Chapter 73: Glimpse Into the Other Side

Tobias:

There was always a curfew. Always an allotted amount of time before he’d send his mindless dogs to come after me.

Sure, I was his most powerful tool, but that didn’t mean that the bastard trusted me. He knew that I wanted out of this. He knew that I wanted no parts of it. I wanted to get back to my own normalcy. Or at least what the nearest line to normalcy that I could get to for a man in my predicament. I wanted to get back home. To my family.

I knew that would be impossible, however. For as long as I was under his control, there would be no family for me. There would be no life, and most certainly no semblance of normalcy.

I continuously dashed through the forest and up the mountains until I reached a ridge that segued into a triangular gap. I was finally back.

Looking at my watch, I breathed a sigh of relief. “Just in time.”

When I finally got into the lair of my tormentor, I slowed my pace. This happened frequently when I was forced to come back. A cloud of questions and doubts would overwhelm my head.

How had it all come to this? Would I ever be free of this madness? Free of him? Then I’d wonder if I was under his control at all. Had I tricked myself into thinking that I was just to justify what I was doing for him?

These were all of the thoughts that would run through my mind a mile a minute and they would just not quit. It was incessant. Inhumanly incessant.

Such doubts begged the next and most important question. Was I beyond saving?

“You’re finally back.,” that raspy voice spooked from behind me.

I nearly jumped, but I didn’t. Turning around, I reluctantly bowed my head. “Dronnigan,”

I could tell this clown didn’t get much validation when he was a kid. Bowing to him as if he was some kind of god that should be feared and respected.

Well, he was a bit of a psychopath so one would almost be considered a lunatic not to have some level of fear toward him. He wasn’t worthy of respect, however. Not for all of the horrible things he’d done over the course of his life.

“That must kill you,” he said instead of acknowledging my greeting. “Bowing to me.”

“Doesn’t kill me…I’m still alive,” I retorted dismissively. “Does it repulse me? Sure?”

“Hm, I’d ask why but I’m sure you’d respond with yet another snide answer.”

“Nothing snide about it,” I countered. “Just truth.”

“And tell me young Tobias,” he started as he surfaced from the shadows. “What is your truth?”

I wasn’t in the mood for this verbal questionnaire that I was about to receive from the guy.

“I’ll figure that out eventually.”

“And why not now?”

“Because, you’re forcing me to do your dirty work.”

He seemed to find this amusing. A chuckle escaped him as he stepped forward and out of the darkness.

“You make it sound so…cowardly. I don’t know that I am pleased with such an accusation.

He took an intimidating step toward me. Was I intimidated? Of course I was, but I wasn’t about to give him the pleasure of seeing it.

I didn’t respond to him. I had learned a long time ago that enjoyed playing the mental gymnastics game. He loved all games; especially games where he was up against one significantly weaker than him. I wasn’t going to play with him.

Dronnigan realized that I had refused to get into it with him, so he left the subject alone. For the time being, at least.

“You were out longer than ever in the past,” he pointed out.

“I was,” I replied without further context. I then walked away from him.

“I didn’t think I should have to ask,” he started on me again. “But why?”

He already knew why. The bastard knew everything. I had learned that a long time ago as well.

Dronnigan seemed to have thought that I was not aware of the fact that he had his mindless minions keep an eye on me whenever I went out on one of his errands. I wasn’t going to segue into the fact that I was aware. What good would it do?

“Just getting a breath of fresh air,” I finally replied. “Clear my head.”

“Hm, you didn’t…see anyone? Speak to anyone in particular while you were out, young Tobias?”

He wasn’t particularly good at hiding the fact that he was spying on me. Maybe he wasn’t trying to.

Regardless, I knew that he was testing me. “I did, actually,” I answered truthfully. Lying would only cause him to further distrust me and in turn limit my time away from this hell hole.

“Ah, did you see Valene? Merari?”

He couldn’t hide his eagerness at the mere idea of the two. Especially, Merari.

“I saw neither,” answered and then thought about the conversation that I had with the alpha. The younger one.

Admittedly, it was more enlightening than I thought it would be. I hadn’t expected for him to be as…honorable as he was. I could tell without the need for him to express how important Vale was to him and how much he cared for her. It was for that reason alone that I did not do what I was tasked to do on this night. I would no doubt find trouble for not pulling through.

“But you did see the young alpha. The one who has been her insufferable shield since her return.”

“Yes,” I replied. “And I fear that you misjudge just how devoted he is to her.”

“She is his mate. Of course he feels an obligation to protect her, but-”

“It’s…iit’s more to it than that,” I clarified. “Those two have been connected since Valene was a human. He has always been drawn to her and despite her stubbornness, Vale has likewise been drawn to him in some ways. Their bond has always been there, and even then-when she was a human, it was strong considering. It will not be easy getting in between them. And I’m not sure that I want to.”

“There it is,” said Dronnigan. “The truth behind all of this. You’re…growing cold feet.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Yes, you are.”

“No…I’m not.”

“Ye-”

“Having cold feet would have insinuated that I agreed to do this in the first place,” I interrupted him. “I didn’t.”

Silence was Dronnigan’s response. He nodded and walked away from me.

It only pissed me off even more than I had been. This guy was insufferable to say the least.

“You know…fate is….is so strange.”

Ah! Here we go again, with the mental gymnastics. “I guess so. Never really believe in any of that.”

“Yes, you were always human. It makes sense.”

“Neither were you,” I reminded him.

He chuckled. “I was human once, but unfortunately, I’ve been a part of the non for longer. A Lot longer,” he said to me. There was a bitter frown on his face. “But that’s not the point that I am trying to make, son.”

“I’m not your son,” I quipped defiantly.

Dronnigan didn’t get offended but smiled. “Anyway, fate…you and Vale. Merari…she didn’t even know. Still doesn’t.

“What?” I asked. In truth, I did not care at all about what he was trying to say but I knew that he wouldn’t quit until his point was made.

“Well, that I had been there….only days earlier,” he said.

What would he have been there for?

“Great minds…” he murmured. “They truly do think alike.”

“What point are you trying to make?” I asked impatiently.

He didn’t go any further than that. “You’ll find out when the time is right.”

Dronnigan walked away. “So, that’s it?” I said irately and he didn’t answer. “What was the purpose of this conversation?”

He paused. “Simple, I needed to know if you would lie to me,” he said. “I wanted to know if you’d do what I asked without hesitation.” He looked at me. “You need more work, that much is certain.”

“Or you could just let me go,” I hissed. “Release me from this hold!”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that, son,” he said to me.

“Then kill me.”

I was tired. I was so tired of this life. Death would be welcome at this point.

“Why would I do that?” he asked. I had no answer for him. He was a mad man; putting me out of my misery was too merciful.

“I don’t know.” I murmured to myself more than him.

Dronnigan turned his back on me again and walked away. I thought the conversation was over until he stopped again.

“Despite what you think, Tobias, you are very important to me. You will understand why, one day.”