Chapter 46

The forest was beautiful at this time of day, the sun shone faintly through the trees, casting a radiant glow against the fine mist that covered the forest foliage. Despite the sun's appearance, the winter chill still swept through the forest as Lizzie tugged at Henry's jacket pulling it closer to her body. 

Her forest walks with Henry had been of the things that Lizzie had missed the most since leaving Everdale. She'd enjoyed watching the forest change with the seasons and had planned to do this in Norhaven but she'd since discovered the dangers the forest secretly posed. The image of the rogue wolf stepping out of the forest filters across her mind and she shivers. 

She'd had nightmares about that afternoon for weeks now, always the same reoccurring dream. Lizzie hadn't told Aiden about it, hadn't wanted him to worry, especially since he was the one who'd been injured.

Lizzie swallows as she tries to focus her attention on other things, the smell of damp leaves beneath her feet, the birds chirping as they flew from tree to tree. 

She had been very thankful this morning that Henry's Father was busy in town, she wasn't forced to sneak out or answer his questions. It would've caused her a headache if she needed to provided responses which evaded the truth. 

She just wanted to be neutral in this pack rivalry, but Lizzie was beginning to think that it might not be possible.

Henry had assured her that he would try and keep her away from him as much as possible. Lizzie hoped that last night would be his first and final appearance. She honestly didn't know how Henry had managed to live under his Father's rule. She hoped he'd become Alpha soon, he'd make a good and fair Alpha for the Everdale pack. 

She gazed at him beneath her lashes, a smile sliding into place, she was relieved that they had slipped easily back into their friendship. The underlying tension when they spoke on the phone had faded, replaced by easy familiarity.

Henry's gaze shifts towards her and she turns subtly to look at the trees as her heart quickened. After Henry's comment last night, if you were mine, Lizzie didn't want to attract any more attention towards her. She was curious though if there was a way to break the mate bond, but she didn't dare ask.

The thought caused unease to slide into her stomach. She frowns, unsure why this feeling had suddenly appeared. It was almost as if her body was already mated to Aiden despite his actions. The idea that her body could betray her mind, unsettled and infuriated her.  

She needed to attain more information. She didn't want to be in the dark about issues that affected her, especially when it was causing her to feel the opposite of what she was thinking.   Unfortunately it wasn't as if she could research what was happening. 

She could ask Kat but she knew the answer would probably favour Aiden. She couldn't ask Henry either. She didn't want him discovering that she was thinking about the mate bond. 

She didn't want to give him any hope especially when he was destined for someone else. The thought prickled her skin as it grew hot, why was she the one who had to have a cheating mate.

"What are you thinking" Henry asks

"Nothing" Lizzie says quickly as she places what hopes to be a reassuring smile on her face. She needed to stop having these thoughts around Henry. She takes a quiet deep breath in hoping to calm and centre herself. 

He raises an eyebrow and Lizzie knew that he wouldn't settle for her previous response.

"Just that there's a lot I don't know about the werewolf world" Lizzie finally admits with a sigh.

"You can always ask me" Henry offers with a smile that would have most girls melting. 

"I know, to be honest I just want to stop thinking about Aiden, I honestly thought he'd call me"

It was the complete opposite of what she was thinking, but it had played on her mind and she knew it would be a good cover to steer Henry's prying questions away from what she actually wanted to know about the werewolf world. 

She'd assumed that her phone would be ringing every few minutes once she'd arrived in Everdale, Aiden begging for her to return home and that she'd have to block his number. But he hadn't called her once, it only showed just how little he cared about her.

When Henry doesn't immediately respond with something negative and critical, Lizzie turns and looks at him, confused to see guilt line his face.

"Lizzie there's something I should tell you" Henry says, his eyes lowered. 

Lizzie can't help the racing of her heartbeat as she pauses in her steps, the sound of leaves crunching beneath their feet. 

"Henry" Lizzie says bending down slightly so that her eyes meeting his. 

"What is it" She hated the way her voice shook at the end but she couldn't help it. 

"Aiden called you last night" Henry admits.

"When" Lizzie says her spine stiffening. She'd been with Henry the entire time, she plays through the night in her head when she realizes that Henry had been alone with her phone whilst she was in the shower. Lizzie can't help the anger that begins to coil in the pit of her stomach.

"Why didn't you tell me" She demands.

"Because, you were already exhausted and I knew that whatever he had to say would only make you more upset. I did it to protect you" Henry says stepping closer to places his hands on her arms.

Lizzie swallows unsure how to feel, she should remain angry with him but he did raise valid points. She knew that Henry only did things to protect her. 

"What did he say?" she says after a moment as she tries to sort through her feelings. 

Henry's jaw tightens, "He said that he wants you back"

Lizzie knew that but from Henry's curt answer she could sense that he was holding something back.

"What else did he say?"

Henry grips her tighter, his eyes darkening.

"Apparently one of the rogue packs have created a type of poison that can draw oxygen out from the cells suffocating a wolf before it even realizes what's happening. Most wolves can heal by themselves but this is something we've never encountered before". 

Lizzie tensed, "Why did he tell you that?" It was strange for Aiden to reveal information that would also benefit the Everdale pack. 

He looks down, avoiding her eyes. 

"It doesn't matter" He says clenching his teeth. 

"It does" She exclaims

Henry sighs,

"Because the rogue pack who threatened the Norhaven pack accidentally captured Aiden's ex-girlfriend apparently believing she was his mate". He pauses for a moment as Lizzie stills, the colour draining from her face. 

 "They poisoned her before Aiden had a chance to save her. He wasn't kissing that girl Lizbeth. He was trying to resuscitate her". 

At this Lizzie shakes out of Henry's embrace, his words repeating cruelly inside her mind as her thoughts become a shaken mess.  She didn't even give him a chance to explain Lizzie thinks. She just hopped in the car and drove straight to Everdale. 

Lizzie throat tightens, he'd even tried to stop her as he raced against her car and she just drove forward believing the worst in him. 

She squeezes her eyes shut, what had she done?

He hadn't cheated on her, he was just trying to save Jasmine who had died from the poison. 

Lizzie pushes past Henry as she begins to make her way back to her car. 

"I need to go home" She says, her voice shaking slightly. 

"I know" Henry says, surprising Lizzie as he matches her pace. She turns her head to find him smiling sadly at her. 

"I just don't know when I'm going to see you next?"

Lizzie's heart wrenches at his words but she needed to see Aiden, needed to apologise. 

"I know you need to go, but I already promised Aiden you would return before Sunday"

Lizzie footsteps slow, "You said that?"

Henry chuckles, "I didn't really have a choice, I was lucky I got until Sunday or else Aiden was going to declare all out war". 

He pauses a sigh escaping from his lips.

"You won't be allowed to enter Everdale again, not whilst my Father is ruling at least. This time was an exception as my Father is hoping to attain information but next time-".  Henry doesn't finish but Lizzie can follow his train of thought. 

She stops completely turning to look at him. She couldn't ignore the guilt weighing heavily on her, she needed to return to Aiden to fix things. But a small little voice inside her reminded that Henry was right, there wouldn't be another chance like this to see him. 

Lizzie places her head in her hands, "I can't believe I doubted him" Lizzie says "My mind went automatically to he cheated on me when I saw Jasmine, I should've given him a chance"

She feels Henry's arms wrap around hers, "Trust me, he'll understand. He's your mate, he loves you unconditionally" 

Lizzie sighs in relief his words lightening her stress. 

"I'll stay" Lizzie says after a moment, as much as she cared for Aiden, this was her last opportunity to be with Henry. "But I'm leaving first thing Sunday"

"Woo hoo" Henry says sweeping her off her feet into a hug. Lizzie smiles as he spins her. 

"I'm glad you said that" he says cheerfully and slightly relieved as he puts her down. 

"Because there's one person I want you to meet before you leave tomorrow. I don't want you to have to keep thinking me as the enemy and I'm hoping after you meet them it will change your mind completely".