The Red Wolf's Daughter (Book 3 Part 1: The Becoming of the Siran)

Chapter 46

I paced the length of the field that I was in, chewing on my lip. My whole body was tense and filled with worry while I waited for Theodore to come with both Cornelius and Adam. I knew that they were going to have questions, questions about this place and why I was here. However, there wasn't much I could tell them, not until I had made sure that they were not underneath whoever's control any longer.

The question remained, however, was what to do if it didn't work. What was my plan if they were still under whoever's control and the questions didn't work? What would happen to me, to this place, and to my family that I had to claim wasn't my own?

A deep sinking feeling filled my stomach while I wondered about these things, and I had a feeling that I would get another strike. After that, I had no idea what would happen and how many lashings I would receive because I had disobeyed those rules.

"Kyler?" my grandmother asked softly. Pain filled her eyes when I paused and looked at her, and I could tell that she didn't like how nervous I was. She studied me with her soft eyes, and I wished that she could bring me some comfort in knowing what the future would hold for me, but she couldn't. She couldn't see the future and what it held for me. "You will be ok, alright?"

I took a deep breath in and let it out before nodding my head. I knew that she was trying to comfort me, and it worked to some extent, but there was still that small voice that told me I would not be ok. I would not be safe. "Ok," I said, my voice barely above a whisper. I cleared my throat and looked away from her, feeling nervous. "What if this doesn't work out?" I asked, looking at her. "What will happen if I get that third strike?"

My grandmother smiled sadly and shook her head. "I can't tell you," she replied. "You know that. None of us can tell you what to expect after you get the third strike. There's still a possibility that it won't happen, but..." She trailed off and didn't look at me.

I licked my lips and shifted on my feet, the dread in my stomach becoming greater by the minute. "... but whatever is going to happen is most likely going to happen," I finished. I stuffed my hands in my pockets and nodded. "I think I can live with what might happen and survive it."

Clarissa shifted on her feet and cleared her throat. She didn't look at me, nor did she look at anyone. Doubt filled her eyes, and I had a feeling that there was a chance that I would not survive whatever happened after the third strike.

"Let's... worry about that when it is time," my grandmother said, and I pulled my gaze from the Prophet and towards grandmother. "There is still a slim chance; however, I do wish that you will not get that third strike soon." She gave me a pointed look, and I shrugged my shoulder.

"I'll try not to, but I make no promises," I replied. I cleared my throat and fiddled with the insides of my pockets. "There's a chance that I could get it if this doesn't work out as I hope."

"What do you hope to accomplish?" Orion asked, studying me. He had been quiet while we walked over here, and I was surprised when he had said something. "I mean, you do know what you want, correct?"

I bit back a snort and puffed out my cheeks before I sighed and nodded. "Yes," I replied. "I know what I want to accomplish." I sighed and moved a hand through my hair before grimacing. "If it happens, it happens. If it doesn't, then I'm going to have to go back to the drawing board."

"And do what?" Orion asked. "Will I have to be here for the second part of your plan?"

I shrugged my shoulder, answering his first question. "Yes, you'll have to be here for the second part of my plan," I replied. "I would suggest you not asking a lot of questions, however, because I have a feeling that there are some things that you do not want me stating out loud just yet." I gave him a pointed look, and his face grew pale.

Orion's Adam's Apple bobbed up and down while he looked at me, and I had a feeling that he knew what I wanted to ask. "How..?" he trailed off and did not finish asking his question when I shook my head, no.

"I think it'd be safer if we didn't ask those types of questions, Orion," I replied. "At least not until after we are done with this, and then I'll answer your questions."

Again, Orion's Adam's Apple bobbed up and down, but he kept quiet. Slowly, he nodded his head, and I knew that he would not ask about how I knew what I knew. He was curious, to say the least, but I had a feeling that he was more scared than curious because of the way he glanced at both our grandmother and my grandfather.

Grandpa Fernos furrowed his brows in confusion at the wary glances from Orion. "What is with the glances, Boy?" he asked, folding his arms across his chest and scowled. He gave Orion a pointed look, and Orion quickly pulled his gaze away from my grandfather and towards a tree. "Well?" he asked when my cousin didn't answer off the bat.

"N-n-nothing," he stuttered while he shifted on his feet. He cleared his throat and looked in the direction that Theodore should be coming from with hopefully Adam and Cornelius by his side. "It's nothing. There's nothing to worry about."

"Hmph," my grandfather responded. He narrowed his eyes at me, and I met his gaze head on, not fazed. "Well?" he asked, raising an eyebrow. "What has Orion so worried?"

I opened my mouth to reply to him but couldn't when I heard yelling from Adam towards Theodore. I couldn't quite make out what he was saying, but I had a feeling that it was because they were in a place like this and not where they were meant to be.

The air around us grew tenser and thicker as the time seemed to pass slower than it should've. This whole thing seemed to be waiting for these two men and the answers that they held.

If we could get them or not was still unknown, and I prayed with everything about me that we could get them.

This was our last hope into figuring out these answers that seemed so far out of reach but close at the same time, and I prayed that it turned in my favor, and I could help a pack that was long forgotten by society and not just these two men whose lives were about to be changed forever.