Defiance

04.

Chapter 4

E L Y S I A

It was almost as if the monster from my dreams had come alive and stood in front of me. That wolf - Aldric - He was a monster but the whole time, he stared at me as if I was the monster. He didn't even leave my cloak in the prison with me. I couldn't get him out of my head. The entire right side of his face was masked with intricate tattoos. The tattoo seemed to run down his face, under his neck, and to his shoulder. He looked as if he was a god of death. He looked like a monster. I quickly wiped the tears off my face. 

Why did I cry? I hated myself. I made myself look like a pathetic little girl because of these tears.

I pressed my back against the wall. The entire prison was stone carved and felt even colder than it must have been outside. It was my fault. I should have stayed put. I shouldn't have walked in any direction. I should have gone closer to the village. If I had those wolves wouldn't have captured me. 

The only reason they had not killed me then was because I had a familiar scent. I didn't know what that meant until I saw my cloak in their arms. The little girl I saved belonged in this pack. She was a wolf and the wolf with the daunting dark eyes was her brother.

I touched my throat to where he had nearly strangled me. I hated him. Even in the truth potion, he seemed to be convinced I was lying. I tried to put it together. He thought I was doing magic to him. I stared at the ruby on my neck. The Maji ruby stopped witches from performing any sort of magic. It was so strong, it worked against the powers of the High Priestess.

I didn't have anyone to help me, I realized. There was no point. I was probably going to die here. In this prison. Every moment I tried closing my eyes, I was woken by an image of the wolf's brother. Aldric. I think his name is Aldric. 

His face was so controlled, so determined, so fearsome. It was as if he was holding himself together so he wouldn't rip me into pieces. Maybe he was controlling his urge to not kill me. The only reason I was still alive was that he wanted to know what happened to his sister. 

How was I supposed to tell him what I didn't know? I know the Mae Coven hurt the little girl but she was also alive because of me. 

And I was only alive because of her.

I wiped away my tears again. Without realizing, I let my head rest atop the stone. The cold would kill me. I had been stifling all night. My stomach had growled and my body felt like it was collapsing. Before I realized, I had shut my eyes.

"Aldric! Let her go." It was the voice of the little girl. I felt myself blinking and in the midst, I saw two figures outside the bars of the prison.

"Aldric! She saved my life! I checked her wrist - she isn't a witch of the Mae Coven. There's no tattoo there. Either way, I am standing before you because that girl lifted Svesta off me. She saved my life - Aldric! She helped me even though she knew I was a wolf. She saved me even when she knew witches - her people - had tortured me!"

I find myself, rising up. This time, I was looking at the man with the olive skin and tattoos that marked half his face - Aldric. The girl behind him was the child I saved - she was clearly his sister. They both had the same olive skin and glistening dark eyes.

"Are you okay? What happened?" The girl rushed to the bars to ask me.

I couldn't get myself to respond. My voice seemed to be stuck in my throat.

"Truth potion." Another wolf said. I looked behind them and saw the blonde-haired wolf I had seen last time. He was the one who had bought me to this pack in the first place. He came in running with another tube of truth potion.