Chapter 4: FOUND MYSELF

Elena’s POV

I did not stop walking. I didn’t stop when the massive doors of the hall slammed shut behind me, and neither did I stop when the whispers began to rise like wildfire behind me.

I couldn’t, and it wasn’t just because my wolf was crying out in grief, pain and age. I let out a sigh of relief as I walked through the corridors and tried to keep my spine straight for anyone who was watching.

I kept my expression calm, but within me, I was falling apart. Every step I took through the hall felt like I was personally tearing chunks of flesh out of my own skin. It had been years, actual years where I had spent every waking moment of my life loving another man.

I had loved Trent, and he had spat on that love. I had endured years of humiliaiton, of silence, of being abused. Now, I was done being beaten, I was done being looked down on.

It was only now that I realized that Trent did not deserve my love, he never did. I had clenched my fists so hard that my nails dug into my palm and begun to draw blood. But I didn’t care.

With blood dripping onto the marble floors of the estate, I walked striaght into the chambers that was reserved for the luna. It was a small thing, smaller than the chambers of most servants.

And yet, it was mine, the one place where I was hardly disturbed. This was the only place in the entire estate that had actually felt like home to me. The whispers spread faster than the speed of my walk.

I only noticed because now, when I walked past servants, there were no murmurs, or disdainsful glances. No, even some of the guards lowered their gazes when they saw me.

Yesterday me would have been elated that she had finally gotten the respect she deserved. But todays me did not care. The moment I stepped into my chambers, I pushed the door open with so much force that it broke and crashed on the floor.

Once again, I did not care. My eyes darted past the large bed, the dark curtains and even the silver framed portraits of Trent. Even though he was hardly ever here, every inch of the room now smelt like Trent, like pain.

I took a couple of steps forward and began to pack my things, but it was only then that I realized that tears were falling from my eyes.

“You have been so stupid, Elena,” I hissed, cursing under my breath, “So damn stupid.”

How many years had I wasted hoping that somehow, Trent was going to miraculously change? How many years had I spent trying to convince myself that the bruisse that filled my body were only temporary?

I had somehow convinced myself that this was my fault. If only I had tried just a little bit harder. Maybe, just maybe, Trent would have finally seen and loved me. That had been my mantra for the past couple of years, and it had resulted in more humiliation than love.

“No more.” I hissed under my breath and my wolf growled in agreement.

With shaking hands, I yanked open the wardrobe, pulled out a suitcase and began to stuff my clothes into the suitcase. I packed shoes, dresses, documents, even jewelry.

Each item that I took was heavier than the last, and it was not because of the weight, no, it was because of the memories that came with them.

The more I packed, the more I cried. Finally, when I was sure I had gotten everything that I needed, I slammed the suitcase down and turned around, ready to leave this hellhole.

I had barely taken a single step forward when a knock on the hinges of the shattered door snapped me out of my thoughts. I raised my head just in time to see Elaine walking inside the chambers.

The woman’s expression was twisted in rage;

“What exactly do you think you’re doing, you bitch?” she snapped, her eyes red with anger,

I did not answer, I didn’t even look at her. Instead, I turned around towards the open dresser and picked up another bag. My movements seemed to irritate Elaine even more, so she marched forward and grabbed my hand in a vicious grip.

“When I speak to you, girl, you answer me.” she hissed,

I looked down at my hand and frowned. I could already feel bruises forming because of just how hard her grip was. When I looked up, there was no pain in my eyes or fear, no, it was just rage and calm certainty.

Slowly and calmly, I peeled off Elaine’s fingers and shove her hand away. The older woman froze, far too shocked at the fact that I had touched her to even realize that I was beginning to walk away.

Elaine scoffed and began to walk after me. “Bitch!” she called out, her voice cracking in rage, “Do you think you can simply walk away from an Alpha?”

“Yes.” I answered, not even glancing back at her, “I am done.”

“You ungrateful little—”

But I tuned her out, I didn’t have the time to argue with a woman who already believed in all her heart that my only purpose in life was to serve her.

I had barely gotten to the end of the hallway when her next words stopped me in my tracks.

“Stop Elena.” For the first time in a long time, she finally called me by my name, “I know you are overreacting just because Sloane has returned.”

I stopped and turned around just in time to see her lips curl up in disgust,

“No,” I answered with a shake of my head, “I am not overreacting. All Sloane’s return did was finally open my eyes to the truth.” I paused, before looking her right in her eyes and continuing, “I do not owe you or Trent anything.”

Her expression darkened and she retorted, “You do. We fed you, we gave you shelter. Hell, we even gave you life.” she paused and sneered, “You belong to this pack.”

“No,” I replied, smiling now, “I belong to no one.”

And with those words, I turned around and began walking away, Elaine kept on spewing out insults behind me, kept on calling names. But no matter what she said, I did not answer her, nor did I look back.

Seeing me walk away from her without stopping was enough to make Elaine pause and just stare at my back in disbelief.

“Where do you think you’re going?!” she hissed out loud, “No one is going to take you back. No one. Where do you think you will ever be wanted?”

Even though I did not turn around, I still answered her,

“Home.”

I could feel Elaine take a deep breath. Now, her anger was giving way to fear, because she knew exactly what my words meant.

The Thornes.

My pack was one of the oldest and most feared bloodlines in the world. The fact that I had left and kept them in the dark about my heritage had been a calculated decision, and it was one I was beginning to regret now.

The truth was that if I returned up, bruised and broken, then there were going to be real consequences for Trent and his pack.

Elaine was not going to let that happen. She started to run, and just before I could walk out of a doorway, she rushed past me, and stood guard right in the doorway.

“You will not leave this pack and embarrass us.”

My eyes widened slightly and I shook my head in disbelief,

“Move.” I hissed, the anger in my voice was so visceral and raw that Elaine flinched.

Her lips parted, but there was something in both my voice and expression that unsettled her enough that the woman took a deep breath and then stepped out of my way.

“Good,” I hissed, brushing past her as I walked out of the doorway. The corridors blurred around me as I kept on walking out of the estate. Now that I was truly leaving, a little bit of fear was beginning to creep into my heart.

I had run away from home. So, I had no idea how my parents were going to react. Would they hate me for disappearing like I did?

I had no idea, but no matter what happened, it was definitely going to be better than staying here till I was killed. With that conviction in my heart, I walked out of the estate, and with my suitcase behind me, I walked straight to the gates and stopped when I walked out.

I unlocked my phone and just as I dialed a number and placed it on my ears, a large hand slapped it out of my hands. The device smashed hard against the stone ground and broke into pieces.

I froze, dread already rising within me because I knew who it was.

I turned around just in time to catch his hand landing cleanly on my face. Pain exploded across her face and I stumbed sideways, falling hard on the floor as ringing began to fill my ears and tears began to feel my eyes.

I looked up just in time to see Trent’s massive frame standing over me. His fingers were clenched into a fist and he was just about to punch me when a large hand clasped around his and a booming voice filled the air.

“How dare you touch her?”

The first thing I saw was the fear in Trent’s eyes, the second thing was the stranger coming into view.

Then, just before I could say anything, I heard one of the guards whisper out the name of the stranger like he was some sort of boogeyman.

“Xander.”