Chapter 107: A Choice One Makes

Della stared at the firewood crackling beneath the hanging pot, every so often popping sharply as the flames devoured the dry timber.

A low, steady roar filled the little room, accompanied by the soft hiss of burning embers. Above it, the soup simmered heavily, bubbling and popping against the sides of the iron pot as steam curled into the air.

Annelise sat down close to the hanging top, turning the soup with a small, wooden spoon.

Della kept her eyes on the crackling wood.

They’ve been here for about four days now, and unlike back in the human town, Della kept getting that heavy, bad feeling every now and then.

Something terrible was probably gonna happen soon, and her biggest fear right now was knowing that Annelise might also get targeted because of her.

The whole wolf realm was literally after Della’s head, and they couldn’t keep running forever. Malachi’s guards couldn’t hold them back forever, and there was so much fear in her heart.

She’d had a long conversation with Annelise two days ago, and Annelise had told her that this small cottage was around the outskirts of IronRidge Pack territory. She’d also told her that there was nowhere else they could run to if they were found here.

Unless they would hide out in the woods for the rest of their lives, which isn’t possible.

Sooner or later, they would have to face the fight that’s coming to them.

And Della had been calling on her wolf ever since. She wasn’t answering. She was stirring.

Nothing. It was starting to feel hopeless, and with every passing second Della could feel the impending doom they couldn’t escape — or at least, she couldn’t escape.

She looked at Annelise again, and she felt a pain forming in her chest. She wanted her to survive this, at the very least. She didn’t want Annelise to be branded as a traitor and kicked out of Eclipse Crown Pack.

"You’re thinking again," Annelise’s sigh was louder than the crackling wood.

"Yeah," Della didn’t even bother denying it this time.

"Might as well say it out loud instead of letting it kill you inside," Annelise sounded like someone who had given up at constantly telling Della to try not to think, because who the hell was she kidding? Their situation was dire.

Della lowered her eyes again, clasping both hands over her belly to stop her from injuring herself again. The words were right there at the top of her tongue, but she hesitated because she didn’t know how Anne was going to take it.

"What?" Anne pushed, tasting the soup — not that there was any spice in it anyway. It was as plain and dry as the weather these days.

"I—" Della stopped.

Annelise glanced back at her, dropping the spoon and letting the soup continue to simmer. She crossed her hands over her chest, her tone soft but firm, "Talk to me. What’s bothering you?"

"It’s—" Della stopped again, but Annelise gave her a sharp look, prompting her to continue, "If you leave now, maybe you can still save yourself,"

Annelise blinked, "Huh?"

"You could make up a story," Della continued, trying to keep her voice from shaking, "You could say that I forced you into doing all my bidding. You could say I trapped you somewhere. You don’t have to worry about what people would think because they would always believe your words over mine. Annelise," Her voice softened, but still strained, "You still have a chance...to step away from all this,"

For several seconds, Annelise didn’t say anything at all. Then she slowly turned toward the fire again and picked up the wooden spoon.

Della’s heart sank. "Anne—"

"Don’t."

The single word was quiet, but there was something in it that made Della stop.

Annelise stirred the soup once. Twice. Then she dropped the spoon beside the pot and turned around completely, "Do you really think I’m here because I don’t know what I’m doing?"

Della swallowed. "That’s not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean?"

"I mean that you’re in danger because of me!"

"So?"

Della stared at her. Annelise’s eyes had begun to glisten, but there was no softness in her expression now. There was only disappointment, "You think I haven’t thought about that?" she asked. "You think I don’t know what will happen if they find us?"

"I know you do, but—"

"But what, Della?"

"They could kill you!"

"And if they do?"

"Don’t say that!"

"Why?" Annelise demanded. "Because you’re afraid of death?"

"Of course I’m afraid of death!"

"Then stop asking me to live like a coward."

Those words brought complete silence to the room, and even the cracking wood stopped for a few seconds before it continued.

Annelise’s breathing trembled, then she looked away, rubbing the heel of her palm against one eye before facing her again.

"I am not going to walk away from you and then spend the rest of my life wondering if you died alone somewhere because I decided my life was more valuable than yours."

"Anne—"

"No. Listen to me." Her voice cracked, "I didn’t follow you because you forced me. You didn’t put a knife against my throat. You didn’t threaten me. I walked with you because I chose to."

Della’s lips parted, but nothing came out.

"I chose to give you medicine. I chose to feed you. I chose to shelter you. I chose to leave my home for you." Annelise pointed toward the cottage around them. "And I chose to stay here." Her eyes softened then as she added, "Do you understand?"

A tear slipped down Della’s cheek, "But your mother—"

"My mother might be grumpy and harsh, but she raised me to heal people, Della. Not abandon them when healing becomes difficult."

Della immediately lowered her face, her fingers tightening over her belly, "I don’t want you to lose everything because of me."

Annelise’s expression broke. She moved closer and crouched in front of her, gently taking Della’s hands away from her stomach.

"Look at me."

Della did, and Annelise held her gaze, and continued, "Maybe I will lose things. Maybe people will call me a traitor. Maybe Eclipse Crown will turn its back on me." Her thumb brushed over Della’s knuckles. "And maybe one day, I’ll have to answer for every choice I’ve made." She paused, "But those will be my choices."

Della’s eyes filled completely.

"And if death comes for me because I stood beside you..." Annelise smiled through the tears gathering in her eyes. "Then I’ll meet it standing."

Della’s breath trembled.

"Don’t ever be so afraid of dying that you forget how to live. If you want to live, live, Della. Don’t do it because you have a baby coming, or because you wanna prove someone wrong. Do it simply because you want to, because you chose to," Annelise squeezed her hands and leaned closer, "You woke up when the entire world wanted you dead. You survived being hunted. You survived those rogues. You killed one with a piece of broken wood, for heaven’s sake."

A tiny, broken laugh escaped Della through her tears.

Annelise smiled.

"So stop looking at me like I’m some poor woman you’ve dragged into your tragedy." Her voice softened to almost a whisper, "You’re not a tragedy, Della. And I could tell you this every day, but you’re the one who needs to convince yourself at the end. If you cannot change what the world thinks about you, change what you think of yourself,"

The tears spilled.

.

.

.

Annelise had left the house before dawn.

She was currently somewhere in the forest, gathering more herbs she needed for Della and the fast-growing pregnancy.

Holding a small basket in one hand, she bent over and plucked a leaf, bringing it to her nose to sniff. Once she found what she was looking for, she placed it in the basket and continued searching for more.

She’d never had a patient with Della’s condition before. Her mother would have had an idea on what was causing this, but unfortunately, that woman would probably never look her in the eye again.

The night she had left, she had tried to stop her.

She recalled her mother breaking into tears, telling her not to go after the Rotblood. When Annelise had walked out on her regardless, she had a feeling her mother had cut all ties with her at that moment.

Della didn’t know about this.

If she ever did, it would break her completely.

And she’s already been broken for at least twenty lifetimes.

A sudden rustle in the leaves around her had all her movements halting.

Annelise slowly straightened, praying she had heard wrong. She’d been on full alert all this time, and should have sensed someone coming before they got this close.

Unless the person was very good at hiding their presence. An assassin? An Alpha? A... powerful wolf?

Her fingers tightened around the basket as she turned her head, scanning the trees around her.

Nothing.

No movement.

No birds.

No distant howl.

Just the wind slipping between the branches.

Annelise’s instincts screamed at her to leave, and just as she took one careful step backwards, a woman’s voice drifted down from above, "It’s really hard to believe you left a good job with good pay in a Powerful Pack... just so you could protect someone you barely know — a rotblood as a matter of fact,"

Annelise froze, then her eyes snapped upward.

And there she was.

Sitting comfortably on one of the thick branches several feet above her, one leg dangling lazily while the other remained bent beneath her.

Beatrice.