Chapter Ten

Ariziel

I opened my eyes to meet a white ceiling. The sight felt strange, familiar enough for me to recognise and yet puzzling all the same.

Slowly I stood up from the bed, wondering why I was awake so late in the night. I had fallen asleep extremely exhausted, and yet now I didn't feel like it at all.

Looking down at the sheets, my heart skipped a beat.

Rather than the simple white, the sheets were a brilliant black. It was just like…just like…

I looked around, trying to convince myself otherwise. But as I looked around, my dread grew even worse.

It was all the same, not a missing piece in sight.

I was in my room. Not the one of the other pack, but of my own pack.

My breaths came faster as I tried to think. I was in a completely different pack and had found my mate.

A thought struck me, filling me with fear.

Was it all a dream?

The door creaked open and I instantly shivered in fear.

“Finally you're awake. It was quite strange where we found you you know.”

Terror creeped up on me as I heard his voice his dark figure shutting the door.

“We found you asleep in the forest.”

No. I shook my head, trying not to cry.

“And guess what was beside you?” he looked down.

I followed his gaze to see the bag, the same bag I had run away with beside me. My hopes shattered.

It was all a dream. I had never escaped.

I scrambled back as far as I could, until by back hit the headboard. It was futile. He always got his way in the end.

He took another step forward now standing in the edge of the bed, the full light of the moon revealing his face.

Derek stood in front of me with a large grin,  but his eyes…

His eyes were full of cold rage.

Each breath I took came out shorter than the last, thinking of how to escape…anything.

“Derek-”

I screamed loudly as his hands locked onto my ankles, dragging me away from the tdge towards him.

I screamed loudly fighting back as hard a I could. I screamed until my throat was raw, and all I was met with was nothing but his cackles as he held me down, gripping my neck tightly and stopping every noise I made.

“Goddess you are loud.” he grinned at me while I let out strangled noises.

“Didnt I tell you? It doesn't matter if anyone else was here, if they heard you. They. Don't. Care. Who would care about someone so useless like you.”

“And guess what the pack doctor told me?”

I froze, my blood instantly running cold. That meant he knew about-

His hand tightened against my neck, making me scramble.

“So you were going to run away with my child.” he growled, sneering at me.

I knew then that whatever he was going to do, I was going to die or wish I was dead.

He released my throat, grabbing my hair harshly to lift me up.

“Maybe as punishment,  I should kill my spawn inside you.”

I shook my head fervently, tears flowing down my cheeks.

“No.” I cried out, trying to shield my belly away. “Please don't hurt him.”

“It doesn't matter does it? After all, we can make many more.” he eyed my body with a lustful gleam, and i wanted to crawl away from his sight.

“Anyways,  I think it's time you'd learned your lesson. Isn't that right darling?”

Holding my hair with one hand, he pulled his other back, hands closing into a fist. In a second it  struck

I screamed, fighting against his fists and hair, only to open my eyes to see…

Nobody.

There was no one there but myself.

I looked around, seeing the discheveled sheets and the room as the sun gleamed through the windows. I was where I remembered.

It was daytime, and I was in my new room.

I was not with Derek. I was far away, in another pack.

It was all a nightmare.

I was fully aware of that, reminding myself again and again as I breathed. And yet, it didn't stop my breaths from going faster, or for tears to prick my eyes slipping down my cheeks until I devolved into uncontrollable sobs.

It was just a nightmare. I was many miles away from my old pack where Derek won't be able to touch me or my child.

So why was I still so afraid?

…

Dreams were fleeting, feeling like an entirely different life only to be gone in the span of a second. I hadn't dreamt in a long time. The sedatives the pack doctor gave usually brought me to a dreamless sleep. On my own I was far too alert for any instance that Derek was ready to strike.

I had expected nightmares to be the same, jarring yet just as equally fleeting.

It was a lie. The nightmare of that night followed me throughout the rest of the day.

I tried my best to forget it or at most ignore it, constantly reassuring myself. Yet as I dressed up, I constantly strung up at the thought of him coming out of the door at every second.

It must have been evident because when I met Alys for my daily work, I saw the concern on her face.

“Are you alright?” she asked.

I nodded in reply, ignoring the constant fear I felt.

It was harder to concentrate on cleaning, as every movement made me turn and search for his presence. Even though I repressed the urge to move, the constant edge of fear remained.

When I was done, I walked with an empty bucket and mop in hand when a hand suddenly gripped my shoulder. The not fully healed wound as well as the images of him behind me were the last straw.

I yelped, turning back rashly, and in turn dropping the bucket and mop with a sharp sound.

Behind me was Asher, face holding an expression I couldn't read.

“What is your problem?” he shouted out loud, making me flinch.

Quickly composing myself I bowed, speaking formally like nothiyhad happened. “Good day, Alpha Blackwell.”

I wasn't sure if the growl he heard afterwards was my imagination or not.

“Answer my question. What happened to you.”

“I am sorry Alpha Blackwell,  but I would like to keep my personal life private.”

He made to move my hand and instinctively I flinched, the memory of his painful grip and rage-filled eyes that reminded me far too much of Derek was enough to take a few steps back.

I schooled my face once more before speaking.

“Alpha Blackwell, I cannot tell you. Even if you knew anything about me, you would not be able to do anything about it. The only problem I can ask you to fix is destroying our unfortunate mate bond.”

I turned away immediately, rushing out of the hall.

I should have known better, only a few minutes after I had rushed out came a wave of nausea and dizziness. I put my hand on the wall, balancing myself so I didn't fall.

It was at that moment I saw the woman walking towards me. I looked up to find Serena staring.

I bowed down “Good day Luna.”

Underneath my lashes I looked up at her, only to find her expression full of pure disgust and hatred as she sneered.

Confusion filled me as she passed me, the memory of her stare still embedded in me.

The moment she was out of sight I finally collapsed, letting my exhaustion take over.

The hot prickling of tears pierced my eyes, but I wasn't going to let them fall.

‘Moon goddess, have I not suffered enough?’ I shut my eyes tightly.

‘I have not requested anything from you for the past few years, but today I beg of you.’

The memory of Asher's face filled with anger, Derek's wicked smile in my dreams and the sneer on Serena's face flashed in my mind.

‘Please, stop tormenting me.’