Chapter 15 - "I'm sorry."

OVER THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS, Alaric happily avoided anything to do with Lena. Rebecca hadn’t asked to speak to her again, which was a godsend, but also a curse. It meant that she wasn’t bugging Alaric about Lena because she was up to something she knew he wouldn’t approve of. He couldn’t bring himself to ask his little sister what she was up to, because her mood had improved and after everything she had been through … He didn’t want to take any of her happiness away from her.

Unfortunately, life had other plans for him as Max walked into his office looking upset.

“What’s up, doc?” Alaric grinned, greeting his friend in the old way they did when they were young children. Max looked at him quickly then shoved his hands in his pockets, taking a deep breath. That only meant one thing. It was serious.

“Listen, bud, the natives are getting restless. I wouldn’t have brought it up if it wasn’t becoming a serious problem, but …” Max hesitated and Alaric had a feeling he knew exactly what this was about. “Are we going to keep her locked up in that room for the rest of her life or have you decided what you want to do with her?” Max blurted it out as he crossed his arms over his chest. He knew the precarious position he was putting Alaric in, but they couldn’t just ignore the enormous problem in the packhouse any longer.

Alaric’s position in the pack was weakened while he was away waging this damn war. Then it strengthened when they returned victorious. Then he had to go and bugger it all up by announcing he wasn’t going to kill the witch. And as if all of that wasn’t bad enough … The moon goddess made the damn blood witch his mate! It was truly an impossible position.

“What do you think I should do?” Alaric’s question carried so much weight that Max had to sit down. Alaric poured them both a drink and he sat down across from Max carefully studying the amber liquid in his glass. “There are those in the pack who believe in the mate bond so strongly that they would crucify me if they found out I killed my mate.” Alaric sighed and sat back taking a sip. “Then those same people would crucify me if I took the blood witch as my mate.” Leaning his head back he took a deep breath before continuing. “Then we have the ones who would reject her in a heartbeat because they don’t really care about the mate bond and would rather see me killing the last of her kind.” Max started to look a little uncomfortable. Alaric knew that Max fell in the first group, but he wasn’t sure how his friend felt about killing a mate.

“If you killed her before rejecting her, it could kill your wolf.” Max shrugged as if it was a fact, and Alaric burst out laughing.

“No, it won’t! He will be in pain whether I reject her or kill her, but he won’t die. That’s just an old wives tale people tell people who don’t want to accept their mates.” Alaric took another sip but he could see that he had not convinced his superstitious friend. Was that what was really bothering Max? Was his friend scared that Alaric could actually kill his wolf? Deciding he needed to know, he outright asked Max and from the look in his eyes, Alaric could see he had hit the nail right on the head.

“Well, that just adds another group of people to my list. The ones who think I will kill my wolf if I reject or kill her.” Alaric stood up and walked over to the doomed window. “Is there no way we could convince the pack to just leave her in that room?” He turned to look at Max as his dear friend shook his head. The time had come for a decision. One Alaric really didn’t want to make. Why did she force him into this? Why didn’t she just do as she was told and stay with Rebecca? It would have been so much easier!

Alaric nodded and told Max to put the pack’s mind at ease. He would make a decision in the next couple of days and then officially inform all of them of it. As soon as Max left, his wolf started bombarding him. Since he needed a clear mind to think things through, he couldn’t listen to the love-sick voice of his wolf and he was forced to block him.

LENA’S BUTT WAS NUMB from sitting in the hunched position the entire time and all her limbs were so stiff that she thought she would never be able to move again. Why couldn’t that damn wolf just man up already? She sighed as yet another day came and went.

He should have just killed her and saved them both the trouble! She thought to herself as she tried to find a more comfortable position, but no matter which way she turned, nothing was comfortable anymore. It hasn’t been since this damn war started! When her door opened, she didn’t look up until she heard Rebecca’s footsteps coming closer to the cage. She couldn’t look the little girl in the eye so she quickly closed her eyes and pretended to be asleep.

“Lena?” Rebecca’s voice was thick with emotion, but Lena couldn’t bring herself to look. It would be best for the both of them if Rebecca accepted that they weren’t friends and if Lena gave her any kind of response, it might just give the little girl hope. “Lena, please. I need to talk to you.” Lena sighed as she opened her eyes. She had already hurt Rebecca so badly that she couldn’t do it anymore.

“Hi sweet pea.” Tears welled up in Rebecca’s eyes as Lena used the nickname she gave her after their first picnic. “Before you say anything, I want to tell you that I’m sorry. I don’t expect you to forgive me, and I won’t lie to you and tell you what I did was wrong, but I am sorry if I hurt you.” Lena had only ever lied to Rebecca one time, and she promised herself she would never lie to her little friend again. Rebecca nodded and it seemed as though she was thinking for a moment about what to say next.

“Why did you lie to me?” Rebecca’s eyes filled with sadness. Lena took a deep breath and tried to explain as best she could. She told Rebecca that she wasn’t trying to make any excuses, but the young girl had to realize that Lena didn’t belong there. She didn’t belong with these beasts.

“Your brother killed my parents, Rebecca. I can never forgive him for that.” It was the first time Lena had admitted it out loud and she couldn’t believe the incredible pain she felt saying it. The man that was supposed to love and protect her, ordered the deaths of her entire race! How could anybody expect her to love him!

“My brother told me that your father killed my parents.” Rebecca looked out the window for a moment before turning her attention back to Lena. “And I forgave them.” Lena didn’t know what to say. What could she say? From the sound of things … Both sides were at fault here, but after the war, she was the only one left on her side and they were all still alive and happy. As if needing time to think, Rebecca left without saying anything else and as she stepped through the door, Lena saw a quick glimpse of Alaric before the door closed.

He was there! He had listened in on their entire conversation! Why did he allow Rebecca to see her now? Had he finally made up his mind and given his little sister one last chance to say goodbye before he killed her? Lena breathed a sigh of relief as if she could finally make peace with her lot. Alaric was going to kill her and that was that. Knowing these beasts, they weren’t going to give her any chance to escape or even defend herself.

Her time in this world was over and she would finally be able to be with her parents. Lena lay down and closed her eyes as a single tear dropped onto the ground. It was weird making peace with the fact that she was going to die, but then again, she didn’t know of many people who got that chance.

“I’m sorry.” She whispered as she thought of her parents and her people and the fact that she felt she had failed all of them.