by Kassie Cox
“Did the Queen ever tell you anything about your parents?” Not the question I was expecting, but every story had to start somewhere. All I give her is a shake of my head, wanting to give her no more information than needed. Adelina nods. “Your mother was a beautiful woman, a spitting image of you actually. I’m sure under that horrible die you have the same shade red as she did. You are built more like you father however, certainly got that scowl from him.” She laughs at the small joke, I did not.
“I know nothing of them.” The sharp tone lessens her amused look.
“Stella, your mother, was a great woman. A healer in her town, that’s how the Queen knew her. I knew her well through a few dealers we went through, for herbs and things like that. Your father was, well he didn’t know one thing about loyalty and when he met your mom it was probably the worst thing that could’ve happened to that woman.” Her voice is small. This is a story she did not want to tell, so I get to my feet and grab us two glass. Pouring a bit of scotch from a bottle Elias had stocked on a side table. She smiles at me before she takes the first sip.
“I was an accident, I’m guessing?” Adelina scoffs, setting down the drink with haste.
“Your father cheated on his destined mate, you were conceived, and you were punished for the sins your parents committed.” Adelina finishes the drink and I pour her another serving. “His mate, she was a great friend of mine. I grew up with her, but we’d been separated when she found her mate and had to move away. We had remained close, however. I’d often be called to help her with member of the pack, or anything that may need a protection spell of some sort. When I got the call from Laura she had been sobbing, one of the worst sounds I’d ever heard in my entire life.”
Slowly things are falling into place for me. The story not exact, but familiar.
“What did you do?” I question. She takes a troubled breath, shuddering with the exhale.
“Laura wanted to make sure the child that had been born from her mates’ betrayal would never have the love that was taken from her. I owed her a big favor. I’d known it would come back to haunt us; the Moon doesn’t take lightly to her plans being messed with.” I’m on my feet, hands on the table. Elias is probably downstairs losing his shit, because as little as I feel I know for a fact I am mad.
She did this to me.
“What did they do to her?” I slam my fists down. The witch doesn’t look bothered.
“Laura burned her in the house you were conceived in. Had the Queen not taken you in, you would have been killed as well. But they could not get to you. I helped her deliver a curse, Keres. One that will ensure you’ll never get the precious gift of love that comes along with your mate.”
Chapter 15
The witch isn’t expecting it when I just across the desk, my fist hitting her in the nose full force. She’s screaming, begging for help but I don’t care. Things are silent in my head. Everything is coming together, and whatever rage I cannot feel, due to her, is fueling my attack. It’s pushing me forward with wild abandonment as I seek justice for something I don’t completely understand.
I burned my father alive. I burned the woman who killed my mother, and that brings a sick satisfaction through me. Another hit to her face and I can feel her blood splatter across my face. My need to ruin this woman strong.
When Elias grabs me, I kick out, my foot meeting its mark making the witch fall limply to the ground. Her bloodied frame brings a smile to my face, my heavy breaths are hard to take as the male’s arms grip me harder. He’s yanking me backwards, towards the door of the office.
“Let me go! Get off me!” My screeches are most likely heard throughout the territory. I can feel how angry Elias is, but he’s projecting the things I would feel back at me.
It’s painful, the sadness that seems to bury itself into my bones. The images of a woman I’ve never met flutter through my head as I feel the torment of knowing the truth behind my existence. Strangely I feel the guilt for killing the people who’d done such horrible things, and that made me sick. They deserved no pity for the killing of the innocent.
I’d killed many in my years, some of which may not have deserved it, but there was always a cause. I always had a reason. Maybe not a good reason, but it certainly wasn’t jealousy that drove me to commit the horrible acts. I’m not entirely sure why it angers me so much that this woman had done this to me.
“You need to control yourself.” Elias growls in my ear, his hot breath has my body trembling, but I try to fight the need for him. I want to hurt the woman who ruined me. Revenge.
My nails dig into the door frame as he tries to drag me from the room, my eyes locked on this witch slowly coming from her unconscious state. She does not look mad, instead those green eyes hold a sadness that I can’t begin to comprehend. I know she feels bad for what she’s done, but the raging inside of me does not care.
I regret speaking with the witch, knowing that I’d once had a chance at a life that was not this one. My past would’ve been filled with so many things that I’d had taken away. My body would not be scarred, my morals would not be corrupt. I would’ve had a conscience and it would’ve been clean. A selfish wolf and a spineless witch stole that from me. I couldn’t properly miss a mother I never knew, and I couldn’t hate myself for killing a father who’d only done wrong to me.
“Did they know it was me, Adelina?” I cry out, my voice shakier than it’s ever been. The woman looks at me from the floor, a frown on her lips. I know she wants to answer, and she knows the answer, but she won’t speak the words I need into existence. “Please tell me they knew-”
“Laura called me before you got to their territory.” She sits up, her bloodied face seeming to affect her none. Elias stops pulling me, and I’m able to release the doorway. He doesn’t set me down, but his arms loosen slightly. “She had begged for a spell, or anything that may keep you away from them. I’d listened while her mate shouted for everyone to lock the doors, barricade every entrance. I knew what you would do to them, and I can’t say I regret not helping.”
Her revelation calms me a smidge, my fist no longer aching to beat in her face. Elias stops projecting into me, and my numbness returns—my body finally feeling at peace once more. I had control of myself, which I noticed was something I did not have while overcome with those feelings. My mind didn’t work right when I could feel everything occurring within me.
The tingling begins on my neck once more, my body feeling the male’s eyes traveling across my skin. It distracts me, gets me away from thinking about the woman lying on the floor and how she deserved a death much like her friends. She’d chosen to hurt me, an innocent child. Her hand had helped take everything I could’ve had, away from me. It pissed me off.
“We’ll get someone to come help you clean up, Adelina. If you need a place to stay, we can find a cabin for you as well.” Elias keeps his tone low. I look to him, wanting to meet the eyes that have my skin crawling. I don’t hate the feeling of his skin on mine, even though I should.
It was a trick, everything happening to my body is some strange game being played by their Moon. The mate bond made sense, but it seemed more like a curse. One more curse I’d have to deal with.
This one brought me a lot more pleasure, I suppose.
“I met with her, I’ve gotten answers and now I would like to leave.” An expression of torment crosses over Elias. I imagine if I could feel his emotions right now, I’d want to rip my own soul from my chest, as his expression speaks clear as day.
I’m still unsure as to what he wanted to accomplish by me meeting this woman, but all it did was make me want my normal everyday life back. I’d go back to the Kingdom. Serve the King. Get away from the man who makes my body want horrible, dirty things.
Elias is rough when he strengthens his hold and hauls me over his shoulder, his patience clearly gone as he reveals his brutish nature. My fists hit at his large back, and only when his hand comes down on my ass do, I calm down. My mouth open in shock at his
actions.
“How dare you!” I huff, my hands curling in his shirt. I’m not entirely sure where he’s bringing me as we head downstairs and out the front door of the home. He’s growling when we make it outside, the wolves surrounding us stare in awe. They know something I do not.
Elias throws me hard to the ground, his black eyes staring down at my frame. A long claw comes down and I yelp as I prepare for him to tear me open. I’m surprised when he instead rips through the cast on my leg. Showing the perfectly healed skin beneath. Was it healed this entire time?
“The mark will increase your ability to heal.” He growls, throwing the white cast away from me with little effort. “You have one chance to run, Little Fairy. If I catch you, I get to keep you. I suggest you-”
“I’m not playing into your little cat and mouse game. You’re a wolf, and I have no weapons. Of course, I’ll never make it off your pack lands.” His eyes glow with a hint of amusement at my words, but his beast doesn’t like that I won’t play.
They want to hunt me. It’s fun to the beast on two legs in front of me, and I refuse to be todays entertainment. I had shit to deal with, and this man was keeping me from it.
“We’ll bring you your daggers, and I’ll give you a head start.” Elias offers, my eyes narrowing as I lean back onto my hands. Black eyes travel to my chest, teeth elongating at whatever thoughts re traveling through his head.
I ignore the urge to crawl up his body. The image of that perfect mouth moving across my skin seems to be stuck on replay, the heat moving through me as it plays.
“I can’t kill you, but I refuse to run like a coward. Either kill me or let me go Elias. This is becoming ridiculous.” Elias drops to his knees in front of me, I watch as his skin ripples. A look of pain crossing over his face as he stares at the sky, straining to contain his wolf.
I’m impressed by his want to fight for someone he wants. It even made me a little more inclined to think about giving this whole thing a shot. Staying on wolf territory and seeing what would happen when a heartless woman tried to be the Luna of a pack. The idea is absurd, but it seems easy to make a reality.
No more killing people in the Kingdom. No more Mirela. I would be in a sense free of that responsibility, but of course I’d gain more than I would lose.
“He doesn’t like your rejection.” The words are grinded out. I’d seen the people in this pack turn, and they could do it effortlessly. This was painful. The man didn’t want the beast to take over. A snap in his leg has a small grunt coming from his throat. “We don’t understand why you’re rejecting us.”
I flinch at the pain in his voice, and then he’s projecting. He’s showing me everything the temple of himself is feeling. The breaking of a soul, the crushing of a lifetime of dreams. I can barely inhale.
“Stop it, stop this.” I clench my eyes shut, trying to push him from my bones.
Wave after wave hits me. I’m struggling to get to my feet. He has no right to do this to me. I’m on my knees, moving as close to him as I can. I stuck in a breath, trying to expand my burning lungs.
“Stop!” I scream, my fist hitting his chest. He releases a monstrous roar, tackling me to my back as the emotions he holds leave me. I can breathe again.
I’m still beneath him, the contact of our skin bringing those urges up once again.
With the thoughts of mate bond swirling through my head I piece together one more piece in my very fucked up puzzle. My body practically limp as a realization hits me full force, and the look seems to bring the beast to his senses. Our eyes hold one another, that black turning to gold as I stare in fascination. Would I have those eyes?
“I don’t want to be like you.” I whisper, desperately hoping I never hold that monster within me.
The thought of being the monster he showed me endless times has me frozen. I’m unable to move as the possibilities run through my head,
Chapter 16
Elias helps me from the ground, a soft growl from his lips when I push away the arm, he had attempted to put around my waist to help me. My leg was still a bit weak, but I could manage on my own.
I needed my head to be clear, which couldn’t happen when his arm made me burn like wildfire. I cared not for his disliking of my rejection.
I wondered if I would growl like that someday, if the genes inside of me simply hadn’t taken hold yet. Would I turn into a beast? Would Valor have to slay me, the Guard of hi Kingdom finally killed by the hands of the man she’d sworn to protect. All because I myself, had been a beast this entire time.
The Witch had ruined my day. Not that my day had been beyond spectacular beforehand, although I would’ve preferred the comforting hold of the wolf over the truth, I’d had spewed into me. I’d never been held in such a gentle manner. Never had a man wrapped his arms around me without the thought of a night ahead of him running through his brain.
Elias though, he wanted me. Him and that fur covered beast that escaped him every so often. They wanted my being, every fucking piece of me. It would be selfish to use him for the comfort I’d never received, but the thought was hard to ignore. He made it hard to not use the power that is handed to me with every longing look from those haunting eyes.
Valor would keel over if he knew the thoughts I had about this savage. Any normal person would die if they understood how badly I craved this big man who followed me around like a lost pup. The secret way I craved those teeth inside of me again, making me feel whole for once in my life. I may be missing a lot of things, but perhaps with the wolf it was possible to be whole.
“You think too much.” My body shudders with the warm of his breath hitting my neck. This dynamic went from hot to cold so quickly, my body wanting everything to do with the male and then nothing at all. It was infuriating to be so confused about a man who’d just jumped into my life. I’d never been this indecisive.
“Your wolf acts on his emotions too much.” I attempt to throw at him, hoping it would get under his skin. The man shrugs, and prideful smirk on his face.
“We are sure of what we want, and don’t like to go down without a fight.” I scoff, looking around as the wolves that have slowly begun to leave. This wasn’t a public conversation, but he didn’t seem to be taking it elsewhere. He is the Alpha, and he’ll do as he pleases. Elias with his large frame and endless power had my mouth practically watering.
He knew exactly what I was thinking. I was an open book for him to read whenever he pleased. I was kind of hoping he’d open me up and run those magical fingers over my spine, learn every fucking word on my pages. Another growl leaves his mouth and I’m toast. Wet and needy in front of the man I’d wanted to kill not too long ago. I’m a mess.
He takes a long inhale, mouth falling open as his tongue darts out to taste whatever coats the air. I think of the way he’d had me in the cabin, spread across his thighs in the gentlest of ways. I didn’t want that now. I wanted him to throw me down like he had earlier and put himself between my legs. Wrap those big hands in my hair, leave wet kisses down my body, and show me just how much he didn’t want me to leave.
“Stop looking at me like that, or you’ll be mated right here on this hard ground.” It’s not whispered, his threat out there for the entire world to hear. I’m sure if he followed through with the tempting words than everyone would know, as he’d have to gag me to stop the sounds, I’d make with him on top of me.
Each touch of our skin already made me want to scream to the heavens, praise the wonderful making of this male. A man I’d been told is mine.
A wolf who, had things been different, I would’ve already been with. Had they not stripped me of everything I would’ve been okay being the Luna of a pack. Standing by his side, laying beneath him every night.
“Adelina is fine, but the pack—oh am I interrupting?” Audra grins at us, a knowing twinkle in her eyes as she crosses her arms over her chest. Stupid wolves. Instead of answering I throw my own question into the air, hoping someone could answer it clearly.
“If my father was a wolf, does that mean I am also to become one?” Elias gives me a sideways look, as if to say this was not a discussion to have out in the open. I cared not. I wanted an answer before I started walking on all fours and howling at the moon.
“Most people do have an ancestor with our blood in them, but very rarely do you turn. You would’ve turned around eighteen had the transition decided to take hold of you.” I release I breath at Audra’s words, feeling much better about the circumstances now.
“You believe what she says then?” Elias asks, eyes roaming over my form.
“She doesn’t have any reason to lie, and although I don’t like most of the things, she told me I have to come to terms with them. At least I understand now.”
“You’re the child,” Elias touches my hand with his, “aren’t you? The one between Burns and the woman?” I nod, a thickness developing in my throat that I believe he is pushing on me. Showing me how this question makes me feel.
“I got justice for the woman I didn’t know was my mother, and I burned a father I didn’t know I had. Shouldn’t I feel bad about this?” Most people would regret the things I’ve done. I don’t, and although I understand it to be wrong, I fully believe the man deserved what he got. So did his mate, a woman who took the betrayal of a man out on a woman and child.
They knew who I was in the end, and that counted for something. The sins they’d committed brought the wrath of their Moon upon them. I wondered if the same would happen to me. If those I hurt would eventually come back to haunt me.
I suppose I’d have to wait and see.
“Why don’t we grab dinner? I know you must be starving.” Elias speaks softly, as if I was a child at risk of being broken. I didn’t enjoy when he made me seem fragile, but I’d never had someone want to take care of me—and I enjoyed it. The attention, the knowing that he wanted me. I imagine that deep down I felt a blossom of happiness, and excitement for the possibilities between the two of us. Perhaps feeling that would continue to give this man hope that I would someday choose to be with him.
