Chapter 47

'Naomi? Are you okay?" Chad dropped the bow and arrows, immediately running to me. He was joined by Thorne who discovered immediately what just happened. Thankfully, the arrow didn't hit me but flew past me. 'I'm sorry, Naomi. That was supposed to hit that old bottle." He said, looking really apologetic. 'Don't be, I wasn't looking at where I was going." I answered him and glanced at Thorne who had concern written all over his face. He was the reason I had gotten into this situation, how could someone be so good looking so early in the morning? 'I'm sorry." It looked like he was going to cry. 'Are you okay?" I nodded then bent to my knees to talk to Chad. 'You don't have to be." I used my hands to raise his chin so he could look directly at me. 'I see you're learning well." I said, trying to cheer him up. 'I'm learning how to shoot an arrow. You think I'm doing well?" He jumped up in excitement when I nodded my head to reply yes. 'You can go on and practice more." Thorne told him and he ran out before Thorne was done talking. 'Be careful." Thorne screamed after him. When he turned to me, he gave me a smile. 'How was your night?" 'It was okay. Very nice." 'Hmm. How nice. Without me?" He teased me. 'It was nice because I spoke with you yesterday." I smiled at him. He tried to hold my hands but I dragged them back. 'What?" His eyes went wide. 'I can't hold your hands?" 'No." I answered which made him turn to face me properly, eyeball to eyeball 'What do you mean?" His eyeballs furrow in annoyance. 'You can't. People are watching." 'So?" He asked but I didn't say a word. 'So you won't let me kiss you too." He made an advance towards me and my breathing became louder and faster. 'Not really. Thorne stop. There's so many people here. Let's not draw attention to ourselves." I told, smiled and shoved him back a little. 'This is so unfair. What then did you come to see me?" He asked, pretending to get upset. 'Who said I came to see you?" I asked. 'So you didn't come to see me?" 'No, I didn't." I said. 'I just came to find emm… Chad. Yes. Chad." I stuttered. Thorne's back was turned against me. He didn't say a word, so I waited. We walked slowly but then I broke the silence. 'I came to see you." I blurted out, with my eyes shut. 'I missed you and because I was staring at you, I didn't see when Chad shot the arrow." I became totally honest. 'I'm sorry." I told him, then watched as a smile appeared on his face. 'I just wanted to tell you that we're leaving for Ice crest in the evening. Do you still want to come with me?" 'Of course. I'll just get everything ready." He told me. I went back to my chambers to pack some clothes into my bag. The plan was to go to Ice crest park, pick my mother then head for the Stormclaw clan where I would talk to the Alpha to help us. I wondered how Ice crest had been since I left. Hopefully there wouldn't be so much change that I won't recognize. Laura was ready on time so together we waited for Thorne at the river park. 'Your family will be so excited to see you." 'Will they?" I wondered. The girls would surely be glad to see me but I couldn't say the same for my mother and the king. 'Yes. Of course. Why wouldn't they? Especially your mother." Laura said. It was so convincing coming from her. She didn't have a mother but had told me once that she would like to meet her even for a day. 'Let's pick some Mangoes for our journey." I suggested, trying to avoid the conversation. My family was a complicated one, when I myself couldn't understand, no one else would. Thorne came and went immediately on the journey to my home, a clan where I had spent a better part of my life in. I'm the Palace, I was never free to live on my own terms, I had to obey orders whether I liked it or not. It was one of the challenging moments of my life, a moment I wouldn't like to relive. 'Oh.. I didn't get to say goodbye to Orion." Laura regretted suddenly stopping on the way. 'Why will you say goodbye to a soul shifter?" 'I miss him." 'You miss a soul shifter who you meant just a few days ago." Thorne had to spell it out because he wasn't understanding it just the way I couldn't wrap my head around it. 'Don't overthink it, you guys. I just wanted to say goodbye." We kept on walking till it got dark and we had to stop for a while. We spent the night, eating the fruits we picked and discussing about our life. Thorne made sure to look out for us while I and Laura slept. I woke up to see that he was still awake. 'You're still awake?" 'Yes. I am. You want some water?" 'No. I don't. Come on. Let's get some sleep." 'No, go on. I'll join you soon." He told me. I had sleepy eyes do I went off to sleep. The next morning, I expected to see him asleep but I couldn't even find him. 'Thorne?" I called out his name but he was no where to be found. I shoved Laura quietly. 'Wake up, Laura." 'What's happening." She asked, cleaning her eyes with the back of her hand. 'Where's Thorne?" 'I don't know but I'm so scared that something night have happened to him. Oh God.. where should we look?" I stood, looking so concerned. 'What do you mean? He might have gone to get .." 'No. No. He didn't go anywhere.. where should we find him?" I was no coordinated, my eyes were teary and I couldn't understand a thing. 'What's going on?" Thorne asked. He must have been coming from the river because he was dripping wet. 'Where were you?" 'I found a river where we could get fishes.." He was still speaking when I ran to give him a hug. 'What's wrong?" He was shocked at the way I had embraced him. 'Naomi was scared that something might have happened to you, so she was so anxious." Laura explained to Thorne. 'You scared me." I looked up to him. 'I'm sorry. You shouldn't hug me, I'm dripping wet." He responded.