Four

Zoraya

'Zara!'

I cried as I watched her bleed. I ran around our space in search of something, anything that could help stop the bleeding but there was nothing.

I tried to call for help but no one was listening. Everyone was busy at the party and Julius was gone after doing his bit.

Zara was battered by Julius, yet he returned to the party as if nothing happened. He didn't care to help her.

'Zara,' I ran back to her as I noticed that she was looking weak. 'Don't close your eyes," I held her tight.

'Don't cry Zoraya,' She spoke in a low voice. I could barely hear her. 'I can't make it.'

No.

I shook my head disapprovingly. How could she say that?

'Don't speak, Zara, just save your strength. I'll get help."

I returned to the door of the cubicle and shook it as I called for help, this time making my voice as loud as I could. However, even after making as much noise as my throat could fathom, no one came out.

I was tired from jumping around, so I took a break.

I sat down, defeated. Panting and sweating all over, but I didn't care. All that mattered was getting help for Zara.

Just when I was about to go again, I saw him. The man from earlier.

My chest tightened as soon as I set my eyes in him. He was wearing something different this time. The shirt was tight and colourful.

A part of me felt extremely happy to see him again. I ignored the pain in my chest and prepared to explain the situation to him.

He came closer and leaned closer to the cubicle, giving me a clear view of his face. His facial features were neatly carved. I could barely fight the urge to touch his face, but the importance of Zara's health stopped me.

"What are you?" He asked before I could.

I was about to reply to his question when the people in the Manor suddenly came running out as they cried out, "Fire!"

As soon as the man heard them say, he turned and left without looking back.

Fire?

What is that?

I have never heard that word before. I couldn't help but wonder who this fire is that everyone has come out to welcome him or her.

However, I was surprised to see that there was no one to welcome, instead they were all running out to save themselves.

What could be going on inside?

At first, I thought that it was a good thing to have them all outside. Someone will have to hear my call for help.

Strangely enough, no one heard me or maybe they all chose to ignore me. They all went about their businesses.

'Zoraya, help my....'

I ran to hold Zara as I saw her whimpering.

'What's happening?' I asked, as I held her.

'The pup is coming,' She said through gritted teeth.

The pup is coming? My eyes widened. What do I do? How do I help her?

I shook the door as I called for help, but no one seemed to hear me.

'Please help!' I screamed at the top of my lungs. Desperately shaking the doors of the cubicle, hoping that someone would at least hear me and come to my aid, but I was wrong. No one came. Zara laid on the floor, writhing in pain and there was nothing I could do.

I watched as they ran helter skelter around the house, leaving me to wonder what was happening. What has made them all so hyper at the same time?

The answer to my question arrived as I saw something indescribable. An orange-yellow shade covered the manor as everyone ran. The heat suddenly became so much that I felt like tearing off my skin.

I couldn't breathe, instead I coughed. Zara also coughed heavily. I tried to go to her but I couldn't see properly as everything was becoming hazy. I held the supposed wall of our cubicle for support but I got burnt by the heat radiating from it.

How did it suddenly become so hot?

What is going on?

Zara's eyes were starting to close up. She opened her mouth to speak but couldn't.

'Zara,' I coughed as I tried to call out to her.

I was starting to get weak and my eyes could barely stay open. The heat was terrible. We were suffocating and there was no way out of this hell.

Right when I was about to be devoured by darkness, I heard that voice again.

"Hey!" He called as he hit the cubicle.

He came.

My belly danced as soon as I saw him trying to break the cubicle. He ran off to return with a big stone as he struggled to break the lock.

I couldn't go close to the door as my hands still hurt from the burn from earlier. "I'll get you out," he screamed as he continued banging the lock with the stone.

Finally the lock broke and the door flew open.

I tried to tell him about Zara, but he just stood there staring at me. I tried to help Zara to no avail. There was no way I could move her.

"I'll take that," he took her from me and carried her effortlessly.

Even though I was running on all fours, I still couldn't catch up with him. He was so fast. At first, I was afraid that I might get beaten up if Julius finds us outside. But no one has the time to even look. Everyone was trying to get out of the manor. They seemed frightened and couldn't wait to leave.

I wonder what that thing in the manor was that has caused such an uproar. I remembered how everything in the cubicle suddenly became hot. Was it because of this fire they were screaming?

"Come on," he led us to the forest a few miles away from the manor. "You'll be safe here," he muttered as he laid Zara under a tree shed.

I looked around and sighed in relief as it felt different. I wouldn't say safe but it's better because it wasn't hot.

'Please help her,' I pointed at Zara, hoping that he'd understand. He turned to leave but I grabbed his leg and tried to pull him towards Zara to make him see that she was having her pup and we needed help. However, he yanked his leg off of me, thereby kicking me in the process.

"At this point I don't want to see you again!" He yelled. "I want nothing to do with you!" He moved closer to me. He crouched to my height as he spoke. "I cannot be seen with someone like you."

It hurt to hear him say that.

What did he mean by seen with someone like me?

Why can't he be seen with me?

I didn't get to process what he meant when he suddenly locked his eyes on me, as he said, "I, Jayden Cole reject you as my mate!"