Scarlett's Light

Chapter 7

“What is wrong with you Reynold? Her pack could be tracking her as we speak!” Harrison yells, but Reynold ignores him; refusing to take his eyes and focus off Rowan. “Put your weapon away and shift her back. Now!” He demands and to his surprise, Rowan complies. He watches as Rowan holsters his weapon and forces Scarlett to shift back, as precaution Reynold kept him at gun point still. Once Scarlett was back to her human form, he forces Rowan into the crowd. “Reynold, are you going to f*****g answer me?” Harrison asks harshly as he walks up to Reynold, who finally puts his own weapon away and begins to take off his shirt. “She’s harmless!” He yells for more than just Harrison to hear as he kneels in front of Scarlett and takes the silver collar off from around her neck, “she was a slave in her pack, her alpha doesn’t give a rat’s ass about her.” He adds just for Harrison and gives Scarlett his shirt before healing the burn marks left by the collar.

He picks her up and rushes through the crowd, knowing Scarlett is ashamed of herself. Harrison tries to follow but is stopped as people head to Rowan, all yelling different questions. Reynold takes Scarlett into the castle, rushing to his room hoping she’d feel a little safer there. He slams the door shut, hearing it automatically lock behind him and sets her on his bed. Out of frustration he kicks a book that was laying on the floor, then takes a deep breath to calm himself. He looks to Scarlett, he can still see the terror in her eyes, just before she pulls her legs up to her chest, the shirt over them and buries her face in her knees. The silence is broken with his sigh, “go take a hot bath. I’m sure your body is aching.” He says calmy and points to a closed door nestled between two bookshelves. “The bathroom is right through that door; I’ll go get you new clothes.” He continues as he slowly walks toward the door leading to hall, grabbing a shirt that was draped over the arm of a chair. He puts his hand on the doorknob and looks back at Scarlett. “Please do not leave this room, okay?” He pleads and all he gets from Scarlett is a slow and steady nod.

Reynold takes no more than two steps down the staircase and hears a familiar shrieking. He takes a deep breath and continues down the staircase. Rolonda, Rowan, and Harrison are standing at the bottom step; Harrison keeping them from going up after Scarlett. Rolonda notices Reynold, “I cannot believe you would bring that mangy mutt into the walls! After everything we have been through together!” She yells, but Reynold just rolls his eyes annoyed.

“You healed a minor wound of mine one time. I told you when we started screwing that there was going to be nothing more then just s*x between us.” Reynold says stepping off the last stair step. He turns to Harrison, who still conveyed a bit of anger toward him, “I know you’re angry with me and we can fight later, but please as a favor; don’t let them on the second floor.” He begs, Harrison sighs and nods his head.

“Reynold, you are not leaving this castle until you explain what happened in the square.” Reynold looks back and seeing an old man, nicely dressed like a nobleman. He had an eye patch over his left eye and a white braided beard that was long enough to hang just below his chest. Seeing this man, Reynold looked away feeling like even more of a screw up then he already did in this situation. The last thing he wanted to do was disappointment the man who trained him. “Lord Johannes, all I did was save a harmless werewolf from being bullied by two people who don’t understand the meaning of ‘leave me alone’.” He explains simply, though he knew that answer wasn’t going to be sufficient enough.

“How do you know she is harmless? Did you f**k her!” Rolonda yells, but Reynold ignores her for now.

“Because she doesn’t have a mean bone in her body unless she needs to defend herself. When I first came across her; she had plenty of opportunities to kill me, but she didn’t.” Reynold looks at Rolonda once more, “and yes I did f**k her. When I found her during my mission to kill her alpha, she had just been beaten and I felt obligated to give her a better life.” He continues out of spite. Johannes sighs, shaking his head as he feelings like he is dealing with two children fighting over a toy. “Are you positive she won’t hut anyone?” He asks Reynold.

“Unless she is threatened like she was today, you have me word she wouldn’t even hurt a fly. She is very sweet and quite a few people can vouch for her kindness.”

“I and Madison are two of those people sir, she is actually very helpful and selfless.” Harrison chimes in, looking at Reynold with a look at quietly says, “you owe me.”

“Fine, she may stay.”

“What!” Rowan and Rolonda say in unison, Johannes raises a hand to them as a signal to stop talking, “but she cannot shift within the walls, if she shifts outside the walls by herself; she will be treated like any other monster. So, she is your responsibility.” He looks over to Rolonda and Rowan, “ and my decision is final, now all of you go back to your own business.” He demands before walking away from the four of them.

Rowan and Rolonda leave, but not before Rowan gives Reynold a hateful look. Reynold begins to walk away from Harrison to get Scarlett’s things, but Harrison stops him once again. “Why are you so keen in protecting this werewolf? And did you really sleep with her?” Harrison asks. Reynold couldn’t help the irritation he felt grow, “Yes, it was a one-night thing and she was before I woke up.” He answers and tries to walk away again. Harrison follows, his first question still left unanswered. “You hate werewolves, you specialize in killing them!” Reynold stops and turns with a sigh, “She’s different, I don’t fully understand what it was, but my perspective change the moment I meet her.” He says and watches Harrison’s expression change from anger and confusion to shock and slight happiness, “what?’ Reynold asks. Harrison begins to laugh, “Holy s**t… You’re in love with her!” Reynold turns around and starts walking back toward the staircase to go back to his room as that’s the only place he can go to get away from his currently very annoying friend. “The great Daemon of Demir, the wolf slayer has fallen in love with a werewolf!” Harrison continues to yell causing Reynold to quickly turn back around, “Shut the f**k up Harrison, I don’t need her to have any more trouble come from Rolonda and Rowan. She already unknowingly lost her freedom to be herself, she deserves a little peace in her life.” Reynold says frustrated, before walking back upstairs.

“Should I expect to see her coming out of your room every morning from now on?” Reynold just ignores Harrison and shakes his head.