Bronze

Chapter 6 pt.3

Leah

I brought it up to my room without suspicion. 

No one dared to look at the female rogue. The only time I was grateful for being one. When no one stared, it meant easily sneaking passed unnoticed.

Once in my room, I locked the door, sat on my bed, and peered down at the strange book. 

It stopped smelling of magic back in the library; the pink aura gone. Replaces was the scent of an old book, covered in dust and dirt, left to rot away in a closet.

I flipped to the first page. Nothing.

The second. Again, nothing.

The third page was a bit different, however. I narrowed my eyes and gazed long enough at the blank paper to see a small smudge on the bottom right corner. 

I swiped it with my finger.

Dust, I muttered to myself. Just dust. 

I don't know how long I flipped through pages for, but the sun began to rise behind my window curtain, and I started to develop a headache from lack of sleep. 

I yawned and fell back against the bed. 

"Leah."

I closed my eyes and tried to snub the voice. It began to sound more feminine in nature. It was whispy, like the wind carrying a leaf through the breeze. A warm autumn's day.

"Leah."

I yawned again and stretched out my arms above my head. I was close to sleep now. My body was relaxed, my lungs filled with cool air, my headache finally subsiding. 

Leah!

I jumped up when my wolf growled at me. She was tense, hunched up in the depth of my mind, ready to pounce at any moment. She smelt a threat. 

I glance over at the alarm clock and gasped. It was nearly six. How long was I out for?

The book had disappeared from my lap and was placed on the bed beside me. It must've rolled off when I was asleep.

Don't. Touch, she seethed in my head when I went to pick it back up. I backed off and stared up at the ceiling.

"Then what should I do?" I asked out loud. She didn't respond.

There was a knock at the door. A soft one. I knew immediately who it was.

Wendy stepped in wearing a different colored uniform than the one she wore before. She rolled din another cart with a few metal covers placed on it and a single rose in a small vase. The cup was filled with coffee.

I raised my eyebrow at her when I saw the steaming cup while also hiding the book beneath the comforter. 

"The alpha can feel when you don't sleep," she said sadly. Depressed. As if my lack of sleep hurt Alpha Kane in some way, and it upset her. 

I blew against the heat and sipped. It was piping hot, but I savored the bitter drink going down my throat. 

Wendy stood off to the side as I unearthed the other plates. Bacon and eggs, with fruit, potatoes, and mini waffles. My mouth watered.

I scooted over and beckoned with my hand for her to join me. I liked having her company. It made the room feel less like a prison and more like a living space. 

We ate in silence for a long time. I was too tired to speak and she was too afraid. I wanted to rectify that immediately but didn't know how to. Everything so far hasn't worked. 

"Wendy?" I asked looking over at her.

She was in the process of bringing a forkful of eggs to her mouth when I spoke. "Yes?" 

"I have something I want to show you, but you can't tell anyone, okay?"

She questioned me silently. Then she gave a curt nod to continue. I pulled out the book. It felt heavier in my hands, but I laid it between us and let her marvel at it. 

"What is that?" She asked. 

I held back a laugh when I saw her face. "I think it's a spellbook," I told her with a shrug of my shoulders. "I found it in the library."

She recoiled back with fear. When I reached out to touch her, she jumped up and took a few steps back. 

"What library?" 

Now it was my turn to question. 

What did she mean? The library at the end of the hallway; the one by the dining room. The one with the carved door and marble fireplace. 

She was trembling now. Her small form was shaking uncontrollably. Her breath hitched in her throat. 

"T-There is no library," she whispered, chewing her nail. 

"Then how do you explain this?" I lifted the book to her face. I was starting to feel insane with the way she was staring at me. "I got this book from a library. A carved door by the dining hall."

When I mentioned the carved door, she blew out a sigh. Her shoulders slumped forward and she let a small smile grace her lips. Then she sat down again.

"That door had been locked forever, Leah," she answered quickly. 

It annoyed me how easily her mood shifted, but I didn't let my annoyance show. 

"Well," I huffed, placing the book down again. I slight zap hit my fingertips, but I pretended I didn't feel it. "...it was unlocked for me. Maybe someone forgot to lock it?"

She titled her head, curiously, tapping her pointer finger on her chin. "As far as I know, no one had ventured into that room since the first alphas reign."

I was brought back to the room with the portraits. Every man looking almost the same, with their dominant, lifeless eyes and stone-like frown, except one. His orange-bronze eyes stared back at me, begging for someone to help him. He was too young, too scared to be placed in the role he was given.

Why?

Why did Kane accept his title so young? Why didn't he waited?

"What do you know?" I asked, referring to the previous alphas. I wasn't big on history, but I thought this information would come in handy one day.

"I don't know much, rogue," she said. 

I didn't like the sound of that name. Somehow, I still felt the need for a pack. It was buried deep down, but it was there, hidden. And every time I heard that stupid word, I was reminded that Kane saw me as just a immature, packless wolf.

"Please don't call me that," I mumbled holding back tears. 

She noticed the sudden shift in my mood and placed a calming hand on my shoulder. The touch was welcomed, and I held onto the warmth for as long as I could. 

Then, when the sadness disappeared, after seconds of inhaling and exhaling slowly, I embraced the pack history with open arms and an open mind. 

The last thing I wanted was to be caught off guard again.