The Last Hope (AU Book 1 of The Last Series)

Chapter 12

There was a knock on the tent, but I didn't say a word while I kept my eyes closed and ignored them, praying that they would get the hint and leave me alone.

"Caroline?" someone asked at the flap, not opening it to see if I was there or not. Worry filled their voice, but I again ignored them and didn't say a word. "Please, are you ok? Are you in there?"

I twisted around and faced away from the tent flap before I brought the covers over my head to hide myself from there.

There was a small chuckle in their voice, and they relaxed slightly at my noise. "Please," they said. "I know that you are there."

I bit back a sigh before I opened my eyes and twisted around to look at the tent flap while I took the blanket off my head. "You can come in," I said, hating how my voice cracked. I cleared my throat and licked my lips while I sat up.

The person opened the tent flap, and I saw that it was Rhett. Concern filled his eyes while he cocked his head and studied me, and I bit my lip because I wasn't expecting him. "Are you ok?" he asked softly, and I looked away and shrugged, not able to answer.

Rhett sighed and moved a hand across his face. "Can I sit down?" he asked and gestured to one of the chairs that was in my room.

I hesitated before I nodded. "Uh, ya, ya," I said and sat up, crossing my legs and holding them to my chest. "What can I do for you?"

Rhett nodded and walked over to the chair. He bit back a sigh before he pulled it out and sat down in front of me. "Well?" he asked and raised an eyebrow.

I didn't respond and cocked my head while I stared at him.

Finally, after a pause and no response, I raised an eyebrow. "Well, what?" I asked and cocked my head further while I studied him. "What do you want?"

"I want to know how you are," he said, and I pursed my lips in annoyance and wrinkled my nose before I shrugged. "I don't want that shrug, Caroline. I know that isn't a good answer."

I sighed and looked at my hands, not able to meet his gaze any longer. "I've been better," I said, mumbling softly.

"Hmmm." Rhett nodded.

I licked my lips and watched them shake. I clasped my hands together to try to get them to stop shaking, but it didn't work, and they kept shaking. I pressed my lips into a thin line.

I wanted to ask some questions, but I didn't know how safe it was to ask him, especially since his sister was the Red Wolf before me.

"What do you want to ask me?" Rhett asked and cocked his head while he looked at me. He cleared his throat and leaned his hands on his knees while he studied me.

I hesitated before I shrugged, clearing my throat while I looked away. "I don't know what I can ask," I admitted. "I don't know what is safe for me to ask and not hurt me or you."

He slowly nodded before he leaned back in his seat. "I believe that you will be able to know what you can ask or not," he said. "My little sister used to know and would get this sinking feeling in her stomach if she knew that she can't ask something."

I looked at him and raised an eyebrow, my heart skipping a beat. "Really?" I asked, and he nodded. "How?"

Rhett smiled sadly before he shrugged. "I don't know," he admitted before he cleared his throat and leaned back in his seat. "I wish I was able to do that too so that I could teach it to you, but I can't."

My heart broke when he said that, and I looked down, defeated. "Oh," I said softly, feeling disappointed that he wouldn't be able to teach me.

"But my sister can," he said, and I looked at him and raised an eyebrow. He smiled and shook his head. "Don't give me that look," he said. "You are to her just as much as she is to you. If you ask and trust your senses, then she can be your teacher."