Chapter 240

#Chapter 30 It’s alright now Doris showered and waited in their room with Alec who was still asleep through it all. She paced the room and wanted to pull out her hair—how could this have happened? How could she have been so foolish? What if there were more people by and she didn’t do a good enough job to listen?

How come she didn’t hear them? Moments before Cordelia allowed her the power, she sat and listened to the quiet forest. She heard the animals asleep and the peace of the land—not one guard that close could be heard. No footsteps... nothing. Her wolf was still silent inside her. Perhaps she was ashamed of Doris for what she did. Or did she drain her wolf? Doris was too nervous to even reach out to her incase it came with a lecture she knew she deserved.

A big part of her just wanted confirmation that her wolf was okay and still there for her even if she didn’t deserve it.

About an hour or so later, William finally came back to their room. He had on a new shirt and his hair was a mess— even more so than usual. A ping of guilt set in deep when she saw how tired he was. He said nothing as he walked to their bed and sat on the corner. His blue eyes watched the fire that flickered in the fireplace across the room. Doris nervously picked at her nails as she watched him and dreaded what might come out of his mouth if it was only bad news.

“He’s fine. He's alive and will wake up in a day or two once my blood leaves his system. None of the staff are sure of his wound since it closed before he got there.”

Doris closed her eyes and let out a deep breath. She knew what his wound was—it was a big thick stick that came off of the trees she knocked down.

“I swear it was an accident—"

“I know that, Doris.” William interrupted. He turned his blue gaze onto her and it made her stop short.

“Do you think I didn’t know it was an accident? You wouldn’t hurt an insect even if it was biting you. You would never hurt someone that was innocent.”

Doris put her head in her hands. “I didn’t realize how strong the kind of power I have is—I thought it would be okay to take a little more, but it wasn't.”

William gestured for her to come closer. When she did, he pulled her into his lap. “Power is a dangerous thing to play with. It can get addicting and hard to not take more than you’ re allowed.” “I feel so horrible— “

“I know that. He will know that when he wakes.” William brushed her hair away from her face. “ That’s some power you have, Doris. Why haven’t you told me about it?”

Doris could hear his change in tone. She knew him better than anyone and knew he liked to mask all of his emotions as if he didn’t have any. But if she listened close enough, she could always hear it. “I wanted to show it to you when I mastered it. I wanted you to see me and be proud of me and I tried to hurry along the process by taking more.” “T’m always proud of you Doris. It’s hard not to be.” William whispered. “Our wolves can be frustrating, but they usually know best when they tell us not to do something.” The exhaustion started to leak into his tone.

“Tt’s just... it’s like the power calls to me and I can’t help but want to answer. Every time she gives me a little bit, I have this urge to take more. I had never done that before but when she opened it up, I pulled and more came out.”

William’s eyes suddenly grew dark as if he remembered something. His face reminded her of the time they went to the north and his jealousy was his only driver.

“Who was the man with you in the forest?” William asked. His arms stiffened around her. “ Not the guard. The one who’s cloak you wore. They have different scents.”

“It was the messenger that came with the Eldon rulers. When I ran to the scream, he was there already standing over him.” Doris said. She wrapped her arms around his neck. “He saw me and gave me his cloak so I could shift.”

William’s brows furrowed in confusion. “Their messenger?”

“Yes. The tall boy that’s in their meetings sometimes.”

“That's not their messenger. That’s their son.” William said. His voice grew a little darker. “Has he been talking to you?”

Doris was completely shocked at William’s words. Daemon swore he was a messenger and nothing more. He was their son? Had he been watching her for them?

“Doris.” William said and gripped her chin to make her look at him. “Has he been talking to you?”

“Well— Yes. He talks to me about white wolves because he saw me as one.”

William sat up a little more. He looked more awake than ever. “What has he been saying to you, Doris?

Has he been asking you about the kingdom?”

“No, no. Not at all. He said he doesn’t even know about his own kingdom but clearly he was lying. He just tells me facts about white wolves.” Doris said. How had she not seen through his lies? “He was there and he just—left right before you came.”

“Did he touch you, Doris?” William asked carefully. Doris knew that he would rip through his door and kill Daemon if he touched her. She could see the promise already in his eyes.

“No. He didn’t touch me, he just gave me the cloak because I didn’t have one with me.” Doris swore. A bit of his anger left, but a lot of it was still there. “I would have just switched into my wolf and gutted him if he touched me.”

Doris took William’s face in her hands. “How did you know where I] was?”

“I woke up and found you gone. I looked all over and saw that the balcony was unlocked. I heard the trees fall from our room and I knew you were there. I just knew. I left here and went straight for you.”

“Thank you for always coming for me, William.” She whispered. She leaned forward and placed a light kiss against his lips. “I love you.”

“I love you too, Doris. Next time you want a midnight stroll, wake me.”

William laid back against the bed and brought her with him. It was only an hour before he had to get up and go again. He closed his eyes and held her against him with a strength that made her feel safe.

Doris laid her head on his chest and listened to the familiar sound of his heart as he fell asleep. Her eyes were still wide open and she was on borrowed time until Alec woke up and demanded breakfast.

But it was the only place she wanted to be.