Chapter 50
The ‘more I pondered, the more my thoughts clashed. And then it hit me, my initial assumption was completely wrong.
I mentally shook off the conflicting ideas swirling within me. I realized it wasn’t the same. When we were in that room, he acted out of a noble intention to protect me, not out of a craving for power. He showed me his capacity for goodness, even if his methods were flawed.
And so, I knew what course of action I had to take.
I stood up abruptly, dashing towards the main building, and let out a scream. I screamed at the top of my lungs,
repeatedly, desperately calling for assistance. Even when my throat burned, I refused to cease.
Thankfully, help arrived swiftly. The warriors rushed to his side and examined his wound, but their expressions lacked optimism. I tried to tune them out, but their discussions about his slim chances of survival were hard to ignore. As I anxiously watched over him, fearing that Benjamin might not make it, I chastised myself for even entertaining such abhorrent thoughts.
Deep down, I knew he had the capacity to change. He had been willing to sacrifice himself for me, shielding me from an imminent attack. How could I doubt that he could evolve into a better person?
… Yet, there was another reason that lingered in my mind throughout the warriors’ efforts to save him. Although it was
not nearly as significant, it had stayed with me all along. And that reason was the fact that he had called me Winona for the very first time.
I sat beside Benjamin’s hospital bed in the Golden Blade’s medical facility, patiently waiting for him to regain consciousness. Thankfully, the doctors assured me that he would fully recover, despite the ordeal. They successfully removed the knife and stitched him up, allowing his body’s natural healing abilities to take over.
Any moment now, he would awaken… and that’s exactly what happened. He slowly opened his eyes, surveying the room with heavy eyelids until his gaze finally landed on me.
“Winona…?” he murmured feebly.
“I’m right here,” I responded, edging closer.
“What happened…?”
Realizing he still seemed a bit disoriented, I figured there were traces of drugs lingering in his system.
“It was a shiny blade,” I clarified. “You’re fortunate to be alive.”
He simply nodded drowsily, settling back into the bed.
“Do you realize the mistake you made?” I questioned. “You’re -the future of our pack. You can’t go risking your life for the
sake of a Beta. And need I remind you that we currently have two Betas? There’s no reason to endanger yourself.”
He let out a groan, not necessarily due to the pain, but probably because I was lecturing him.
“Contrary to your belief, Winona,” he whispered softly, closing his eyes once more. “…I would genuinely care if anything happened to you.”
I didn’t know how to respond. Instead, I just… stared at him.
Did he understand how close I came to ending his life?
The thought made me queasy. His face then relaxed, as if he were drifting back to sleep, so I wasn’t sure if he caught what I whispered next. But I managed to speak quietly.
“If something happened to you… I would care too,” I finally whispered, unsure if I was confessing to him or to myself.
Regardless of my past associations, this young man in front of me deserved the benefit of the doubt. I had to believe he could change, that a better future awaited us.
Shortly after, he dozed off again, and I finally rose to leave, reassured that he would recover. I had been instructed to return home alone, knowing someone would be waiting to pick me up.
I gathered my belongings and exited the hospital, but I was taken aback by who I found near the car.
Standing by the vehicle was my father, his expression revealing deep disappointment as he stared into the distance.
“…Father? What brings you here?” I inquired.
As soon as he heard my voice, he looked up, instantly easing his tense posture. He swiftly closed the gap between us and embraced me.
“You frightened me,” he admitted, relief permeating his voice.
“…I’m sorry.”
Though I was perfectly alright, it was an exquisite feeling to embrace his arms around me. Despite the fact that I had toughened up over the past few months, I still found solace in his presence, knowing I was safe. He finally let go after a few moments, shaking his head.
“You don’t need to apologize. If those useless warriors had done their damn job, none of this would have happened,” he exclaimed, surprising me with his choice of words. It was clear that he was furious. I could only imagine the punishment awaiting those poor warriors when they returned home, even though it wasn’t entirely their fault. After all, Benjamin and I had wandered off without informing them.
“It’s alright, I’m fine,” I reassured him. “Ironically enough, Benjamin saved my life.”
“Yes… I heard,” he responded.
His face then displayed a mix of emotions, as if he had something important to say.
“What’s bothering you?” I inquired, finding his reaction. strange because he rarely concealed anything from me, especially after what we had shared.
“Well, it’s not really surprising to hear that he saved you,” he finally spoke up. “I’ve been wanting to tell you this for months, but I couldn’t. And perhaps I still shouldn’t. However, I believe it’s important for you to have the complete picture, considering your history.”
I frowned, feeling worried about what he was about to reveal.
“On the day of the meeting for your admission to be trained as a Beta heir,” he began, “the confidential discussion didn’t go the way you probably expected. The decision was hanging by a thread, with a four to five split… and Benjamin had the deciding vote. If he hadn’t voted in your favor, Winona, you would have lost.”
I stood there in shock, trying to comprehend the implications. If what he said was true, then Benjamin willingly supported me becoming the Beta, knowing that it meant we couldn’t be mates in the future.
Various theories raced through my mind, attempting to make sense of why he would give me such an opportunity. But none of them truly added up.
Instead of clarity, all I felt was confusion. I agreed to keep the information my father had shared with me a secret. After all, none of the participants were supposed to know what occurred inside that meeting room while we waited outside.
If I were to disclose it to anyone, my father would face severe consequences.
