me back. She started running away. Her reaction hurt more than the impact of my head on the ground. I quickly chased after her.  

“Cecelia, run away as long as you want, but please do not transform with the dress on you!” I called.  

“Like we f*****g care!” she screamed, although that wasn’t her voice.  

“What’s your name?” I asked.  

“So now you care?!” she screamed once more “after realising that she has a wolf? You were enthusiastic about rejecting us before, you dimwit! And now you want to help? Help my ass! We don’t want your help! We don’t need your help!" Her wolf screamed again. 

"Please, tell me your name," I pleaded once more. 

"As if to any importance, it is Bendis!" She answered, still manoeuvring between the trees.  

"Bendis, I am so sorry. Not because now that I know you're Cecelia's wolf! Please, at least let Godric talk to you!" I begged once more. She was still running, but her pace dropped a tad. I took the opportunity to give Godric the lead and subsided into our mind. 

"So you are called Bendis, little mate!" Godric called with his husky voice. 

"Whatever you say will not make any difference!" She called. Godric purred.  

"That's the spirit!" He said to my surprise. "I think you should make him pay!" He added his mind. Are you mad! What the heck are you telling her? I screamed, but Godric just ignored me. 

"Hell, if we won't do just that!" Bendis called again. "You are no saint yourself! You should have stopped him!" She accused Godric. 

"Indeed, you have a point, although my human is powerful and knows how to control his mind very well, he locked me completely and ignored me with all his might! You must know how it feels. You've been locked in Cecelia's mind for two years." Godric argued. Bendis's pace dropped even more now. "Bendis, I beg you to believe me." I couldn't believe the stuck-up creature actually begged. "He was regretting what he did the moment Cecelia walked out of his room. Before even I realised that she had a wolf. Autry's action is not excusable, but for once in his life, even I think he deserves at least a second chance. For all our sake." He pleaded, sprinting with all our force and finally reaching to grab her arm, forcing us all to stop. He gently made her turn to us. I looked at her beautiful, purple eyes. She was as out of breath like us.  

"She has been in so much pain!" Bendis finally spoke after a painfully long silence. 

"I know," Godric called. Bendis leaned forward a little. 

"We have been so scared!" She cried with the beautiful melodic voice of hers. 

"I know," Godric said again. 

"Why didn't you chase us then?" Bendis asked, punching our chest tiredly. Not really able to hurt us with those drained punches, physically, but emotionally those weak punches shredded both of our souls. 

"I wanted to teach Autry a lesson, but it was so wrong of me. I should have been there, no matter what! I should have been there for you both." He apologised.  

"You are both massive, stupid, good-for-nothing goons!" 

"I know," Godric accepted her insults.

 I watched as she tucked her face in our chest and shook with sobs. Godric hugged her with one arm while petting her head with the other. I have no idea how long, but we just stood there like that, waiting for her sobbing to subside. 

"Why?" She asked when finally she was able to control her tears, looking up at our face. "I know the nonsense he blabbed about are just excuses." 

"He was afraid," Godric admitted in my stead. Her forehead wrinkled in response. 

"Of?" She asked. I couldn't help but adore the curious look on that beautiful face. Every feature of her was attractive. 

"Of Cecelia becoming the target by our enemies which try to hurt our pack or some of the nosebleed females, who desire to become the Luna of Nero. There are various possible scenarios, but the point is, he knew we wouldn't be able to endure it if anything happened to you." Godric elaborated. She looked at us, searching.  

"I will bring forth Cecelia. You should call Autry. I think they need to work this through." She said with a sigh. I felt how much Godric wanted to hold onto Bendis. I was just as unwilling as him to let Cecelia go. 

When Bendis gave control to Cecelia, I felt her tense against my chest as she was uneasy with everything, despite Godric’s explanations.

“I am so sorry, Cecelia,” I said as I eased my grip on her but not completely letting loose. “What I did was inconsiderate, stupid, and the way my mind worked back then was twisted. But please, for once in my life, I am begging for a chance to make it up to you! I lost you once, and it felt like living through hell. Please, give me a chance to show you what we have is worth it!” I pleaded. Unable to look her in the eye, I just stared at my shoes, which were now very dirty.

“I don’t care, Autry. I feel like I have been abandoned by everyone who mattered. I don’t feel purpose in my life. I am just a leaf swinging through the wind. I wish I had someone, anyone for that matter, to hold me and say that it will pass. But there is no such person. I only have Bendis, and she thinks we should give you a chance. I have no other choice but to take her advice.” she said with a shaky voice. I never considered what she was going through; I never considered what I made her feel! I felt like a monster; I was the monster! But I wanted to change for her. 

“Let’s get you back to safety first, and we will see from there,” I said.  

 I took us back to the human town, quickly purchasing a phone; I called Damon.  

“Yes?” he answered

“Damon, it’s Autry,” I said. 

“Oh my goodness, Brother, are you okay? You left without a word; we were so worried!” he started scolding me.  

“Damon, calm down," I said again. "I had to go. I will explain to you later, but I need you to come and pick us up”. I told him. 

“Us?” he asked. 

“Me and Cecelia. We are in the town, near the Maya Pack. Are you positive you can find it?” I asked.  

“I’ll do my best.”  

“Good. Come with a plane and bring cash, we need to rent a car. We are driving back.” I instructed. 

“Why do we drive?” he asked.  

“Cecelia doesn’t have her belongings on her,” I answered. 

“Oh…” he trailed off “, I see. I’ll see you in a few. Go back into the woods if you’ll feel more secure.” He advised. “I’ll find you anyways.”  

“Be quick.” and with that, I hung up. I turned to Cecelia; she was standing there, hugging her own chest as if she wished to become smaller.  

“Are you hungry?” I asked. She just shyly nodded her head. “Come,” I called, offering her my hand. Touching her in any way made the uneasiness in me disappear. I knew it helped to heal her invisible wounds as well. To my surprise, she took it; I gave a shy smile to myself.  I took her to a shopping mall I tracked using the map from my phone. We found a decent enough restaurant that didn’t only serve junk food and sat down. I ordered half of the menu, making the waiter gasp in surprise. I saw him eyeing Cecelia secretly. I strangled a growl right at my throat, but I think he took the message anyways, quickly leaving our table.  

“Let’s go shopping after we eat,” I said to Cecelia. She slowly raised her gaze from her fingernails to me. I smiled at her.  

“Shopping?” she asked.  

“Yes, I bet you want properly fitting clothes for the road,” I said to her.  

“I don’t have any money on me, Autry.” she dismissively said.  

“I do. So don’t worry about it.”  

“Is this how you plan on making it up to me?” she stated with a cold tone, her eyes piercing into mine.  

“No, I genuinely think you might feel more comfortable in proper clothing,” I said. To say her suspects didn’t hurt would be a huge lie, but I could understand where she was coming from. “Please, Cecelia, let me take care of you.” I said. I realised that I have been begging this woman since the first second we met.  

“Fine,” she said.  

 *Cecelia’s POV* 

 After eating like I never had, Autry paid for our feast, took me by hand again, and started walking in the mall’s corridors. I would say this; I was surprised by how Bendis was so easily convinced by my lack of hate towards Autry or disgust when he touched me. He rejected me for my lack of abilities, but I, for some reason, still couldn’t help the electricity shooting through my body when he touches me. Something in me was shouting his innocence while the other part of me was ready to sentence him. To say that I was confused would be an understatement.  

He dragged me into one of the stores, which looked like one of the expensive brands. I stopped at the door.  

“Not here. It’s too pricy,” I said.

“I don’t mind,” Autry answered, shrugging his shoulders. 

“I won’t be able to re-pay you this sum of money,” I argued. 

“I don’t want your money, Cecelia,” he said. He looked taken aback, almost sad. 

“But I need to re-pay you!” I went on… I don’t like being indebted.  

“Actually, your safety and happiness are enough of payment on my part. I am your mate, and I ought to take care of you, including making sure you have clothes to wear, food to eat and a proper place to sleep!” 

“You are doing this because you’re obliged to,” I concluded.  

“No, Cecelia, I am doing this because I want to,” he was becoming defeated, and I could read that from his face, clearly. “Now, come on, let’s find you some things you will enjoy wearing.” he dragged me in and through the aisles of the store. “What kind of clothing do you usually prefer?” he asked me, trying to narrow down the choices, I suppose. I felt becoming beet-red.  

“I just wear the hand-me-downs brought to the orphanage,” I answered in a whisper. Autry stopped in his tracks, turning to me. He hugged me lightly.  

“I am sorry, I should have taught about that. We will make the shop manager put together some different styles for you and see from there, okay?” he said cooperatively. I loved when he put in so much effort to avoid the sensitive topics from my life but then hated that he let me doubt his every action and search for an ultimate motive in them by rejecting me. I stayed at the sidelines as he talked something with a woman in a uniform. The woman eyed me several times as I stood still. She nodded, then turned and disappeared through the aisles. Autry turned back to my side.  

“Let’s go to the changing room. The manager will bring the clothes there.” He said.  I was shocked by the number of articles of clothing we left the shop with. I think they would easily support half of the orphanage for one year, and the sum they added up to was excessive; I felt like we added up to the hunger levels of the world in general.  

“Next, we will buy you some purses and shoes.” He announced, getting pretty excited. I, not so much.  I let him pamper me with expensive clothes and shoes and bags and purses, some cosmetics… He was thinking this hard, and he didn’t hesitate to ask for help when his knowledge of women stuff was insufficient. I wasn’t very cooperative, but I let him do his thing.  

“I suppose this would be everything,” he said with a sigh, oblivious that he missed on the essential articles. I coughed  

“I need underwear,” I whispered inaudible.  

“Hmm? Did you need anything else?” Autry asked, carrying all the bags that we collected. He was nearly unable to see where he was going.  

“I need underwear,”  I said louder this time. Causing both of us to go beet-red and look away from each other. He cleared his throat, collecting himself quickly.  

“Of course, how stupid of me! Alright, I will take you to one of the stores,” he said.  

“No, forget it; I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have said that. It’s fine.” I said. Trying to make up but, he was not buying it.   

“No, Cecelia, I don’t think neither me nor Godric will be able to let you walk around without underwear right now. For our saneness’s sake, please.” he pleaded. I nodded my head.  He took me to an underwear shop, where the shopkeeper took me by hand and thankfully helped me around without the need for Autry’s assistance.  

“Your boyfriend looks like a wonderful man.” the girl who looked around my age said with a smile. “You’re so lucky. He is willing to go shopping with you!” she said. “What is your size?” she asked.  

“Um, he’s not my boyfriend. And well, I don’t know my size. I always wore what was handed down to me.”  

“What?” she said with visible disbelief. “We can’t have that. I will take your measurements.” she was so friendly I felt comfortable around her. I nodded and let her guide me for all the jazz. Knowing that Autry will be paying for my underwear was making me nervous. I wished I had at least one article of each, so I wasn’t forced to ask this from him. I felt humiliated. But he seemed like he didn’t care about any of that. He very coolly paid for it all and took me by hand to drag me out of the shop.   

Lastly, he took my new clothes to the in-house dry cleaner to be prepared for me to wear them right away. I left to use the restroom while waiting for the clothes to be done.  

“I booked us a hotel room,” he announced nonchalantly.

“A?” I asked with a squeaky voice. He giggled. 

“Don’t worry. We won’t be staying there. Only for us to take a shower and change clothes. Thanks to our little shopping spree, Damon is about to reach here to come and pick us up.” he explained. I exhaled a breath I didn’t realise I held in. I let myself be dragged again.