To Those Who Wait by Hayden Sharpe (digital e reader txt) 📕

stood on my feet and looked back to the brawl. The wolf had begun to fight harder. It chomped down hard on the bear’s neck. The bear roared and shook it off, lumbering off into the trees. The wolf had hit the trunk of a tree and now rose from the ground with tiny whimpers of pain. He staggered toward me, swaying on his paws. He drew closer and closer, stumbling a few times.

“E-Eli…?” I whispered. It couldn’t be him…

The wolf panted and wobbled. He looked up at me with exhausted eyes… blue-green eyes… Eli’s

eyes.

“Eli!” I breathed, kneeling next to him and taking his shaggy head in my arms. “Oh, Eli! I am so glad you’re alright!”

He set his paws on my knees and licked my cheek and the rest of my face. He whined and nuzzled my neck with his muzzle.

“You saved my life,” I whispered, burying my face in his fur.

“Avelina!” someone shouted. “Avelina! I’ll save you! Stand back!”

Eli sprang away from me, and I saw Abrahil, one of Marellus’ knights, standing further away, on higher ground. He nocked an arrow in his bow and loosed it. It whistled through the air toward us, and I flinched away…

But Eli yelped loudly as the point of the arrow buried itself in his shoulder. He howled pitifully and curled into a ball.

Abrahil leaped forward over the bushes and brambles, pulling back another arrow.

“Abrahil!” I cried, pushing Eli behind me. “Abrahil, stop!”

“It was attacking you!” the shadow dweller protested, and did not retract his arrow.

“Don’t hurt him!” I turned around, making sure my body was between his and Eli’s. “Eli,” I crooned, holding the arrow. “Eli, I’m not going to hurt you. I need to get this arrow out.”

Eli whimpered and shrank away from me.

Taking a deep breath, I yanked the arrow out of his flesh. He roared in pain and began to lick his shoulder.

“Stop that now,” I said, pushing his head away and tearing a bit of the bottom of my dress. “You’ll aggravate it. Here, shift back, and I will wrap it.”

He shook his head and tried to lick his wound again.

“Eli

,” I muttered sternly. “Shift back to the boy I love. Please.”

Eli frowned, or, at least, I thought he was frowning. My thought was confirmed when the fur retracted on his skin and he shifted back into my tanned, beautiful, wavy-haired love.

I heard a loud gasp and glanced up. Abrahil held his bow tightly, and the string was stretched, but the arrow was pointed at the ground in shock. “W-Who… How…”

“Thank you, dear,” I smiled, and ran my fingers through Eli’s hair comfortingly. “Are you alright? Let me help you.” I touched the scrap of fabric I’d torn off to his wound.

He flinched and hissed out through his teeth. I thought he would yelp again, but he was in too much pain. His mind was in shock. “I-I’ve had worse,” he finally stammered weakly.

“Is that Eli?” Abrahil spoke in his normal whisper of a voice.

“No, it is the Pope,” I rolled my eyes. “Yes, Eli. Help me carry him.” I wound my arm behind his back and tried to stand up. He tried to protest and shrink back, but I shushed him.

“Are you mad?” Abrahil frowned, and stepped back a little.

“Eli just saved my life,” I said tersely. “He is wounded; more so, thanks to you. I want Aven to treat him. Now help me help him.”

“But I-”

“He is Parnell’s son,” I coaxed him. “And Parnell would never forgive you for letting him die.”

Abrahil’s lip curled, and he groaned. “Give him to me. I’ll carry him.” He slung Eli over his back and toted him through the bracken. I stayed at his heels, holding Eli’s hand.

He looked at me with unfocused eyes.

“Thank you,” I whispered.

“It was nothing,” he mumbled before his mind fell silent and he lost consciousness.

* * *

Abrahil and I walked in silence back to the manor. It had grown dark, so I stuck close, touching Abrahil’s shoulder so he could lead me forward.

“Why were you out here, anyway?” he asked softly.

My stomach turned over. “Just taking a walk,” I shrugged nonchalantly. “I wanted to see if I could speak with my father.”

“You could have asked me for help,” Abrahil met my eye. “I can converse with the dead.”

“It would not be the same.”

“I understand.” And he was silent as his usual shadowy self.

“What were you

doing out here?” I asked. “Avoiding my mother again?”

“No. I was practicing my hunting. I can see in the dark; it may prove useful.”

“You can see in the dark?”

“Yes.”

We approached the outer border of the manor and kept our pace. Abrahil slowed, however, as we drew closer to Marellus’ castle, where all his lords and ladies dwelled with him. A few of his sons were play-fighting in the surrounding grasses by torchlight.

“Come, we must find Aven,” I insisted, moving forward. Abrahil stopped.

“I apologize,” he whispered, shaking his light brown hair. “This is as far as I can take him.” He laid Eli in the grass under a tree. His mouth was slightly agape, and he appeared to be sleeping.

“What do you mean?” I glared at him, crouching down next to Eli. “You have to take him inside.”

“No. I am sorry. If anyone-”

“What is it

doing here?” someone snarled. I looked up from Eli’s peaceful face to see Morgaine, holding a torch. She stood across the dirt path, skirts held up on her ankles. Her eyes blazed as she saw Eli lying in the grass.

“He

saved my life.” I held my chin high and set my jaw. “I want Aven to heal him.”

“Have you gone mad?” she gasped, not daring to come closer. Pebbles shuddered around her feet and sprang away from her; her unpredictable Elemental Magic at work, no doubt. “That… That thing

doesn’t deserve to be living!”

“Eli saved my life

,” I accented. “He will not perish because of me.”

“I would let him,” Morgaine shrugged. “Leave him be, Avelina.”

“No. Aven will heal him. Abrahil, please go get her.”

“Stay right there, Abrahil,” Morgaine snapped at him, and he froze in place, looking uncomfortable.

“Abrahil,” I frowned at him.

“I…” he stammered.

“A-Avelina?” someone murmured. Eli had stirred where he lay by my knees.

“Both of you, please, leave us,” I ordered.

“You leave that freak

right there,” Morgaine spat.

“He is Parnell’s son,” I held my head high, crossing my arms. “I would like for you to get him and tell him that you let his son die.”

Morgaine’s eyes narrowed and she glared at us. The fire on her torch blazed brighter in anger, but she said no more.

“That is much better. Abrahil,” I blinked sweetly at him. “Would you take Lady Morgaine and fetch Aven for me please?”

Abrahil sighed and nodded, taking Morgaine by the wrist and leading her away. She cast dirty looks at us over her shoulder, but then she was gone.

Eli smiled faintly at me. “Thank you,” he mumbled. “I didn’t think anyone had the gall to stand up to her. She is just… just…”

“She is a real witch,” I agreed. “And I

have the gall. I only use it for you.” I brushed his hair out of his face gently.

He chuckled softly and put his hand over mine. “Have I told you that I love you?”

“It would do you no harm to tell me again,” I giggled, nuzzling my nose to his.

He leaned up and kissed my lips lightly, and I closed my eyes and returned his gentle affection.

Heat of a torchlight fell on our faces. “Avelina!”

We sprang apart, and Eli’s eyes darted around, as he could barely turn his head.

My mother, Edana, terror evident on her face, stood a short distance off. Her cobalt blue eyes blazed with anger and her fingers clutched at her light brown dress that blended with her dark brown hair. “Get away from him right now!” she cried again, storming towards us. She grabbed for my wrist, but I pulled it away.

“Mother, stop!” I shouted, bending over Eli.

I knew it. I knew this was all too wonderful to last.

Eli’s mind was bitter and miserable.

Don’t say that! It will last, let me just try to get them to understand! They’ll come around!

Eli shook his head slowly. They will never understand.

“You have no business with that… that thing

!” she snarled. “You are to come with me! How dare

you,” she glowered at us. “How dare

you kiss her, beast

!”

“Mother!” I cried, holding him.

“You are mad

!” Edana let out a hmph, and her eyes narrowed to slits. She grabbed my wrist and held it tightly. She pulled me away from Eli, and he slumped to the floor. “Eli!” I called, and reached for him.

Avelina, I love you.

“You,” she glared at me. “How dare you run around with something like that!”

“Someone

like him

,” I corrected, setting my jaw. “He is just as much of a man as any other!”

Her eyes widened as she looked me up and down. Her expression hardened as she took in my rumpled dress, torn both by my hand and the root I’d tripped on. “You have been corrupted,” she hissed. “You have gone mad; you have been corrupted by that… that monster

! You have brought disgrace to your family! You are impure in the eyes of God!”

“I have no such impurity!” I shouted.

“And your poor father is rolling over in his grave!”

Actually, I think that shapeshifting is very fascinating,

my father frowned. I shooed him from my mind.

She directed her rage on Eli, who was staring at us with wide eyes. “Monster! You have disgraced and defiled my daughter!” she screeched.

“But I-” He propped himself up on his elbow and tried to rise from the ground, but Edana slapped him hard across the face. I let out a small scream of my own when he reeled, and collapsed back down to the earth, covering his cheek with his hand.

“You do not deserve her pity! You do not deserve-”

“Edana? Avelina? What is going on here?” Lord Marellus stood at my mother’s shoulder, face illuminated by a small fire. Abrahil, Morgaine, Aven, and Cedron stayed a few yards back, observing the scene.

“That abomination

!” Edana shouted, pointing a finger at Eli, who flinched.

Marellus frowned, looking at the young shapeshifter. “Is that Eli?” he asked, raising an eyebrow. “I had thought you vowed never to return again.”

“Obviously, my plans have since changed,” Eli muttered caustically.

“How long have you been at the manor?”

“Before today, I have not set foot on your manor in four years.”

Marellus pursed his lips. “How long have you been outside

the manor? In this vicinity, I mean.”

Eli hesitated. “A few moons,” he said slowly.

“Why did you stay so long?” Marellus asked softly. “I was under the impression that you hated it here.”

“I do.” He dared not glance at me. “Sometimes there are things that make you stay.”

I glanced around. Morgaine was enraged.