Chapter 72


    Chapter 72


    6 Tell Me the Pas


    Franklin POV


    “Exin to me how the f**k she escaped.” “Sir, I have no idea what happened. They were both in the


    cell. No one came in or out of that cell.” Iugh “you expect me to believe that she had magically


    disappeared from the cell. She is a f**king wolf, not a witch. They are both wolves, nothing more. I


    should kill you for your ipetence.” “I’m sorry sir, please.” “Get out of my sight before I change my


    mind and snap your f**king neck.” He rushes from my office. The door to my office opens a few


    minutester and Eric walks in. He is my second inmand. “Have you found her?” “No sir, we


    haven’t. We can’t even scent her. We ran all the way to the Nightfire Pack border.” “She isn’t stupid


    enough to run to pack wolves. She knows what they think of rogues. I have made sure that they both


    think it would be ten times worse if a pack found them.” “What do you want us to do sir?” “Keep looking,


    I have phone calls to make.” He leaves the room and I sit at my desk. I take the book out of my desk as


    this is not a number I call regrly. I ce the phone to my ear.


    “Alpha Grant” his cold voicees through the phone. “Grant it’s Franklin.” There is a moment of


    silence before he finally speaks. “Why the f**k are you calling me after all these years?” “I just thought


    you should know that the b**ch escaped. My men are out looking for her but have had no luck finding


    her.” “How is this my problem? I gave you a lot of money to make the two of them go away and you


    dare call me now to tell me she is still alive.” “Go away can mean many things, Grant.” “I am Alpha to


    you.” “No you’re not. I am not a pack wolf and you are in no way my leader. Now she has no idea about


    her past, so it shouldn’t be an issue for you and your Luna. I just thought you should know.” “You better


    pray she stays gone or your little collective is going to be my pack’s next conquest.” “I told you she has


    no idea where she came from and she has been a prisoner all her life.” “Good, it better stay that way


    for your sake.” The call disconnects and I m the phone down.


    After Ipose myself, I call a number I know very well. She picks up on the second ring. “To what do I


    owe this call Franklin?” “I missed you.” Sheughs “we both know that’s not true. So what do you need


    from me?” “You know me so well, Lydia. The little b**ch has escaped and I need to locate her before


    she causes any trouble.” There is silence and I know she is thinking about what she will demand of me


    for this favor. Her help is never free. “What do you want, Lydia?” “I’m not sure yet, but rest assured


    there will be a hefty price for this favor.” “Fine, I don’t care, just get here.” “On my way, love.” I hate


    when she calls me that. We decided long ago not to give into the bond because the goddess is a b**ch


    who has no right over our free will. That doesn’t mean we can’t enjoy each other from time to time. It’s


    also nice to know a witch for times like this.


    One Week Later


    Eli POV


    ? 2024 N?v/el/Dram/a.Org.


    A knock sounds on my bedroom door. I slide on my jeans before I head over to open it. It has to be my


    family or ra because no one else is allowed on this floor. I open the door and my sister is standing


    there smiling. She walks in and takes a seat. “Come in Larisa” I say sarcastically. “You’re lucky I


    knocked.” I roll my eyes but take a seat across from her. “What’s up that you’re here so early?” “I just


    wanted to see how things are going with ra.” I smile “it’s really good. I just wish she would trust me


    enough to tell me what happened before I found her.” She reaches out, taking my hand. “I’m sure she


    will in time but don’t rush her. She seems really happy here with you.” “She does, I hope in time she


    epts mepletely.” “I believe she will.” She stands and hands me a piece of paper before she


    leaves my room. I open it and warmth spreads through my body as I read.


    Eli


    It’s my turn to take you on a date. Meet me in the garden in an hour. Be hungry.


    ra


    I ce the note on my dresser and head into my bathroom to shower. “Do you think she is ready to tell


    us” Ss asks. “I don’t know, but I think it’s good she wants to spend more time with us. She has been


    smiling more and eating more.” He chuckles “yes she has.” I get out of the shower and throw on jeans


    and a blue t-shirt. I head down the hallway and downstairs. As I walk through the foyer, I hear my name


    being called. I stop and turn to see Susan standing in the living room. Ss growls but I keep my


    expression even. “What do you want Susan?” “I just wanted to apologize for the way I have been


    acting.” “Honestly Susan, if you had said something against me I could have easily forgiven you but


    you spoke against my mate. It will not be so easily forgiven. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need to be


    somewhere.” She nods and heads to the dining room. I walk out of the pack house heading toward the


    garden. I smile thinking about spending the afternoon with ra. When I reach the garden she is sitting


    on a nket with a pic basket. She is smiling but I can tell she is nervous.


    I sit down on the nket and take her hand in mine. I bring it to my lips, cing a kiss on the back.


    “This is amazing. Thank you for nning a date for us.” “I wanted to thank you for being the man you


    are. Most men in your position would not want me for a mate.” “I love that you nned this but you


    don’t have to thank me for loving you or choosing you.” “Love, you love me.” “Of course, you are my


    destined mate. I loved you the moment I found you. Our souls are bound to each other. You are my


    other half.” She stays quiet and I don’t want her to feel like she has to say it back to me. “ra, I don’t


    expect you to say it back. I know that you are not ready to ept all this yet.” “Eli” she says, stopping


    me from continuing. “I have only ever said that to one man in my life.” I control the growl that wants to


    escape and push Ss to the back of my mind. Now is not the time to act like a jealous a** when she is


    finally opening up to me. “My brother, Cayden, is the only man besides you that has been kind to me.”


    Ss whimpers in my mind and my heart breaks that she hasn’t had the love and kindness that I have


    known all my life.


    ra POV


    The thought of telling him all that happened is terrifying. Cora assures me that it won’t change how he


    feels, but that’s hard for me to believe. I hate to even think about the hell that the collective was and the


    fact that Cayden is still there. Franklin is probably making him suffer for my freedom. I push the


    thoughts that gue me away. Cayden made me promise to live for both of us and I will not let his


    sacrifice be for nothing. “Eli, this isn’t easy for me to talk about, but you deserve to know everything.”


    His eyes are so kind and loving. I could get lost in them, which is why I look away. “Cayden and I were


    abandoned so we never knew our parents. We were found by wolves in the collective when we were


    just pups. As you can imagine, the collective leader is a ba**ard. Cayden and I have been ves since


    we were children. We were forced to do Franklin’s bidding. He has made us steal and hurt others if it


    suited him. We have both taken our fair share of beatings when we refused to do horrible things.


    Sometimes I wished that the goddess would take me as Iy on the floor bleeding. I wish I could say


    that was the worst of what I endured.” A growl escapes him and I know Ss is angry, but it’s not at me.


    I look at him and heys his hand on my face. “I’m here, I’m not going anywhere”, he says with such


    love in his eyes. I press my eyes closed and take a deep breath. “The men in the collective would use


    me.” I can’t even bring myself to finish the sentence, but when Eli pulls me into his arms I know he


    knows. “I promise you that they will pay for all they have done.” “I wish that was true but I have no idea


    where they are or how I got to the forest outside the pack. Thest thing I remember is Cayden telling


    me to close my eyes before he told me he loved me. He always tried to protect me.” I pull back and


    look into his eyes. He smiles “we will figure it out.” I take a deep breath and muster all the resolve I


    have. I press my lips to his and I can’t even begin to describe the feeling of being safe and loved in Eli’s


    arms. He pulls back with a smile on his face. “Thank you, for trusting me with your past. You are always


    safe with me.” I believe him with every fiber of my soul. “I love you, Eli. I promise that I will be ready to


    complete the bond soon.” “I love you ra. There is no rush. I want you to befortable, so please


    take all the time you need. We have a lifetime together.”


    Franklin POV


    I head down to the cells. I dismiss the rogue standing guard. I walk over to the cell holding the little


    ba**ard. Despite the beatings he has received, he won’t tell us how his sister escaped. I knew he would


    be hard to break. It’s the only bond the two of them have ever known. He is lying on the floor and his


    eyes are swollen shut. His wolf is so weak he is taking forever to heal him. I open the cell door and


    bend down. “This punishment can end mutt if you just tell me where she is?” He manages to crack one


    eye open. He swallows a few times before he manages to speak. “You can kill me. She is free of you


    and this ce and that is all that matters.” He closes his eyes again and it’s all I can do not to snap his


    neck right now. I need him alive a little longer. I stand and walk out of the cell. When I get upstairs,


    Lydia is waiting in my office. “You look like you haven’t gotten what you want Franklin.” I re at her. I


    am in no mood for her antics. “That is why you are here. Tell me what you need to find her.” “Bring me


    the boy and I’ll see what I can do.” I link my guard to bring him to my office. He will be useful even if he


    doesn’t want to.