Wolf Blood | ✔

Chapter Seventeen

I walked back slowly to the camp, watching Daniel's figure disappearing through the crowd of pack members. Soon enough, I met him talking with Damian in the same tent I was treated. Aiden was somewhere amongst the ruins with Maddie still looking for the cause.

They were quickly throwing words at each other, using terms I'd never heard before so I supposed that I looked like a complete idiot just standing there watching them. I did hear the word elemental once or twice, but it did ring a bell from the many books I've read. 

And yes, I do read fictional books, now that it seemed they aren't as fictional as I thought. I think of them as informative books now I that I've learned that anything can exist in this world.

"That's beyond possible," Damian scoffed, gaining my attention from my previous thoughts. I had already lost interest in what they were discussing. So I decided to do the polite thing and ask them.

"What are we talking about?" Daniel blinked at me, his jaw taut. Clearly, he didn't want to tell me, but Damian seemed more reluctant.

"We're thinking that this fire was planned, and it was done rather skillfully," he said. He had a worried look claiming his facial features.

"Is it that bad?" I asked, studying his face. It was suddenly more interesting to look at. The way his eyebrows scrunched down when he was thinking, along with the creases at his forehead.

"You have no idea," he sighed and ran his hand through his hair, causing it to stick up at odd angles. "We need to make a move before dark. I've already contacted Liam and he's expecting us."

I scrunched up my nose, I didn't want to leave yet. It seemed unfit but I didn't know why.

"Who's Liam?" I asked before following him as he made his way to the head of the lawn to get the attention of the others.

"An old friend of mine. He's going to give us a place to stay while we try to rebuild our home." 

"What's an elemental?" I asked, as soon as Daniel left to get Maddie and Aiden who were still wondering amongst the rubble. It seemed as if he didn't want me to know about anything that was going on here.

"An elemental? You may find this hard to believe," he said chuckling humorlessly.

"Oh come on. I believe you guys exist."

"Well some of us can control the main elements that make up the earth." He paused waiting for me to say something but I didn't, so he continued. "Long ago, each pack was blessed with one and a healer, like your mom, but along with her, they were almost killed out."

"Does Daniel think one of them did this?" I asked.

"Well... not really. They were almost wiped out so we figured that it was impossible for one of them to do this, and besides, why?"

"Should I be wary of this?"

"You should be. You might even pee on you if you've been through what I've been through with them," he said whilst pulling out his phone and tapping at the screen. "Liam's trucks are on the way to transport us, so be ready."

***

The drive to our new location was quiet. No one exchanged any words, everyone in their own worlds. I wasn't surprised it would be that way, being that almost everyone left a body behind. I wasn't sure whether we'd be returning to this place to rebuild, although Damian said we might, he didn't seem too convincing.

I, for one, wanted to visit new heights. I haven't even been back at my old house and neither has Maddie. Things were supposed to change for the better, but it seems the other way now.

We pulled up at a large beige house surrounded by smaller houses. It seemed like a tiny village out in the open. It almost looked abandoned from the emptiness that lurked around it. I saw Damian approach a man who stood in the entrance of the house and they conversed for quite a while.

Until he motioned for us to come out. We huddled together, me gripping Maddie's hand tightly, with Daniel and Aiden close behind us. Damian had assigned them to us.

"These are my younger brothers, Aiden and Daniel," Damian said as we advanced towards him. The introductions had already started. "And this is Ashley and Maddie."

We shook hands with him and he told us his name was Liam. He had wavy brown hair that stopped near his ears and penetrating green eyes. I didn't like his stare, it was almost as if he could see through me.

"Please come inside," he said, startling me with his voice. It held so much authority and determinacy. We followed in meekly and a woman came to show us to our rooms while he continued to converse with Damian.

Maddie and I ended up in the room, and I was relieved with that. I didn't think I could stay another night without her. I dropped the little I had left on the bed and threw myself against the soft mattress. It was a comforting feeling.

"All of this happening... I don't know what to say," she mumbled to herself but I felt as if she was talking to me.

"Neither do I. I didn't ask for this," I merely whispered, and suddenly she was turning me to face her.

"I know you didn't. I hope you weren't blaming this on yourself," she pressed, searching my eyes for something, anything.

"I'm... I'm the one that let the little boy. All of this started after he came in," I said and it sounded as true as ever, even when the tears started to fall. And that's when Maddie started to embrace me.

"What boy?" a voice asked and I already knew who it was. I slowly turned to face a curious Damian, staring at me intently as he entered the room and closed the door behind him.

"I said, what boy," he said a bit louder when none of us replied. We watched him, as he took slow calculating steps towards us, his eyes filled with rage. If it wasn't the small gap he left between us, I would have bolted out the room already.

"We don't have all day!"

"A little boy came to our door Damian," Maddie seethed through her teeth whilst rubbing my back comfortingly. I was shaking by now. "And we decided to be the good people we are, and give him a place to stay."

"A little boy huh?" he laughed humourlessly, shaking his head. "And where is this little boy?"

"He died in the fire," I spoke in a whisper, not being able to meet his eyes. It was clear that he was disappointed with me.

"If he for some reason, is linked to this fire Ashley..." he didn't continue but rather gave me a death glare and proceeded to leave the room.

"Not everyone around here is as cold-hearted as you and your brothers!" Maddie shouted, standing up causing him to stop dead in his tracks.

"Cold-hearted? I did take both of you in, didn't I?"

"Only the benefit of your stupid pack," she spat in reply.

"Oh really? And what about you? What value are you to me? Why didn't I just toss you in the gutter?"

"Oh please. We both know you kept me to keep Ashley happy. It's not that hard to notice. You don't really care about us, so just quit the act. Come on Ashley, let's go," she said yanking me up from my sitting position.

"Where are you going?" he bellowed.

"Away from you." And without further persistence, she pulled us through the doorway and down the stairs until we were met by the fresh air of outside. It was welcoming but at the same time, it reminded me that we had nowhere else to go. I did have a home, and so did Maddie, but I didn't think we could return there after all we'd been through.

***

Taja D'amore.