Page 5

Rue

Neither of us speak until we’ve made it well past the pack’s borders. I’ve been trying to digest just how powerful Durin’s magic is. I feel foolish for believing he’d have any trouble rescuing me.

He’s been hypervigilant, continuously scanning the forest to be sure we weren’t followed. I think we’re safe at this point, so I try to break the tension. We’ll need to talk eventually.

“We’re safe, little one,” I coo at Vaegon. He’s been watching the flames dance around us since we left. “Your father used his pretty fire to rescue us.”

Durin stops, and the blue flames surrounding us flicker out. He turns and tentatively lowers his eyes to the tiny version of himself cradled in my arms. I hear his breath catch as he finally feels safe enough to focus on his son. His eyes soften, and he reaches out, gently tracing his finger along the delicate bridge of Vaegon’s nose.

Vaegon responds with a short growl, followed by what almost looks like a little smile.

“He’s incredible,” Durin whispers.

I start to offer him to hold Vaegon, but something pulls his attention to the shadows around us.

“My friend, Farris, is gone,” he says gravely. “I was hoping he might illusion us once I got you out of there.” His eyes slide back down to the pup. “I should glamour him. We can’t let him be seen.”

Because he’s a mixed fae shifter. If we cross paths with any fae, soldier or not, they’ll try to take him from me. Durin could easily protect us. But defending a shifter and her mixed fae pup would undoubtedly raise suspicions against him. As much as I hate it, he still has an important job to do.

“Fae can glamour others?” I ask him, stalling. I don’t know how to allow Vaegon’s perfect little face to be changed.

“Not usually,” he says with a playful grin. Like the ones he used to give me before all this happened. “I’m just better than everyone else.”

I give him a small smile, but it quickly fades as Vaegon’s safety weighs on me. I have to allow him to change our son. We can’t leave him at risk.

“You’re right,” I say, slumping my shoulders. “He’s too easy to spot. If you can do it, then do it.”

He nods, looking at me cautiously. “I’ll just change his hair color and ears. Maybe soften his features a bit. But that’s all.”

With a gentle hand, he brushes his fingers along Vaegon’s head and the length of his ears, subtly changing them to look more like that of a shifter. As he contours the sharp lines of Vaegon’s face, a slightly altered version of our beautiful son emerges.

His hair is now black, with a hint of blue still showing. His face is smoother, and his ears look more like mine. I already miss his adorable fae features, but they’ll be back. He’s still cute this way. More importantly, he’s safer. That’s what really matters.

“We should go,” Durin says quietly.

I lift my eyes to the forest surrounding us. “Where?” I ask.

He knows the realm far better than I do. And I’m willing to follow wherever he decides to lead me. I trust him, even if he withheld the truth from me. I understand why he did it. It wasn’t because he wanted to hurt me. I think it was because he was afraid of losing me.

“I’m not sure,” he admits with a hint of embarrassment in his bright eyes. “You and your mother did an amazing job with your last place. I doubt I’ll be able to find anything as perfect. But I’ll find the safest place that I can.”

As soon as he’s finished speaking, the fallen leaves at our feet begin to rustle. We watch in awe as a dryad’s root emerges from the ground beneath them and points straight ahead. Needing no other convincing, I set off in that direction, closely followed by Durin.

The dryad’s have helped me many times before without reason. I trust them. If they’re leading the way, I know they’re leading us to safety.

The dryads shake the limbs of their great trees to create a path to guide us. I whisper my gratitude to them as we walk, stuck in uncomfortable silence again. I’m not sure how to break the tension this time since Vaegon has drifted off in my arms.

Durin clears his throat. I look up and find his eyes fixed on the ground as he speaks. “Did the Prime hurt you?”

“No,” I say, shaking my head. “You came for me in time.”

He lets out a long breath, and some of the tension falls from his shoulders. “Good.”

His next question takes a few moments to get out. I remember how horrible it felt when he rejected me. It seemed like I’d done something wrong and changed the way he felt about me. He’s probably worried about how I see him now. I’ll give him the time he needs to find his words, but I’ll be ready to speak up for him if his courage falters.

“How much do you hate me?” he finally asks, still avoiding my eyes.

I shift Vaegon to my other arm but continue walking to make Durin more comfortable. “I don’t hate you at all,” I say honestly. “I was hurt when I found out. I would have preferred to hear it from you instead of a piece of shit Alpha in front of the whole pack he dragged me back to.”

“I’m so sorry,” he whispers, closing his eyes. “I kept trying to tell you, but I lost my courage every time. I thought you’d send me away. The thought of never seeing you again was even more debilitating after I learned about Vaegon.”

I look down at the pup’s peaceful face. “I understand that. And I finally understand why you rejected me.”

He steps in front of me, bringing my steps to a halt. His hands brush along my arms softly, sending chills across my skin. But he pulls them away too soon, as if he’s not sure he should be touching me.

“I was rejecting myself, Rue. Never you,” he says firmly. “I wanted you so badly. I always have. But you deserve better than me. Someone clean. Someone pure.”

He turns away and begins walking again, unable to face what he considers the truth. My heart cracks to know he’s been feeling this way about himself. He doesn’t know just how well I can relate. I never told him why I hated the Prime so much. Out of my own shame, I kept what was intended for me a secret. He has no idea that I was running from a very similar nightmare to the one he’s been living.

“Durin,” I say, reaching for his arm to stop him. “I didn’t tell you everything, either.”

He stops and looks back at me quietly, searching my face for answers.

“The Prime…” I pause, needing a breath before I can continue. “The Prime shares his Omega mate with his Alphas. All of his Alphas. His last mate was so destroyed that she snuck away, looking for someone or something to kill her. She succeeded. So, the Prime decided to take the next Omega who presented as his new mate.”

The look of horror on his face makes me want to comfort him. But the tension in his posture holds me back.

“It was you…” he says. “You presented first. That’s why you ran.”

I reach out and take his hand, locking my fingers with his. “Yes, that’s why I ran. But running wasn’t an option for you, was it? Not if you wanted to help everyone who needs you.”

I can’t imagine what he’s had to endure at the hands of that evil bitch. The patience he’s had all this time, waiting until the right moment to strike, is incredible. He must want to rip her to shreds every second of every day.

“I should have killed that wolf when he first stepped in my way,” he growls, gripping my hand tighter.

I’m shocked to find his anger directed at Bock, not the queen. He’s thinking of me, even though he’s been wronged far worse.

“You saved me from him,” I say, pulling his hand against my chest. “You couldn’t escape your scars, but you prevented mine.”

His free hand is clenched in a fist, telling me he’s not convinced. “Thank you for saying that,” he says. “But I’m stained. I can never wash away what she’s forced me to do. It will cling to me for the rest of my life. You shouldn’t have to settle for me.”

I realize the trees have stopped rustling. It’s like the dryads are patiently waiting for us to finish. I’m grateful for the moment because Durin cannot be allowed to hold onto those thoughts. They’re so wrong.

As much as I hate Bock, one thing he said was true. There’s no shame in something you had no control over. I need to convince Durin of that before he spends another second feeling this way.

“Our bodies can be dirty, but nothing can soil the soul. The only filth that can stain us is from within, born from a wicked heart. Things that happen to you cannot tarnish you.”

His brow creases as he considers my words. There’s so much shame and anger on his face. But there’s also a spark of hope.

“If I’d stayed and accepted my fate,” I rush to continue, “I wouldn’t feel like I was unclean. They could take my freedom and what they wanted from my body, but they could never strip me of my purity. That comes from my soul.”

He reaches out and gently strokes Vaegon’s hair, seeming to find comfort in the motion. I think my words are reaching him, but I don’t want to give him the chance to argue.

“Your heart is far purer than mine. I was okay with the next Omega suffering in my place. I ran from my fate because I was proud. You faced yours to help others.”

He moves his hand to my jaw and tilts my face up to meet his gaze. “It was not your fate if it didn’t unfold. Fate always gets what it wants. You were never meant to be the Prime’s mate. You were meant to make this beautiful pup with me. And to escape… with me.”

He’s right. We’ve faced some difficult things already, but none of it has been in vain. Something precious has already come from our suffering. Perhaps we have more blessings in store for us.

I decide to create a small one right away. Taking advantage of his closeness, I lean in and press my lips softly against his.

A wave of excitement crashes over me, igniting a warmth I thought I’d lost. One that I don’t need to be afraid to show. As I move back, I let my smile bloom for him to see.

His own smile follows as he turns his eyes to the little bundle in my arms. He gently takes Vaegon from me and snuggles him up to his chest with one arm. Then, he slips his hand behind my head and presses our mouths together again.

He bites my lips and licks my teeth, letting his tongue roam free. I shiver as the desire I’ve suppressed for so long rushes through my veins once again.

At first, I buried it because I thought he had used me. Then, I stifled it further, convinced he had rejected me. When I was taken, I tried to let it die, thinking I’d never see him again.

But now, I think it’s finally safe to fall for him.

Durin pulls back to take a breath, but I lean in and pull in a lungful of the comforting scent of crescent nuts and fresh-cut wood. All the hurt and fear begin to fade. I wonder if Mother was onto something about scent matches.

I pull the washing cloth from my binding and run it along his neck, where his scent is strong. Then, I tuck it away, feeling a sense of security having part of him to keep with me.

Durin kisses the top of my head and takes my hand. “Let’s get somewhere safe. If this little guy stays asleep, I can give you a lot more of my scent to carry around with you.”

I cover my face as if the dryads can see me blush. If they do, they don’t comment on it. They just start the rustling back up, urging us to move forward.

We walk for quite a while, our soft conversation blending in with the sounds of the trees. Durin fills me in on everything he’s learned. What stands out most to me is the alchemist. He’s already found a way to help the mixed fae. Could he one day find a cure for our son’s bloodlust?

Hope fills my heart as we walk, guiding me toward the future and away from the wounds of my past.

Durin stops suddenly, tugging me to a halt. “I know where we are,” he whispers. “But how? This isn’t the way I came before.”

Before I can ask where, a tranquil voice falls from the sky and settles over me like a fluffy cloud.

“Of course it isn’t.”

I gasp when a pale, fae-like figure appears seconds after the voice fades. He’s tall and lean and strikingly beautiful like Durin. He also has similarly pointed ears. Yet, there’s something distinctly different about him. I just can’t put my finger on what.

White, silken hair falls down his back, while dark, piercing eyes contrast sharply with his pale complexion. He wears a long tunic that looks almost like a robe. It’s made from the softest-looking green fabric I’ve ever seen. But it’s somehow humble, like it’s spun from simple yarn that anyone could afford.

I’m not sure how long I stare at his ears before the realization sets in–he’s an elf.

An elf!

My heart stutters as I behold what has always seemed like a myth. I’ve never seen an elf before. I’ve only heard stories shared as entertainment at pack gatherings. But they’re no myth. Elves are obviously quite real.

I realize I’m grinning foolishly, so I quickly lower my eyes and bare my neck in reverence. He’s no shifter, but hopefully, he’ll understand it’s significance. Especially if he’s angry over our presence here.

“What do you mean, Of course it isn’t ?” Durin asks, unfazed by the mystical creature. “This place is nowhere close to where I found you before.”

“An elf is only found if he wishes to be,” he says. “The dryads led you to me, just as they did last time.”

“Last time?” Durin asks, frowning in thought. “They were certainly being more subtle then.”

He must be the one Durin told me about. I steal a glance at the elf who I suspect our son is named after and jump when I find him looking directly at me.

“Who is she?” he asks.

“This is Rue,” Durin says, still proudly holding my hand. “And this…” he adds, giving the elf a mischievous grin. “This is Vaegon.”