AMAYA'S POV I ran out of my room, down the stairs and towards Damian's room.“And where do you think you are going after causing trouble?” Nelly gritted, blocking me. “I'm sorry and I will apologize again if you want me to but right now I'm in a hurry–”“Damian isn't in his room,” she said, unmoving. “Where's he?” I asked, panting. “Why do you want to know so bad? And besides, you don’t have the time to ask for him when you need to serve your punishment–”“I’m sorry and I will accept my punishment whatever it is but I'm in a bit of a hurry right now.” I turned and dashed out. First, I checked the meeting hall building but Damian wasn't there. I didn't know where he was but I would find him. I would find him and I would ask him why… why he bought me despite having to lose in the deal…why he always saved me…why his closeness made my heart flutter… why he was there last night…how he found me in the club…I could hear the racing of my heart. There were so many things I wanted to ask
EARLIER ON…“You will be addressing the guards in five minutes, Oliver, Are you ready?” Raze asked Oliver who it was and it had always been his duty to speak to the guards. “I will do it,” Damian interjected, sauntering into the training room. “You will do it?” Raze and Oliver asked, surprised. “You sure you don't want us doing it?”“He wants to impress his lady guest,” Raze whispered. Oliver frowned. “Impress her? But she won't be there.”Damian heard them and shot them a silencing look. “This is a serious issue. I must speak to them myself,” he added, swiping off a strand of hair that tried to come into his eyes. “Have you thought about Balus' offer?” Raze asked. As a matter of fact it was because of that that he was going to address the guards. Lucius was a cunny man. By now Damian was hundred percent certain he'd received news of Balus coming to him for help. He was expecting Lucius to send a spy to his house but he will make sure to not give him a chance to do that. With
As the days grew, Amaya felt her wolf gradually slipping into extinction. Before, she at least communicated with her even if she didn't shift but now she rarely spoke back. And with every passing day, she feared that one day her secret would be out in the open for the world to laugh at her and mock her. The stigma that someone wolfless was associated with was painful. Especially for someone like her. She had heard how much Damian detested wolfless people. He said they were weak and did not deserve to live. The realisation that he would look at her with hate and disgust made her stomach twist.She sighed and plopped her head deeper on the pillow. Her mind drifted to earlier in the day. Her conversation with Damian had quickly tensed up. She had crossed a line she knew she wasn't supposed to cross and Damian hadn't taken it lightly. And again he had brandished the killer instinct in him. Damian was cussed and it didn't matter who it was, once he was in that fury, he could kill anyone.
Amaya couldn't tell how long she had run as she only stopped when she felt her whole body exhausted. Panting, she sat down on a nearby pavement. It was then she looked and saw she was at the park. She inhaled slowly, the words of the girls jabbing her all over again. Tears welled up in her eyes and she blinked, forcing them back. She could not cry now. At least not yet. She imagined the news travelling round the Pack, the uncomfortable and judgemental stares that would be coming her way. She wondered if Damian had heard it by now. He would hate her. “Amaya…”She noticed a figure standing before her and looked up through her hazy eyes. Her mouth parted. “Alpha Lucius…How did you find–”“Shhhh. I only need you to say the words and I take you home”“And why will you take her home?” a voice thundered behind them. “Alpha Damian?” Amaya gasped, scrambling to her legs. She had imagined her life getting worse but never did she imagine this scenario. Damian glared at Lucius. “You sent you
AMAYA'S POV “Wait here,” Amaya said, helping Lucius to the pavement of an abandoned house. She started to leave and he tried to stop her, eyes clouded with uncertainty. “I won't be long,” she assured him. Some minutes later, she returned with some herbs. Squeezing them in between her palms, she made a mixture with it and began to apply it on his injuries. She could feel him watching her keenly as she silently tended to his wounds. He softly grasped her hand. “Don't stress yourself. They'll heal.”“Still you should at least apply something.”“Amaya…” he ventured gently. “I'm sorry…I shouldn't have acted that way in your presence.”She sighed, the last glimpse of Damian's face she saw before walking off with Lucius flashing her head. She wondered what he was thinking at that moment, if he hated her more than he already did, if he would… She shook her head pushing the thoughts away. “Why did you provoke him? You know he can't hold back.”“Come with me, let's go home,” Lucius said sof
Suddenly the glass left Damian's grasp and shattered on the floor. Damian tumbled sideways and before Amaya would react, he collapsed to the floor with a dull thud. Amaya pulled him to lie on the sofa in the room. His body was burning up. She got a wet rag and pressed on his forehead sighing as she did. For a split second it crossed her mind she had been sighing the entire day. How much could she endure before the day ended? Damian moaned in his sleep. A painful moan and he incoherently mumbled names of his dead mate and father. “Father…father…father…” He grunted in his sleep, gripping onto Amaya's hand. At a point, his moans turned into low grunt and then screams. Amaya called his name and shook him awake.“Are you alright?” She asked, gently. Not seeking answers, just wanting to ensure he was alright. Damian glanced around, panting. On the realisation, a cold emptiness settled in his chest. It had only been in his nightmare. The warmth of his father he had felt was only in his
AMAYA'S POV The surface of the stream glistened as sunlight filtered above it. Its gentle flow seemed to whisper unspoken words. By the edge, Amaya sat. She could barely see the flow but she knew it was flowing. At least that's what her science teacher told her. Whoever thought to include the stream or to let it be while the house was built did a great deed. It was like a storm inside her and she had taken a sudden yet much needed walk and stumbled upon the stream. If she knew there was such a place in the mansion she would have taken this walk a long time. She reached towards a small pebble beside her and threw into the stream. The stream protested with delicate splashes eliciting ripples that extended outward. She stared at the ripples with somber stillness, her expression pensive as though the ripples mirrored the turmoil within her. A strand of her hair fell and she tucked it back behind her ear and inhaled. She had never felt so many contrasting feelings in one day. What was
As Damian trotted down the road, he could not stop the ache that coursed through him. Amaya making the sudden request worsened the whole thing. Why couldn't she ask for something simpler…How could she ask him to find out the truth that was bound to ruin him? He let out a weary breath. He had wanted to stay away until he gathered his thoughts. “I can't…” He groaned softly, his forehead deepening with lines, the dried fallen leaves crunching under his feet. He had only wanted to take a walk as the Seer’s words were tearing his reasoning apart. But then he saw her. Her slumped back and the stillness of her back only broken by the faint rise and fall of her breath had caught his attention. They condemned him and he couldn't bring himself to avoid her even though that was what he wanted. Something he should do. Now she was asking him of a favour he could never fulfill.Maybe If he had known she was there he would have stayed back. “Is something wrong?” Raze asked as they came out of t
Nelo paced around her room. Every second she stopped and stared out of the window, expecting, hoping and praying that somehow her biggest fear would not happen. She hoped that Amaya would have gotten her letter. Although she would have hoped that somehow she didn't and that Damian would overcome and win the assassins on his own. But that was what she couldn't hope for. She had made sure to drop the Aetherleaf in his study. There was no way he would defeat those assassins after inhaling that. She sighed regretfully. She regretted it. She really did.She didn't want anything happening to Damian. She wished she didn't have to make difficult choices like this one. Damian was her end point. But then again she had to do what she had to do. She'd decided to stay back in her room and waited as everything unfolded. But when she heard Nelly barking orders at the guards and at the maids and everyone she saw, she knew it was better to be out. It would be suspicious if she remained in her room wh
AMAYA'S POV I returned to the park and sat on a bench. Outside was calm. Everyone looked so happy and it was like I was the only one feeling this enormous turmoil. Beside me was a family and on my other side were two lovers. They giggled and I couldn't help but notice how they stare affectionately at each other. They saw only themselves. They probably didn't even notice I was beside them. “Mummy! Daddy!” the little kid called out to her parents. She looked so happy as she ran into her father's waiting arm. At that moment, it faintly occured to me the kind of trust children had for their parents. The trust that he would never drop her, that his arms are strong enough to catch her and hold her no matter what. It reminded me of my parents too and it made my heart ache. Everyday I prayed to not wake up one morning and discover that I had forgotten their faces. I clung onto those memories of them I had because they were all I had. I briefly shut my eyes to bask in them. To remind mys
Damian tried to launch an attack but then he stopped. His eyes widened. His body was not feeling the same. Something was wrong. Something was wrong. Was it because of Amaya? His fist curled. The whole set up suggested Lucius must have found out about Amaya's strength and seeing she was away from him decided to strike. He tried not to panic but it was as though the weakness of his body doubled with creating in him the one attribute he detested so much—fear. “Run Damian. Run out of the room and alert the guards.” The warning echoed in his head. But he inwardly shook his head, remembering vividly those words, those words that he had lived by all his life. “I am Alpha Damian. I do not run in the face of adversities. I am the leader and protector of Craven. The day I run from danger is the day I become useless.”No matter how weak his body had become he would not run away.“Did Lucius send you?” He clenched. “Answer me! Did that loser send you!”The men began to circle him like wolves,
Lucius sprung from his seat as if suddenly overcome by something and charged outside. Tommy and Jaxon were at the door and just about to get in when he dashed outside. “Call them back!” he yelled. Tommy and Jaxon stared at him, puzzled. “I said call the men back! They are not to kill Damian!” he repeated authoritatively. “What?” Tommy was stiffened as he leaned back stunned. “We can't pull off now,” he said, eyes narrowing. “I didn't say we, I said pull off,” Lucius gritted, emphasizing on the ‘I’. “Call them back. They must return to Westwood immediately.”“You can't pull off the operation now!” Tommy slammed. “Are you challenging me?” Lucius questioned, taken aback. Their gaze held…long, icy, air thickened with unspoken tension. Lucius' jaw was set and firm as fury brewed within him. He could not believe Tommy was talking back to him. His own beta!After a moment, Tommy stepped back and gave a strained chuckle. ”I would never do that, my Alpha. I'm just saying this is the bad
“Speak, what is it?” Lucius demanded, trying to contain his annoyance. Like what was so urgent Jaxon had to make him leave Amaya at that moment. What better time would he get to be in such proximity and calmness with her again? “It better be something important,” he added, his face wrinkling. “The elders are meeting behind your back,” Jaxon revealed. “What?” Lucius leaned back, forehead burrowing deep. Anxiety etched deep into his face, the irritation on it replaced with a mixture of worry and disappointment. He'd always known they were a bunch of greedy elders but he didn't think they would start this early to show their hidden claws. Things were beginning to look good for him. He stifled a groan. “When did this start? Are you just knowing about it now?” He asked Jaxon. “I'm sorry but we have been so focused with Balus and your mate–”“Who started it? Chief elder? What is their reason for betraying me? Why can't they trust in me?”“Their reason remains that you have yet to fulfil
AMAYA'S POV Blown off by Lucius' sudden request, my mouth hung open. But then we heard a shrill cry before I could speak. Someone had collapsed. Grateful for the interruption, I darted over to the place the sound came from. It was later realized that it was a prank by some of the arena keepers. Some of the people that were around complained about the silly prank before returning to what they were doing. “Do you care for anything?” Lucius asked as we went back to our position. “Uhm–”“Wait here. I will get us something,” he said hastily and hurried away before I could refuse. “Amaya,” I heard someone call my name less than a minute after Lucius left. I turned and there was an elderly woman beside me. Surprised, I scanned around to check if she had company. I hadn't heard her join us. “I am alone,” she replied like she had read the question in my mind. “How did you know my name?” I asked, still trying to grasp the whole thing. She smiled. “I would be damned not to recognize gr
Damian looked at the wine cabinet yet again. They were begging for his touch, begging him to have a taste. He exhaled wistfully, forcing his gaze away from the direction. He must stay sober. If not for anything, to think on how to handle the matter at hand. This last month had changed him. He didn't know what it was or how it had happened but deep within him he knew it was something about Amaya. He could not let her go as she wanted, yet he couldn't keep her. But what baffled him was how she knew about what the Seer had told him. He was actually planning to tell her the truth. He was on his way to tell her everything. How had she found out before he told her? He sighed for the zillionth time, massaging his throbbing temple. He hadn't had a restful time ever since she left the house. “You should go find her,” Raze suggested, breaking into his thoughts. Damian sat up, suppressing a grunt. He would have gone after her as she was leaving if it was that easy. He saw the hurt in her e
AMAYA'S POV I had no idea where I was headed. I was unsure of absolutely everything. I was scared, confused, hurt, battered inside but still determined to keep walking. All I wanted was to just leave. Everything felt so exhausting and I knew I would probably choke to death if I stayed there for another second. I thought he cared about me now. I was foolish. How could I have believed someone like him. How could I have trusted a power hungry Alpha like him. He would never change. I should have known. The thought that I went the extra mile and pleaded with him to seek out the Seer on my behalf pained me the most. All the while he knew how to help me but kept it away from me. I should have known when he bought me…I should have known when he was willing to let go of hundreds of warriors and servants just to buy me. I had thought he saved me from Lucius…I should have known when he didn't kill me despite knowing I entered the forbidden room. I let out a laugh and I wished I didn't hear i
The significant mood lift in Amaya's behavior was quite noticeable to everyone. So obvious it baffled both Nelly and Lyra who were among the ones that looked at her like she was covered with poop after the news spread. After they had breakfast and since they had nothing to do for the rest of the day, Amaya decided to retire to her room. “What’s going on? You finally don't care about people knowing you don't have your wolf. Strong girl,” Nelo teased with a small nudge. Amaya laughed heartily. “No it's not that… it's just…Alpha Damian will help me,” she said, grinning, their conversation at the stream replaying in her head. Although he hadn't given her an outright answer because Raze interrupted. But he listened to her and that itself showed he cared. “Hmmm,” Nelo murmured. “Why? You still don't trust him? He is not as bad as you think…well, he may be difficult some times but look beyond the scowl on his face and you'd see the real Damian.”Nelo gave a shrug. “Still, he murdered hi