Chapter 3 Finding A Solution
1433 Words
ELMA'S POV
The first and most crucial part of her plan is to stay calm. So, Elma forced herself to calm down and assessed her situation while trying to think of a plan.
Running away from these brothers would be impossible. The deep forest was full of wild animals. Where could she run to? Her wolf is no longer there to take over should something happen to her in the wilderness.
Furthermore, even if she managed to run away, where could she go? She doesn't know this place. She only knew this by name.
Even if she convinced Woodrow and Rock to let her leave, she couldn't return to her original pack as she didn't have her wolf and was unsure of her father's whereabouts. Basil and Josephine her father might have been dead already but she doesn't want to believe it. If she returns to the pack, she would be banished for not having her wolf. Basil and Josephine will turn the story around and will make her the bad guy. On the other hand, she could make them believe that she had died and come back once she was well. She can't possibly confront them without her wolf. They'll tear her to pieces.
Could she find a house to live in by herself?
Thinking about it makes her want to laugh. Her own house? A werewolf without a pack is as good as dead. Besides, she didn't have any documents, and it wasn't certain she could find a way to make a living in a human city. She wasn't some special agent or a formidable person. She doesn't know how to live like a human let alone survive.
Furthermore, Elma has heard of women living alone and ending up dying because they couldn't protect themselves. It's a sad thought how human women live. She has heard of women getting harassed in their own homes and killed in their own homes. She doesn't want to end up like that. With her wolf gone, what could she do against these evil forces?
The thought of being powerless sent shivers down her spine. Being a werewolf, it has given her strength that humans don't. Thinking about losing it all... breaks her heart all over again.
She tried to reach for her wolf once again. Basil said he had made her wolf sleep forever. Which means her wolf might still be there but asleep.
Elma concentrated and tried to pull her wolf out. However, she couldn't feel anything from her wolf. It was just a void of darkness within with nothing for her to hold onto.
Basil had done this to her and he did not even hesitate. She thought about those times he looked at her lovingly and actually made her believe she was someone special to him. All those efforts he made to make her feel loved. And yet she ended up being betrayed by the same person who made her feel like she was his world.
She shook the thought of her traitorous ex-fiance and her best friend. Right now, she has to think of something that could actually help her. After much thought, the only option she has left was to settle down in this family, recover, and then think of an escape plan.
Another thing Elma is worried about is the twin brothers forcing themselves on her at night. They thought of her as their wife and they might also think they have the right to touch her whenever they want. What would she do?
Thinking about it made her want to throw up. She might have survived that nasty fall from the cliff but her future isn't so bright ahead.
"Sister, drink this while it's hot," said a little voice that pulled Elma to the present.
She looked at the boy that came in. It was the little brother of the twins. As far as she can remember, his name is Sean. Sean placed the bowl filled with ginger sugar water on the nightstand and looked at Elma with a pair of sparkling eyes and a smile on his lips.
"Well, it's not too hot so it won't burn your tongue. Drink it so you will get better," he said.
Sean looked at her expectantly. Elma couldn't help but smile back at him. She forced himself to sit up and leaned against the headboard. She looked at the bowl and the sight of it made her relieved. She instantly gulped down the ginger sugar water.
After drinking a bowl of ginger-sugar water, she felt much better.
"How old are you and where did you learn how to make that?" she asked after putting the bowl back on the nightstand. Elma figured if she is going to stay with this family, she might as well know more about them. And the best way to get information is by talking to the kid.
"I'm seven. My Woodrow and Rock taught me and since then I've been making it for my brother, Orville."
Elma nodded. "How old is Orville?"
"He's ten."
"What about Rock and Woodrow?"
"They're both nineteen."
Elma couldn't help but be surprised. Those two are nineteen-year-olds?
They looked so rugged and weathered for only being nineteen!
Elma found it unbelievable, but then she realized that living in the mountains and hunting for years could age someone. They looked like they had fought hundreds of wars and come back victorious.
"I heard you earlier asking your brother about the medicine, what happened to Orville? Is he sick?"
Elma was able to piece together the information she got so far. From what she can gather, Elma guessed that they were posing as hunters in the human world, hunting in the woods, and then selling their game in the human market. But why were they living in the human village at the foot of the mountain? Which pack did they come from?
Sean's smile dropped instantly the moment she asked about Orville. Instead of answering, he took the bowl from the nightstand and walked out of the room.
"Hey--" Elma was taken aback by his reaction. She wanted to call him back but decided against it. She shouldn't care whether or not she offended that kid. She's not staying for long in this house, anyway.
Whatever her plans for the future, she needed to recover quickly to do them. If these brothers will do something to her, she might as well be prepared.
She was about to lie back down when Sean came back with another bowl for her.
Sean put the bowl on the nightstand and turned to leave without saying a word to Elma. He looked upset, Elma realized. She took a mental note not to ask Sean about his brother, Orville.
Her eyes darted toward the bowl of porridge. If the boy had enough materials to make it, it would have been delicious. But she is not in the right position to complain so she finished the whole bowl.
Having hot porridge in her stomach eased the pain and she felt sleepy. Although she was on guard, she couldn't fight the extreme exhaustion of her body and she eventually fell asleep.
*
THIRD PERSON'S POV
As the sky grew darker, Woodrow returned home before sunset.
Sean ran out of the kitchen to greet him, "Brother, you're back." He then took the medicine from his hands.
Woodrow nodded and pointed to the medicine, "Yep, boil these two sets of medicine. Remember, this one is for Orville, and this one is for your sister-in-law. Don't mix them up."
Sean hesitated and looked at Woodrow uneasily, "Brother... what if... what if after she gets better, she will run away like the two sisters-in-law before?"
Woodrow, carrying a bag of grains to the kitchen, had a brief moment of hesitation in his eyes before he sternly said, "Sean, don't worry about things you shouldn't. Quickly go and make the medicine."
Sean's face was still sullen and Woodrow sighed. "Those two women who ran away are no longer part of our family. Now, you have one sister-in-law and that is the woman who needs to drink that medicine right now."
Sean nodded and started to prepare the medicine.
Meanwhile, Elma was woken up the moment the door opened. She heard of Woodrow and Sean's conversation. She was surprised to hear that Woodrow and Rock already had wives who ran away. What could be the reason? Was her suspicion right? Are these men truly violent that their previous wives ran away?
All of a sudden, Elma got up from the bed.
She's got an idea.
- Writer
