(AMARI'S POV)
Rudina was asleep on one of the sofas when I got back to the bungalow. I got a blanket, placed it over her, and watched her sleep until I also fell asleep.
By sunrise the next morning, she was less hysterical, in a mood that I decided was good enough to hear all that she didn't know.
We curled up on the couch, and I narrated everything to her—my meeting with the fake Kaelen (Talon) and with the real one.
When I was done speaking, we sat in silence for some minutes until Rudina broke it.
"This is a nightmare," she whispered in disbelief.
"It is," I nodded.
Another silence. And then I sighed, reaching for her hands. "I'm so sorry that you're experiencing something as… scary as this."
Rudina shook her head and moved closer to me. "Don't apologize, Amari. This isn't your fault. It's Mother's!" Her face hardened. "She got us into trouble with that loan, and if things hadn't changed, you would have been married to Vino!"
My hand brushed her hair gently. "Maybe Vino would have been better, Ru."
Rudina pulled a sick face. "Nothing is better than the village guard with a tummy the size of a drum." Then her face fell. "Except that this has Al in danger."
A blanket of tension and gloom settled over us as we stared at each other's hands.
Then Rudina looked up, her tear-filled eyes broke my heart. "Do you think he's going to hurt Al? This… fake Kaelen?" Her voice was shaky.
I reached out and held her head carefully with my hand, while holding her gaze intently. "I won't let that happen," I said fiercely.
She nodded hopefully at me, letting the tears spill down her cheeks.
"I promise you. I'm thinking of a way, but I won't let anything happen to both of you." I rested her forehead against mine. "Please trust me."
She sobbed softly, but I heard her say, "Okay."
We remained in silence. Eyes closed. Then Rudina brushed my hair gently, sad eyes looking at me.
"I'm really sorry, Amari, that your husband turned out to be a monster." She said sadly and then shook her head. "I can't believe Kae— I can't believe th-that man, Talon, did this to us."
"I couldn't believe it either."
She snorted loudly. "Well, I did think he was too short and had an ass that was too flat."
My eyes widened, but I broke into a short chuckle. "Rudina," I warned, but we were both laughing already.
Lightly. Like a taste of a break. But it all disappeared within seconds, and my stomach was back in twists and knots.
Probably because that face flashed in my mind. Like it had been doing every three minutes.
"Rudina?" I cleared my throat.
"Hmmm?"
"Do you think I should have been honest with the real Kaelen? The Alpha?" The question I had been thinking about since last night.
"I don't think so. You know rich people never go against their own," she answered.
Just like I already knew.
The thing with the real Kaelen is that his presence confused me. It calmed me and yet made me tense too. How could I trust someone who confused me harder than the course 'Pathology' itself?
"You're right. He won't trust me, and Al would end up getting hurt," I admitted.
"Do you have any idea of what we can do?" Rudina asked me in a whisper.
I turned to her. "We're leaving."
Rudina blinked. "What? How?"
"I don't know how yet," I said. "But we are not staying here for long."
Even if it meant only Rudina escaping. She would find a way to get to Al.
"I promise I'll find a way. I just need—"
Sharp raps at the door made us both freeze and jump up immediately. We knew anyone could walk in at any time since we couldn't lock the doors.
Sure enough, the door opened, and the worst person walked in briskly.
Talon.
He wore a white shirt tucked into jeans, and his top buttons were left open, just like yesterday. His cold brown eyes ran over me as he came closer. Today there was something sharper in them.
Anger. He was angrier.
Rudina and I stood up and held each other. My heart pounded in my ears.
Talon stopped less than a foot away from us. Very close.
"You both look like you didn't sleep well," he greeted with a dry laugh that sounded cruel.
"You're a terrible person for what you've done to my sister," Rudina spat at him.
"I'll show you terrible, brat." He stepped toward her direction, but I was quick to stand in front of her.
"Don't talk to her. Don't look at her," I warned in a steady voice. "If you want to threaten anyone, threaten me and leave her out of your filth."
In a breath, he reached out. His hand clamped around my throat—not choking, not yet. Just holding firmly. Like a warning.
"You idiot! Leave my sister alone!" Rudina tried to come between us, but he used his free hand to throw her across the room. She crashed into an armchair.
"Maybe I need to try this differently." His evil eyes flashed as his grip tightened around me.
Air refused to enter my lungs. My throat burned under his grip. I clawed at his wrist—but he didn't even flinch.
"Stay away from her!" I heard Rudina again, and this time he pushed me down and grabbed her.
I jumped to my feet.
"Let her go." I pushed him with everything in me, but he was stronger. He moved a little and then used his elbow to hit me harshly.
Pain folded through my ribs so sharply that I lost balance.
"You should calm down, Amari. I have one sibling literally in my hand. The other, metaphorically." His lips curled.
"Please." I dropped to my knees.
"Now. Tell me everything that happened last night. I know you saw the Alpha," he demanded gruffly.
Rudina choked as his firm grip rested around her neck.
"I didn't tell him anything. I told him I was married to him. He said he will see me today. I swear to you, I didn't say anything." I begged, tears flowed down my face against my will.
"I really hope you didn't." He laughed drily. "Because I truly don't want to ….. hurt you beyond repair. That's why I didn't tell you everything I did when I paid your house a visit yesterday."
I felt my stomach clench and my knees weaken but I remained propped up, looking at him.
"Let's just say, I made a lot of mess there. But your family is alive" Then he snarled. "But if I find out you are lying…"
A firm knock came at the door. We all froze.
Then he released Rudina. I ran to her.
"Shut up!" Talon warned her in a low voice as she coughed, holding her neck.
Then he turned to me. "One wrong slip, and yesterday will be the last day you saw Al alive."
My blood ran cold. Talon disappeared into one of the rooms. I didn't look at which. I couldn't.
The knock came again. Louder this time.
Rudina turned to me, fear evident in her tear-filled eyes. I wiped her face quickly with the ends of my veil.
"Just stay quiet. It'll be okay," I whispered softly to her.
Then I adjusted my veil tightly over my head and walked to answer the front door, Praying that it wasn't 'him'.