Devoured By Flames

Chapter 21~ If You Love Him

~Azula~

Odette” she said calmly,

“Azula” the woman sneered.

Well this was going absolutely lovely, she had totally planned for this but how had she been caught so easily? She sighed the cold air brushing against exposed skin that caused them both to shiver, goosebumps appeared on naked flesh.

If she was cold she could only imagine how cold Odette was … she needed to make this quick.

“Odette you have to let me go,” she said to the woman gently.

“Go and don’t come back! I love him you know, and then you had to come along and take everything from me! EVERYTHING! I just, I care for him and I don’t want him to hate me if I let you go” Odette whimpered out.

Azula’s eyes watered, she never meant to hurt anyone like this. “I’m sorry” she said with undying conviction, grabbing Odette’s hands in attempts to keep her warm. “I am truly sorry I stole that future from you, im sorry you are hurting, Odette how you feel is completely validated. You said you love him, why wouldn’t you be hurt?”

Odette’s brown eyes widened as she regarded her with a sense of confusion, “you don’t hate me? For what I had with your mate? For still loving him?”

She couldn’t help but laugh “I’d never hate you for that Odette, love is a beautiful thing, and I care for him deeply so the fact you love him only brings me comfort” she tried her best to explain.

“If you love him I know you will never hurt him, that means you are always someone I can put my trust into when it involves him. You will help me keep him safe, I don’t see other people having feelings for him a bad thing but, my dear Odette he is my mate and I don’t want this love you have for him to torture you” she whispered to her.

“Continue to love and do so proudly, i would never ask someone to hate my mate because of my jealously, and I will admit I was jealous.”Who wouldn't be after all?

“But my jealousy was something for me to deal with, not to cast upon you like you were the villain because you are not the villain.” everyone loved, everyone lost, she just hoped Odette wouldn't allow her emotions to consume her.

Odette stammered confusingly “I… I don’t .. I’m ..”

Azula offered an understanding smile,

“It’s okay, we can talk more when I get back, you need to get inside and get warm so you don’t get sick” she took a step back releasing the woman as she shifted, it really did get easier everytime.

“I won’t lie for you, I won’t lie to him.” Odette said firmly.

Azula looked over her shoulder dipping her head respectfully, good, she didn’t want Odette to be deceiving her mate. She would never ask anyone to lie to their Alpha, and her saying this only solidified the fact that she could trust Odette.

She took off, powerful paws tearing up the ground, her muscles coiling at the bank of the river as she leapt over it landing with a slide on the other side dirt flying up around her. Azula twisted her head to see Odette still at standing there watching her she decided to ignore it picking up the black duffel bag.

“Azula!” Odette called out which caused her head to turn to the woman expectantly.

“Take good care of him for me,” Odette’s voice shook with the order.

She once more lowered her head gently, she always would Odette, always.

With that she twisted and took off, paws eating up the ground like vultures to the kill, she had to put as much distance between her and the pack as she possibly could. She would be back, and then she would give her mate the answers he wanted and the explanation he deserved. No more secrets they would lay out everything on the table and she hoped he would understand why she had to do this. She wasn’t trying to hide things from him but honestly she was scared if she had told him he would have marked her sooner.

Vulcan has never truly believed in the prophecy and though it seemed like he is coming around now it was a risk to mention it without more details. It’s the only reason she kept it from him, he might have freaked out on the spot and marked her. Azula narrowly dodged a tree, realizing she had been too far gone in her thoughts managing to regain her focus as she continued to run. The further away she was the better because she knew as soon as they found out she was gone they would be looking for her.

Hours, four agonizing hours of running non-stop, she had left the pack borders far behind now, dawn had came and went and the day was continuously progressing. She allowed herself to slow down, panting as she dropped the bag by a tree, shifting and slumping against the bark that bit into her skin. Her eyes closing for a moment before reaching out and opening her bag pulling out a blanket to wrap herself in and to drink one of the water bottles she brought. Crushing the bottle with ease placing the bottle back in the bag before grabbing a granola bar allowing herself to nibble on it.

“Seraphina are you alright?” She questioned her wolf gently.

“Tired, give me an hour and then we can move again.”

She could do that, easily finishing the bit of food, she didn’t want to eat anything heavy while they were doing this much running the last thing they needed right now was for her to throw up and lose the fluids she so desperately needed. The pack would know she was gone by now, her mind slowly wandering to Vulcan, her fiery stunning mate flashing before her eyes. Her breath hitched at the image, her hand moving over beautifully sculpted, tan abs his golden eyes lighting her body on fire with insatiable hunger.

“Azula,” came Seraphina’s voice in her mind as her head snapped up now realizing she had fallen asleep.

“Time to head out,” Seraphina said softly.

“On it” she said tiredly, managing to repack everything into her bag, shifting once more gripping the straps between clenched jaws as she took off once more.