The Alpha's Keeper

VI: Think You Are Right

Jerald pounced on Joshua again, but he moved, dodged his attacks, and made his movement stopped with two strong punches. Jerald’s white skin was stained with blood as Joshua’s blows made contact.

He backed away. “The firstborn! The prodigal son of the best warrior! Your father would be proud if he wasn’t dead!” He said while smiling mockingly.

Joshua felt a fit of huge anger. In an instant, he transformed back into his wolf figure. He advanced strongly against Jerald, and he was prepared for that.

But when Joshua was about to put his hands on him, five huge wolves appeared to cover Jerald. They attacked and fought against Joshua, who was now only defending as if he gave up or he just stopped fighting. Thus it did not take long for him to be cornered.

He returned to his human form again. He looked at Jerald expressionlessly before his gaze shifted to the five werewolves who held him.

“Why don’t you defend yourself now, huh? Traitor!” Jerald said with unmasked confusion.

“Never raise your hand against your family!” Joshua said, while glaring at Jerald, “That’s what my father taught us. But clearly, you are trash! You didn’t learn it!”

The wolves holding him looked at him with a small tinge of admiration. But it was Jerald who was rising to his full height, said as he slapped Joshua’s face.

“You are an asshole! Just like your father!” After saying those words, he looked at Edith and said warningly, “This time, I’ll take him away. I don’t want you to succumb to the temptation to save him again, witch! Don’t meddle in our pack business, just like you always do, and we will do the same!”

No Please! Edith thought as they took him away.  Jerald’s five men were dragging him away, but he managed to cast one last look at Edith and smile tenderly at her.

Her heart hurts so badly, and Edith felt lost. Joshua… She silently called out even when the wolves were out of her sight. In a few seconds, everyone had left, Edith was completely immobile.

The cold environment of that day entered her bones as she tried to understand what that man had caused in her that led her to be so distressed.

She didn’t understand what was happening or why by just imagining Joshua, even in his wolf form, would be beaten u caused her so much pain, and more so with the possibility that she won’t be able to see him again. It almost terrified her.

Do you feel lonely? Edith wondered about trying to understand what that feeling was. She was exploring her mind.

Had she spent so much time alone that her first show of affection made her shudder?

Was it perhaps the pleasure that the attention that this man gave her? Or is it the fact that what he said could be true?

What if it was true? What if he saw her in a way that no one had ever seen her? She kept questioning herself.

That idea made her heart happy. Still, that thought was fleeting because he was no longer there, and in a few moments, he would disappear from existence itself.

Not until I am sure! Edith was determined, and with speed, she returned to the cabin, took several bottles, and ingesting their liquid.

She released heavy breathes and muttered chants softly. It did not take long, and she felt how her vitality was restored. Immediately, Edith got dressed, ready to endure the freezing night in the forest. With determination, she left in the direction of the wolf’s lair. She won’t let anyone hurt him.

You are completely crazy! She constantly thought, but the need to protect him was great.

Without being sure why she decided to embark on a rather complicated adventure, she trudged through the complicated grounds of the wolf’s den. Far up a hill, she saw the walls that divided their chambers from the rest of the forest.

The wolves lived in wooden huts, accepting their connection with the animal kingdom and often denying the advance of the world.

Their instincts governed their behavior and their culture, and that cheered that many times their way of acting was much more similar to a beast than to a thinking human being. That made her remembered the main reason for the forest’s existence.

You are completely out of your mind! She thought, clenching her teeth. It was the first time she meddles on the forest inhabitant’s business.

But Edith knew that if she did not take action at that moment, it would bother her for the rest of her life. With that in mind, she stealthily slipped into the lair in search of a place where they could have hidden Joshua.

She hoped he was not dead and carefully approached, in the distance, saw Joshua’s figure chained in a cage. She looked at the wretched state of his body. The more she looked, the more Edith felt her heart being squeezed. Her eyes blurred from the tears that she did not know were already falling on her face.

Joshua was now a victim of unspeakable torture. She wanted revenge, but she needed to help him first. With speed, she approached that place.

The wolf was inside an iron cage with two silver nails buried in his hands that kept him fixed to the ground and a chain around his neck that did not allow him to bring his mouth close to his restrained hands.

His body was full of open wounds that would not stop bleeding from the nails in his hands, and that sight completely baffled Edith.

Wild beasts! Despicable existence! She thought as she slowly approached the cage and, placing her hand on the lock.

 “Petaficio Sursum,” She muttered softly.

The lock gave instantly and calmly. She opened the door, took the chain from his neck, and released it using the same spell. Joshua could barely breathe, but when he saw her, a warm smile appeared on his face. By doing this small action, the bleeding wounds on his face might be stretched out, but he still did it.

“Don’t cry…” he said with great difficultly. 

“Stop talking! Who’s crying? It was raining!” Edith retorted, but her tears kept running out of her eyes. She averted his heated gaze and focused on his wounds.

“You… Should… Not be here…” He weakly said, “I might be dreaming. I wanted to see you so badly before I die…” 

Edith glared at him before she poked one of his wounds softly that made him groan in pain. “Painful, right? Do you still think this is a dream? Huh?” She asked in unmasked anger.

He shook his head slowly. “Merciless… But I like it…” Joshua muttered before he grinned weakly.

“Not allowed to die until I say so!” Edith said through clenched teeth, “Not allowed to talk too. I need to free you, so stay alive for me.”

“Yes, ma’am,” he assured her while looking at her warmly like she was his light in the darkness. He was looking at her intently that made Edith feel uncomfortable that her concentration was being disturbed.

“I think you are right. I might be your mate,” she suddenly said softly, avoiding looking at him. She wanted to distract him, but it was also what she was genuinely feeling at that moment.

He remained quiet when she glanced at him, and he has this animated expression on his face. He was so happy that it was weird when his face was really bloody.

She couldn’t help but laugh and caress his cheek.

“Be good, I will free you soon,” she assured, before she calmly concentrated on the nails in his hands, then she took a deep breath.