by Rua Hasan
Before I could answer myself, a strong hand wrapped around my neck as the other held my arm in a death grip. I tried to break free, but the person holding me was too strong. It couldn’t be the rogues because I would be able to smell them, and it couldn’t be Ian because I was much stronger than him. The only wolf who would be stronger than me was someone with a higher ranking.
Before I could turn around and look at my captor, something wet came over my nose, and it took my breath away.
I felt my knees become weak as my vision blurred with black spots.
I felt myself being carried by strong arms, but before I could look up, my heavy eyelids closed, and everything around me turned dark.
I opened my eyes to darkness. It took a while for my eyes to adjust to the dark, not a single light in sight. The only thing I could make out was that I was in a small room, and in front of me was a steel door. The place smelled like rotten eggs and rats.
I didn’t feel my body for the second time today, but this time I was much weaker. I was now tied to a chair, and ropes were again stinging my wrists.
Where am I?
Surprisingly I wasn’t as scared as I thought I’d be. I knew I had to be strong and face what’s coming.
If this didn’t happen now, then it sure would have happened sooner. I just wonder what’s my fate. Will I die today? Or will it be tomorrow?
Will I die knowing that I’ll never get to tell Aiden how much I care for him?
Or love him?
Or will I make out of this alive but still watch someone so special to me die again?
I’ve lived for so long to know that I’m pretty scared. But these fears make me a stronger person. They make me who I am today.
Stella.
The Stella that at first hated Aiden, the Stella that wanted to have a normal life and live without fearing, the Stella that wanted to run away from Aiden but wanted to kiss him at the same time.
If I went through a much harder time, then I know I can go through this. And once I’m out, I will never look down on myself ever again. Besides, I can beat anyone.
Yes, I know that beating an Alpha might be hard, but I’m me! I can do anything as long as I put my head to it. If I say I will do it, then I will do it! Even though everyone might say it’s impossible, to me, nothing’s impossible.
I closed my eyes, trying to come up with a plan that will get me out of here alive.
I still don’t even know why I’m here. Did I do something to enrage a certain Alpha? I don’t think so. The only thing close to that is when I get on Aiden’s bad side, and we all know that is never my fault.
I reopened my eyes when I heard footsteps coming closer to the room I was in. I took a deep breath and calmed my racing nerves.
I can do this. Whoever is behind that door doesn’t know who they’re messing with.
The footsteps stopped right outside the door, and the knob slowly turned. Light came into the room when the door creaked open. I closed my eyes and tilted my head sideways. I heard someone walk into the room and close the door. I opened my eyes and slowly looked up to see who it was.
I was afraid of who I was going to see but sighed out of relief when it was only Ian.
But the anger of betrayal came right back. I glared at him as I tried to kill him with my eyes. I wanted to spit at his face so badly and slap that smirk off his face. He looked at me with dangerous eyes.
This wasn’t the guard I tried to get rid of.
This was a different person.
“Why?” I asked simply.
He stepped out of the shadows and walked closer to where I was tied up. He kneeled down so that we were at the same eye level.
“You’ll find out soon,” he said.
I couldn’t hold it in much longer. I gathered as much saliva I could get in my mouth and spit it right on his face, showing my hatred for this person. He betrayed his pack, everyone around him. But most importantly, he betrayed his Alpha.
“I hope you’re satisfied with yourself,” I said.
He slowly wiped the spit off his face, and with that same hand, he slapped me right on my cheek, leaving it red as it throbbed in pain. I held back a hiss, not wanting to seem weak in front of the enemy. I lifted my head up high and glared at him for the thousand time today.
“Oh, if we didn’t need you so badly, then I would be glad to get rid of you with my own hands,” he growled out as he stepped back.
I raised an eyebrow.
“Why am I here?” I asked.
“You’ll find out soon,” he said again as he retreated and walked to the steel door. He made his way out of the room and closed the door, but before he could clearly disappear, I heard him murmur something that sounded like, “It’s finally time.”
It felt like days. But in reality, it was only hours. I think it was somewhere between ten pm to twelve am because I felt myself starting to doze off. My head kept tilting to the side.
I was really tired, but I knew that wasn’t the right time to sleep.
What if someone came and killed me in my sleep?
Okay, fine, maybe I’m exaggerating a bit because as Ian said, they wanted me for a reason, and besides, if someone really wanted to kill me, I’m pretty sure they would want me to be awake to witness it.
I was pulled from my thoughts when I heard footsteps walking toward the steel door again. But this time—I was not sure what got to me—I was breathing heavily and sweating as my heartbeat increased.
I felt power radiating from behind the door.
So much power. It was definitely the Alpha who was behind all this. I couldn’t believe I was admitting this, but I was afraid. Afraid of what I was going to face. But I pushed all these emotions in the back of my head.
This is only my imagination.
This is only my imagination, I kept repeating to myself.
After several seconds of tension, the door finally slammed open. I was looking at the ground, but I gathered as much courage I had and looked up to who was awaiting me. Once I saw the face of the person who made my life these couple of days a living hell, I gasped.
There in front of me was a very powerful-looking man. But it wasn’t his muscular body and perfect jawline that surprised me, neither was it the amount of power he had or those lonely yet scary dark eyes.
But it was because he was the same guy in my dreams.
Chapter 38
As much as I tried, I couldn’t take my eyes off the person standing in front of me. He looked like he could kill anyone with just the touch of his finger. He didn’t look quite friendly. He didn’t look too old or too young, probably in his thirties. His dark brown eyes were looking through my soul, and shivers ran down my spine.
And not the good type.
He took a step forward after closing the door, making me gulp. I could feel sweat forming on my forehead.
This doesn’t make sense. Why have I been seeing him in my dreams? I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen this guy in my whole entire life. Or did I?
Nope, he doesn’t ring a bell.
Then why have I been dreaming about him? Or why did he keep saying, “Do it,” in each dream like if I didn’t, then he would snap my neck?
Not like that would affect me anyway, but you get the point.
There is something definitely wrong for me to be here. I just can’t be here for no reason. And what about the ghosts that keep appearing? I’m pretty sure they’re not just coincidence and that they are linked to this guy right in front of me.
“After all these years, I finally have the answer,” he spoke in a low husky voice.
It took me a moment to gather as much courage I had and speak without stuttering.
“Answer to what?” I asked, or should I say whispered.
He seemed to ignore my question as he spoke, “Do you even know why you’re here?”
He walked closer to where I was tied up.
“No,” I answered as I shook my head.
He then kneeled down so that we were at the same eye level.
“You aren’t normal,” he whispered.
I gave him a confused look.
“Of course, I’m not. I’m a vampire,” I said in a duh tone, but he shook his head at me then got up, standing straight as he looked down at me.
“What I mean is that you have special powers,” he told me.
Okay, this is starting to freak me out.
“Powers?” I repeated what he had just said.
“Yeah, care to explain?”
I was so confused.
The only powers I have are my vampire skills, which are super strength and speed, but other than that, I have nothing.
“Oh, Stella, don’t tell me you don’t know what you’re capable of?” he asked in a mocking voice as he started to walk around the chair I was tied to, which just irritated me more.
“Okay, first, how do you know my name? Oh, wait, never mind. Maybe it’s because of the bastard Ian, but who do you think you are kidnapping me, then telling me shit that you think I’m going to believe?” I spoke, and it surprised me how strong I sounded.
All the courage I had simply went away when his eyes darkened as he kneeled down again but this time grabbed my shoulder in a death grip which seemed familiar.
Now that I think of it, this is probably the person who grabbed me from behind earlier.
“You do not want to anger me,” he growled, pausing between his words, making his warning more threatening.
I gulped down all the words I was planning to say, fearing of what would happen to me.
“Who are you?” I asked.
He released his grip then stood up.
“I’m Alpha Argon,” he said.
“Does that ring a bell?” he asked.
I thought and thought. That name sounded so familiar.
Where have I heard it?
Suddenly everything came back. That name, Alpha Argon, was one of the most feared Alphas many years ago, and not because he was so cruel, but because of the power he had at such a young age of nineteen.
“You’re Alpha Argon? As in Argon Claze?” I asked in disbelief. I haven’t heard of him in years after the tragic accident of his mate.
They were one of the most known couples in America. They had known each other for years and soon married, but in one tragic day, he lost everything. There was an attack from another pack that wanted to bring him down, and they knew that an Alpha’s weakness is always his mate. So what did they do to defeat him?
The obvious.
They killed her.
I looked up at him nervously, still very confused. There were many missing pieces in this puzzle.
What did I have to do with anything?
“No one has heard from you in years,” I said.
“Of course, they wouldn’t. I was just too busy traveling the world to find an answer to my problems,” he said, only increasing my confusion.
“What answer?” I asked for the second time today, causing him to stop right in front of me.
“Isn’t it obvious?” he asked.
“The answer to how to bring someone back to life.”
Okay, haha. Please tell me this guy is kidding.
But the look on his face told me that he isn’t. He was definitely serious.
This dude is a total nut job. I mean, why would he try to bring someone to life? I mean, yes, I wished that a lot in my life, especially when Alice, died but it’s impossible. Everyone knows that once someone dies, there’s no going back. It’s just the circle of life. Even us vampires have a day when we will die, it just sometimes it takes centuries.
“What?” I asked in disbelief.
That’s when he began.
“When they destroyed everything I had—a pack that is long gone now—they took everything with them: my life, my soul, and my mate. They killed her! The love of my life, and you know what I did? I ripped every single one who dared to lay a hand on her,”
He paused. His voice was starting to get harsher as he spoke about his mate.
I was starting to pity him, but I had to remind myself that it was no excuse for kidnapping me.
“After the battle was over, I was left all alone. Nobody was there for me. She was gone! But I promised myself I wouldn’t give up. For I had a witch friend. He knew secrets no one did. And I found out there could be a way to bring someone back to life.”
Okay…This is getting creepy.
“So what is it you’re trying to say? That it’s possible? Okay, fine, I get that. But what does this have to do with me?” I asked. I was getting frustrated with all this nonsense.
He completely ignored my question, again.
“There’s this prophecy,” he began.
One day the weakness of the moon and the enemies of flesh will reunite,
bringing two kinds as one.
A very strong fellow with a heart of stone,
a courageous leader he will be.
A creature that will melt his heart,
despite her not having one
has the ability to see what is gone
and can bring back what was taken.
With just a claim that will release the gift.
Only one could be blessed, and only one could be brought back.
For a river of blood will be the key.
The room became quiet. I was still trying to register what he had just said in my mind. The prophecy sounded odd but made sense at the same time. That’s when it hit me.
Is that what he meant when he said I have powers?
Can I bring back the dead?
“What do you want from me?” I asked in a very low voice, scared of his answer, but deep down inside, I knew what it was going to be.
Alpha Argon kneeled down and was just a couple inches away from my face.
“I want you to bring her back! Bring back Lilly Claze to life,” he whispered right in my face.
He stood up and looked like he was looking for something in his pocket. I heard him mutter something that sounded like, “Where did that chain go?”
I shook my head furiously.
No, he definitely got the wrong vampire. I have no such powers.
“I can’t do that! What makes you think I could? For all you know, I could be the wrong vampire,” I said, and he chuckled coldly.
“You really don’t get it, do you? You are the only vampire who’s mated to an Alpha for years! It’s what the prophecy says. And once your precious mate sunk his teeth into your skin, he activated your powers. Now everyone in the under realm wants you to choose them, for you could only use it once,” he said.
“And you’re going to use it on Lilly.”
I really wanted to deny what he had just said. But what he was saying was kind of true. All the mysterious events have been happening right after Aiden marked me, like seeing ghosts for example.
But, wait, if I did have the ability to bring one dead to life, then does that mean I can bring Alice back?
Hope took over my mind and body as I thought about having my best friend back, of what we could do if she were alive again.
But I came crashing down to reality when it struck me that this man in front of me is going to force me to use it on his dead mate. I shook my head at him. There was no way I was going to do it.
“You can’t make me!” I told him as my voice rose.
“Everything happens for a reason, and your mate’s death too! Do you actually think she would be proud of you for doing this? Teaming up with rogues and kidnapping someone so that they could bring back someone so special? Well, reality check: life doesn’t work that way! And there’s no way I’m going to do that for you,” I yelled at him.
I have to get out of here. How can someone be so caring for his mate be selfish at the same time? If I do have such powers, then I am going to use them wisely. There is no way I am going to give in.
“Oh, but you don’t have a choice, my dear,” he spoke then looked at his wristwatch.
“The time is eleven thirty, soon twelve am. And your powers will only work under a full moon when the clock strikes midnight, as your blood falls down the peak of the mountain,” he said.
I felt tears form behind my eyes, but I kept them in place. I’m pretty sure he was able to hear my beating heart. I started to struggle in my seat, trying to break free from the ropes that stung my skin, but it was useless.
“Don’t waste your energy doing that. No vampire can escape from these special ropes,” he told me.
“They were made especially for you,” he said.
“You can’t make me do this! My mate will save me!” I yelled, but he seemed unaffected by what I just said.
“I’d like to see him try,” he said then snapped his fingers.
A bunch of rogues came into the room, about twenty of them. Two untied me from the chair, and five started to drag me out of the room, while the others scattered around the area.
This was going to be harder than I thought.
Chapter 39
It was dark outside, not a single star in the sky. The only source of light was the full moon shining above us; it reminded me of the powers I hold. If only I could just shoot an arrow into the sky and make the moon disappear so that I wouldn’t have to do this.
I still couldn’t believe Alpha Argon was going to make me use my powers on his dead mate when I could use it on Alice. I thought about escaping, but looking around, I found it will be much harder than I thought, for the place was crawling with rogues.
The only thing I could do was wait and pray for Aiden to find me as soon as possible.
I was being dragged by three rogues up a mountain. It would have been easy for me to defeat them because I was much stronger than them but the special ropes made me weaker.
So I just let them drag me to their destination as I tried to come up with a plan to get me out of here.
What if I stall them? I can do that and just hope that Aiden or someone will come soon and save me. I don’t have any other ideas in mind.
But what if I just used the oldest trick in the book?
Pretending to faint. Surely they can’t use my powers if I weren’t awake right?
Right?
Well, there is only one way to find out.
I let a fake yet realistic yelp of pain escape my lips as I fell limp into the rogues’ arms. I closed my eyes and steadied my heartbeat so that they wouldn’t get suspicious. I felt the rogues holding me start to shake me and growled words like, “Wake up.”
