“What will you do to Aelnoth?” she asked, hoping in his insanity he would reveal something she could use against him.
“Well, since you asked nicely, I’ll tell you, princess. When mother told me the king, and those fool elders were going to give him a pass, I was angry. I know, hard to believe, but I was angry. He always wins. Always.” Tylan got up and began manically pacing the room. “I can’t let him win this time, not again. So I figured, if I kidnapped his precious human—you,” he said, pointing a long bony finger at Susie. “Well, then I could get him here. I know I can rip him apart in an equal fight. That is what I intend to do. He will eventually find us. And then, I will kill him. Leaving me with the spoils of a battle well fought, once again, you.”
Susie was finally able to snap the rope. As the last strand broke, she heard a low growl coming from the doorway. She looked up to see a pair of sharp yellow eyes and the deep brown coat of a giant wolf, her wolf. Aelnoth had come, and he was angry.
Chapter 26
It was hearing Susie cry out that forced all rational thought out of Aelnoth’s head. He immediately allowed the wolf to take over. There was no logic. There was no talking. There was only need. The need to kill the wolf that stole from him. Kill the wolf that threatened his pack. Tylan was a dead wolf.
He vaguely heard Symes behind him try and stop him. It was too late. He took off at a run toward the sound of her cries. Bloodshed in the castle was forbidden but Aelnoth no longer cared about rules. He had only one goal.
All his senses sharpened as he burst into the room where Tylan had his mate. He located Susie immediately, she was pushed against the wall, she looked bound, but on closer inspection, he saw that she had freed herself. Smart woman. She had been hit, her eyes puffed from tears and her cheeks red. He let out a low growl. This would end here.
Tylan turned to face him and before the wolf had a chance to transform Aelnoth lunged at him. Tylan tried using his hands to push Aelnoth off, but the wolf had a stronger footing and was able to drop the man to the ground. Aelnoth had Tylan on his back, his teeth inches from the man’s throat when he something sharp punctured his right foreleg. He jumped off yelping in pain. It hurt but he could tell it wasn’t a deep wound. Tylan had used just enough strength to get free, and not enough to hurt him too badly. It was a foolish mistake.
“Noooo!” Susie yelled.
Everything slowed as Aelnoth watched Tylan rounding on her. His knife in the air poised to strike her.
“What did I tell you about keeping your mouth shut, princess?!” he yelled, bringing the knife down toward her.
Aelnoth was powerless as the knife entered her side. She let out a long, painful scream and clutched at her abdomen. His world came crashing down around him. Her pain bore through him as if the knife had entered him as well.
He leapt into the air and wrapped his teeth around Tylan’s arm forcing him to drop the knife and coming between him and Susie. She held her side, but he saw she was fading from consciousness fast. He nuzzled at her, and she feebly lifted her eyes up to give him a smile, as if to say everything would be alright. Aelnoth knew better. The wound looked bad.
“Shit!” Tylan cursed.
He now had just enough room to transform into his wolf. Aelnoth refocused on Tylan. Let them fight on equal footing. He would relish the kill.
The two wolves circled each other. Each looking for their best in to attack the other. The best way to end the battle once and for all. Aelnoth jumped at Tylan, who met him midair. Teeth and limbs scratched and attacked. Tylan was sickly. Aelnoth could smell the insanity coming off his fur. There was only one way to end this battle it would be with one of their death’s.
The scent of Susie’s blood filled the room, he knew he was running out of time. He needed to end Tylan now. She needed help. The two wolves continued to circle each other. Being an enforcer gave Tylan an advantage. He was cunning and wouldn’t make a mistake, but he underestimated Aelnoth’s love for Susie. He would not let her die. Aelnoth was focused only on ending Tylan. He barely noticed Symes coming into the room in human form, keeping along the wall.
Tylan noticed, however, and made to lunge at the prince. Aelnoth took advantage and leapt again at the rogue wolf grabbing his hind leg between his jaws and twisting with all the force he could muster, breaking the limb. Tylan fell back with a whimper, licking at the wound.
Symes quickly grabbed Susie, using a bed sheet to try and stop the blood flow from her wound. “I will take her to the infirmary, finish this,” he said to his friend as he ran out of the room with Susie.
Aelnoth needed no other permission, he lunged at Tylan, who was still preoccupied with his wound. He grabbed a chunk of his back with his teeth, dragging the other wolf to the center of the room. Shaking him to and fro, trying to disorient the wolf. Tylan seemed to stop fighting back. He shrank from Aelnoth, and bent his head in painful subservience.
Typically, this would end a fight between wolves, the stronger wolf would take the surrender and both would shift back. Letting the authorities step in to garner any judgement or punishment. Allowing for proper medical care. Duels almost never resulted in the death of one of the shifters. However, the sight of a Susie, in pain and bleeding, being carried out of the room buy Symes crushed Aelnoth’s soul. He could think of nothing else. What if she died? He had no way to know how bad the damage from Tylan’s knife was.
He howled into the night, rage and fear for his beloved filling his wolf with vengeance. It was Tylan who did this. There would be no fair or just punishment for him on this night. Aelnoth looked down at the weaker wolf, his decision made. He would act as judge and jury, no matter the consequences. With one smooth motion, he fulfilled his promise, ripping the rogue wolf’s throat out, killing him instantly. It was done.
***
Aelnoth left Tylan’s body where it lay, and rushed back towards the infirmary. Shifting back, he needed to see Susie, he needed to know how bad her wound was. Stopping at the door to the medical wing, he was greeted by Symes.
“Engnar, how is she?” he asked, breathless, reeking from his battle with Tylan and still filled with fear.
“It’s not good, Noth,” the prince replied, kindness and affection in his eyes. “She is in surgery. They are working on her now. But she’s lost a lot of blood.”
Aelnoth collapsed onto the ground in front of the prince. Desperation pulled at his every nerve. No, no, no this can’t be happening, he thought. He couldn’t lose her.
“If she comes out of the surgery, there is no guarantee she will make it through the recovery. She could get an infection. Her body has been weakened,” Symes continued. “The surgery can last hours, go clean up my friend. I promise I’ll send word with any news.”
“No, I’ll stay here until she is out. I need to see her,” Aelnoth replied. He would not be going anywhere. He needed Susie to know she was safe now. He needed to tell her he loved her. He was unable to protect her from Tylan’s madness, but he would not abandon her now.
Symes seemed to recognize the need in his friend. Having just watched Aelnoth in the fight of his life to save the woman he loved, seemed resigned not to argue the point.
Good, Aelnoth thought. He didn’t have much fight left in him.
“Very well, come with me to the waiting room. We’ll get you settled, then I will go to father and see about postponing the council meeting,” he said.
“Until she is well?” Noth asked.
“Until we know,” came the reply.
***
Noth wasn’t familiar with waiting rooms, or infirmaries. He had never been sick or dealt with a serious illness in his life. Even when his father passed it was in his sleep at the den. There was no prolonged anything. Wolves rarely succumbed to illness.
The white walls lined with faint blue stripes was in stark contrast to the rest of the medieval feel of the castle. It was institutional and unfeeling. Harsh fluorescent lights swayed unsteadily from the ceiling. The chairs looked uncomfortable, and
aside from the rare human servant falling ill, Aelnoth wondered if the room was ever used.
Symes had come and gone with the news that the king and elder council had called an emergency hearing. It was decided that they would postpone the formal meeting until it was known if Susie would make it or not. Proving to Aelnoth there was still hope in Undervale after all. In the meantime, once morning came, doctors would check Jason over and make sure the boy had any care he needed.
Lady Catori was the only elder to object, in her grief over the death of her son, she lashed out at the king and the council. Accusing Aelnoth of high crimes and demanded that the Ashlu lands be seized and given the Alard clan as retribution for Tylan’s death. Symes barely tried to hide his smile when he relayed the information that she had been remanded to her rooms until the king could launch a full investigation into her involvement with the kidnapping and Tylan’s actions. There would be no charges against Aelnoth. They considered his murder of the rogue wolf to be in self-defense.
If Aelnoth wasn’t beside himself with worry over Susie, who was now in her third hour of surgery, he would have been able to rejoice at the news Symes brought. As it was, he was only able to nod and thank his friend, sending him away with instructions for Lady Ashlu to send for Alaina and Matthew. He would need them in the upcoming days more than he had ever needed them before.
He settled himself into one of the uncomfortable chairs, his mind empty of all thought save for Susie and her well-being.
He blamed himself for all of this. How could he not? His own unbridled passion six years ago led to her pregnancy and Jason’s birth, which was why she came to Undervale in the first place. He foolishly outbid Catori and Tylan at the auction and set this whole chain of events into motion. He severely underestimated the dead wolf’s state of mind. He left her alone when he went to see Symes. Everything that had happened to Susie was his fault, and he would never forgive himself.
“Lord Ashlu?” He looked up, surprised to see a human doctor come into the waiting room. He didn’t know there were any humans in high service in Tradonga, or in any part of Undervale. “My name is Dr. Thomas. I have news about Susie.”
The doctor had a sober look, that made him think the worst was about to be revealed.
“Is she dead?” he asked. Aelnoth wasn’t sure he was ready to hear it, but it was better to be direct than to beat around the bush.
“She’s not dead,” Dr. Thomas said. “But she is not out of danger yet. The surgery is over, and we are moving her to a private intensive care room. She will need 24-hour monitoring. The next few hours are touch and go, if she survives them, she will most likely enjoy a full recovery.”
There was no relief. It was still too touchy. He needed to see her, to hear her breath, smell her scent. He knew if he could be near her, she would feel it. Come back to him.
“I need to see her,” he said.
“You need rest,” the doctor said. “You need to get cleaned up.”
“I’ll rest when I know Susie will make it through. There is no point in keeping me from her, Doctor. I need to see her. I want to see her now.”
“I’ll let you in the room, under the condition that you’ll shower, you’re covered in blood. If she wakes up and the first thing she sees is you in the state you are in now, she won’t know it’s not your blood. It could shock her. That would be just as dangerous as the surgery. This is what is best for Susie.”
Aelnoth was not used to being challenged by a human subordinate, but when the doctor labeled it what was best for Susie he was powerless to disagree. He would do anything to see her, touch her, hold her. He cursed Tylan for putting her through this. For putting them all through this.
He made a deal with God, if Susie survived, he would devote every waking moment to her happiness. He would never let danger touch her again.
“Fine, I will shower in the room, then that’s where I stay, until Susie is able to tell me to go,” he said.
***
Susie looked pale and lifeless in the hospital bed, tied to several machines. The room was quiet except for the beeping of the monitors and the steady hum of the breathing tube. Aelnoth moved a chair as close to the hospital bed as he could, he folded his hands over hers and sat.
She had made it through the dangerous early hours after surgery, but she still hadn’t woken up. Aelnoth had asked the doctors what was happening. Their only response was that she was healing. Sometimes the human brain forced the body into sleep, into a coma, so that it could heal. Susie’s body was being forced to heal. Instead of relief, he was filled with despair.
At some point, maybe it was hours, maybe it was days later, he noticed Matthew coming in and out of the room. The human had asked him to eat, or drink, Aelnoth did neither. He sat and held her hand. Willing her to wake up. He kept his vigil, he would not leave her side until she woke. He wanted to be the first thing she saw when she awoke. He needed to tell her he was sorry.
Chapter 27
Her mouth was so dry. She wondered when she had been sucking on a piece of chalk. Everything was hot. She tried to speak but no words came out. She was tired, but wide awake. Where was she? She slowly opened her eyes were glued closed. The room was dark, but not the kind of darkness that came with night, the kind of darkness that came from having shades drawn in the middle of the day.
She tried to move her hand, but something was holding it tight. She panicked, was it Tylan? Had he tied her down again. Forcing her eyes to open all the way she looked down. She was in a hospital bed?
Noth was there, asleep, he held her hand in tight grasp. His light snores filled the room. She tried to recall the battle, but her memory was black. Only bits and pieces getting through. There was a rope. There was a fight. Aelnoth, his wolf coming to her. There was a man she didn’t know carrying her. She had known he would come for her, and seeing him now exhausted, haunted bags under his sweetly closed eyes, she knew he never once left her side.
Biting back tears of appreciation, she closed her eyes to sleep once more.
***
She woke again and knew it was night. She tried to stretch her arms but was met with a shooting pain in her left side. The bastard stabbed her. She remembered the knife. Her breath quickened. She needed to talk, but there was a tube in her mouth. She panicked.
Suddenly, Aelnoth was there, rubbing her forehead. Soothing her. He looked horrible. There was at least three day’s stubble on his chin, and his eyes showed he had not had a good night’s sleep in just as long. When had he last eaten? She wanted to scream at him to take care of himself. Where was Jason? What was happening? There were so many questions she wanted answered. She stirred and tried to get up from the bed, but the pain came back shooting through her like lightning.
“Shhh, sweet. The worst is over,” he said, looking at her with haunted eyes. The worst? How long had she been asleep? What was the worst. She looked up at him, pleading for him to tell her more.
“I know, I know,” he said. “You want to know what happened.” She nodded.
“Tylan is dead. I killed him. He can never hurt you again.” Relief washed over her.
“There is so much I need to tell you, but you need more rest,” he said.
Like hell she did. She needed the tube taken out of her throat. She needed to tell Aelnoth she loved him, and she was sorry she left the rooms without him. She needed him to know she was not leaving him again, no matter what happened with the king and the council. There was so much she needed him to know and she was afraid if she slept he would leave her. Yet, she couldn’t seem to keep her eyes open. His hand grasped hers in a tight embrace. She wanted to climb into its warmth. She would just close her eyes for a moment or two. Aelnoth was there, and nothing bad would happen.
***
“I want to see her,” she heard Jason say somewhere in the distance.
Then a patient Aelnoth, “Let’s see if she is awake.”
She opened her eyes again. This time they opened with ease, the tacky glue feeli
ng was gone. Her mouth was still dry, but she could open and close it. The blasted tube was gone. She had no memory of its removal, but she wouldn’t miss it.
“Wat…” She tried to speak, but the words wouldn’t form. How long had it been since she had spoken? Aelnoth turned from the doorway to the room, and a smile lit his face.
Jason rushed passed him and eagerly climbed the chair by her bed. “Mommy, Mom, you are awake,” he said, turning to Aelnoth. “See Dad, I told you she would be awake! You should have listened to me.”
Dad? When did he start calling Aelnoth dad? She liked the sound of it coming so easily from her son’s lips.
“Yeah, yeah, I know. You were right,” Aelnoth said approaching the bed. He gave Susie a tender look. She thought he looked better. Someone must have convinced him to get some rest.
“Water…” she managed to choke out, and before she could ask again, Aelnoth had a small cup in her hand.
“Easy now, love… slow sips, that’s right,” he said as he gently raised the cup to her lips. She slowly sipped until she felt the moisture return to her mouth. Leaning her head back onto the pillow she sighed and gave her men a weak smile.
“Much better, thank you,” she said.
“Mom, Dad said you were sick, but I wanted to see for myself. He said I could if I was quiet and didn’t bother you.” The exuberance in the boy’s voice made her eyes water. Oh, how she missed him. Looking from Jason to Aelnoth there was no better picture for her to wake up too.
“How long have I been out?” she asked.
“Three days,” Noth replied, taking her hand into his own. “Three, long tortuous days, that I would care to never relive.”
One Night One Secret Page 13