Chapter 137
Chapter 137
Grayson’s POV-
There were so many questions I still wanted to ask. They seemed to know everything, well, not everything, but enough to completely throw everything I knew into chaos. So, they had to know who was responsible for the attacks and killings of the Alpha. But Alaric had told me that was a discovery I had to make on my own.
After those exact words, everything became a blur.
I couldn’t tell if it was because of the weight of his words, or if it was because he made everything feel blurry in the moment. It felt as if my mind was fogging, and the next thing I knew, I was being guided back outside. The world around me shifted and spun, until the ground beneath my feet felt like it was slipping away. My senses were failing me, and I didn’t even know if it was real or just the effect of the overwhelming knowledge I’d been thrust into.
I had to focus, but everything felt so distant. Alaric’s voice was a faint echo in my mind, but it was the only thing that kept me grounded. He’d said something about Rickon, something that didn’t fully register, but I knew I was supposed to trust it then with finality it echoed:
“We will meet again soon, Grayson Blackwood.”
And with that, it felt as though my body was being dragged through a tunnel of darkness. But before I could gather myself enough to understand anything, I felt the cold air, crisp against my skin. I blinked and stumbled, realizing I was standing outside again, back where Alaric had found me. The faint glow of distant lights made everything seem surreal and suddenly. Rickon was there next to me, still unconscious.
I glanced at him, unsure of what had happened. His groan broke the silence as he stirred beside me, his hand pressing against his head. He looked up at me with confusion.
“What the hell happened?” Rickon muttered, his voice hoarse and dazed.
Before I could even respond, the sound of approaching footsteps broke through the tension. I looked up, squinting to make out the figures rushing towards us. My wolf immediately went on alert preparing himself to attack or need be.
Rickon groaned again, still trying to sit up. He wiped his forehead and frowned at me. “Where did everyone go? What happened to Alaric? Why are we out here like this?” His questions were coming fast, one after another, but I had no answers to give him. It wasn’t as if I could explain it all.
The footsteps grew louder, and then, there they were–human figures, clad in tactical gear, moving in with an organized efficiency that reminded me of a well–trained rescue team.
There was no question about it–they were here for us.
Rickon blinked, his eyes narrowing as he looked at the humans surrounding us. “Who are they?” he asked quietly. “They’re… here to get us out of here,” I said, but my voice didn’t sound as confident as I wanted it to
One of the rescuers, a man with dark hair and a stern expression stepped forward, scanning us with a calculating look. “Mr. Blackwood, I presume?” he asked, his voice surprisingly formal, as if dealing with someone of importance wasn’t a surprise.
เ
I nodded, still dazed but not wanting to lose the sense of control had left. They didn’t know who I really was, not the full extent, but they were treating me with a level of respect that told me they’d been briefed–or at least given the bare minimum of information about me.
“We’ve been informed that you
your companion are both in need of immediate medical attention,” the man said. “We’ve got a vehicle ready to take you back home.”
Rickon turned to me, his face scrunched with confusion and frustration. “Wait, back home?” He groaned again, still
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Chapter 137
clutching his head. “What happened to Alaric? Where did he go
I stayed quiet.
+23)
I didn’t have answers for him, and truth be told, I wasn’t sure I even wanted to discuss it right now. I still had things I needed to do. And Italy was at the top of that list.
The rescue team, still focused on their task, exchanged glances, obviously concerned for us but also aware that this wasn’t a typical rescue. They were just doing their job, and I was just another person they had to help. They moved to help Rickon to his feet, but I stayed seated, unsure whether I could even bring myself to move.
The dark–haired rescuer turned back to me. “Mr. Blackwood, you need to come with us now. It’s best if you’re transported as soon as possible.”
His words struck me like a jolt, but it didn’t change the truth I knew deep down. I wasn’t ready to go back home. I wasn’t ready to face whatever was waiting for me there. Not with Ava. And not with everything I was still struggling to understand.
“I’m not going back,” I said firmly, the words coming out with more certainty than I felt.
The rescuer raised an eyebrow
Blackwood
do you mean? We’ve got everything arranged. You’ll be safe back home, Mr.
“No,” I repeated, more sharply this time. “I’m not going back yet. There’s something I need to do. Something have to finish first.”
Rickon stared at me, bewildered. “What the hell are you talking about?” He looked at the humans around us. “You can’t be serious. You’re injured. You need help. I need help and a bed and a freaking shower.”
I shook my head, though my body felt heavy with the weight of my thoughts. The situation with Ava, the chaos surrounding my family’s legacy, the things Alaric had revealed… I couldn’t just let all of that go, not yet. I couldn’t go back until I was sure I could handle the effects of all the revelations and I still had to deal with Ricardo’s pack. I had to stop them according to my original plan.
Italy was waiting.
And I wasn’t about to let that wait any longer.
“I’m still going to Italy,” I said, the words sounding strange even to my own ears, but I meant them. I needed to go.
The rescuer looked at me with concern, but there was little he could do. “Sir, that’s not a good idea. You’re in no condition to
“I’m going,” I interrupted, narrowing him with a glare as cold as ice.
There was no arguing with that. Not from them, anyway. They just nodded in quiet understanding, and though they still seemed reluctant to leave us in this state, they did. They made arrangements for transport, and I heard the hum of engines starting in the distance.
Rickon, though still confused and clearly angry, wasn’t in any state to argue. “I don’t know what the hell you’re planning, but this… this is insane. You’re in no state to face a pack now.”
I couldn’t explain it to him. I didn’t want to. He wasn’t in the same place I was, wasn’t seeing the pieces falling into place the way I did. All I could think about was Italy and what I needed to do there.
Everything else would have to wait. Because I didn’t want to face them just yet.
“Are you coming with me or not?”
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Chapter 137
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Rickon paused for a moment, reaching out to touch his head before letting out a heavy sigh. “I guess I am. Do you have a plan?”
“We’ll figure it out when we get there.”
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The words left my mouth with confidence, but my thoughts were anything but clear. Before either of us could say more, one of the men returned, his footsteps crunching against the gravel. His face was expressionless, but his tone carried the efficiency of someone who was used to following orders.
“We’re ready to depart, Mr. Blackwood,” he said, his words clipped and precise.
I nodded, not trusting myself to say anything in response, and started walking toward the cars waiting in the distance. Rickon followed, his movements slower and still clearly affected by everything we’d been through. I could feel his gaze on me, questioning, probing, but I didn’t meet his eyes.
The cars loomed ahead, their sleek, dark forms blending into the night. As I approached, the reality of the situation began to settle in–though not in the way I expected. It wasn’t the gravity of what lay ahead in Italy or the uncertainty of what awaited me there that occupied my mind.
No, it was her.
Ava.
Even as I climbed into the car and the door closed behind me, the world outside fading into the background, one thought flared brighter than all the others:
Ava Pierce wasn’t meant for me.
The thought burned, sharper than I anticipated, but I couldn’t deny it. It was the truth I had been running from, burying beneath layers of responsibilities and chaos. But it was always there, waiting to resurface.
I stared out the window as the engine roared to life, the car pulling away from the site where everything had unraveled. The night stretched out ahead of us, endless and unknowable, but my mind remained anchored in one place.
I couldn’t prolong it forever. I would have to go back eventually.
And when I did…
It would mark the end of me and her.
Not because I wanted it to, but because we were never meant to be.
