Rogue To Luna

Chapter 11

Ryder definitely has the most injuries out of all of them, and I have to hold back the gasp that wants to escape. I let my guard down only slightly knowing Ryder is the one who caught me trying to leave.

His left eye is swollen shut, and his blue eye stands out in contrast to the bruising surrounding it. He has a split lip, and a cut on his right eyebrow. His left arm is in a white sling, but I don't see a cast. He ignores my analysis of him and jumps up onto a bigger rock. I stay rooted in my spot debating whether I should continue on my journey or see what Ryder has to say.

My curiosity gets the best of me. "Why do you believe I'm not behind the attack?" Out of everyone it makes the least amount of sense that he would have my back. It's been eating away at me since the words left Emeric's mouth.

He pats the spot next to him on the rock. I look into the forrest listening closely for a sign of others coming and looking for me. "I didn't alert anyone. Yet."

His eye holds honesty but I know that he won't hesitate to do so if he deems it necessary in his mind. I give up and walk over hoisting myself up onto to the rock next to him. I brace myself for the lecture I'm sure I'm about to receive.

"My sister was murdered when she was fourteen." I hold my breath not knowing how to respond. When I saw Ryder out here I thought he would yell at me. His statement stuns me into silence.

"Her name was Ruby and since we were twins we were always close. One night she went to sneak out of our house, but I caught her before she could climb out of her window. Our parents weren't the most attentive so I felt the need to be very protective over her. I lectured her on how it wasn't safe for her to go out in the middle of the night by herself." He takes a raged breath. I don't interrupt to ask questions because I can see in his eyes he needs to get this off his chest.

"She told me she was only going to see her best friend, Mia. After some debate I finally agreed as long as she went straight to Mia's. I didn't worry because Mia was twenty at the time and knew she would look after her." His voice cracks at the end. I put my hand on his back in a reassuring manner.

"Back then we had a siren that would go off all over the territory when there was a threat. I remember hearing it pierce through the quite night sky, but I already knew something had happened. I felt it." A lone tear rolls down his cheek. "Being twins meant we had a heightened ability to feel each other's emotions and pain. I woke up to shooting pain in my arm and an overwhelming feeling of dread coursing through my veins." I pull him into a side hug know what that feels like but not in the same way.

"I ran out the front door to look for her. I frantically tried to mind link her, Mia, and Aidan. No one was answering so I ran into the woods assuming she had fallen and hurt her arm. Goddess was I wrong. Aidan finally responded and he told me to head back. I was so confused and frustrated until the sirens went off. We were under attack, and she was out there hurt. I only made it a few more feet before I felt it. I felt her mental connection to me separate, and I knew I was too late. She was gone, they had killed her." I know how hard this had to be on him to relive these moments. He lets out a deep breath turning and looking me in the eye.

"That's why you were so angry with everyone especially me when I arrived?" I ask even though I already know the answer. He nods. "What happened to Mia?" I realized he never revealed her fate. He looks down holding a grim expression and I have my answer.

"They were the only ones to die that night. The sirens gave everyone enough time to protect their families and time for the worriers to respond." Everything slowly is starting to make sense. I never thought Ryder would be the person to open up to me like this.

"What about Mia's family?" Maybe if Ryder talked to them it might help him in a way. I can see a conflict in his eyes.

"What happened when everyone got back to the pack house earlier?" Shouldn't he know that everyone is pissed at me thinking I had something to do with today's attack.