Lib Novel Page 171
We sit down, and I begin telling her everything, from meeting Alex to working for Mathew in the cage fighting ring and all about the night at Rita’s cottage. Elsa already knew I had been there that night, but I never shared the particulars. The more she hears, the paler her face gets. When I get to my conversation with Noah this morning, all the blood leeches from her face.
She closes her eyes for a moment before gazing at me sadly. “All this time…Why didn’t you tell me?”
“I—I didn’t want to bother you with my problems.” I feel ashamed, like I let her down. “And I knew you would disagree with my choices. I didn’t think the Silver Wolf was real till I broke into the archives room at the library. And because I asked Rita about it, I started this whole—” I lower my head in my hands. “I don’t know what to do. I don’t know what Noah wants from me. I need to leave. I’m scared of him.”
Elsa puts her hand on my shoulder.
“I’ll help you. I have some friends you can stay with.”
“I can’t tell Alex—”
“You have to tell Alex,” Elsa says firmly. “And more importantly, you need to let him give you his mating mark.”
My head shoots up. “What?”
“Usually mating marks are given during intercourse,” Elsa muses, no longer listening to me. “But you don’t have time for that right now. You also don’t have a choice. You need his mark if you want to survive. You cannot be with Noah.”
“Why does Noah want me?” I ask her desperately. “What is so special about me that I don’t know about?”
Elsa doesn’t seem to have an answer for that. “Does it even matter? Who knows what’s going on in his head? You need to get away from him.”
“I can’t let Alex come with me, Elsa.” I get to my feet and start pacing. “He needs to find the Silver Wolf to save his pack. You don’t understand. I cannot get in the way of that. Lives are at stake—”
“So is your life!” Elsa bursts out. “Your life is also at stake, Sophia. And it matters just as much as anyone else’s.”
My life? Is my life really that important compared to the lives of innocent children?
I must’ve uttered the words aloud because Elsa stands up, seizes my shoulders, and gives me a shake. “You may think I’m a monster for saying this, but yes. Your life is as important as theirs. You are important. You matter. You matter to me, and you matter to Alex. And I will not have you carelessly throwing your life away. Alex needs to know about this. You need to trust him. Out of everyone, even me, he is the one person you can put your entire trust in.”
Her words rattle me. What does that mean? Is Elsa saying I can’t trust her?
But before I can follow that train of thought, she adds, “He’s your mate. He would never betray you. And right now, only Alex can keep you safe. Once you have the mating mark, Noah may leave you alone, but he will want his revenge. So, you and Alex both need to disappear. Stop looking for the Silver Wolf. Once Alex has you, trust me, all his problems will be solved.”
“If you know who the wolf is—”
“Enough!” Elsa gives me an angry look. “The Silver Wolf isn’t some fairy with a magic wand. She can’t do anything for Alex. If he thinks by simply finding her, he can save his people, he’s wrong. It’s not going to work that way. The Silver Wolf has magic, but she’s untrained. She’s going to need a mentor to teach her how to use that magic. Without a guide to show her how to control her abilities, she will be a ticking time bomb. Instead of helping Alex, she could do even more damage. He hasn’t thought things through. He’s grasping at straws. And both of you need to leave here, now, before Alpha Black arrives and stops this ridiculous search!”
My breath gets stuck in my throat. “What?”
“Yes,” Elsa says heavily. “Tonight, Alpha Black is arriving. And it would be in your best interest to disappear before he shows up.”
I stare at her, trying to connect the dots. “Why do you want me to avoid him?”
A terrible look crosses Elsa’s face. She takes a deep breath and says, “All these years, you’ve made one bad decision after another, Sophia. You’re reckless with yourself. If only you had reached out to me, I would’ve guided you. I could’ve helped you. For once, I need you to do what I’m telling you to do. Leave Oakrest immediately. And take Alex with you. Tell no one where you’re going. Not even me. Just get out of here!”
My heart thumps madly in my chest as I look at her.
What does she know that I don’t? Why is Elsa so scared of me crossing paths with the Alpha?
Chapter 32
Sophia Hope
Elsa leaves, and I throw some things together in a small backpack, along with my money. As I sit on the couch and stare at the bag in my hand, I realize that even now, I don’t trust Alex. I don’t trust this bond between us. My wolf, who has always been desperate to be near him, is quiet now. The mistrust is not only coming from me, it seems.
Elsa’s logic about the Silver Wolf certainly makes sense, but how do I broach the subject with Alex? What do I say to him?
I have a sinking feeling that if I tell him to forget about the Silver Wolf, he will think I’m simply trying to convince him to leave town with me.