Unclaimed

Chapter Forty-Three - Not Afraid

MaryAnne

Someone who can better understand having empathy for those in distress.

Everyone's afraid, but we don't have to act that way.

We don't have to live that way.

I trudge through the woods, mud and dirt sticking to my boots as sweat soaked through my tunic. My pants cut my thorns and jagged branches. It was barely dawn, the sky still dark and the forrest even darker.

I'm not afraid!

I've lived for fifty-eight years, what could she know about fear? She's never been afraid of a spouse or her neighbor. My ex-husband beat me, my neighbors did nothing. What could she know! I'll show her.

And she just gives that pup Cassie the auction event without even consulting me! She thinks I'm useless!

I had ventured out of pack lands the day before Beau was set to go back. Heading straight in the direction of the faelands. I would prove Beau wrong, I would show her I'm not some coward.

That's how she looked at me. With annoyed pity in her eyes like I was some wounded puppy. It made me angry, she was so young but she couldn't know how hard life really was. Thomas had smothered her growing up, guiding her hand and her gaze for so long. She sounded just like him sometimes, it was uncanny.

Thomas unfortunately passed down his altruism and now here we are with me forcing to prove myself.

She never told me to leave.

But she might have well put it up on a billboard. I pressed on.

Days had gone by before there was any sign of being any closer to the faelands. The woods had gotten darker, there were less leaves on the trees the further I walked, and pretty soon, I was walking through dead woods. No sigh of life anywhere, not a single sound other than the crunching of the dried up leaves under my feet. That was until I was suddenly tackled to the ground. My body lurching back as large paws pushed into my chest slamming me into the mud.

I coughed hard as a large brown wolf stood over me, snarling in my face as his claws torn through the mud caked tunic. I struggle against his hold, trying to pry his massive paws off my chest but it's useless.

"Who are you!" A voice shouts from behind the wolf and when I don't answer the wolf growls lowly. I cringe as he drives his claws deeper into my chest but I don't look away from him. Sensing my refusal to back down he turns to look behind him.

"Let her get up." The voice says and the wolf moves its paw off me. I brush the dirt off my clothes, as much as I could at least, and pushed my legs under me to stand. In front of me was Harald.

Dressed in what looked like Vadim's clothes. A deep navy green kefta left open to show his ironed down black button up shirt and slacks. The kefta had to be Vadim's, my eyes recognizing the pattern of the golden threaded embroidery.

I'd remember his face from the live stream. I school my expression giving nothing away as we stared each other down.

"Why are you here?" He asks, looking at me from underneath Vadim's legendary crown. Gold embellishments encapsulating shining jewels that were framed on the band of the crown with leaves and vines. Resembling something more of peace and prosperity.

A huge juxtaposition to the dead wood that surrounded us.

"I'm here...because I heard about your pack and I wanted to see if you walked the walk." I said keeping my chin high. He looks at me from behind his tiny circle frames and laughs. Straight white teeth coming into view.