Chapter 15
Kyrell’s POV
“Aren’t you attending the birthday celebration of Alpha Ryan’s sister?” Declan asked as we wandered deeper into the woods that night.
I have been restless and couldn’t sleep due to the horrible nightmares and migraines. I had opted to go out on my own but he wouldn’t allow it and decided to invite himself along with a few guards to join my solo hunting trip.
“He sent his warmest regards and personally wrote that he wishes you would grace the ceremony with your presence.” Declan added while I paid little or no attention to what he was saying.
“I’m not interested,” I said after a moment of silence. “The audacity he has to even invite me to an occasion when he knows the history between our pack and kingdom p>
Declan shrugged visibly, “Maybe he’s trying to extend a hand of friendship. I wouldn’t be surprised. No one in their right mind would want to hold a grudge against you of all people p>
“Reject the invitation.” I said in a serious tone before walking deeper into the woods.
“So, this is your idea of clearing up your head?” Declan muttered from behind me. “Hunting wild animals in the dark p>
I breathed out tiredly, “I tried shifting and running laps around the pack but it didn’t help. Besides, I’m tired of hearing you talk cause it’s distracting my focus so shut up p>
He made a gesture of zipping his mouth with his hands and for once, since we started out this journey, I am highly grateful for that.
Ever since I came back from that feast, I have been restless, the nightmares have only progressively gotten worse and the animals inside me were at constant war with each other, trying to see which one would possess and exert dominance over the other—Over me.
I have tried all I could so that I don’t lose control, so that I don’t lose that last thread of sanity. A grueling attempt with little or no results at all.
Drawing sexual pleasures from my slave doesn’t work either. I have come to realize that it only takes the pain away and blocks out the nightmares for a few minutes and then, it’s back to how it used to be.
The herbs are also a temporary fix and the physician has exhausted all his methods so I have no choice but to force myself to remain sane in any way that I can even though it includes taking hunting trips at night to take my mind off things.
Declan is well aware of my plight but what he doesn’t know is that it has progressively worsened over the yearly moons that followed.
I don’t want to frighten him and the people around me. I can’t risk it. Besides, if anything happens to me, I want him to be ready to stand in for me and take care of my people especially someone who is very important to me at the moment.
“My Lord,” I heard Declan’s frantic voice as she ran towards me. I had no idea that I had walked farther away them. What could possibly be the issue now?
“What is it p>
“We found something strange,” He said, confusion written all over his face. “Come and take a look p>
I followed, trailing behind him till we arrived at a wounded lifeless body, lying face down that I could barely recognize, straddled underneath a tree.
“Is she one of own?” I asked and Declan shook his head in the negative.
“Seeing how she was thrown out here and left to die, I believe that it was done on purpose. The collar on her neck has a different symbol so it means that she’s a slave and she’s definitely not one of our own.” He analysed while I took a closer look at her body.
“She’s not from this pack.” He was quick to add.
Her clothes were torn and her back had multiple whip marks that had left bruises scattered on them. It was obvious that she was a slave that has been tortured to death.
“Do we leave her out here?” Declan asked even though I know that he didn’t want me to agree to that question he just asked.
I have an unspoken rule of not helping people from other packs and it has remained so for the longest time.
But staring at her now, the only emotion I felt at that moment was pity and the urge to help her. I knew first-hand, what torturing can do to someone. How it can break someone.
Signalling to the guards that stood behind me, I ordered them to carry her body so that we could head back to our pack. The minute they prepped for travel, her face came into view and I immediately recognized her.
She was the same slave from that night. The one that had run into me at the feast while trying to escape. How on earth did she end up here of all places? Something small yet familiar stirred inside me at that moment. The feeling of my wolf recognizing her.
She was my mate after all.
My hunting trip came to an end as we made our way back home to the physician. As soon as we arrived, he admitted her immediately for treatment.
“How is she?” I asked the royal physician as soon as he stepped out of her tent hours later.
“How is she doing now?” I repeated, my jaw tightened in a frown. “Will she recover p>
“For now, I can’t say My Lord.” He answered. “The poison in her system has been there for a very long time before you found her and it has weakened her wolf so it’s hard to tell. And again, her bruises are too deep that it will take a while for the medication to kick in. I don’t want to be negative but I fear that it might take more than a miracle to survive p>
“Her entire system has unfortunately shut down after the experience but I have given her some herbs to help so I suggest that we wait until morning p>
“She will survive,” I said in a monotone before letting out a deep breath.
“How can you be so sure, My Lord?” He asked, puzzled but I didn’t answer.
I know that because before we brought her in, I had accidentally touched her and my wolf felt a connection which was a clear indication that her body was still fighting to stay alive even though she wasn’t.
“I just know it. Keep an eye on her and do everything you can to help her recover.” I ordered in a stern voice and after dismissing Declan and the rest of the guards, I walked away to my tower to rest in solitude.
“She’s the one!” My wolf, Ash, prowled inside me while my cougar remained silent. “She’s our mate! Mark her, claim her!” He growled but I simply ignored his protests.
Claiming her would mean accepting her as my mate and I cannot do that. I will not do it, not even in a million years. She’s Alpha Ryan’s property and moreover, she is a traitor’s daughter from an enemy pack which only meant that she is an evil person like them and I definitely won’t make someone like her my mate.
If she had been tortured like this then it only meant that she must’ve done something terrible to deserve such punishment. People like her, can’t be trusted.
“Tell her when she wakes up so we can quickly put an end to this madness!” Ash urged yet I remained silent.
As soon as she wakes up, I will send her away from here. I do not want to have any kind of connection to her. She might be my mate but in my eyes, she is nothing but a wretched slave and it will always remain so.