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BALIN “Someone else is also involved in this tragedy, and that person is here,” Alicia announced. I balled my fist, fuming. It seems like I have been too lenient with everyone. My face contoured in annoyance and irritation. I shot Smith a disgusted look. “Who is it?” I roared, releasing my Alpha aura. I grabbed Smith’s shirt and pulled him up, his legs dangled in the air and he began to cough due to the force I applied. “Who the heck is that bastard?” I snarled. His half closed eyes pulled open, he gave me a pleading look and passed out. “Weak fool,” I growled. “Get a bucket of hot water and empty it on him.”“Bold of him to think I will let him be after putting the entire empire through worry.” I turned in the direction of the pack members that were gathered. Most of them were shaking, others had fear in their eyes, while a few, I know are omegas held their throats, choking. “Escort the weak ones out of this place. Every Omega should leave,” I ordered the guards. Knowing fu
MARILYN Balin gazed into my eyes and I suddenly felt my eyelashes become tired and heavy, I’m overtaken by a sudden urge to fall asleep. Before I knew what was going on, my eyes shut and I drifted off to sleep. But then, it didn’t last long. I woke up just when Jarek got to Balin’s room. I shut my eyes and kept still, knowing that he might probably lock me in if he realizes that I was awake. I’m aware of the fact that some werewolves had the ability to put one into a deep sleep just by looking into their eyes, I never expected Balin to be amongst them. I mean, I’m aware of the fact that he is extremely powerful and all that, but this ability is one that only the oldest wolf can wield. Balin seemed more powerful than what I'd imagined. I stayed still as Jarek placed me on the bed. “I wonder what Balin is still doing with you. You are completely useless to the pack and with the way things are turning out, you will end up putting the entire pack in danger, you powerless sea creature,” J
ALICIA Ever since I bought the vengeful mermaid from the Mermaid Foundation, Tabitha and I had been focused on making sure our entire plan was perfect so that we would be able to carry out our plans without any mistakes. Thankfully, the Alpha seemed too immersed in the problems of the pack to bother about my disappearance. People leave packs on a daily basis, no one notices, but I know he must have noticed my absence since I am supposed to be serving that useless mermaid of his. “When are we going to see the Alpha?” Naia asked as she emerged from the building. My face contoured in anger. Ever since I brought her here, she keeps asking about the Alpha, and honestly, it was beginning to piss me off. Each morning when she wakes up, the first thing she asks is whether we are going to visit the Alpha that day. If not for the fact that she was really important to me, I would have snapped her neck long ago. I needed her to know more about mermaids and to practice the numerous spells Tabith
MARILYN It’s been almost a day since Balin left the room, and hadn’t bothered to come back. I’m still seated on the bed, wilting. I was feeling like the most useless person on earth, I felt so useless that I couldn’t eat the food some maids had served earlier. I felt like I didn’t deserve it. All I ever do is stand by Balin’s side and answer the Alpha’s mate. The day’s incident opened my eyes to how helpless and useless I am. Even the maids were better than me as they contributed to the growth of the pack. I, on the other hand, do nothing and just laze around all day. I got off the bed, ignoring the food on the table, I got into the bathroom and took a quick shower. I made up my mind to go find Balin since he won’t come back. I needed to tell him that being weak sucks, I needed to put my emotions out to him. I hate feeling helpless and useless. After showering, I put on black trousers and a T-shirt and exited the room. Upon getting outside, it dawned on me that I had no idea where Bal
BALIN After I stormed out of the room, I had gone to have a meeting with other Alphas of the empire regarding the escape of the demon. Having been ruling for a long time, I knew that if the demon should end up hurting or killing anyone, the blame would be shifted to Marilyn for causing the escape of the demon. And that was something I didn't want. Left to me, I didn't really care about that, as long as no one speaks to my face about it. Side talks mean nothing, coupled with the fact that no one in the entire empire would want to get on my bad side. But then, I knew it was different for Marilyn. I'm aware of how weak she is and coupled with the fact that the pack didn't accept her, I know the blame being shifted on her would break her and that is something I didn't want. Yes, I can punish or deal with whoever blames her, but then, after that, the emotional damage it caused her would remain. To prevent that, I had to act really fast. At the meeting, we all decided to go hunt the demon.
JAREK After that one stupid act from the Alpha’s mermaid, which I hoped would not drag the entire pack to ruins or tarnish the reputation I spent years building behind Balin’s back. I’m stuck here with this friend of hers who surprised me today, never have I seen a mermaid with such incredible powers. If only that mermaid of the Alpha has half of the powers Aylin wielded today, then I wouldn’t be vehemently against her. The truth is that Balin is nothing near a perfect Alpha, before the entrance of the mermaid into his life, Balin was a killing machine, who didn’t let any offender get past him. All the Alphas of the entire pack fear him today because of this, as they all knew they were in no way compared to him, but now, I feel like they might revolt soon, as Balin has changed so much, all because of some stupid mermaid, I should’ve stopped him from purchasing. He used to end lives without second thoughts, even when the law of the empire states that no Alpha should end lives outside o
BalinI got to the battlegrounds where the pack warriors and guards were gathered, waiting for me. I had asked Jarek to gather them before I arrived. “Are you sure you can perform the ritual in this state?” I asked Aylin. I didn’t want anything to go wrong. I wanted to make sure that she was on her feet, I didn’t want anything that would lead to the escape of the demon, thereby jeopardizing the entire pack, not to mention the young wolves. “I’m fine,” she said. I didn’t ask again. I turned to the warriors and gestured for them to move. They all turned to their wolves and in a matter of minutes, we all raced to the witches' forest. With me taking the lead. I made Jarek carry Aylin, as she wasn’t able to keep up with us. Upon getting to the witches’ forest, I gestured for everyone to slow down, Jarek and I slowly proceeded into the forest, which was awfully dark. Aylin muttered some spells and we were able to navigate the darkness. I turned back to her. “Go back and stay with the ot
MARILYN Yeah, I know I'm a fool for boldly declaring that I'll undergo the trial without knowing anything about it. Balin has been mad since then and has refused to say a word to me. After that declaration, he had bundled me into the mansion, saying that I had lost my mind. But then, I desperately wanted to prove to his people, to everyone who looked down on me that I wasn't useless at all. I wanted them to know that being from another race doesn't make me useless. This feeling of being of no use really sucks. Each day, I smile and go about the day's activities while wilting on the inside. This was my chance to prove to them all that even the lowest of all could make a difference, but then Balin doesn't seem to understand, he is vehemently against it. I'm ready to go against him this time to prove my value to his people. He is the Alpha and has never known the pain of being ridiculed or disrespected. Even the lowest of the maids here disrespects me. Others don't acknowledge me, but th
MARILYNIt had been two days already since I had that talk with Aylin and following after, I had a discussion with Balin. I felt like we couldn't be walking on eggshells anymore and we needed to address the issue and we did.Which was namely the reason why the celebration in the pack house had started but I was still standing in my room, my gaze locked on the vanity mirror, staring at my reflection. I looked different. And it was in a good way.The slight knock on my door made me jolt back to reality and quickly grab my lipstick knowing that it was probably Aylin.The door pushed open and Aylin shambled in, her green maxi dress accentuating her curves while her hair was tied up in a bun and adorned with flowers.That was the event of today. We had faced devastation not long ago but tonight…It was the celebration of summer and apparently flowers were a big part of the night which is why everyone had a flower on their person tonight.My hair was still casually dropped down as I was still
MARILYNIt has been two days and Balin was out of bed already and already resumed his duties in the pack while I still hung around.I don't even know what I was still doing here, I should leave but I was in no hurry, everyone was nice to me and kept thanking me for saving them.Even though I wanted to be angry at them, I knew how they must feel at this point. They didn't even know what to believe. Alicia had turned out to be a demon, I turned out to be not as weak as they knew, Dmitri finally attacked, they lost people. Things must be hard for them.So because of that, I was nice to them and accepted their every apology while listening to them and getting to know them on a more personal level.I think something that earned me more respect was the fact that everyone now knew that I was a Maren. Occasionally my mind would drift back to the mermaid foundation and I wondered if they were okay.Yes, the mermaids there hurt me and mae life a living hell for me. But I couldn’t stop myself from
MARILYNThe cool stone of the fountain stood in sharp contrast to the warmth of my own stormy feelings. I sat by myself, the soothing splashing of water providing background for the recurring scenes in my head.Balin intertwined with another woman, the vision of that night came back agonizingly clearly. It had been the reason for my leaving and the reason I was still madI felt doubt biting at me. Should I have judged more quickly? Had I let wrath distort my view?Aylin joined me beside the fountain, a consoling presence among my swirling thoughts."Marilyn," she asked softly, "are you okay?"Though it felt empty and stupid, I forced a grin. “Aylin, I'm good. Just... contemplating.”She sat next to me, staring across my field of vision. "Regarding Balin?"Not sure I could meet her eyes, I nodded."I know you're hurting," she said gently. “Still, I know Balin as well from the short time I spent here. And I would never think he would act in such a manner."Her remarks caught me off guard
BALIN"I'm awake." I blinked, my eyesight fuzzy, the world around me a hazy swirl of forms and hues. My body felt heavy, as though I had been asleep for a thousand years and my head throbbed with a dull agony.Marilyn's face came into focus as I tried to squint, her lovely features marked with a mixture of relief and... something else. Fury? Indifference?"Marilyn," I said, my voice hoarse from neglect. “You're here.”She showed a look of warmth, but it was fleeting and soon she was wearing a guarded look.I reached out to her, my hand shaking just a little. "I'm so glad you're safe," I said, heart aching with a love that refused to die.Her eyes hardening, she withdrew from my touch. "Don't," she murmured, her voice hard. "Just... do not."I felt confusion sweep over me. Why was she pulling away? She had not disappeared. She had stayed and she had been here. I could faintly still feel her lips on my head when I was coming back to consciousness even though I didn't hear what she had
"I'm sure," I replied, my voice firm. "I need to make sure everyone is getting back on their feet."Jarek nodded, a hint of admiration in his eyes. "You've done a remarkable job, Marilyn. The pack... they respect you now. You're doing an amazing job even I'm not sure that I could have done."I scoffed, a bitter taste in my mouth. "Their respect is a fickle thing, Jarek. Earned through bloodshed and fear. It's not the kind of respect I wanted but it's what I got."He sighed, his shoulders slumping. "I know it's not ideal, but it's a start. You've given them hope, Marilyn. We underestimated you, you're clearly one of the best things that have happened to the pack."I sighed. “It's fine. You know I always wanted revenge and now I'm helping rebuild. Ironic”Jarek cleared his throat, drawing my attention back to him. "I have the casualty report, Marilyn," he said, his voice a whisper "We lost twenty-three pack members. Another fifteen are severely injured, but the healer is hopeful they'l
MarilynI didn't move for a good 5 seconds, my eyes fixed on nothing and the sounds of the battle ravaging around me faded Into nothing. All I could see was Balin, his lifeless body slumped against mine, his words—his final words—ringing in my ears."I love you, Marilyn."A sob tore through me as I realized he was still slumped against me, unmoving, I had been harsh on him, I never got the chance to tell him that I didn't hate him, and now he was gone. Because of me.A weird feeling engulfed me. Was this grief? Pain? Regret? Whatever it was, it hurt like hell.My body refused to move, paralyzed by a grief so profound it threatened to consume me whole. I slowly pushed him off me and fell to the ground, my face staring up at the sky, the sound of the demon's laughter echoing around me and the sound of the battle around me. I wouldn't mind death at this point. It was a part of me that had been torn away.Aylin, her face streaked with tears, rushed to my side, her voice a desperate plea."
MARILYNAlmost as terrible as the battle, Alicia's fall had been the cause of the silence that followed. The expressions of the people revealed confusion, incredulity, and a growing fear.Ever the protector, Balin responded first, his focus on the slumped figure of Alicia. He hurried toward Alicia's almost lifeless figure, crouching next to her, his hand extending to feel for a pulse."Alicia?" he asked, his voice full of a desperate hope that made me angry for some reason. "Alicia, can you hear me?"Many pack members, startled, gathered around Alicia, their voices a cacophony of worried questions.“Someone got the healer!”“Is she breathing?”"What happened with her?"Her face was white and her eyes were wide with panic, Aylin grabbed my arm firmly.She said, "Marilyn," her voice shaking, "What's happening? There's a weird energy"I shook my head, confused yet my gaze fixed on Balin who was worried. "Aylin, not sure. But something doesn't seem right.""She's the demon!" Aylin yelled
MarilynAfter my shout, the stillness that followed was dense and weighted with a mix of amazement, terror, and incredulity. Once a site of wild violence, the battlefield was now terribly quiet.Rushing to my side with a look of mixed concern and shock in his eyes, Balin broke the quiet first.I staggered back unconsciously as he neared me, my heart aching in my chest. He didn't deserve to be this close to me. What was stopping me from speaking to him? Everyone said I should hear him out but what they didn't understand was that the sight I met that day was not something that I could recover from. Ever.He said, "Marilyn," his voice strained, "Are you alright?"I scowled at him, my wrath blazing with every once-over I gave him. I pushed him away quickly, my senses heightened and wary."Don't touch me," I growled, hatred tinging my voice. "You have no rights."He staggered back, his face a mixture of pain and bewilderment.Elder Oakwood, with his pale and drawn-in face, came gently up to
MARILYN"Game on," I echoed, my voice calm and my fingertips flexing as I cracked my neck. I was certain that I could kill Dmitri after practicing for a while.Dmitri unsheathed his dagger and cocked his head at me. “I think it's only fit that we face off against each other” he suggested.Balin immediately opened his mouth to protest but I beat him to it.“Deal.”“No weapons? Is that how confident you are, Maren?” Dmitri asked with a smirk.My hands swirled and a blade materialized on my hand, shining with a blue unearthly glow. Dmitri's eyes flickered to the knife and I knew it unnerved him by the way his smirk wavered but he kept his ground.“Since we're playing dirty,” He muttered, tucking his blade back in his sheath.Ah, he was going to be using his wolf to attack me instead. More the challenge for me."You think you can defeat me with that?" he scoffed, his voice laced with disbelief.I merely smirked. "This is just the beginning, Dmitri," I said, my voice laced with a newfound