Aria I'm so immensely relieved by the face in front of me that it takes me a moment to remember what I've planned to do. "Kaidën?" My voice sounds hoarse, even to my ears, and I let out a dry cough. This seems to alert the man in front of me, as he jumps up quickly and rushes out of the room. My brows furrow in confusion when he leaves, but before I can ask where he's gone to, he reappears. There's a cup in his hand, and when he pushes it towards my lips, I take several sips of water, that slide down my throat too sweetly to be real. Whatever was in they drink must have dried my throat, as I take down the gulps of water faster. I feel Kaidën's hands beside my jaw, and behind my head. He holds me in place, and I stare up at him. "Don't drink it so quickly. You'll choke." Oh, sure. I nod in return, and take the water down slower. Finally, the cup is empty, and he takes it away from me, but I can't take my eyes off him. "I'll leave you alone now, Luna." An older woman I hadn't
Kaidën "Huh? What do you mean no?" She is quick with a reply, as she jumps to her feet. One minute, she's staring at me like I hung the moon, and the next she's watching me like a caged animal. Like she's scared I might pounce anytime, like some prey watching a predator. I clear my throat, and fold my hands in front of each other. "Exactly what I said. No, I can't let you leave." A dry chuckle escapes her, one that doesn't sound like her at all, and her eyes darken like the start of a rainy day. I knew this wasn't going to be easy, when I gave her that answer, but it's the route I'll have to take. "You can't do that. I'm not your captive. I can leave if I want." She yells in my face. And I can only stare at her in surprise. Why is she so quick to assume the worst about this situation? All I've said is that I can't let her leave, yet she's blown this so much. Why? "Did someone talk to you?" I ask carefully. That has to be it. She pauses, mid movement, and gives me a quizzica
Kaidën Aria looks at me like she can read the thoughts in my head. They're here. I steel my resolve, and turn to Riven. "Prepare the men, we are not going down without a fight." Something in my tone makes Aria flinch, and I watch the way her eyes grow wide in disbelief. "You won't actually kill them, will you? They're shifters just like you. You can't kill them, Kaidën!" She cries. Riven looks between us, like he doesn't know who to actually listen to, and I shoot a glare at him. "I'll meet you outside. Do as I have instructed." Aria is already shaking her head while he leaves, and turns to me with pleading eyes. "Please don't do this, Kaidën. You're not a monster, and you know that." She can't be serious. I'm not a monster? If only she knew how many of her people I've had to kill to protect my own people, she would never say something like that. "So what do you suggest? I let the pack shifters kill all of us? Just because we're rogues? Are you even hearing yourself Aria?
Aria The voice is loud enough that even in the room Riven has me trapped in, I can hear it. A look of surprise appears on Riven's face when he hears the voice too. Cassius? He's really here! Riven shakes his head at me. "The Alpha said I have to keep you in here no matter what. I have no plans of disobeying him, Luna." He heard the argument between Kaidën and I, so somehow he knows what I want to do. I almost feel sorry that he has to watch someone he calls his Luna, choose the pack shifters over his people, but I can't help it. It's not fair, that the rogues are being attacked like this, and if this is something that has happened before, then I can't imagine how hard it's been to live like they have. Still, I was born a pack shifter. My loyalty to my people can't be killed just because I've lost my scent. "You heard him. He's here for me. None of you have to die if you just let me go to him." I try to lie smoothly. I'd never want to go with Cassius, even if I was forced to.
Aria Kaidën is staring at me, like in any moment he might unleash those shadows on me, instead of Cassius. Do I really want that? It's not like Cassius doesn't deserve whatever Kaidën wants to do to him, so why am I doing this? "Little Miss. Drama starts again." Piper mutters somewhere in front of me, and rolls her eyes so hard, I fear her pupils might pop off. Kaidën shoots a glare at her, and Piper actually has the audacity to flinch. "What are you doing, Aria?" Kaidën says, his sword still raised, and pointing in the direction of Cassius. Yet, Cassius doesn't even flinch, like someone at the point of his death. This worries me. I move quickly, and stand between Cassius and Kaidën. This time Cassius actually reacts by raising a brow at me in confusion. Sometimes, I miss Cassius so much my chest twists into the most painful knot it can form. This is the boy who looked at me as a child, and claimed he felt the mate bond between us. I hadn't felt it yet, but ever since then,
Piper I almost want to laugh at the spectacle in front of me, even I'm not so pissed. Aria is clutching her chest, as she screams, and takes quick steps backward. All her false bravado is gone, I guess. I knew that fake bravery was a sham. The cut of the blade Kaidën held at my throat still stings slightly, and I grit my teeth at the memory. Why is he so protective of her? And why am I even angry? It's not like I care what the worthless rogue king does. As far as I'm concerned, he's nothing to me. The mate bond we had was just a senseless farce I had to get rid off, and I won't deny, I've been living the best life ever since I got rid of it. In fact, I'll be fine never seeing either of these miserable people's faces in front of me, but for some reason, Cassius wants me to bring Aria back. I don't know what he wants with her, but as his Luna, he's never failed to do whatever I've asked of him, so what's this little thing I can't do? Especially if it's for the man I love. C
Aria The ride to the pack shifters realm is oddly calming, and quiet. No one says a word to me, not even Piper who's not taken her eyes off me since we started moving. The barrow-like truck I'm inside jiggles a few times, and when it does, my body is aggressively thrown to the side. During these times, Piper's face darkens with a small smile, and her mood gets lighter. She's clearly glad to see me suffering. I want to glare at her, but the force keeping me sane has decided to force a serene and calm look on my face. I can feel the flickering movement inside me, as the truck moves. It trails from my finger tips, and doesn't stop till I can feel it wrap around my slim neck, and flicker all the way to my nose. The tickling sensation nearly forces a giggle out of me, but I sneeze instead. "Stay quiet, Wench!" Piper spits at me in annoyance, and I only stare at her oddly. Ever since I found out what a lying conniving person my best friend is, I've always wondered just one thing.
Kaidën "Kaidën," the voice is like a breath in the wind. Aria. She's calling out to me. I can feel it in my bones. The pain she's feeling, her jumbled emotions. The way she's trying to breathe in roughly, but barely. I want to reach out to her, and hold her, but deep down I know I can't. Something is holding me back-my present self. Because it knows we're far from each other. Around me is what looks like a room covered in white walls, and I turn around, taking in this environment in front of me. My eyes widen when I notice the blackness creeping up onto the walls. Like flames spreading over a house on fire. The black shadows fill up the entire space of the room, until the once white room doesn't exist anymore. It's all just darkness. "Kaidën," I see a tear drop. No, it's not a tear drop. It's blood. My veins throb painfully. And it feels like someone has hit me. My knees drop to the ground forcefully when I feel the blow again. It happens again, and again, and again. U
Kaidën Finally feeling a different type of soil under my paws, I shift back. Stretching and groaning to ease out my stiff muscles. It is safer to do this as often as I can, so my body can get used to it, but I don't care. It will be better if I lost the ability completely, than shift anymore behind my camp members back. When I'm done stretching, I walk down a further path, trying to find the exact spot I'm looking for. It takes me more than a while, due to the darkness-even though every time I come here, it's under the cover of darkness. Maybe my mind likes to believe meeting up here is something of a make believe. Something I can't possibly be doing, but I'm desperate. I hate that after seeing Eliana's slumped body, dead and without life, my first thought hadn't gone to her killer. No, I had shamefully been more worried about who was after Aria's life again. I shake my head, and clench my fists in annoyance. "This is even worse than a mate bond." I mutter to myself, sudde
Kaidën "Alpha, where are you going? Is everything alright?" Riven tries to step in front of me, but I shove him out of the way. A surprised look appears on his face, but he resumes what he's been trying to do. "Did Eliana tell you something? Please talk to me," he pleads again. I stop, finally realizing myself. "You were down there for six hours. Did you discover something?" My eyes shoot towards him when he says that. Six hours ago, Riven had come down to the place Eliana was locked up to find me. My eyes had been shaky, my breathe coming out in ragged breathes, my body as stiff as stone. He hadn't been able to tell what was wrong, and I'd been too dazed to explain to him that the woman in front of me was dead. Riven hadn't noticed, and I hadn't told him. Those empty eyes still feel like they're haunting me even as I walk as far away from that place as I can. She's dead. My only remaining family is gone. I'm not too surprised by the guilt I feel-maybe if I hadn't locked
Aria There's something my grandmother always tells me-Aria, being a Luna isn't all you're meant to be. The first time she said this, it was because I had lashed out at her, complaining about going for my Luna training. In my words, "my life isn't just made to be a Luna. I'm a person too, grandmother." Ironically, I wanted to escape my duties to hang out with Piper, and learning to be a Luna felt too stifling anyway. It isn't like some people don't get thrown into the position, and have to work with what they have. That is a natural possibility. Grandmother was just someone who didn't like being thrown into things. She always believed we must take our stand for what we wanted-that was the way of the Flynn women. A long standing line of strong Luna's, who had ruled beside equally strong alphas. Her words that day had been, "it isn't all you're meant to be, but it's a great honor, and something you should not take for granted." Then she'd taken me outside, "Look at
Aria The smell of body waste is the first thing that greets me when I realize where Piper has brought me. There are a few torches burning about. But none of them seems to shed much light; it is as though they are empty, sullen things. "No," my voice is a broken whisper, and I take a retreating step back. I won't let her lock me up in here. She'll have to kill me first. There is no way. People don't come out of places like this. I know a few people grandmother has sent here, and I don't think a lot of them are part of the living now. This is a place for criminals, the worst kind of people. The people who have committed crimes considered unthinkable. I haven't done anything! Why is she doing this to me? Why? What did I ever do to her? I loved her. I cared for her. She was a sister to me-my grandmother's second daughter. The girl I've always looked up to, and listened to, and now she's turned into this. This monster who wants to drag me through hell, and laugh in my face. E
Kaidën The dungeon has dark dim walls that don't allow any light to come in. Anyone trapped in here would lose a sense of time. It's like being trapped in perpetual darkness. Only the most horrible crimes deserve that. Surprisingly, the woman who kidnapped my supposed mate and Luna isn't locked in here. Her crime is worthy of it-no doubt, but she's not just a common criminal. No matter what, I have to remember that she's Eliana Greenleaf too. The daughter my father never had. The girl I grew up with in this place where family is a fleeting memory. In a separate cell, not too far from the dungeon is where I have Eliana locked up. Because whether she's like family to me or not, it doesn't excuse the crime she committed against her Luna. And that's where I see her-her mass of familiar dark hair falling over her face, as she holds her head down. Her hands are bound by chains connected to opposite ends of the wall. When I arrive in front of the cell, she doesn't rea
Aria "Get up!" Someone roughly drags me up as I groggily look around me in confusion. Where am I? For a moment, I'm deeply confused on my location, as everything around me doesn't exactly look familiar. "Bring her with me." Piper's force jolts a feeling of familiarity in me. Yes, I followed Piper and Cassius back to the pack shifters realm. I wince when I remember that I'd passed out after Piper ordered that man to hit me repeatedly. As if she knows I'm thinking about it, Piper gives me a smug dark look, and folds her hands over her chest. "Don't expect any warm welcome. The people still hate you for touching their Luna, and the ones who don't..." She trails off with the most vicious look a person can muster. I manage to look up at her, slightly worried for what she might say. It's no surprise that members of the pack still want me dead, but the ones who don't? I don't believe those even exist. Piper finally turns her back to me before she continues. "The members of the Fl
Kaidën "Kaidën," the voice is like a breath in the wind. Aria. She's calling out to me. I can feel it in my bones. The pain she's feeling, her jumbled emotions. The way she's trying to breathe in roughly, but barely. I want to reach out to her, and hold her, but deep down I know I can't. Something is holding me back-my present self. Because it knows we're far from each other. Around me is what looks like a room covered in white walls, and I turn around, taking in this environment in front of me. My eyes widen when I notice the blackness creeping up onto the walls. Like flames spreading over a house on fire. The black shadows fill up the entire space of the room, until the once white room doesn't exist anymore. It's all just darkness. "Kaidën," I see a tear drop. No, it's not a tear drop. It's blood. My veins throb painfully. And it feels like someone has hit me. My knees drop to the ground forcefully when I feel the blow again. It happens again, and again, and again. U
Aria The ride to the pack shifters realm is oddly calming, and quiet. No one says a word to me, not even Piper who's not taken her eyes off me since we started moving. The barrow-like truck I'm inside jiggles a few times, and when it does, my body is aggressively thrown to the side. During these times, Piper's face darkens with a small smile, and her mood gets lighter. She's clearly glad to see me suffering. I want to glare at her, but the force keeping me sane has decided to force a serene and calm look on my face. I can feel the flickering movement inside me, as the truck moves. It trails from my finger tips, and doesn't stop till I can feel it wrap around my slim neck, and flicker all the way to my nose. The tickling sensation nearly forces a giggle out of me, but I sneeze instead. "Stay quiet, Wench!" Piper spits at me in annoyance, and I only stare at her oddly. Ever since I found out what a lying conniving person my best friend is, I've always wondered just one thing.
Piper I almost want to laugh at the spectacle in front of me, even I'm not so pissed. Aria is clutching her chest, as she screams, and takes quick steps backward. All her false bravado is gone, I guess. I knew that fake bravery was a sham. The cut of the blade Kaidën held at my throat still stings slightly, and I grit my teeth at the memory. Why is he so protective of her? And why am I even angry? It's not like I care what the worthless rogue king does. As far as I'm concerned, he's nothing to me. The mate bond we had was just a senseless farce I had to get rid off, and I won't deny, I've been living the best life ever since I got rid of it. In fact, I'll be fine never seeing either of these miserable people's faces in front of me, but for some reason, Cassius wants me to bring Aria back. I don't know what he wants with her, but as his Luna, he's never failed to do whatever I've asked of him, so what's this little thing I can't do? Especially if it's for the man I love. C