Read, vote, and drop reviews. Happy reading!!
MARILYN I stopped in my tracks unsure if I heard right, my heart beating erratically in my chest.“What did you say?” I asked, slowly turning round to look at Damien who sighed and furrowed his brows.“Marilyn…” he began, his voice unsure.“Fucking answer the question!” I yelled at him, my anger tipping over into fury.He scowled at my attitude and shrugged.“You want to know so badly? Fine, Alpha Balin is getting married in a few days! Everyone knows!” He yelled back, his anger rising quickly.I immediately stilled and my heart clenched with fury. He was getting married? Wow, jerk face.Damien seemed to notice the way I became quiet and he sighed.“He's not worth waiting for, Marilyn.” he insisted, taking steps closer to me.I didn't pay him any heed, my eyes seeing red as I thought about the news I just heard.I didn't even realize that Damien was beside me until he tapped me, snapping me out of my daze.“What?” My voice was a whisper and I hated myself for being affected.Damien pu
BALINThe elder who stood before me was blabbing about the usual nonsense that had become his custom for the past two days reminding me that I only had three more days before they would choose a Luna for me.I have never been more tempted to kill someone of high status. He may be a great elder but this was my pack, he was on my soil and I happened to be the Alpha who made the rules here.“Is there someone yet?” He asked, his voice echoing in the dim roomI leaned back on my chair, my gaze returning to the plate of steak on the table, carefully cutting a piece and stuffing it into my mouth, the spicy taste making me groan.“No,” I answered simply as I cut another piece with the cutlery.His fists clenched by his side, a small gesture which my sharp eyes caught and I smiled to myself. He was probably tired of me. He had been assigned to meet me every day to speak to me and my robotic answers were getting on his nerves already. I had given him the same answer for the last two days and he
ALICIA He looked a bit confused but the confusion soon morphed into a scowl. He didn't look surprised to see me anymore, he looked irritated. I couldn't dwell on that, I had come here for something so his mood didn't really matter to me. It had been a while since the useless mermaid went missing and even though I didn't know where she was, I was going to make sure that she never made it back alive. “Balin,” I said, forcing a smile. He muttered something incoherent under his breath and pushed his empty plate aside. “I don't like visitors when I'm eating” he said gruffly as he stared at me over. I blinked rapidly and tried to keep a passive expression on my face “You're done eating” I noted, my gaze turning to the empty plate on the neatly laid out table. His eyes darkened. “Indeed I am done but what if I hadn't been done eating? You could never have known,” Irritation was clear in his tone at this point and I was beginning to wonder if I had made the right decision by coming
MARILYNIt was already evening, I had spent a long time in my room, staring at my reflection in the mirror.The sound of swords clashing outside made me sigh. The warriors were sparring.I should go join them instead of spending my time here doing nothing but I didn't want to stand up at this moment.Sighing, I reached for the antique black comb on the dresser and gently drove it through my hair, untangling the knots that had formed After brushing it for a few minutes, I set it back on the table and stared at my reflection in the mirror. I didn't look any better than when I was in bold bite pack. There was only one difference. This version of me was stronger and didn't care about the opinion of others. I would prove to them that I was strong.Well if I wasn't going to train this evening, I might as well put my room in order. Standing up, I went to the bed when a knock sounded.“Come in,” I said, irritated.The door was pushed open and a maid walked in noiselessly.“Miss Marilyn,” the
BALINThere was another knock on the door and this time I knew that it was Aylin and Jarek. I could hear Aylin voice already and she seemed angry about something while jarek just kept replying with “no” “stop” “why?” And it seemed to aggravate her further as her tempo increased with each word.I stared at the door and it flew open to reveal the both of them standing in front of the door, Aylin’s hands crossed around her body while Jarek stared down at her with an irritated look. They seemed a bit shocked at the sudden opening of the door as Aylin just huffed and walked in before jarek sighed and followed her.“I didn't expect you to do that ” Aylin said, her gaze fixed on me.My eyes fell on jarek who just shook his head.Did she say why she wanted to come here?” I mindlinked him.He shook his head before replying. “No.”Aylin looked between me and him then frowned. “I'd rather you ask me your questions Instead of mindlinking your beta,” she said, indignation in her tone.I squinted m
JAREKI didn't wait for another second, I carried Aylin out in my arms, back into my room where I lay her down on the bed gently despite the nagging feeling of me just throwing her down angrily because that was what I wanted to do.“What was that?!” I yelled at her, my eyes flashing.She struggled to sit up and I wanted to just go hold her down so that she wouldn't move but I just clenched my fists by my side and watched her quietly.“He needed to know, didn't he?” She asked with a slight smirk on her face.She found this funny?“Seriously? Is this a joke to you?! I was worried!” I yelled at her.She rolled her eyes at me and blew out air.“Stop with the shitty attitude, Jarek. You're beginning to behave like a father” she sneered at me.Something snapped in me and before I could hold myself back, I had pinned her down to the bed, my large body towering over hers.“Say that again” I dared her, my eyes darkened to a dangerous hue Aylin tried to free her hand from where I had pinned it
JAREKI could sense that something was awfully wrong. Kabal rarely had something to say with people in the pack. Now, he seemed interested, a hint of curiosity in his eyes as he stood in the middle of the room and looked her over.Honestly I don't know what I felt as I noticed his gaze all over her. Whatever it was, I hated it. I didn't like the sense of insecurity that wafted up through me but I kept silent. Kabal was genuinely curious but certainly not interested in her. Hopefully.After what seemed to be eternity that he was raking his eyes over her, I groaned inwardly. This was getting awkward.“Do I have to throw you out of my room before you state your business?” I asked him, a frown on my face He tore his gaze from her to look at me. “I have business with her but I'm just trying to confirm something” he said, bowing slightly.Aylin cleared her throat, her fingers working on the pendant around her neck. “What do you want to say to me?” She asked, looking at him nowHis gaze fli
BALIN“Dimitri is planning a return…” the words echoed in my head and my insides churned.The elder was speaking but I wasn't listening anymore, my mind was distant, I had gone AWOL.My gaze unconsciously fell on jarek who was looking at me to see my reaction. That snapped me out of my daze and I looked at the elder still ranting.“Wait” my voice was a low growl and he immediately shut up.“Yes?” He asked, his arms crossed behind him.“Do you have any evidence or do you expect me to believe any thing you spit out?” I asked, my voice low.Elder oakwood spoke up. “I'm sure that Elder Matthias has no reason to play around”, he began to protest when I sent him a glare.“Elder oakwood, I see you patched your shoulder up quickly” I smirked, gesturing towards the bandaged shoulder making him wince.“Uh, well…yeㅡ” he stuttered before I cut him off “If you don't want it permanently damaged, I suggest you shut the Fuck up and not interrupt me” I threatened. He immediately shut his mouth, his
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