Chapter 56 The Escapee

~Anna~

I smiled at the children playing on the training grounds and they waved back to me.

“I told them not to play around here,” said Alpha Emery. “Children never listen.”

“I find that adults are more hard-headed,” I replied, and he chuckled.

On a picnic blanket laid down on the soft grass, shaded by overlapped branches of trees, we watched them play catch. Back at the White Lake Pack, children of their age were already placed into training. In the Red Claw Pack, the children were given days to train and a rest day for playing. Here, the children weren’t being trained. They were free to run around all day and play to their heart's content as if they were innocent of the dangers the world held for them. The next protectors of the pack – they should be training for it.

“Why aren’t they in training?” I asked, unable to hold back the curiosity.

“Let them be children,” he said simply.

“What about the pack?”

He frowned. After a while, he said, “We shouldn’t put the burden of our disputes on the children.”

“I began training when I was five. I was raised to protect the pack.”

“And in the end, what did your pack do to you?” he asked.

I stayed silent. I didn’t want to be reminded.

“All these pack wars and rogue attacks, alliances, and betrayal, breeds more hatred among our kind. It is passed down to the children, then their children, then their grandchildren; generation after generation of endless killing and fear. I’ve seen deaths and suffering in this life that could last me another.”

“It’s just the way it is. We can’t do anything about it. Not all Alphas are good, and most of them want power,” I replied. “Liam is one of the good ones. He helps packs in need, packs whose Alpha abuses his power.”

“If he is what you say he is, then why did you leave him?” he asked.

“You never asked about him before. Why now?”

He turned to me with a small smile on his face. In the course of three months, he had exponentially grown older as his strength ebbed away. The lines on his face were more pronounced, and he had a full set of gray hair now, but his eyes held joy instead of the tiredness I first saw in them.

“Simple. You said his name just now.” His smile grew wider.

My mouth fell into a small “o”.

“Did he do something?”

I nodded then hugged my knees to my chest, resting my chin on my knees.

“He did something different from what he said, just like I did,” I confessed. “I promised I’d never leave him, and I did. I didn’t hear what he wanted to say. I knew if I did, even if he lied, I’d forgive him. So, I left before I changed my mind. Then I ended up here.”

“Bella…”

The familiar pain in my chest returned, and so did the burning bite of anger. I stretched my legs out and leaned back.

“But what does it matter? I bet he’s really happy now that I’m gone. He may not even be looking for me. I don’t care. He has what he wants. I learned who I really am.” I gave out a small laugh. “Who does he think he is, anyway? I’m an Alpha too!” I said, turning to face him. “I’m your daughter. I’m of Alpha blood. I’m next in line as Alpha. He’s not the only one…”

I stopped when my voice cracked, and I wiped the stupid tears away. He didn’t deserve them. He didn’t deserve my heart – why should I hurt because of him? I couldn’t erase the image of them kissing. For months, I’d been seeing it in my dreams, and I hated it. I hated how I still missed him, everything about him – his scent, his arms around me – I missed how the world faded away whenever I was with him. It hurt that he did that, but it hurt more that I still loved him despite it.

Is he looking for me? Is he worried about me?

A part of me hoped he was. A part of me was despite him if it was a yes. A part of me believed otherwise.

“We’re not a perfect couple, your mother and me. We argued over the smallest things from the color of the sheets to the words I use to compliment her,” he said as he soothingly ran a hand down my back.

“It wasn’t always perfect, but would you rather go to sleep with a grudge, or swallow your pride and apologize, no matter who was right or wrong, because, at the end of the day, the truth is you love her and come next morning, the smile that graces her lips as she awakes is incomparable to worthless anger and pride and frustration?”

I thought about it. I’d been bitter about the whole matter for months now. It’d kill me if I kept living like this. What would I ask him - to give me closure?

“What if he doesn’t want to talk to me?” I whispered.

“Does he have to talk to you?”

I smiled.

No.

Someone cleared their throat behind us, interrupting our moment. Looking up, it was Beta David.

“I’m sorry to disturb you, Bella, but I have to talk to your Father,” he said sternly.

“Uh… sure,” I said, getting up. “I’ll just… take a walk.”

Alpha Emery nodded at me and I left the two of them to talk. Must be about pack matters.

What should I say?

“I’m sorry I’ve been away?”

No, that wouldn’t do.

“Hi! It’s me. I know I’ve been gone for like a short time… well, not really a short time…”

I groaned. This was going to be harder than it seemed. Maybe I could get him a present? His birthday was in about four months. No, that wouldn’t be right.

I bit my lower lip. What should I do? Knots tightened on my stomach the more I thought about seeing him again. Would he even want to see me now, after I left him just like that?

Stupid Anna.

I shouldn’t have let Salina get into my head. She could’ve been lying – I was yet to hear Liam’s side. Maybe it wasn’t what it looked like? But… I know what I saw…

Sighing, I came to a stop. I should be getting back… but, where was I?

There were only trees around me, and I couldn’t hear the children playing. I must’ve gotten carried away that I didn’t notice where I was going. It should be alright – turn around and walk back.

I kept walking but the training grounds seemed so far it felt like I was walking in circles. I was officially lost within the pack territory. Should I scream for help? That’d be embarrassing. As I thought of whether I should change directions, a growl came from behind me.

A chill ran down my spine at the sound. Gathering the courage to face it, the first thought in my mind was to run and scream. It was a black wolf, huge like an Alpha, but there were cuffs on all its paws, a few links of metal chain still attached to each. It snarled at me, then just… stopped. Deep blue eyes watched me intently as if trying to recognize who I was, and I felt like I’ve seen those eyes before… somewhere.

It drew closer to me and I remained rooted on the spot. Where had I seen them?

Howls came from our left and he stopped. Giving me one last look, it sped away.

I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding. I knew who he was… but it was impossible.

A couple of wolves came into view then disappeared as they chased after it – him. Another wolf showed itself, chocolate brown fur and dark blue eyes. He stopped and shifted into Beta David.

“Bella! Are you alright?” he asked, jogging over to me.

“It- He…”

“Are you hurt?”

I shook my head.

“Bella, what are you doing here?” Alpha Emery asked. I didn’t notice he was here as well.

“I… I was taking a walk and…”

I know who he is.

“Alpha, please take her back. We’ll hunt the prisoner down,” said Beta David before shifting back into his wolf.

“Come. You shouldn’t be here,” said Alpha Emery, holding my wrist and dragging me back with him. “You could’ve been hurt… or worse.” He whispered the last part, but I still heard.

Why is he alive?

I didn’t notice when we were back at the mansion until the doors closed.

“Go to your room,” he said, but I just stared at him. “Bella?”

It’s impossible.

“Who is he?” I asked.

“An enemy,” he said firmly. “He escaped from his cell and he could’ve done something to you if the guards weren’t chasing him.”

He cupped my face and kissed my forehead. “You’re alright now. We’ll keep you safe here.”

You’re not telling the whole truth.

“Who is he, Father?” I asked, raising my voice.

He gripped my arm. “Go to your room!”

“No! Why is he alive? Why is he here?” I shouted.

He let go of my arm and sighed.

“Bella, go to your room,” he said coldly. “Please.”

“You kept him here,” I said as I backed away from him. “Why?”

Anger flashed in his eyes and his lips tightened into a straight line.

“He is my enemy, Bella. He took your Mother away from me. He took you away from me. I lost everything because of him. Everything!”

I shook my head slowly as I retreated from him. “You have to understand. This was necessary.”

“You… kept this from me…”

“He lied to you, Bella! Have you forgotten? He knew you were mine and he never told you. Look what his pack did to you! For two years, I searched for you, but I never saw even a shadow of you. I convinced myself it wasn’t true – that it wasn’t you that day. But I was wrong… I sent spies to look for you, but it was as if you never existed. I thought they banished you, or worse. Two years, Bella!”

His eyes flickered from deep brown to black. “What was I supposed to do? Free the man who took my world from me?”

He reached for me, but I stepped away from his touch. It hurt him, but I was hurting, too.

“Bella…”

“It’s Anna,” I replied, then raced up the stairs to the hallway to my room. I closed the doors with a bang then slid down onto the floor.

Alpha Fraser was alive. He knew I wasn’t Father’s. They kept it from me. Why? Why would Mother… Why would I…

I don’t know what to think of anymore…

A knock came from the other side.

“Bella,” he said.

It felt like déjà vu. I was pushing him away like I pushed everyone away. I did the same to Father when I didn’t shift, I did the same to Liam, and now I was doing it again to Father.

“Your mother went with them willingly that night. Our allies attacked all of a sudden and I tried to get her to a safer place, but she fought me. This scar… she gave it to me. The attack killed half of the pack. I don’t know why she did what she did, but the look in her eyes when she stabbed me… someone forced her to do it. Your mother, Anabella… used her. News of the broken alliance spread, and we suffered attack after attack from rogues and packs. Then, one day, I felt the bond break.”

“Alpha Fraser would never do that,” I said, opening the door. “He took care of me. Father raised me to take over him. He loved me like I was his!”

“I’m sorry,” he whispered, tears rolling down his cheeks. “But what can I do? He took everything from me.”

“You took everything from me, too,” I said then closed the door in his face.