Forget Me Not (Forgotten Series Companion Chapters)

Broken Bonds

I woke up the next day feeling unsettled. After I had gotten cleaned in the shower I hadn't wanted to do anything but stay in the room. I wanted to process what I had gone through but my father hadn't let me. He had said shit happened and to let it go and so we had signed up for panels, made small talk with people I didn't know and knew I wouldn't remember. Then my father had presented me to the Council as his heir all I wanted to do was crawl into a bed and cover myself up and curl into a ball. I hadn't enjoyed it, I hadn't been able to feel any pride for the presenting like I knew I should because every time I felt like I was feeling somewhat okay, Ellis' face popped into my head. I could see the fear in his eyes, could see my hands on his throat, could see his blood oozing between my fingers. It was like it had been imprinted into my brain and I wouldn't be able to ever escape it.

I blinked slowly as I got ready. I was just unsettled, feeling off inside of my skin. I had the panel with the mundane first thing this morning while my father and Lucien were in one that was discussing the rash of infertility and miscarriages that were sweeping across quite a few packs. My father had wanted me to sign onto that one and nearly ordered I not sign up for the one with the mundane until I stated that it was the one panel the other heirs wanted to sign up to as well. He finally relented after Lucien stated that building up potential alliances with future Alphas was a bit more important than brainstorming solutions to a problem Nox didn't have. I had been surprised by his support but appreciative of it regardless.

They had left a few minutes ago as I had looked at the pamphlet for the panel. It called for me to wear a long sleeved shirt and pants but both had to be loose fitting so I could move around in them. The only loose fitting pants I had were a pair of sweats I had to pack without my father noticing and then I had an under armour long sleeved shirt. I figured that was good enough as I put them on. The pamphlet had said nothing about shoes so I grabbed some socks and sneakers, not sure if I needed them or not but figured it was better to err on the side of caution.

I was ready to go and all I could do was stare at the room door. I didn't know why I was feeling like I was. Ellis was alive, he was okay, but all I could imagine was my hands on his throat, the fear in his eyes, and all that blood. I did my best to shake it all away. I was fine, everything was fine. I repeated it again and again as I left my room and headed to the designated room that had been given for the panel. I noticed a rather significant amount of people also heading for it and wondered how many were just going to see what the mundane would do.

I spotted Aiden and he made his way towards me, his smile a bit more strained than it has been yesterday when we met up. "You see Ellis?" He asked it low and I shook my head. "That was quick thinking you did, Sev." He said it as he grasped my shoulder and I shook my head.

"Didn't matter in the end." It really didn't. I had done literally nothing. That mundane female was the one who made the difference, who saved him.

"It still matters that you did it at all. We all thought he was dead, you were the only one who tried to stop him from crossing that threshold." He said it carefully and I shoved away the image of blood on my hands and the fear in his eyes.

His hand dropped from my shoulder and I glanced at him, needing a way to get out of the current conversation. "Have you heard anything about your sister?" I asked it casually, doing my best to change the subject. Aiden had a little sister he had mentioned he was always attempting to get information on but had little success. She didn't live in Fors anymore, had been essentially passed on to another territory. He said there was an issue between her and his father that was unable to be resolved and that it was safer for her to be gone.

"If I can trust my source, she is happy, mated, and still a companion to the Alpha Female. Which is good." He clasped his hands together, his knuckles turning nearly white as he clutched at his hands. "That was all I wanted for her. To be happy." He glanced at me, giving me a half-hearted smile. "What about you? How is your brother, Bastian?" The words hit me like a kick to the teeth. I half wondered if he brought it up because I touched on the subject of his sister, as if he were retaliating against me.