Chapter 3

CHAPTER THREE

RUDINA

I watch through watery eyes as the green-eyed man approaches us. I cannot mutter any words nor do I intend to. All my thoughts are clouded by the pain in my body and the weakness I feel. My hand was still resting on the man who came to save me as he had helped me get on my feet. As soon as those green eyes fall on me, I quickly pull my hands away. He didn't as much as linger, as his eyes were off me in the same instant. Something about him made me very uneasy and his gaze towards me was as cold as the first time. 

”What in the world is going on, Lowell?”

The green-eyed man growls at my saviour. His voice sends shivers down my spine and I find myself trembling yet again.

”This girl you decided to abandon is probably a victim of what brought us to the blood moon pack. You do not intend to leave her here now, do you?” Lowell demands.

Fear grips me even harder because I am worried the green-eyed man may put a knife through his throat for speaking to him in such a manner. He appeared as one who no one dared to challenge or even question. I notice a vein on his neck threatening to burst as it grows larger and larger.  I run to hide behind Lowell and he shelters me while using one hand to hold me behind him.

The green-eyed man’s eyes fall on me again and their emerald glow shines in the moonlight. If I wasn't too scared, worrying about why he looked at me with so much hate, I may have found him to be the most beautiful man I had ever laid my eyes on. I close my eyes shut immediately, and as eternity passed, I feel his demeaning gaze never leaving me. When I thought he was finally going to speak, I dared open my eyes but he turns and begins to walk away. 

Lowell immediately leaves my side and hastens to follow him. I remember Klaus was still on the floor, groaning in pain and I brace myself. Relief sets in when I do not see him at the spot anymore. He must have used the green-eyed man’s coming to escape. I turn again to Lowell and see him having a heated conversation with the green-eyed man and I fear Lowell intends to buy me out of pity. The thought of leaving the Blood moon pack fills me with a little joy but was soon gone when I realized these people may be worse. What if I ended up as the green-eyed man’s slave? I shudder at the thought and watch as Lowell finally has the last word then turns, walking back to where he left me. 

All thoughts of him doing bad things to me evade me as I watch him. The air he carried felt lighter and welcoming. After being with more men than I could count, it was easy to differentiate between, cunning, evil, manipulative and pretension. This man appeared to be none of those and I felt my heart finally wanting to warm up to someone after 17 years.

”What is your name?” Lowell asks.

”Rudina.” I mutter.

He moves closer and bends more to hear what I had said. It was no surprise, no one ever heard what I was saying anyway, they never needed to. I was a slave, my voice was not important so I had grown accustomed to nodding and shaking my head rather than speaking. 

”Rudina.” I repeat.

”That’s a beautiful name, Rudina. I do not imagine that being here has been most pleasant for you, after what I just witnessed. Would you like to leave?”

”The green-eyed man would not be happy if I come alone.” I whisper again.

Lowell chuckles and that makes the air around us feel even lighter. Each second with him felt like a moment of healing.

”His name is Zeeb and he is a good man, as difficult as that may be to believe. I'm his best friend so he can not be all that bad now, can he?”

I shake my head and he laughs, even more, this time.

” It's okay to speak your mind Rudina, your days of following orders are over.”

As I do not say another word. He takes on a more serious expression and begins to speak.

”We shall leave together first thing tomorrow. I would get you out of here whether Zeeb approves of it or not. He is the Alpha so I cannot disobey him openly, but what's wrong with his best friend making the right choices for him?” 

His friendly tone is the only thing that prevents me from going into a full panic. It was all too much to assimilate at once. I was leaving the blood moon pack. I was leaving Jeremy and Klaus. I was going to be somewhere else and anywhere but here had to be heaven. I felt my heart race with joy and tears began to well in my eyes. It didn't matter if I was sold all my life, nowhere could be worse than the blood moon pack.

” Please do not cry. I swear on my wolf, no one would ever hurt you again so long as you have us by your side.”

I cry even harder as those words leave his mouth. It felt too good to be true. Did he mean it, I thought? Trust was not something I was accustomed to and either this man was the devil himself or the angel I had never met in my life.

” It's alright, Rudina. Come with me, I know exactly where to hide you.”

I follow him through the dark, limping and holding on to my sides. It feels as if my body could no longer carry my weight and my life was draining out. Showing him paths avoiding the places that other members of the pack were currently preparing for him, he told me where the escorts that came with them were staying and I guided us to the exact spot. He smiled at me and thanked me for being so helpful. I didn't and couldn't say a word, this man had to be the kindest soul I had ever met. 

”You seem to be very acquainted with these woods. Please,  find a place to hide, somewhere close to this spot so that I can fetch you tomorrow morning. Klaus must not find you and I would make sure Zeeb engages him and Jeremy so he would not be able to send anyone to find you.” Lowell tells me.

I stand there watching him as all of my hope fades away. He was going to abandon me. I knew it was too good to be true and even though I wanted myself not to feel disappointed, all men were deceitful and this man must be the best at it.

His face falls as if reading my thoughts. He reaches out to touch my arm and I flinch, moving backwards. In the end, they all had one gender.

He appears hurt and before I could let his face deceive me again, I force myself to be break and be fooled. I turn to walk away, intending to go back to the devil I knew rather than the angel I didn't. 

” I know trust is something you may find most difficult to offer but I do not demand it right now.  You must have been here a while and if you believe even in the slightest chance that I may be sincere, what does it hurt to wait for me here tomorrow? If I do not stand on my word, then you can agree with all your assumptions. ” He says.

I look back again and I nod then continue to walk away. I didn't let the sadness I saw on his face get to me but I knew some of his words hit home. Even if there was the slightest chance that I could be saved, I would take it. If this man was telling the truth and if by any chance his pack had the tiniest bit of qualities that he appeared to possess, then it was going to be a much better life than I had ever had.