Page 47 of The Hidden Guardian

“Yes, let’s see what atrocities Renall has to atone for today.” We head toward the door and Onai opens it a crack and peeks her head out. A crack is all we need to hear the growling language echoes through the cave enough for Onai to translate. Leaning over, I sneak a look around the center of the cave.

Renall’s green eyes meet mine immediately. They hold me, pin me in place as my heart speeds up. The anxiety in our bond turns molten and sets my body on fire. It’s hard to breathe, but Renall has that stoic face he always has. The spell breaks when he finally turns away, toward the crowd, to respond to a question.

My eyes travel around the faces of the crowd. It’s different today, the pack is antsy and distracted. Some fidget in their chairs, others pace behind them.

“Does the cave seem off today?” I finally ask.

“Huh?” Onai asks, ears listening to the pack. “Oh yeah, it’s the full moon, they can feel it coming in their bones. They always get a little rowdy leading up to it.”

Renall’s growling voice echoes around the cave, causing my attention to gravitate to him. The bond zings with anger so fast it startles me, and I wobble slightly.

“Oh, they brought up Cora.” Onai places her hand over her mouth.

“Who is Cora?” My stomach twists with a feeling I’ve never felt before. Another woman’s name was enough to ignite jealousy within me.

“His first Guardian,” she tells me nonchalantly, as if hearing that name didn’t just shred me to pieces internally.

His first and only Guardian before me is what remains unspoken between us. The only other woman he’s ever mated. Knowing the name of Renall’s former lover makes me want to leap out of my skin and burn the place to the ground. Where is this coming from?

And why would they bring her up as a bad act? The question remains on my tongue, but I don’t have the guts to ask. I’m afraid the answer will make me think less of Renall.

Interrupting my thoughts, another harsh growl emanates around the cave. I know that growl, I look down to find the onyx wolf with the scarred face reply something at Renall. I can’t understand his words, but his tone is filled with anger and resentment. “Who is the scarred black wolf?”

“Oh, that’s Leland.”

“He hates Renall. I’ll never forget the way his onyx wolf form looked at me that day on the ledge … it was sodesperate.”

There’s a pause as Onai bites her bottom lip before starting, “A few centuries back, Leland felt the pull of his Guardian, but he was not allowed to leave. Unlike Renall, he obeyed and remained in the cave. His Guardian went on to live life, and eventually, without the mating bond, she died.”

“During that time, he would have still felt the pull and her emotions …”

“Yes, I can’t even imagine the torture that must have been for him to have felt her and know she was just finally here, yet unable to act on it.”

“No wonder he despises Renall so much.”

“And he would do anything for a mate, whether it’s his or not. Don’t take your eyes off him.” Her stern warning makes me sit straighter against the cave wall.

“Don’t worry, I won’t.”

What she doesn’t know is that I don’t take my eyes off any of them. Renall is the only one I feel a connection to, and now seeing how many wrongdoings he has to answer for to the pack is making me doubt whether he’s the kind of man I’d want to be tied to for the rest of my life. I thought Renall was the one guy I was safe from … now I’ve got to add, might screw me senseless every full moon whether consensual or not. No, this is not the place I want to be. This is not the place that I would want to raise children in. The world has grown by leaps and bounds for women’s rights, I will not go back in time. I’d rather take my chances out there in the real world on my own. It took the hunters years before they found me and Colton. Without a wolf I’m hoping I will be harder to find. Because since Renall refuses to leave with me, I will be forced to leave on my own. Colton and I had this dream to move to a small town on the coast and open up a florist shop. I’ll have to do that alone now, but it can be done. I can start over alone. My Mother did.

With the decision made, I pack my backpack and wait for midnight.

ChapterTwenty-Five

AUTUMN

The cave is quiet tonight, the night of the full moon. The hum and vibrations that usually echo through me are gone. It feels … weird. Silence in the normally rambunctious cave is deafening. To fill the emptiness, my mind is running rampant. Pacing back and forth in the cave, I’m worrying about whether Renall is going to come in like a live zombie crazed by the moon ready to hump me to death. Everything with these wolves is new and crazy and getting weirder by the second. I glance at the chair propped up against the door. Will that chair even hold off a horny wolf on a full moon? I’m not sure, but it’s better than nothing.

My escape must be tonight, Onai already told me that everyone goes outside on the cliff to watch the full moon. Since Renall still hasn’t stopped into the cave, I assume that’s where he is as well. It’s my one chance to escape unnoticed, just like their Queen did so many years ago. I hate to think I’m abandoning him just as she did, but I can’t stay here and do this. Renall deserves someone who was made for this. It’s better if I leave now before we’ve had any real intimacy. He can re-mate if he gets the chance to and he won’t have to wait for me to die. Renall can get a better Guardian, one whom the pack approves of. One who can really protect him.

Because that person is not me.

* * *

Slowly, fresh leaves sprout across the vines along the wall. As the fire dies down, I can make out that the cave is lighting up. Glowing green moon rocks trickle on across the cavern walls. I follow it across the wall and toward the door. Placing my ear to the door, it’s still silent. After removing the chair, I open it slowly and peek one eye out. The cave is certainly empty. With my backpack slung over my shoulder, I sneak out of the door and close it behind me. The glowing green vines wrap around the door and scale the wall all the way to the apex above the center of the cavern and spiral down like a chandelier before bursting into white blossoms. It’s gorgeous. Nature’s perfect decoration.

It’s now or never as I continue looking around. I don’t belong here. I’ve been a liability to Renall since the day we met. Since Renall’s already on thin ice, he’ll never be allowed to leave to find me again. Maybe with me not being here, he will get a better trial. I keep telling myself, as inch by inch I creep across the ledge toward the steps. Not a soul is seen. Not a growl is uttered. Hope floods my veins and rushes to my feet, which makes me break into a run. Down the steps, through the doorway, and only a corridor and leap from the waterfall to freedom. Fresh air. I didn’t realize how much I’ve missed the outside, crisp fresh air in my lungs, sun beating down on my face, or even the hum of rushing water. I’m close, I’m so close to that freedom I can taste it.

---