Lost Things

Chapter 4: promises and assessments

Chapter Four: Promises and assessments

            What Jacob wanted to do with Malak was to keep her here with him. Malak knew of their kind and was in danger of being found by the rogues again. She needed to stay for her safety. He kept coming with reasons for why she needed to stay so he wouldn’t think about his own motives. He didn’t want to acknowledge his growing fascination of her, of how he felt that need to know her, or find out how she spellbound his wolf and pack even before waking up.

            Try to be as truthful as possible. Eric advised Jacob.

            “We are not going to hurt you. We aren’t going to do anything to you. We just want to help you by keeping you safe you know… and I am asking you to stay with us for a while, until you heal and get back on your feet. Is that ok?” Jacob took a leap of faith by implying that her stay was optional.

            “Who are you?” Malak didn’t know what to do or say. She was expecting him to say that they were going to enslave her; to give her back to the rogues, to torture her, to rape her, she even hoped that they would kill her.

            “I already told you our names. I am the manager of this gated community that is made up out of about 15 families. It's close kin. These aren’t actually my cousins through blood but we grew up together and I think of them as family. In here, we take care of our own security, farms, livestock, and everything else that make us self-efficient. We travel to the town a few miles away for school and some things we need from the supermarket and stores. We even have the best doctor in the county.” He pointed at Dr. Joshua. “What I am trying to say is whoever you are scared of, running away from, can’t get you here… So, Malak, stay until you heal up, until you know your next step. We won’t hurt you.” He tried to speak only the truth while omitting few things. He somehow knew that her golden brown eyes will look right through him and find his lies. The gold specks in her eyes held him captive until she looked away.

            Sarah stood up, put everything back on the table and walked to Jacob’s side and waited, like everyone else, for Malak’s reaction. If Malak didn’t stay by choice, they would have to keep her by force and destroy any chance of a trusting relationship among them.

            “Promise?” Malak whispered after a thoughtful moment. She looked back at Jacob with a pleading look, realizing that this was her only safe option.

            “Excuse me?” Jacob asked confused as she started to lightly tremble, her adrenaline dissipating.

            “Promise no one will hurt me here.” She spoke in a whisper, afraid that any loud noise would shatter the room. She was still unsure that this was real because it could all be an illusion the rogues created to punish her; it wouldn’t had been the first time.

            Jacob saw her barriers shattering. He finally saw her in her rawest form; seeing how scared she was of them being like the monsters that hunted her.

            I will kill anyone that causes her the slightest bit of pain. Nicolai declared to everyone in the room through the link.

            Agreed. Jacob backed him up.

            “I promise that I will do everything I can to make sure no one will ever harm you here.” He and Nicolai promised. Malak gave a small sighted in relief before placing the knife down on the tray and pushing it aside.

            Be careful, she’s fragile. Dr. Joshua warned as they moved closer to her. Jacob stood by the foot of the bed, the twins sat on the floor by the window, and Eric kept his place by the door. The doctor took away the cart that Sarah used and cleaned it up. Then Dex walked in with a breakfast tray filled with toast, some cheeses, sliced apples and grapes, with a bottle of water and a bottle of apple juice. Sarah removed the tray filled with knives and Dex placed the tray he brought into its place.