The elder stood before me, and now having a proper view of him, I could tell he was the same elder who had helped me in sealing my wolf when I found myself in this town.
But the words the very same elder had said were ones I found myself hard to believe.
"Kieran taking advantage of me," that wasn't possible. Something didn't feel right, not this time, not Kieran.
I couldn't explain why I felt this way, but deep down, I didn't believe Kieran would take advantage of me.
If so, why would the elder be saying he did? I watched the elder walk to the window side, pulling back the curtains as it revealed the stars that glinted in the sky. It was still the night hours.
I watched the elder's hand clenched in a fist before they unclenched.
"Him coming here in the first place and the way he acts as though..." the elder's words trailed off, but in those eyes, I could swear I noticed it, a side of rage. One that I wasn't sure I had seen right, knowing the very same calm elder.
He turned his gaze back at me as I almost skipped a breath. Something about him didn't seem right. It felt like I was gazing upon a different person from what I had seen when I had first arrived in this town.
"Well, we will let him do his investigation, and once he is done, he can finally leave the town in peace..." whispers escaped the elder's lips as he approached my side.
"But for now, you stay here, dear, and recover," the elder said as he poured me another glass of water.
"You need to rest now. I will leave you to it," he said as he hoped to leave, but I saw this as the only chance I would get. I couldn't let this slip. "Can I leave the town..." I asked.
And it seemed something about my words brought a sudden pause in the elder's movements.
"Please. Can I leave the town..." I was about requesting again, but my words were silenced by his, "No," he replied immediately, his tone final, like a slam to my face.
"I have no idea why you brought this up now, but I want you to know, the town is the only place safe for you. Nothing will be able to protect you from the world outside if you decide to leave. So no, you can't leave..." he said.
The way he had spoken was as though his words were ones that he didn't expect an objection from me, only a nod in response.
But why couldn't I leave? If I didn't, he would come to find me. I had to leave. Yet, just as I hoped to leave a word further, my words caught in my throat, and I found myself coughing uncontrollably as I gasped for breath harder.
The elder hastened to my side as he helped with the cup of water placed beside me on the nightstand. I grabbed it, gulping the whole cup as I returned it, trying to leave some slow breaths.
But I almost stumbled backward when I noticed the elder's intense gaze on me.
"Y-your eyes... how is that possible? It shouldn't be," he whispered,
I turned to the mirror stand beside me, gazing at my reflection. My eyes—they glinted gold, reminding me of the nightmare I had. "My wolf?"
It seemed I had no choice but to tell him about it. A part of me was hoping that possibly there was a way to stop my wolf from breaking out.
"My wolf is stirring; the seal is weakening much faster than it should. It felt like something was pushing her loose..." I said, turning my attention to the same elder who stood there, eyes widened, his face paled.
For a long moment, he said nothing as though he was trying to process the words I had just laid down. I also found it hard to accept things when I learned that my wolf was about to break free since it was something that shouldn't have been happening in the first place.
Should I tell him that this began the very moment Kieran stepped into the town or about the bond I found myself feeling towards him? One I shouldn't even be feeling.
"When did this start?" the elder intruded, finally breaking the silence that echoed in the room.
"Recently..." I replied uneasily.
I watched the elder heaving a breath as though he was trying so much to leave a composure on himself before he finally said, "I will take care of it, but you must remain here. Don't leave this house, no matter what. If you do, then it will no longer be safe."
He left after that as he shut the door behind him, leaving a soft slam.
I found myself alone again in the room, but the elder's words... why did they seem like a threat?
"It will no longer be safe..."
It didn't sound like protection; it sounded more like confinement, like a warning to stay in my cage.
Memories of Rendell and the incident two years ago, ones that I had buried, came back crawling out. I almost stumbled off the bed from the heavy ache on my head.
"But wait, could it be?"
I trailed processing the whole event—the very coincidence of me finding myself waking up in this town two years after I was thrown off the cliff, the friendliness I received.
I had no doubt, but now it only seemed like me making the same mistake I did two years ago, having the thought that everything was finally going to be perfect, thinking there was a world of peace and happiness.
The truth that hit me back, shattering me. Should I be letting myself believe that now?
No... I couldn't do this again.
I couldn't trust anyone—not anymore.
Not the elder. Not this town. Not the version of safety that they had left.
I had to run tonight.