Chapter 3 Obey The Iron Laws or Suffer

"You will be mine! You are destined to not escape!" A wolf in the darkness, its green eyes glaring at me.

Its claws reached out for me, and I was so scared that I immediately ran away!

"No! I will absolutely not become your mate!"

"Ah?!" I immediately screamed, then a pair of large hands steadied me.

"Beatrix," a gentle voice called, giving me a light push, "Wake up." I opened my eyes to see my best friend, Colton. He was a human-werewolf hybrid, bullied just like me.

Colton looked at my attire quizzically, his sapphire eyes sparkling in the sunlight like the ocean. "What happened last night? You overslept, unlike your usual self."

We had a fixed time to train every day. That was why he came to my home.

Lying wasn’t an option with Colton otherwise he would continuously pester me until I revealed the truth and apart of me hated lying to him. Therefore, I spoke the truth, recounting the entirety along with Nathan’s proposal that I denied to his dismay and the way he began touching me inappropriately again.

Colton’s entire demeanour that was steeled in his immaculate composure – softened. He frowns, staring pensively. “I’m so sorry that this happened to you. I think you need to be more obedient and brush off whatever they say. I know sometimes it’s difficult for you to suppress your anger and that hatred festering within you for the wolves is making you lose your temper.”

I know Colton means well but it takes every ounce of me not to fling the pillow at his face with a stream of insults. Swallowing the impulse, Colton returns to setting up his station, a dejected silence spanning between us.

“Are you really willing to accept our current reality?” I asked, watching his body tense at the weight of it.

“This cannot be our lives; everyone has given up and accepted this horrible fate.” I confessed in a distressing voice, “This isn’t living Colton.”

He walks over to the window where the sunrise radiates into a marvellous glow that bathed the office. Highlighting his ethereal features and pale hair. “What do you expect? Humans and hybrids have been oppressed for all these years. It’s bound to break their resolve and now we just succumb to our fate.” He conveyed dispiritedly.

Colton’s buried his pain, enduring the suffering with a plastic smile and piles of work. His fate was sealed in suffering for being born a hybrid. His mother failed the genetic screening, flames of hope dancing within her heart to be with her human boyfriend. However, all werewolves do is take, selfishly his father stole her chance at happiness by choosing her to be his mate.

That’s when she spiralled into misfortune, forced to break up with her boyfriend. She was tortured relentlessly by her husband, enduring the anguish and sinking deeper into despair. Maybe apart of her did despise Colton since he shared the blood of the man she hated, but I couldn’t presume such thoughts, only what Colton told me.

When Colton turned five, she took her own life.

On numerous occasion Colton has expressed his gratitude to be born a male, since human women are destined to lead a similar life of sorrow. It also solidified that hybrids were oppressed just as much as us.

“I’ve been working on it.” I mutter in a low voice, Colton turning around so fast that it gave me whiplash.

He devours the space between us, scanning the medical room that remained empty. “You’re going to get caught.” He whisper-yells in frustration, brows furrowing, “I told you to stop.”

“I’ve been giving a chance to further experiment; how can you expect me not to take the opportunity. Special weapons can harm wolves and I’ve been working on one that stops their healing abilities through crystal dust.” I explained, digging into my bag and showcasing the pistol along with a bullet infused with gunpowder, silver and tourmaline that I stole from the company.

Colton snatches the pistol, stuffing it into his backpack. Fury churning within his gaze as they met mine, “Are you insane Bellatrix? You cannot own any weapons; you know the Iron Laws. Humans aren’t allowed to have weapons of any kind, if they find this – not only will you be punished but your entire district will face the same punishment.” He snapped with a belligerent tone.

The punishment is an endless torture of any kind they deemed fit. Even if the price was a finger or an eye, they will take it. If I died from blood loss, that would be on me and not because of them.

He didn’t have to reiterate what was drilled into me since birth, The Iron Laws.

Each district is governed by a different werewolf pack, and strict laws are enforced to supress any conspiracy of a rebellion.

Those unbreakable and dire consequences were the Four Great Iron Laws, especially the third one.

Mate Selection: When humans come of age (18), they must undergo the mandatory genetic screening to determine if they are a werewolf’s mate. Werewolves have the option to choose whether they want to accept or reject the bond, and humans have no rights to reject.

I knew I was being reckless in breaking more than one, I wasn’t oblivious to that fact. In order to make a change, one has to make sacrifices to get one step closer to the army of rebellion, even if it was a rumour.

“I’m aware of the risks, I’m aware that breaking the rules will cost me my life.” I glowered.

Colton shakes his head, a storm brewing of indignation in those orbs. “I don’t think you realise the consequences, not only will it cost you your life, but our district will have to face the wrath of the Werewolf King. You are putting everyone in danger.” He chastised.

“Only you and Bonnie know about the weapon, trust me no one knows.” I reassured calmly, “I’ve been careful since day one and no one will question a human that was admitted to the academy specifically for the weaponry.”

He shoots a glare at me. “That doesn’t ease my worries. I’m keeping this until your genetic screening is over. We can’t take any chances; this is for your own protection.” Colton finished with a warning finger that left no room to argue.

Rolling my eyes, “Fine. But I’m getting it back after.”

Colton’s lips curve into a triumph smile, I’m not one to yield to him easily and this was a first. “Of course, this is for your sake Bellatrix. You might not see it, but I’m trying to do what’s best for you despite the circumstances.”

I soften, my lips pursing into a pout at his kindness. “I know Colton.”

He is a man of deep benevolence; however, he was also more inclined to follow the rules than I was. I appreciated his concern, but while he shared my same views of hatred towards the wolves, he followed the rules without any resistance.

We would never be alike, and it had nothing to do with his blood.

I noticed Bonnie didn't come home all night, has she gone crazy? But her text popped up, reminding me again not to forget the necklace, she kept reminding me. The next round of gene screening will be in five days.

I glanced at the calendar on my phone, a gloomy cloud looming over the reminder.

The next round of gene screening will be in five days. I prayed again that I wouldn't become the Wolf King's mate!