Chapter forty five
Jade felt the wind around her as she ran through the forest, her nose had picked up Adryan's scent a while back which was mixed among with others, as she travelled further into the path, it became more sparse of any pack members loitering around. Dusk was approaching quickly, it seems like Jade had spent more time in Adryan's personal library with Joan than she thought she did.
Jade's heart was beating wildly in her chest with the interminable running she was doing, as she neared more to the southern part of the pack, where the scent of vanilla seemed to be overpowering.
Jade comes to a stop when she spots patrol guards ahead of her, she was trying to be light on her feet, so that no one would be able to detect her presence right away, she was also cognizant of hiding her scent.
Jade really couldn't figure out what was going on since the patrol guards seemed to obscure her line of sight, she could feel Adryan's presence ahead of her. Jade tries to walk around so that she could get a closer look and dodge catching anyone's attention, especially Adryan's, but her plan immediately failed when she unintentionally stepped on dry leaves, which scrunched under the pressure of her feet, she didn't need to look to find out if anyone had learned of her presence, as she immediately felt the numerous pair of eyes on her. Obviously, with their sharp ears, they were quick to notice the small sound. Jade closed her eyes in a silent pair as she felt the scent of vanilla was closing in on her. She felt him even before he touched her, Adryan was furious to find Jade when he had let Violet know that Jade should be taken home immediately after learning that she was in the pack house.
"What are you doing here?" Adryan pulled her towards him, his hands wrapped around her bicep.
"I-Uh-" Jade doesn't meet his darkened gaze, instead she chooses to look around the forest, hoping to find an excuse.
"I asked you a question, Jade" Adryan insists, causing Jade to finally look up at him. His expression stony as he looked down at her, waiting for an answer.
"I came to help” Jade tells him, but judging by his expression, Adryan already knew why she was there in the first place.
"You can help me out here" he says after a few moments of silence, his reply shocked Jade, she had expected Adryan to lash out at her after she had ignored his orders of going home.
"l can?" she asks him to reaffirm his words.
"Yes" he says, giving her hope, but that soon deflates with his next words, "By going back to the house and locking yourself in till everything blows over."
She looks at him as anger slowly rises within her with his words, "Do you think I'm too weak to fight?" it seemed like her straightforward question had managed to shock Adryan, her words catching him off guard.
"I didn't say that Jade" Adryan says
"But you didn't deny it either” she points out, just when Adryan was going to reply to her a sudden disruption caught their attention, both Jade and Adryan watched as a rogue appeared out of nowhere and attacked the guards who had been with Adryan a few moments before. Jade couldn't see the rogue as the guards were circling around it, but it seemed like, although it was alone, it packed a few good punches in and clawing at the guards. Somehow it also managed to hide its scent, since the guards didn't see it coming.
"I can help” she said once again, her eyes moving to the scene of injured guards, some lying on the ground, wounded but healing themselves as fast as they could to wake up and fight again, the rest of them were still fighting the rogue, it's back turned towards Jade. It moved with stealth and precision. It seemed like Adryan was done with the rogue injuring his wolves, since he decided to step in.
Adryan immediately steps to aid his guards, but not before warning Jade not to interfere or wander away. He approached the rogue, which still had its back to them, while he fought the guards.
Upon sensing Adryan's authoritative figure approaching, the rogue turns back around to face him, the guards that he was fighting take advantage of this little action of his, all of them him getting on him all at once, locking him in place, one of the guards kicks the back of his leg, making the rogue fall on the ground in a kneeling position. Adryan's doesn't give anything away, but Jade definitely felt the anger rolling off of him in waves. The guards punch the rogue few time while Adryan approached them.
When he finally reaches them, he comes to a stop directly before the rogue, which had scars on its chest, which could be seen from its t-shirt which was hanging off of his frame in pieces and rags. Its pure silence for a few moments, the rogue has his head facing downwards towards the ground.
"Who sent you?" Adryan suddenly speaks, his voice filled with outrage. The rogue, if he had heard Adryan's question didn't react to it, he didn't even lift a finger, he kept his head down.
"Did he sent you?" Adryan asks again, his patience running thin by now. His question making Jade confused, “who was this “he’ Adryan was referring to?!" She thought to herself.
By now Adryan was seething, his breathing heavy as anger brewed inside of him like hot lava, "TELL ME" he yells causing Jade to wince with the amount of power and harshness it held, the guards holding the rogue step back in fear, but the rogue still didn't reply to him, it seemed like this was the last straw that snapped off the thread Adryan's patience was hanging on to for dear life, because the next second Adryan had clutched the hair atop the rogue's head with one of his hands, while he pulled his other hand back and punched as hard as he could, and he didn't stop there, he kept hitting back to back, the scent of blood filling the air.
Jade and the guards watched the scene in front of them with wide shock filled eyes, Adryan had busted open his knuckles meanwhile the rogue’s face was a mess, his nose crooked, most probably broken from all the blows it received with blood oozing down like a stream, one of his eyes swollen, his lips bleeding as well, but he still kept his silence. It seemed like he had a death wish, literally.
She'd never seen Adryan like this, this side of him scared her, this side of him had reminded her of all the rumors and stories people in her pack used to tell, About the Alpha of the strongest pack in the world, not her mate she had come to know this past few weeks.
"Adryan” Jade calls out, her voice so feeble, she'd thought he might've missed it, but she is proven wrong when Adryan stops mid-punch, his hands in a fist, shaking with the effort it took for him to not continue his previous actions. It was surprising to see the rogue still conscious because Adryan wasn't holding back, the sound of bones being broken was crisp and clear.
It seemed like after all this time, even with Adryan trying to get information out of him constantly for the past several minutes, it was her voice that made the rogue look up from its unwavering gaze that was fixed on the ground.
It's swollen lips parting in disbelief, eyes widening in shock.
"Jade?" it calls out. Jade was shocked by the rogue’s words, she had never come across him ever in her life, or maybe the past three years, when she had gained her eye sight, but his voice it was low but clear to her with her sensitive ears. His voice, sparking a tinge of recognition within her.
Jade's green eyes widen in shock, her heart beat sounding loud to her own ears. Her hands turning clammy with sweat.
"Arther?" she replies shakily, her breath uneven.
Her words making Adryan turn back around, his blood red eyes meeting her shocked ones.