Zayan's Point of ViewWhat the fuck was I doing? What the fuck was I thinking? Promising Kamari that she was the one I wanted. That I needed...All while Eris was home tending to her wounds after a man had beat her senseless. It was a heartless feeling. I was a coward choosing the easier route.Instead of facing all the troubles and trauma that Eris and I faced,, I chose her. Instead of admitting Eris had grown and changed, I was willing to chalk it up to her being strange.Or sinister.I thanked my father for that. For thinking she was a snake when she was nothing more than a woman that needed help. Comfort. Understanding. Of course, she would be different. So much time had passed between us. Neither could fully admit that the other person wasn't a stranger. Because we were. It still didn't stop my mind from wandering to Kamari. How natural it felt to be around her. After my confession that Eris had been beaten, I could see the color drain out of Kamari's face. The guilt that ate
Malakai's Point of View He has been screaming for hours already. It echoed throughout the entire cellblock. Burnt itself into the back of my mind until all I could hear were his pleas. A never-ending cycle of questions and no answers until Rachel decided to waterboard him. That was even more unpleasant to listen to. The gargling. Choking. Cried in pain when the towel came off of his head. Yet the bastard refused to crack. To give away the smallest glimpse as to who orchestrated the attack. At some point, one of the guards threw up in the corner. I think it was when they started plucking out his nails. Or toenails. I couldn't fully recall. And I was fucking thankful for that part at least. Blood was never my forte. Nor was torture. But things like this had to get done when running a pack. When people tried to dismantle all you had built up. Rogues were often subject to this kind of behavior when they lingered too long and too close to the borders of packs. That was just the way of
Nolan's Point of View By the time Gaelan was in the distance, Kamari had woken up. Stood in the door rubbing her eyes. I smiled at her. Beamed, actually, before walking toward her. Her clothes from the previous day were wrinkled in all the wrong places. Crumpled up over her abdomen. Made her look more unkept than she normally was in the morning. One long and hot shower should fix her up. Along with an energy drink. I looked over her again. Noticed the black bags beneath her eyes. Pale skin with no color to speak of. Maybe more than one energy drink. We had spent many nights watching movies and never slept. Eating junk food. Babbling about the world. But she looked worse than those nights. As if she hadn't slept for years and not just for 24 hours. "Penny for your thoughts?" I asked, keeping the smile firmly on my lips. Kamari seemed to look past me to the road beyond. Her eyes narrowed in on the SUV. Sighing, she waved me over. Stood to the side when I walked in past her. Onc
Kamari's Point of View We woke up to the sound of Nolan's phone going off. It was a screeching tone that rocked the entire house. Even the owner himself fell from his seat. Jolted upright on the floor and grabbed aimlessly for the device on the table. It was some metal rendition of a song I had long since forgotten. But it was the worst thing to wake up to. Sitting upright, I rubbed my eyes as he still fumbled on the table for the thing. The entire living room was cast into an ominous shadow that crawled along the walls. "Put it off," I groaned, unaware of what time it might be. There was no light coming from outside. Not even a slight glow. Then it must be around two in the morning, or somewhere there, seeing as the streetlights were also off. Hunting time. "I can't find it," Nolan grumbled back at me, voice still heavy with sleep. The husky tone made my stomach tighten as if I hadn't heard it a million times before. As if only now it had a severe impact on my body. How stra
Kamari's Point of View An hour passed in total silence. Gaelan resigned himself to a shower after speaking extensively with Malakai about what this news entailed for us. Both of them thought I was unwise for sending for Zayan so soon, which in their minds would only tip him off and give him an advantage. Nolan remained mute whilst looking out the window. Stared at nothing in particular. Every once in a while he would move. Realize I was also sitting there and smiled timidly my way. Right before his face would fall back into a blank stare. He was hurting more than he tried to let on. A horrible decision to make but I understood. He needed space to process. Most likely, he was questioning his entire friendship at this point. If he even knew the man as well as he had thought. And me... Well. I couldn't wrap my mind around why Zayan would pull something like this. Why he would promise me the world only to let me fall flat on my face. None of it made sense. But feelings often didn't.
Kamari's Point of ViewAn hour and a half had passed. Only half an hour since my father confronted me about accepting my mother's proposal. Half an hour after he promised to help me in any which way he could to make my transition over into Alpha smoother.I appreciated the sentiment.But another thought struck me. If I became Alpha, I would never get the opportunity to study. To become something more than just an heiress. Which was exactly what I had wanted in my life. Achieve greatness on my own.Now it was just another deluded dream.Although some part of me was shriveled up and cold, I couldn't help but feel the twang of pain that followed when I thought of Zayan. The hurt that clouded my vision when I lingered on him too long. "Hey, you took a while, are you fine?" Nolan asked from behind me.Rubbing my eyes, I turned to look at him. Noticed the moonlight casting a perfect halo over his blonde hair. The twinkle in his eyes when he looked at me. Behind me, my cupboard doors stood
Kamari's Point of ViewThe next two hours were the longest of my life. I could barely contain myself. Paced up and down the living room until I was sure the soles of my shoes were worn through.Every time I would pick at my cuticles, Malakai's voice would pop into my head. Spread out across my body until I let my hands fall to my sides.Gaelan had decided on drinking whiskey at this time in the morning. With the sun rising slowly, I could see the amber liquid slosh in his glass as he walked back and forth between the kitchen and the living room. Nolan on the other hand was much calmer than the two of us.He kept to himself on the couch. Opened up the curtains enough to see the cars coming and going. Most of them were heading to work or school. Some stopped on the sidewalks to pick up more people. It was an endless loop. One that shattered my nerves every time I heard a car engine come down the street.When I had spoken to Zayan over the phone, it was different. I was another person.
Kamari's Point of ViewWe were all huddled behind an old laptop I had gotten for my sixteenth birthday. Nolan was at the helm of it, even when Zayan protested, saying he was the one on trial and should clear his name. Neither Hunter nor Randal let him.It was only my dad that refused to move. Kept watch from the safety of his chair. His eyes never missed a thing. The smallest of movements could be made on Zayan's part and he would instantly call it out.In actuality, it was Gaelan that told Nolan not to let Zayan near the laptop. He couldn't be trusted not to pull something just to get loose. Break away. Leave this place forever without being punished for his crimes.I had no idea what strings Zayan was pulling. Knew something was off the moment he got that look of realization on his face.There was a large part of my soul that believed him when he claimed he was innocent. Unlike my dad, I had hopes that this would sort itself out. That the full truth would be revealed."Stop fidgetin