Finding Forgiveness

“And look at what is around her neck,” Another man said.

Milly brought her hand to cover the amulet but it was too late.

“Witch!” another woman screamed. “There’s a witch in the village!”

“She is a danger to us all. Alpha, do something!” another man pleaded as a chorus of gasps and curses spread through the crowd.

“She has hurt my brother,” the younger of the two women by Anton added.

“No, please,” Milly said standing up, “I didn’t mean to. You have to believe me.”

As the witch chants and accusations continued, I noticed the sky begin to cloud over again and then wind pick up. Milly was staring down at her hands, breathing heavily, clasping at the amulet, clearly trying her best to control it.

But then her gaze fixated on one member of the crowd in particular.

A boy, about her age, with short black hair and bright blue eyes. He stared at her, a look of betrayal in his eyes.

“Otis,” she sobbed stepping forward.

So that’s Otis…

He backed away, which only brought enough exasperated sob out of Milly and darkened the skies even more.

“Stay away from us!” a woman shouted from the crowd.

“Alpha, banish her!” a man said before the rest of the crowd cheered and agreed. “Deal with her or we will!”

As the gale blew, Leo looked at Milly and then the rough waters of the lake, and the tremors in the ground. Her hands shook, sparks lighting up around her as the tears streamed down her a face.

“Enough,” Leo bellowed to the crowd, silencing them immediately.

He then paused as Max marched over to Milly and took her hands before guiding her gently away. The weather began to clear again and the surroundings returned to still.

“No harm will come to this young girl. That is an order,” he said, “Anyone who disobeys it will be punished.”

No one dared speak up.

“If you are here purely to spectate, go home. There is nothing more to see,” he added before marching away in the direction Milly had Max had gone as I followed him.

With the temporary glimmer of hope Milly had provided gone, Leo had to return to plan A, go back to the base and train his men as well as he possibly could.

Max and I took Milly back to the Alpha house where she immediately declared she wanted to be alone and went upstairs to the library where she sat sobbing for hours.

In the early evening, I decided to go looking for Max. I followed his scent up to the top floor and then through the hatch onto the roof.

It was summertime but the air still had a slight chill to it. I felt the cool breeze on my face as I climbed through the hatch so I pulled my cardigan tighter around me before carefully wandering along the edge of the rooftop and sliding down to where Max sat perched just before the gutter.

“Who’s watching the kids?” was all he said as he stared out over the forest.

There were four stories to this house so we were above the treetops, with a clear view of the mountains and lakes, despite the fading daylight.

“Luca came by to drop some groceries off and he’s gonna stay for a bit,” I said.

Max nodded but refused to look at me.

“I’m sorry,” I said after a deep breath.

He shrugged and reached into his pocket before pulling out a box of cigarettes and a lighter. He put one between his lips and lit it before taking a drag.

“I didn’t know you smoked?” I said as he breathed out the smoke.

“I used to. A lot. Then I quit and now I only do it when I’m angry, sad, stressed or depressed,” he replied taking another puff of his cigarette. “Tonight it’s all four. Congrats on driving me to insanity.”

I sighed, “Max-”

“Save it, Ella,” he said. “I’m pissed off that you didn’t listen to me and there’s nothing you could say to change that. I told you it was a bad idea and look what happened.”

“Leo has it under control,” I replied.

Max scoffed, “Leo can only control what people do, not what they think. They won’t burn her at the stake because they’re afraid of going against him but it doesn’t mean they don’t want to,” he said. “We have sentenced her to a life of being treated as an outcast, a freak… a danger by everyone in this pack.”

“I didn’t think this would happen,” I said.

“But you were willing to take the risk. I thought you cared about her more than this,” he replied.

“The pack is under threat along with all of its people. Our mates, our friends, our family. Including Milly. It was a risk but so is not doing anything,” I said. “I thought we had a better chance at saving lives with her help. I was wrong but at least we won’t watch good people die knowing your sister could have saved them.”

“So we were gonna risk a 17-year-olds life just so we can rest easy?” he asked.

“You know that’s not what I meant,” I snapped.

After that he was quiet and we just sat on the rooftop for a bit. He finished his cigarette before throwing the but off the roof with more force than necessary.

“I’ve decided I’m gonna take Milly away,” he said. “Somewhere far from here where no one knows about her. And where she’ll be safe from Martinez.”

“And I take it you’ll be staying with her?” I asked.

He nodded, “I can’t leave her on her own. She’s too young.”

I nodded, “… Then I’ll miss you,” I said.© 2024 Nôv/el/Dram/a.Org.

He said nothing stood up and walked along the roof towards the hatch for a few metres before pausing.

I had hoped that he’d say it back. Or acknowledge it at least.

But a few seconds later he just slipped back into the house without a word, leaving me alone on the rooftop.

Andrea’s POV

I drove at 90 mph through the Colombian countryside after my Vacation to Washington state.

I’d achieved all I set out to do and with all necessary preparations planted within Loren’s territory, everything is ready.

His men may be more disciplined and loyal than mine but my plan is smart and unpredictable. The Alpha has no idea what I was really doing in his pack and it might just give me the edge.

I’d also seen his mate again. I couldn’t deny how good it felt to hold her, feel her beautiful body in my hands and watch as she shudders and cowers away from me, completely helpless. She used to be so fierce and confident but I turned her into a shivering wreck within seconds. It was satisfying to watch but nowhere near as good as it was going to be when I kill her… when she is finally truly mine.

The fear that will be in her eyes, the way she’ll beg, the way she’ll plead.