Fast-forward to the infirmary. Kimberly’s eyes followed Nicholas's regal walking step as he strode up to them, his hands clasped around his back. On approaching the duo, he narrowed his gaze to Meredith, who was standing next to Kimberly laying on the hospital bed.“Good morning, Meredith.” He greeted in a low, firm but respectful tone, and Kimberly instantly registered that he accorded her some respect.“Good morning, Nicholas.” Meredith responded humbly, flashing her serene smile at him. “Why hasn’t she healed?” Nicholas asked, narrowing his gaze back to the figure on the bed, the figure whose heart seemed to be restless from his presence.“She is yet to trigger her healing process, she is still weak from the multiple searing of the silver spikes.” Meredith stated.Kimberly lowered her gloomy eyes and stared at nothing, unable to meet Nicholas’s gaze. Her heart ached each time she was being referred to as weak, yet, she couldn’t help it. “Thank you, Meredith, may we have the room
9:00 pm, Monday evening.“It had been ages since I had last been on the roads of Lunadelephia,” Levi thought to himself as he drove speedily, his eyes fixed intently on the dimly lit road ahead. Still on his quest of finding Kimberly, he had to restrategize to find Nicholas first ever since he learnt that he had her with him. However, finding the whereabouts of Nicholas appeared more daunting than he'd expected.For the time being, he was tracking down werewolves all over the town. He would brutally interrogate them on Nicholas's whereabouts but unfortunately, them werewolves were annoyingly loyal to their Alpha, this he admitted grudgingly.He had been driving for over an hour, chasing after the smoky scent he perceived from his last victim. A scent which he deemed too strong for a human. His impeccable tracking skills would help him find Nicholas as soon as possible, he hoped.Finally, he pulled his car to a halt in front of a beer parlour. His raised his eyes to meet the glowing
STILL AT THE PUB.Without blinking, Levi withdrew his hand and pulled out a handkerchief from his jacket as he began to wipe off the bloody mess on his hand. “He killed Mickey!” A woman's voice shrilled, her face contorting in grief and horror.Putting back the dollar bills back into his wallet, Levi turned around to face the audience in the pub. In a simultaneous action, the biker gang, the men in black biker jackets who were still seated with shocked and horrified expressions, reached into their boots, under the tables and inside their waist belts for their guns. The women and local men in the pub all went haywire, screaming as they frantically dashed outside the pub.Guns were pointed and aimed to Levi’s head, but it didn’t stop him from speaking. “Just a fair warning: the first person who pulls the trigger dies first.” He started in a low, menacing tone as he deliberately raised his head to stare into the eyes of a man standing directly opposite him with a handgun. The men in
EARLIER THAT DAY, BACK AT NICHOLAS'S MANSION.Nicholas stormed into his formal-living room, his chest heaving with control breaths. His eyes fell on Sheila, who was standing by the fireplace, pouring herself a glance of scotch from the wine bar.“Is all of these a joke to you?” He started in a low tone, the anger and disappointment evident in his voice.Sheila shrugged as she slowly gulped down the hot drink. “Dunno what you're talking about.” She answered nonchalantly, without even looking at him.“Sheila!” His voice bellowed, commanding her attention. Then he paused, clenching his teeth in simmering anger as he rested his palms on his waist, as if pondering on how to scold a stubborn child.Sheila wore a mask of disdain and nonchalance on her face. “Nicholas,” She started. “All I did was what you asked —train her. She is the one who you should be yelling at for being too weak and unable to take a couple of punches. Not me.” She stated sharply.“We both know you made no attempt in tr
11:00 PM. AT SHEILA'S DELUXE CONDO.Once again, utterly frustrated, infuriated, once again feeling betrayed, Sheila paced back and forth her balcony. Her fingers were called into ball, her claws digging in painfully into the flesh of her palm.The nights breeze did nothing to cool her temper. It blew hot air against her skin, while simultaneously, her insides churned and burned with a fiery rage that threatened to consume her. Her brows knotted, her face contorted with both pain and anger. The heat from the overwhelming emotions sent salty sweat down her forehead, her neck, and her back. Sheila felt extremely hurt, and she couldn't contain it.She felt the unnerving urge to yell, so loud that the whole world could hear. She could hear her heart pound rapidly as she paced. Her chest heaved with heavy breaths, her lips parted, gasping breathlessly. In just a week, she had lost Nicholas, her pack, her title —thoughts that raced her mind. It was too much for her. Sheila had never felt s
Kimberly woke up to the shimmering rays of dawn that cast into her room, and a melodious chirping of birds on the distant trees. She stirred, her gaze drawn to the window with its slightly opened curtains. A warm, golden glow cast upon her face, and a gentle smile spread across her lips. It was a tender expression of an unfamiliar feeling: Safety. Belonging. She felt safe in his mansion. Safe in her new room. She felt like she belonged there, in his mansion, in his pack, with him.Two weeks ago, she remembered waking up in her childhood bed in her cozy bedroom, drenched in sweat. Two weeks ago, she had turned eighteen. Two weeks ago, who could have known that it was the beginning of the end of her life as she had known it?However, as warned, her new life came with a seriously demanding schedule, and training topped the list. As if being poked by the memory of what had occured in her bedroom the last time she was late for her training session, Kimberly's eyes opened wide with urgen
Letting go of her already healed ear, Kimberly's face darkened. Clenching her teeth together, determination washing through her.“Again!” Nicholas instructed. “Take a deep breath, listen, focus. Tell me what you hear.”Kimberly stood calm, taking in a long deep breath as she listened. Once again, she could hear the overlapping waves of the ocean, but that seemed not to be enough, so she concentrated harder. Then she could hear it clearly, nothing else, just the waves but louder.Drifting her attention back to the trees, she could hear the birds singing. She paid more attention, in her head, the birds appeared to be singing closer than before. “Tell me what you hear.” Nicholas repeated, his voice a slight distraction to her focus. “I… hear… arghhh!” She yelped again, her face now burned red.“Kimberly!” He sounded like a disappointed father. “Your reflexes are too weak, too dull!”Kimberly felt an ache in her heart. “Okay, don't blame me for having to take a dozen dosages of medicati
Confusion overwhelmed her and it was evident in her deeply furrowed brows. She rubbed her eyes, in an attempt to adjust the disorientation from the sudden transition from darkness to light. But it was a futile effort. She gazed upon her empty palm, utterly perplexed. She could no longer feel the weight, or the sharp pressing of the assumed blade. It was almost like it was all in her head.“Congratulations, Kimberly, you just passed your first training session.” Nicholas announced, looking at her with an amused smirk.Kimberly's gaze lifted to meet his subtle smirk, “I.. I don't understand.” She stuttered, “I caught it. It was here in my palm, but now… it's gone.” She explained, pointing to her palm with the other hand for emphasis.Surprisingly, Nicholas seemed unperturbed and it deeply confused her. “There were no blades, there were no cuts on your skin, it was all in your mind.” He said coolly, his eyes never leaving hers. “It's one of the things I can do, you can call it one of m