In Plain Sight
Even Alric had seen it. Even through all his anger, his sadness and his lust for revenge and punishment he had seen it and had tried to use it to his advantage.
He could just as easily have thrown Maddy aside when he caught up with them, just pushed her away and grabbed Rhydian but he hadn't. Instead he had grabbed Maddy, dragging her away from Rhydian, knowing full well that the young Wolfblood would follow, begging Alric to release her, offering himself in her place.
Alric had seen the fear in Rhydian's eyes, heard the desperation in his voice all for this girl. His actions conveyed much more than merely friendship and it immediately occurred to Alric that he could use this, he could use this boy's feelings to his advantage. He wanted him to suffer the way he had, the way he had made him suffer. If it wasn't for him, Alric would still have his Daughter, Jana would still be with him and the deep black hole he felt deep inside him wouldn't exist. Rhydian would do anything for this Tame Wolfblood, even in the face of death.
Alric could of smiled when Rhydian called after him, he could of laughed in triumph as the boy sprang up from the floor and chased after him if it wasn't for the vast emptiness he felt within him. He wanted revenge, he wanted to make Rhydian pay for what he'd done and it was clear that this girl was the key to that. Maddy meant everything to Rhydian, Alric could see that as clearly as anyone and he knew that this boys suffering would match his own if anything happened to her.
Maddy was feisty, she was independent and determined and that was what prevented Alric from striking her. She was so much like Jana.
How the girl had managed to wriggle herself free, Alric couldn't tell but she had and it was the flash of his Daughters face racing through his head that stopped him in his tracks, his arm raised above his head, claws out, ready to slash at Maddy. But Jana had pulled him back, reined him in, even when she wasn't there.
Alric could vaguely remember seeing Rhydian pulling Maddy protectively behind him as they both stared him in shock. Alric knew Jana wouldn't want him to do this, she wouldn't want him to harm them, and despite everything that had happened she was still his Daughter, she was still the only thing in the world he would do anything for. He knew for certain that if he did this, if he sought revenge, punished Rhydian and hurt Maddy then any chance of reconciliation he had with his Daughter, would be lost forever. So he had sank to the floor as the two Wolfblood's escaped, lost in despair and grieving for the loss of a Daughter who was still very much alive.
Alric knew, right from the start he had known that there was something between the two teenagers. They had a connection, they had a bond that was stronger than either of them. He saw it as soon as Maddy had stood up to him in the school hall, he knew as soon as she threatened to tell the whole world the Wolfblood secret just to protect Rhydian, and he had kept that. He had remembered that sacrifice she was willing to make until the day he returned and sought revenge. He knew without a doubt that Rhydian would do exactly the same for Maddy if it came to it. He knew Rhydian would willingly give himself up if it meant saving her. That was what Alric had counted on but what he hadn't counted on was Jana, what he hadn't counted on was the power she had over him even when she wasn't there.
