Chapter 116

Chapter 116 A little show of emotion.

The shadows of the flames flickered across the walls and made everything seem so much larger than they were. Doris leaned against the wall and brought her legs up against her chest. Somewhere out there, Enzo and his people were being hunted as if they were animals and all she could do was sit here uselessly and wait for the sun to come.

“Aren’t you tired?” William asked from beside her. He was close enough to touch but she resisted the urge. She couldn’t get used to her closeness with him when it could get taken away at any moment. It was hard to lay her trust on someone that seemed so temporary but her body still wanted his comfort.

Even when her head knew he wouldn’t be able to stay around. ?

“Yes, but I don’t think I can sleep knowing what’s happening out there.” Doris shifted herself to face him.

Her eyes trailed along his tired face and down to the veins on his arms. He closed his eyes for a moment and it was amazing how someone could look so much like an innocent angel when they were closer to the devil. In this moment, it was almost a crime how beautiful he was.

“There’s nothing you can do at the moment. They’ll be fighting in the morning just the same, if not more.”

Doris watched as William’s hand ran up her leg and rested on her thigh almost lazily. Small chills broke from his touch. “Aren’t you worried about Enzo and his people? They don’t deserve this because of us.

He was nothing but kind and now his whole world is turned upside down because of it.”

William opened his eyes, the blue storm always startled her when he was this close. “Enzo is more than capable of taking care of himself. I saw him fight last night and I can admit I underestimated him before.

He’s much stronger than I gave him credit for.”

A small spark flickered inside her, almost as if something was stirring. Doris closed her eyes and tried to reach inside herself. A thick wave of exhaustion rumbled through her—could it be?

“What?” William asked. Doris gripped his wrist to silence him. “I think my wolf is starting to wake.”

“What do you mean she’s starting to wake? You couldn’t shift?” William sat up a little straighter, he sounded more awake than he had a moment before.

“No, they injected me with some sort of drug that made her sleep inside me so I couldn’t shift and defend myself. She’s been gone since I was taken-I thought they gave me more of a dose last night but-perhaps not. I think I can feel her waking.”

A presence inside her moved and she knew it was her wolf, it had to be. Even if she wasn’t fully awake yet-Doris could feel her inside her fill the hollowness that was left by that drug. She opened her eyes to see William watching her.

“I can feel her again, she’s waking up.” Doris smiled widely, the side of his mouth lifted just slightly before it returned to a line as if it was never there.

“Tell me more about this drug, Doris. Why didn’t you say anything sooner?”

“I—what do you mean sooner? This is the first time we’ve been able to talk about it “ Doris let out a breath, a fight wasn’t important. “One of the guards told me about the drug they made for their enemies.

It prevents them from shifting for days at a time. It felt as if she wasn’t inside me at all anymore when they injected me. She was silent, I was afraid she wasn’t coming back.”

“Do you know how much of this drug they have made? Or what they are planning to do with it?”

“No, he said they made it for you but he used some of the dose on me. That’s all I know about it.”

William’s eyes darkened at her words. She knew what must have been running through his mind-all the unsure thoughts and concerns that now came with the knowledge. If he was caught for a second, they could use it on him and it could be the end of William. Doris moved a bit closer to him and rested her head against his shoulder.

“I wasn’t sure if you were going to come back for me. I’m thankful you did.” Doris whispered.

William said nothing. He stared forward and let the silence fill in the blanks of her mind. Perhaps admitting he came back for her was too much for him, but it didn’t change the fact that he did it. He saved her again even when she promised herself that she was done being saved. If it was by him, she didn’t mind one bit.

“I never left.” William said quietly, almost as if he didn’t say it at all. Doris lifted her head to look at him.

“What?”

“I didn’t get more than a mile from Enzo’s camp. I missed you by only seconds when I turned back.”

Doris tried to swallow the lump in her throat and the warmth that trailed around her heart like a smoke cloud. “You didn’t leave?”

“I couldn’t.” William looked forward, his eyes refused to meet her own. Doris tried to move so he would look at her. She gripped his face to turn it back to her own. Finally, she saw his eyes fall back to her.

“Why couldn’t you leave? Say it.” William’s blue gaze flickered over her face. A small battle brewed behind those eyes but she couldn’t tell what side of him was winning. “Because I couldn’t leave you.” 1 Doris ran her thumb across his cheek and leaned forward to kiss him every so lightly. She would have never expected him to be capable of such a softness, but the small side couldn’t hide from her forever.

She forced it out of him.

William pulled back and gripped her hand that held his face. “Be honest with me. Did they hurt you in any way? You can tell me if they did.”

“No.” Doris said quickly. “I fell in that hole and sprained my ankles, but they didn’t do anything to hurt me.

At first, they were kind and respectful. Near the end they had gotten a bit impatient but didn’t harm me.”

William nodded and leaned his head back against the wall to close his eyes. It wasn’t that long ago that he had watched Melody almost beat her to death and all he did was tell her to be more private about it.

How fast the night had changed between them. What would they become when they stepped foot back inside his palace?

“I want to help tomorrow. If my wolf is back by the morning, I want to be out there to help fight.” Doris said carefully as if she was treading her steps around a bear.

William’s eyes shot open and his grip tightened on her hand. She winced and he pulled away. “Are you crazy? No. You are the main target to take as hostage. They know that you’re my weakness and they all know what you look like now.”

Doris ignored the flutter in her stomach at his words. She hated that he made her feel like a nervous schoolgirl when she was grown-but she couldn’t help it. “If we stay close together, they won’t get a chance to take me. Besides, if you leave me here there’s more of a chance that they could take me again.”

William narrowed his eyes at her. “I could just sit here with you and make sure that didn’t happen.”

“And wait until they’re all dead out there? That’s madness!” Doris huffed and crossed her arms over her chest. “You know we have to help them. Once my wolf wakes she will want a taste of vengeance for herself.”

“I know that.” William grumbled. “I have every intention to help tomorrow and put an end to this-war or whatever this has become. I would prefer if you didn’t try to get yourself killed every damn minute.”

“I’m only trying to help, William. I didn’t ask to be a target—“

“No, but you are one whether you like it or not.” William rolled his eyes to the ceiling and sighed. His exhaustion was weighing on him, she wondered when the last time he had even gotten an ounce of sleep. Possibly not since she was first taken. 1 “If I stay near you, you can keep watch at least.” Doris whispered. She moved closer to him again and leaned her head on his shoulder as if it was always meant for her.

William sighed again and closed his eyes.

“Alright. Only if your wolf has its strength when you wake. Otherwise, I’m tying you to a fucking tree and you’re not going anywhere near the battlefield.”