Chapter 4 | Destiny or Accidental Bond?

Rhea’s POV

I kept running without stopping just to wipe away my tears. Right when I smelled Leon near Valerian territory, I had to duck out fast.

Lying low became the only move. Since my trail got stronger, vanishing into cover made sense, and slipping off quietly kept me safe.

While he was close, staying wasn't an option. Once my presence hit his nose, all would be done.

The dark woods opened up as pine and wet soil filled the air. I continued to press on despite the little breeze. I moved through dense bushes, avoiding tangled roots as I went.

The quiet was broken just past the trunks by a faint trickle of flowing water. I grew up there, where I once played hide-and-seek with pals, and that waterfall looked just like before, like dropping off the short rock wall.

I had a secret hideaway inside the curtain of the waterfall. No one else could discover it since it was hidden away.

I jumped into the narrow opening beyond. My breath was coming fast.

I took off all my clothes, leaving only my mother's thin, almost transparent dress that I had worn at home earlier. I knotted the bundle of clothes, tossed it downstream, and the river swallowed them quickly.

I let the clothes float away with the river current, hoping Leon would follow the false trail. I hoped the scent of my clothes would mislead Leon. I hoped Leon would give up.

I still gasped for air behind the curtain, my back pressed to the big stones. My fingers trembled, no strength left in them.

I figured maybe there would be a moment to gather my thoughts.

Now I curled up behind the falls, arms wrapped tight, chilled by the night air and ears filled with rushing water. I wished the river’s smell masked my own, still heavy with sorrow.

I felt peace for a moment, and then the silence vanished. But suddenly, the air abruptly altered, as though someone had lowered the valley's temperature. That familiar smell came drifting through the leaves, also rising off the river down below.

It was Leon. He is here, approaching. His footsteps sounded close and then, I heard a low grow which almost scared me half to death. “Rhea.”

In an attempt to calm the growing terror, I covered my lips with my palm.

“I saw your clothes floating away,” Leon's voice grew closer. “But unfortunately, you forgot one thing.”

Leon's footsteps broke through the shallow river water. The sound of splashing grew louder. Until a large shadow appeared beyond the barrier of the water. “The scent of your fear is too strong to hide.”

The curtain of water parted as Leon's hand reached in, and before I could escape, my arm was grabbed firmly.

“Ahhh!” My shout stopped short when something yanked me away, no way to resist. Through the waterfall, Leon hauled me, drenching every inch of me in seconds.

We dropped down by the riverside, my foot sinking into damp sand mixed with pebbles. Water soaked through my only dress, nearly see-through now, showing every shape beneath as I shakily stood there, almost nude.

Leon stood before me, his hair dripping wet, panting heavily, and his eyes blazing, so fierce that it stung when I meet him. "You must be trying hard to hide, huh?"

I flinched as the cold wind hit my throat. "Why are you so keen on chasing me!" I shouted.

Leon answered in a cutting tone. He took hold of my chin and made me meet his gaze. "Why were you in that basement? Did you see the ritual, Rhea Valeria?”

“I-I'm really sorry ….”

“Why are you there?” His voice was flat, but cold as a knife. “Answer me!!”

With shaky hands, I carefully straightened my body and forcefully swallowed. "I didn't intend to. You told me to fix my report. I merely wanted to turn in my job report. I didn't know what the ritual was.”

“You saw it.” Leon's jaw tightened. “And that's enough.”

“I don't understand what I saw,” I spoke quickly, trying to breathe. “I only saw blood, a large ceramic, and you. That's all.”

Leon took a step closer, forcing me to back up until my back hit a large rock. “Exactly. You saw something no one should see.”

“I won't tell anyone. I swear, Mr. Vareth. I—”

Leon cut me off. "Earlier, I smelled your pack. And now I don't smell anything anymore.” He stared at me like I was prey. “The Valerian Pack is dead, isn't it?"

I clenched my fists. “I don't think I need to answer that.”

Leon bent down, level with my face, staring straight into my eyes. "Since your pack died, no one will look for your body. No one will question the disappearance of the last Valerian."

“Mr. Vareth, I don't want to get into trouble with you!” I gasped. “My entire pack has just been wiped out. My folks, while dying, wished I'd make it through.“

I inhaled deeply as Leon pulled at the hem of my robe, bringing me closer. His hot breath attacked my cheek.

“I can't let you leave these woods,” Leon said.

“No one will know. I'll keep quiet about the ritual.” I swallowed, my eyes pleading. “You have my word.”

Leon laughed short, cynically. “The word of someone on the verge of becoming a rogue? It means nothing.”

“I'm not a rogue!”

“You'll be a rogue in a matter of hours,” Leon replied. “Because your pack is gone. And rogues must be killed.”

I slumped, grabbing Leon's arm, my voice breaking. “Please! I have nothing left. Don't take the only thing I still have, my life.”

Leon was completely unmoved. "Rhea, you're among the most submissive gals at work. However, being obedient doesn't make you any less dangerous.”

Leon dropped me to the sandy ground, making me lie and pinning me down to prevent me from escaping. His hands quickly moved to my neck. Water dripped from his hair onto my face and his eyes were filled with murderous intent.

"HEELPPP!!! Pleaseee! Anyone help me!!!" I fought back and screamed at the top of my lungs. But an Alpha like Leon was far superior to me.

His large fingers wrapped tightly around my neck. I immediately choked. "Le—Leon—" My voice broke. For the first time, I called Leon Vareth by his first name.

"I'll keep it brief." His hold around my throat got stronger.

I fought, my fingers clawing at the dirt, tearing skin on his wrist. I kicked wildly, panted in short bursts. Beneath my damp, see-through clothing, my chest heaved up and down.

My wide-eyed look filled both with terror and a silent plea. My mouth was wide open as I tried to inhale as much air as I could. Also, my neck felt like it was about to crack.

Leon's clutch was unbearable, and air couldn’t pass through my trachea for two agonizing minutes.

A fleeting thought crossed my mind. Am I really going to die? Is the end of my life going to be to be killed in this miserable state?

'Mother, father ... I can't take it anymore. Forgive me and let me be on your side.' My tears trickled onto the damp sand from the corners of my eyes.

Leon didn't budge. He continued to grip my neck of lying beneath him, pressing down tightly.

In those final seconds, as my vision began to blur, the world shrank into dark dots. I saw Leon's expression and cursed him one last breath. "I s-swear, I will be h-haunting you ... fo-forever ... and d-dragging you to h-hell, F-Fu*king Alphaaa …."

Leon Vareth, the Alpha of the Targarion Pack, stared at me coldly, cruelly, and with a murderous intent, without hesitation, and without mercy.

"L-Leeeoonnnn ...."

"This is your end, Rhea. Just die."

Suddenly, Leon's body jerked violently. He released his grip. He clutched his chest and moved off of my body.

I don't know exactly what happened to him next, I just coughed and inhaled the oxygen that had stopped coming in. I immediately got up panting while leaning against the large rock behind me. At least I wasn't dead.

But, what happened to Leon? Why did he look so hurt now?

At the same time, Leon who was holding his chest looked straight at me.

His pupils met my gaze and that's where I saw the flash that I had only heard from my mother's stories, a sign of a mate bond.