“No, she couldn’t have done it. I was with her the whole time, so when did she leave to steal the necklace? It's not even possible that she knew where the necklace was; she hasn’t been here before. Therefore, how would she know the safe room?” Adam spoke coldly, causing my heart to soar, and my fears to abate maximally.“Are you not seeing it?” He continued. “It is completely impossible that Maya did this. I don’t know how the necklace had gotten into her bag, but she didn’t do it. Perhaps someone else did.” A tear slipped from my right eye. A tear of appreciation. Appreciation for being loved and being stood up for.Adam’s brothers looked at me then. The anger that had swam in their eyes shifted to an apology; they believed him. But his father shook his head, his glaring cold eyes never leaving me, creating a sense of darkness within me. I wouldn’t be surprised if he was in on this set up. Because that was what it was. A set up. Someone had set me up. But who? Who would want me in
The Lycan King, Mr Brekan, grasped Claire by the arm gently, and pulled her to himself— in a way that a father would pull his daughter to himself—making me green with envy. What did they see in the manipulative brat?“Talk, my child. Tell me what you saw.” Mr Brekan said, his entire attention on Claire. Claire nodded timidly, opened her mouth, then shut it, creating a palpable tension in the hall. Everywhere and everyone was silent. I couldn't even hear the sounds of crickets. It was like everything had kept quiet just to hear what the girl had to say.I wanted to hear too, the lie she was about to spurn and vomit out. I watched her divert her gaze to Adam who still looked at her blankly, probably not understanding why she was acting this way. But I did.I have read all about her types in books. And I knew that she was going to point Adam as one of those that wouldn’t be happy with her confessions.“Adam…did you do anything to Claire?” Claire's father asked, his tone shorn with worr
At Claire's request, the Lycan king nodded his head, as if assimilating the wisdom in her statement. I almost scoffed but for the love of my life.That I was fucking Adam didn’t mean I could go around behaving like a member of his family. From the lycan’s attitude since he saw me at the party, I was sure that I wouldn't be welcomed if Adam should officially introduce me to them as his mate. I didn’t blame the king though. I had no wolf, and I was an omega. I wasn't even from the pack, so my parents and origin were unknown. “Claire just gave a brilliant suggestion. Maya, and Naomi of course, find the little girl who you claim had told you to leave the party hall, and maybe, just maybe, we might put your account into consideration.” The lycan king mentioned, gesturing at me with his head to commence with the search.When I received the king’s approval to search for the girl, I sighed, in relief. My eyes coincided to search around for the girl, but with every passing minute where I
The confinement room smelled of disinfectant and spoiled cabbage, but it was just like Naomi had described it—not as bad as a dungeon. There was a bed right in the middle of the room with a white bed sheet; comfortable at first sight. The room had double windows and there was a bathroom, small but neat. It was okay, just like a holding cell. I could survive here till the investigation result came out. I had faith in Adam that he wouldn't let me rot in the cell. Sitting on the bed after the little tour of about twenty minutes; after the intake of a cup of water which a guard had given me out of the blues, I felt dizzy. I was also tired of waiting for Adam who had promised to see me soon.So, I decided to sleep. I was sure that the time was around 10pm, even though my phone had been confiscated by the guard, including my jewelleries. Taking a deep breath, and muttering a prayer for the investigation to go in my favor, I shut my eyes and slept off. I didn’t know how long I must ha
As I took a step toward the humans, I stumbled, the knots in my stomach hardening into painful lumps. I caught myself with one hand on the ground before I fell. The ground shifted, and I could see the women’s faces in the dirt and rotting leaves. The soil, black and lush, shifted until I was surrounded by the faces, the eyes staring accusingly. "You killed me. Killed me." The accusation was soft, but powerful, the mouths yawning wide as if in horror. "You took my love, all that I had to offer, and you left me," another cried. "You owe me your soul," a third demanded.I drew back with a soft hiss of denial. "I never touched you, other than to feed." I straightened my shoulders and faced the women squarely. "I live by blood and I took what you offered. I did not kill. I did not pretend to love you. I have nothing to be ashamed of. Go away and take your accusations with you. I did not betray my honor, my family, my people or my mate." I had many sins to answer for, but not this
Racking of steel from a distance drew me out of the shadows of darkness into bright white light. I coughed for a start, feeling my throat itching and closing up. What was the matter? What was the dream all about? My eyes still closed, I tried to ruminate on the meaning of the dream that had seemed to have gone on for hours. But nothing came up. I didn’t understand one bit of it. I didn’t know who those crying ugly women were, or what the valley was all about. I never even heard of it before, until the dream. Not that I was sure that the spot existed in real life. For all I knew, the fucked up dream was a characteristic of… Characteristic of what? I heard my mind taunt me. But I came up short. A characteristic of what? Why was I hallucinating or having dreams without foundations?I didn’t read or watch a movie about blood sucking demons or some shadow of death and darkness.My ears perked up when I heard the metal racking again, and it dawned on me then that my cell door was bein
We were far away from the King’s house now. With every step that I took, my heart drummed within itself in fear and curiosity on what was about to happen. Adam had never said a word since we had left the holding cell. He had just been humming to himself a tune that I couldn’t seem to place no matter how hard I tried to rack my brain for it in the bid to curb the boredom that was assailing me. Next to books, music was my next favorite. It was among the stuff that had aided me during the bullying days.Now, all that seemed so far away. This part of the King’s arena made it so. I have never seen or been to such a cold place, devoid of life in the pack. It was as if no living thing existed here, even though there were some trees. Well, the trees were dry as death.What was this place? The old Adam would have loved to explain this. But did I ever know the old Adam? Was there even an old and a new? What if all these had been a pretense?No, it can't be. I had literally been in his mind
“Why are you guys doing this? Why the sudden hate? Can you tell me what is going on?” I asked the trio, my eyes resting on an Adam who stared at me like I was some fly that was beneath his feet. I was dead curious now. Did Claire say something that was untrue?“Did Claire say something? Don't listen to her! She is…” I was still speaking, the pitch of my voice rising higher, but suddenly my words were cut off; my mouth was subjected to significant pain when Daniel slapped the hell out of my mouth. I tasted blood. Did Daniel just slap me? Why? I knew the answer the next minute from Noah.“Never mention Claire with your stinky mouth. She is a hundred times better than the woman you will ever be.” He stated gruffly, before giving Daniel a thumbs up. “Nice one, Dan.” He said to his younger brother, before turning his attention to Adam who was smiling gleefully at my surprise and discomfort. It was like he was deriving joy from my pain. I opened my mouth to say something to him, but sh
My second opponent was the senior that had tried to bully me in the hallway a few days ago; that had tried to instigate me to fight her so that I would be disqualified from the competition. She was prancing around the field like an overzealous proud horse, getting cheers from the crowd. I thought she looked hilarious. I was going to win her. That was a given; not because I was proud, but because I had no choice. I had no choice than to make her eat her words, than to make her regret troubling me that fateful day. My quiet demeanor was mirrored by Rachel and her family. At intervals, I looked at the people in the crowd, at the Queen, at her. It was as if they knew that the senior was making noise. A noise that was uncalled for. Rachel, especially, had a bored look on her face. She knew I would win, never mind that it wouldn’t be pleasing to her. When I had won Courtney, I had seen the dread that had flirted past her face, right before she conditioned her countenance to stoicness. Sh
The battle was over before the senior knew it. With swift movements that I had never learned in any training, I started to free myself from the painful hold of the senior. It was like my hands and feet knew exactly what to do, guided by some unseen force, guided by El.I twisted and turned, using techniques that felt instinctive yet unfamiliar to me. With each move, I could feel my opponent's grip loosening. I managed to break free and turn the tables. Now, I was the one in control.I didn't hesitate. El didn’t hesitate to attack. It was like a dance, each step calculated and precise. I surprised myself with my own agility and strength. El was not just guiding my body, but also my mind, giving me the confidence to face my opponent head-on.I dodged punches and countered with moves that I didn't even know I was capable of. It was exhilarating and terrifying at the same time. But I trusted El; she wouldn’t let me down.Soon enough, I gained the upper hand. The senior was struggling to k
The fight was against ourselves. Since we were just eight contestants, we were paired against each other in a duel. But the announcer had picked out rumpled papers in a bowl to know who we would be contesting against. For my first time, I was selected to duel with the senior that had bothered to speak with me after my victory in the magic prowess session. We were both surprised to be fighting each other, but we had no choice but to advance to the field when our names were called by Professor Zokel. We had been the last in the list too. The others had fought, and now there were only three females moving to the final; three and whoever would win this duel that was about to happen. “I had never imagined to be pitted against you, Dora. But I will make it quick. You have outlasted than we all had gambled for, a feat, but it comes to stop now.” I nodded slowly, not knowing what to say. The seniors had gambled on my position in the contest? Did anyone gamble for my win? “Did anyone gambl
Standing in the middle of the clearing, surrounded by the never ending, echoing applause and cheers of the people, I felt a rush of emotions surge through me. The silence that had enveloped the arena moments ago, as I wielded my magical powers, was now replaced by this overwhelming cacophony of approval. It was surreal, almost like a dream I never dared to dream.I turned towards my family, their voices rising above the rest, shouting my name with unabashed pride. They had been there from the beginning, believing in me even when I doubted myself. Then I saw Adam. He was sitting two bleachers behind his family. And his smile stood out—bright and wide, his eyes shimmering with a mix of admiration and wonder. I couldn't help but touch the scarf he had given me, a talisman of his support and friendship.Friendship? We will see about that. I wondered if he had confided in his brothers about the change of the status quo. I didn’t think so.Bowing graciously to the audience, I savored the m
As I stood in the midst of the expansive field, chosen for the competition for its grandeur and open skies, doubt crept into my mind like tendrils of mist on a cool morning. My earlier dose of courage had evaporated.The memory of Rachel’s captivating rain dance rather haunted me. The way she effortlessly commanded the elements, enthralling every eye and heart in the audience. Could I match that? Did I have what it takes? I could. And I did. But what do I create? The judges were still talking animatedly about Rachel’s magical display. How do I get their attention?I clenched my fists, trying to dispel the doubts that threatened to paralyze me. "You are capable, Maya," I whispered to myself, my voice almost lost in the rustling of the wind through the tall grass. I needed to win this competition, not just for myself but for my family, and for my pride. A movement caught my eye, and I turned to see her – Rachel with that infuriating smirk playing on her lips. She knew she had the upper
I inhaled deeply, as I watched Laura make inquiries about the position of my name on the competition list. Today was Friday; the last day of the contest. And the contest slotted for today was the one of physical strength and magic prowess. The academic quality of the contest had been calculated between Monday and yesterday. The result was shown yesterday too. I had come out sixth. Well, I hadn't expected to come out in the top ten, because I had just started with them a few weeks ago. Luckily for me, it turned out they had checked academic potentials too; and seeing as my class works were all straight As, it had been enough for them. Rachel was first. I would have pushed it to the Queen playing at favoritism, but then Rachel was brilliant. That was one thing she got right at least, and I couldn't fault her in that. She was top of the class, and her brother wasn't far behind. Her knack for answering every question thrown at her also erased the notion that her mother must have shown
As I walked away from Adam, my mind spun with confusion and frustration. However, I hadn't gone far when his strong grip closed around my arm, pulling me back into his embrace. My heart pounded erratically, torn between the comfort of his touch and the turmoil within me."You're doing a stupid thing," I muttered, trying to pull away, but he held me firmly. His eyes searched mine, pleading for understanding.“I know you mentioned that your hatred stemmed from the wicked activities of my brothers and I. And even though I have no recollection of what you were talking about, the past twenty minutes has shown that we can be friends. We can be much more. I’m sure I’m not the only one feeling the tension between us.”I shook my head in denial. “I don’t know what you are talking about, Adam.”Adam piqued an eyebrow, and enclosed me in his arms. There was no distance between our lips. “You promised not to touch, unless I asked…” I grasped for the last straw left, sighing in relief when his ha
Staying close to Adam on the tree, I couldn't help but breathe in his scent. It was intoxicating, making my head swim. I fought against the urge to press my lips to his neck; the desire was strong, but I knew I had to maintain control. I also knew that we couldn't just be friends; not with this much tension between us. I sensed Adam's heart racing, even though he tried to hide it, to still it. His feelings for me were undeniable. He was feeling the same way I was feeling.Then, he made it worse, by swerving to look at me. His words which had been on the tip of his tongue—for he had turned to speak to me—got lost entirely. He just stared at me, stared at my lips intensely. And when he moved tentatively to close the distance between our lips, I gave no indication that I wanted out. Well, because I wanted in… But then the Queen came into the clearing, catching my attention. So, instead of sinking into the goodness that was Adam, I drew myself away from the romantic suspense, and point
"Congratulations Dora. You really did well tonight." I shook a hand.“Congratulations Dora. I hope you win.” I shook another hand.“Congratulations Pretty Dora.” I maintained the bland smile on my lips, and shook another hand.“Congratulations Dora. Don’t let them push you down! You hear?” I nodded at the more than hundredth person that had met and shook hands with me. My hands were getting sore and sweaty now.Couldn’t they settle for waves? I wondered, gesturing at Diana with my eye, that she extricated me from the seat where I had been asked to stay in, to shake hands with those who were pleased with my success. There were so many unfamiliar faces I had to shelve into a part of my memory for remembrance. No member of the Queen's family had come to congratulate me, however, not even Raul. I wasn't sure how to feel about his choice. I had thought he would have a better understanding. Seemed he was one that kept grudges. He should keep up with that. I might blow his head off should h