Zique stood on the podium, his internal panic killing him and yet externally his face was as blank as a sheet of paper. Shontelle stood in front of him, hands in his and out of all the elders, it was elder Jacob who stood before them both. The cold look on his face was obviously because of disappointment and yet despite that, he was still doing his job. Two packs stood on the ground beneath him, the lights illuminating each member’s face. They all held burning candles in their hands, nothing but an ambience of excitement and anticipation circulating the meeting grounds. And yet all Zique could feel was an augmenting sadness that wouldn’t stop tearing at his heart. Something didn’t feel right, his chest burnt in more ways than one and his wolf was prominently unsettled. Was this another punishment? If so, then why every time the pain decided to increase, it was Kiara that popped up in his head. Perhaps he was just being paranoid, perhaps he was having second thoughts, or perhaps it w

“Alright, I got your approval, it’s time to get the crowd’s...I believe a heart down there is dying to stop this.” Elder Jacob walked around them and towards the edge of the podium, clearly projecting his voice. “Before we begin, is there anyone who is against this uncultured mating?” Zique’s eyes toured the crowd for a hand of disproval. Deep inside, he really wish there was one, but his heart sank when nobody stepped forward. The elder cleared his throat. “Alright then, the ceremony shall now beg—” “Me! I-I’m against it!” The sound of the voice was familiar and it came from a person Zique least expected it from. “Damion?” Damion stepped out of the crowd, a glint of determination in his hazel eyes. “This mating can’t take place no matter what.” “Damion wh—?” Zique didn’t get to finish his statement, for Shontelle interrupted him. “Damion...I told you not to do this, I told you tha—” “You expect me to just sit back and watch as my life crumble apart right in front of me? I’ve b

“Kiara I hear him, I can smell him...can you transform?”Kiara looked behind her, almost falling over as she ran. There was so much fear within her now, if he was coming, then she’d never really get to escape because not even Gabe could go against an alpha like him. “I-I don’t know...I’m scared.”“I know...” Gabe’s hand tightened around hers. “I’ll transform, you can sit on my back.”Kiara nodded, her free hand swiping across her cheek to get rid of the wetness. “Okay.”She skidded to a stop behind Gabe, her bright, blue eyes watching as he crouched down, starting his transformation. His bones cracked so loud in the silence and even in the dark, Kiara could see as fur took over his skin; grey fur, both light and dark. He crouch low, low enough for her to get on and Kiara didn’t hesitate to do so. Her trembling hands barely managed to wrap around his neck, her legs latching onto his sides and only then did Gabe take off, racing with the breeze. She felt like he was more anxious than

Zique continued to pad forward until he stood in front of Gabe. ‘Put her down, Gabe.’ ‘No, you’ve done enough Zique, let the poor girl go.’ ‘’I thought our affairs were none of your business.’ ‘’It is now.’ ‘Just put her down, Gabe; willingly to avoid getting hurt. I can’t believe you went against my orders and behind my back too.’ Gabe scoffed. ‘And I can’t believe you tried to mate somebody else despite the fact that your f*cking MATE was behind bars. You’ve gone right back to the old Zique.’ He took a step forward, his eyes calculative. ‘You don’t care about her, do you? You’re just holding onto to her because of your pride. She’s tired of it, she wants to get away now, she’s officially gone through too much because of you.’ ‘How could you stand there and tell me that I don’t care when you damn well know that I do?’ ‘If you really cared, you’d never think of hurting her like you had planned to tonight. Damion told me he stopped you and if it weren’t for him, then Kiara wouldn

Kiara was led back down the same path she thought she’d never be able to walk again. She felt weak, weaker than she’d ever been and not just physically, mentally as well. She felt drain, felt like a living zombie or rather a puppet. Nothing she did was ever her choice, she was always being controlled. ‘You’ll stay here and if one day you decide you want to leave, you’ll be dead before you cross the border.’ ‘’It’s not about what you want, whether you want it or not, we shall conceive a child.’ She never had a choice in matters that concerned her life, she had a mouth, but it seems she didn’t have a voice. Now it was the same, she had begged not to go back, but it seems Zique couldn’t hear her. He had always been deaf to her words and blind to her pain. The only person he really listened to was himself and he cared not about who the decisions he selflessly makes hurt. Cruel, he found himself a new mate and expects her to stay with him in the same house they had established their re

Kiara stayed in the bathroom for long, washing the guard’s touch off of her body as well as Zique’s. According to her, they both were the same; forced.There was nothing that painted Zique any different from them, in fact, he was worst. They were guarding hundreds of cells, but Zique was only guarding hers. How c—“Hey, Kiara! Are you alright in there? It’s been over an hour.”Kiara looked at the door, knowing just who stood behind it. It was him; her prison guard, which was exactly why she kept her mouth shut despite the worrisome question he had asked. Why did he suddenly care now?He hadn’t before, so why did he keep apologizing?And why did he keep looking at her with such a sympathetic gaze?She might be pitiful, but she didn’t want pity, not from him. “Kiara...” the door knob twisted, but before he pushed it open, he gave her warning. “I’m coming in.”And he did just that, his obsidian eyes glancing around until they found her laid in tub. “Didn’t you hear me calling you?”Kiar

Kiara buttoned the top of her dress, taking a seat in her old room. She didn’t miss this place, all she had missed while being in prison was Zique’s bedroom and his arms. However, now she dreaded going near that awfully familiar room. It withheld too much of the past, memories of them were engraved against the walls, on the bed and even on the floor, memories she did not want to remember. She hated them, every snippet of the past, he had used her in more ways than one. He played with her mind, her body and her heart and he expected her to happily smile when he hugged her and not cringed when he apologize repeatedly or utter to her words of worry. If he had been worried about her, he wouldn’t have considered a rejection and he wouldn’t have announced a mating ceremony that did not in anyway include her. Why was she even here? Why was he not with that red haired girl? It was her that he wanted from the very beginning, he had sex with her while Kiara was patiently waiting for him at h

Kiara’s eyes fluttered open, greeting the ceiling of the living room. For some reason, her body felt warm, wholly encased by Zique’s scent and there was something heavy pressing against her arm and waist. She twisted to take a look, finding Zique in a sitting position on the floor by the sofa she laid on, a blanket stretched from her to him. His arm was around her waist and his head was pressed up against her as he slept. Kiara wasn’t sure what he expected to gain by clinging to her so dearly, but it wouldn’t do him any good. These tingles she felt and that innocent look on his face, it wouldn’t make her change her mind. She hated him, loathed him for so many reasons and the fact that he was so desperate for forgiveness didn’t mean she had to give it to him. Turning away from him, she grabbed his hand, trying to unwrap it from around her, but her movements froze when his hand locked around hers. “Kiara....” The whispered words had Kiara’s body stiffening. They sounded so vulnerable

Kiara pulled her hand from against his chest, his heart was beating as fast as hers and somehow the pace had her thinking that maybe he really wasn’t lying this time. That look in his teary eyes and the vulnerable expression on his face...she couldn’t do it, she couldn’t just tell him she wouldn’t forgive him after he practically begged her not to...Time...he said he needed time, but how much of it?Kiara didn’t know what to do, how to feel...he was going into depth about his past now, about his feelings, it was almost impossible for her not to pity him, for her not to think of believing him, but should she?Kiara shook her head. She knew she shouldn’t, believing Zique always ended with a heartache. She had cried so many times because of him, everything between them had always led to chaos, so why?Why reignite with the pain and the suffering all because of something as useless as love. It wasn’t a lie he said, but that contradicted against his previous words.‘I guess my white lies

Kiara dallied around the living room until Gabe came. He brought her a small, plastic container of strawberries and that same old boring look on his face. It was his usual look, but since she saw that he could smile last night, she wish he’d do it more often. “You slept well last night, right? You didn’t move an inch when I was leaving...you were probably deep in sleep. Me on the other hand...” he glared at her. “I couldn’t sleep a wink for the first time in my life!”“Why? Because of me?”“No, because of me.” The words were obviously sarcastic, it was indeed because of her. “I was a little worried about you, I didn’t want to leave, but I didn’t want Zique to actually throw me out either, so I left willingly.”“I understand...” she reached for a strawberry from the container they were neatly packed in, bringing it to her lips. “You don’t have to worry about me, I’m fine.”“If you looked fine, then I’d have nothing to worry about...but you don’t look fine Kiara. If you want to go out,