Sighs, “I didn’t want to tell you this before… I was so frightened, but I guess you’ve figured it out already…”
“What is it Samara? You can always tell me anything… You know I’ll always listen to you.”
She took another deep breath before continuing, “it’s the man you arrested his morning, he came here two days ago claiming to be a messenger from the silver pack. You weren’t around when he came.”
“Yes, that’s what the guards told me. They said he left behind a message for me with you. Why didnt you give it to me when I returned?”
“Thats what I’ve been hiding from you Walden… Curiosity got the better part of me… so I opened the letter and read it before you came, it was wrong of me I know, but I don’t regret what I did, because I was able to save your life by exposing that scoundrel….”
Walden held a questioning gaze, “tell me… what did the letter say?”
“The message was from the silver pack’s Alpha Damian, telling you to meet him at the neutral ground that bordered the silver and night shadow territories, he didn’t say why, but I knew that something smelt fishy then… That’s why I didnt give it to you, but instead, went in your place.”
“Samara…. Why is it now that you’re just telling me all this? You went alone? What if you got hurt? Or even killed??? What would I have done then?”
“I’m sorry, but it was better to take the risk than to let you go and meet an unexpected fate.”
He calmed down then, “so what happened after you went to the border?”
“I didn’t see… Any sign of alpha Damian, instead, this guy he… He attacked me.”
“Samara, you’re beginning to annoy me! Honestly, how could you have kept this from me???”
“I didn’t want to worry you….”
He yelled, “Bullshit Samara! That’s a totally shitty excuse for you to give! You didn’t want to worry me? So you thought it better to risk your life instead???”
“I didn’t die Walden…. Nothing happened to me, I couldn’t let myself get killed when I knew what that would do to you.”
“I don’t know… It’s really hard to believe any of this Samara, like… how did you even manage to escape?”
“I fought back, but it was hard, he nearly overpowered me, but I knew I had to fight, I had to fight so I’d have the chance to see you again…”
“So when you saw me; when I returned…. you couldn’t even tell me anything? You kept it all to yourself? Just like that???”
“Yes, I’m sorry Walden… I’m sorry for hiding it all from you… I thought I was protecting you, but when I saw that the killer had returned, that same fear… Sprang in me, that was why I fainted this morning. You know I would never do anything to hurt you on purpose, Walden. I’m sorry.”
Walden took a minute to calm down, to understand Samara’s plight, but no matter how much he tried, he just couldn’t make any sense of it. Maybe Sandy was right…
“Where are you going?” Samara asked as Walden stood up to take his leave.
“I want to believe you Samara… I really do, but I feel this isn’t the right way to handle things… I think I must hear another version of this story from the prisoners mouth before I can conclude…”
“No!!!!”
He raised his brow at her, questioning her reaction, after seeing his face, she had to calm her stance, as her yelling would only make it harder to stop Walden from going to that prison cell, she needed to make him see reason.
“I mean…. Um, he’s very dangerous… I don’t think you should be going to meet him alone Walden, I’ve met him before; he’s a very smart person… You never know what trick he might have up his sleeve.”
“I’m not going there alone Samara, the dungeon is heavily guarded and he is fully restrained… I only want to speak to him and hear whatever he has to say,” he turned and was about to leave when Samara quickly sprang from her bed, reaching him before he touched the door knob, she tugged his shirt, pleading. “Dont go Walden, I’m begging you…”
“Samara…”
“Please…” She suddenly put on a mask of sadness, her body suddenly became weak again and she was about to drop to the ground before Walden quickly caught her on time.
“Samara! Samara!!! What’s wrong with you??? Are you feeling okay…? This is why I told the healer to examine you but you refused!!!”
As Walden held her there on the ground, she began to mumble some words, “p-please… Don’t… Don’t leave me, please stay with me… Just for tonight.”
“I can’t… I have to speak with the prisoner now Samara.”
“Please… I’m still feeling weak, let me rest beside you. Just for tonight… The prisoner can wait, you can see him tomorrow, but tonight, I want you to stay with me.”
“Samara…”
“Please Walden… please.”
Dragging this back and forth was only going to waste time, and being the kind of person he was, he always hated it when she was upset at him, so he finally agreed.
“Okay Samara, just for tonight, I’ll stay with you before meeting with the prisoner in the morning.”
He lifted her and took her to her bed, using the blankets to tuck her in before cuddling her in his arms, she lay beside him, falling asleep beside him, her slow breathing in sync with the steady beating of his heart.
**********
Midnight came, and Samara woke from her slumber, Walden was still beside her, his snores radiating the quiet room as he was sound asleep. This was the perfect time for her to act now; gently, she crept out of bed, slowly withdrawing herself from Walden’s arms, until the two shared no contact. Thankfully, she didnt wake him up in the process.
She slowly tip toed to her drawers, quietly searching the shelves for the tools she would need for her mission tonight; a can of sleeping gas, a gas mask and a dagger, small but having a blade sharp enough to penetrate ones heart. After gathering all she needed, she quietly put on her slippers, and proceeded to leave the room, all the while Walden was still asleep.
The next morning, the guards on morning duty reported to the alpha to deliver the news about the sleeping night guards and the dead prisoner, who had been stabbed in his cell.