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Chapter 23 : The Fighter
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2024-10-29 19:42:56Related chapters
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 24 : No Place Like Home
*Vanessa*My head is pounding. Various aches and pains are spread throughout my body, but it’s the throbbing headache that takes all of my attention. I’m lying on my back, spread out on an uncomfortable mattress, and even before I open my eyes, I know that I’m inside some kind of building. It smells … familiar. I immediately flashback to when I woke up from my mini coma all those months ago, finding myself in Ashborne’s infirmary with Amara’s comforting brown eyes staring down at me. At the time, I’d been terrified. But now, thinking of being back there fills me with such a sense of nostalgia and longing that it hurts, seemingly compounding the pain in my head. I move to raise my hand, wanting to check for any injuries when I feel the bite of metal against my skin. Startled, I finally open my eyes and look down to see a handcuff strapped to my wrist, attached to a chain that runs behind me and terminates in a wall attachment. I panic, floundering arou
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 25 : A New Fear
*Vanessa*I’ve spent most of my life accustomed to the feeling of fear. I know the taste of it, the way it wraps itself around one’s bones and paralyzes even the bravest of shifters. I’d feared many things over the course of my time in Helbane and even more during my stay in Ashborne, rejection, and exile being the two most primal.And I would’ve expected to feel more of the same now, being dragged back to this hellhole I once called home. I thought I’d be terrified if I ever came back here, scared of being torn to shreds. But now that I’m here, staring at the face of the person who betrayed me, I feel nothing but rage. “Ramona,” I say, the ice in my voice at odds with the fire I feel pouring out of my glare. Ramona, for her part, shows nothing less than her fake saccharine smile. "Vanessa!”She walks toward me, her arms open and I scuttle back on the mattress, making it obvious that I don’t want her near me. “Don’t touch me.”She stops, as though
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 26 : The Rally
*Shawn*I’m pacing the floor of the square, my mind a storm of racing thoughts. My eyes keep skimming the horizon, waiting for any sign of Aaron. He was the first one to volunteer to scout the borderlands and look for clues as to who took Vanessa. And truthfully, he was the only one I trusted to do this. I had my own suspicions about who was responsible for her disappearance. Most packs wouldn’t dare to kidnap a member of another pack. There was too much to risk in terms of politics. It would automatically be taken as a sign of aggression, one worthy of welcoming a fight. But Vanessa was a lower-ranked shifter in Helbane before she joined Ashborne. Helbane itself was hardly a contender for one of the top spots in the general territory, so it was highly unlikely that she would’ve been known to other packs. The only logical reasoning that would lead an Alpha to take another shifter would be if they knew said shifter was a rogue. A stray. And again, the
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 27 : Escape
*Vanessa*It takes every ounce of my self-control for me to stifle the howl of pain clawing its way up my throat. I shift back quickly after I manage to retrieve two mini coils from the mattress. In my human form, the freshly scraped skin left by the shackle around my wrist is poked with angry red welts, which I ignore in favor of bending the coils at the correct angles. Why it took me so long to think of ripping the wires from the mattress, I don’t know. But once I shifted and managed to tear through the material with my teeth and claws, I realized I hadn’t thought about the fact that the shrunken shackle would cut into the thicker wrist of my wolf form. I was swiftly reminded though, and painfully so. But my adrenaline kicks in once I begin to pick the lock, muting the pain in my wrist. After what feels like a mini eternity, the restraint falls from my arm and I assess the damage, touching the flaming skin gingerly. Once I’m sure it’s nothing too serious,
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 28 : The Rescue
*Vanessa*I have less than half an hour to myself before the door opens one last time. Ramona slinks in, a sickening grin on her face that I know can’t possibly be a good sign. My gut instinct tells me to be on edge, and I scoot further up the bed, trying to shift into a position that leaves me with some kind of leverage. I want to wait until she’s near enough before I attempt to shift again, to optimize my chances of defending myself successfully if I need to. My heart is beating wildly in my chest, and I’ve begun to sweat. There’s something sinister in the silence between us, an almost comical horror lurking in everything not being said. It’s like she’s toying with me. My thoughts quickly race to recall what would happen if I was forced to defend myself. What if she tried something and my only chance at survival was to shift and injure her? Or worse. Was I really capable of worse?I’d been running my mouth the entire time I’d been here, playing with both T
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 29 : Ashborne vs Helbane
*Shawn*“Where is Trent?” The shifter shakes his head viciously, blood dripping from his nose and mouth. I raise him up a few more inches by the scruff of his shirt and his feet lift off the ground completely. His eyes widen in terror.“I’ll ask one more time. Where is Trent?” I snarl. “I don’t … I don’t know!” he splutters, shaking his head again as though this is a nightmare he can wake himself up from. I click my tongue and drop him, and he scrambles away from me. “I swear I don’t know! I’d tell you if I did. I always hated that son of a bitch, and now look at what he’s gotten us into!”I raise a brow at that. So much for loyalty. But I believe the shifter and don’t press further. “Shawn!” Aaron comes running over to me. He’s already sporting the evidence of battle, covered in blood that’s a mix of his own and others. But his face is resolute as he takes in the melee around us. “I can’t find him anywhere. And there’s no sign of Vanessa either.”
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 30 : Certainty
*Vanessa*Walking back to Ashborne with Aaron feels surreal. The first thing I wanted to do when he found me in the med bay was run to Shawn. But Aaron explained that Shawn needed me to head back to Ashborne with him instead, and even though I wanted nothing more than to stay, I knew that Shawn couldn’t afford any distractions. Aaron was able to subdue Ramona quickly once she realized what was going on and tried to stop us. And then we were gone. As we made our way through the now battle-torn Helbane territory, I caught glimpses of my old pack and new pack fighting. I saw blood and bodies littering the grounds I once walked on.But I couldn’t see any sign of Shawn or Trent, and the more I tried to keep a look out for them, the more Aaron deliberately steered me away or obscured my view. It was annoying but also … sort of meaningful? It was something I imagined an older brother would do, and the fact that I knew the only reason he was doing that was to protect me a
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 31 : Belonging
*Vanessa*“I’m so glad you’re back,” Seth says, trying to navigate his arms around my frame. He’s trying hard not to aggravate any of my injuries, and he’s so awkwardly sweet that I laugh and pull him in for a proper hug. It’s a huge step for me, and the first time I’m hugging someone who isn’t Amara or Shawn, but Seth doesn’t protest, instead hugging me back. “I volunteered to go looking for you, but Shawn insisted I wait here. Dahlia went though,” he explains, pulling back. “Thank you for the thought,” I say, and he shakes his head. “We would’ve done it for anyone else too. You’re family.”“Not to push or anything, but do you think you could tell us about what happened in detail? Aaron says you fought like hell,” another younger warrior whose name I don’t even know chimes in. The group around me is easily a third of the total warrior group, with the rest of the remaining number still patrolling the compound. But the minute I left the med bay, I
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The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 50 : The Start of Forever
*Vanessa*I don’t recognize the girl in the mirror. She has my dark hair, set loose in dark curls that reach the middle of my back and plaited in some parts with pretty little white flowers. Her skin is flush with nervousness, but this time, there’s an excitement that overpowers it. The biggest thing that makes her hard for me to recognize is the feeling of pure joy and contentment it shows on her face.My face.It’s an expression I’ve come to wear very often.“Dahlia, I swear to the Goddess, if you lost the veil…” Amara warns, sounding as distraught as if it were her mating ceremony. She’s been buzzing around me the entire day, insisting I do nothing but get myself ready. Dahlia looks contrite. “No, I put it in a very safe spot, okay? I just … happened to forget where said safe spot was and then there was no time to look. But don’t panic! I have a plan.”Amara looks very much as though she is panicking. There’s practically steam coming out of her ears. I chuckle, putti
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 49 : Falling Into Place
*Vanessa*It’s dusk by the time Aaron and Amara finish their date and make their way back to Ashborne. Having already started working on the crafting of the mating token, I decided to sit just outside and wait for them to get back. I don’t want to fling myself at them and bombard them with questions, knowing how important it is for them to spend as much time just enjoying each other as possible, but I can’t help the surge of curiosity and excitement I feel. I’m dying to know how everything went. One good sign though, is what happens when I first spot them. They’re walking together, close enough for their arms to brush as they walk, and from what I can see of their body language, they move with a sort of relaxed demeanor that can only happen when things have been going well. They’re far enough away for them not to see me when Aaron tugs on Amara’s hand to bring her to a gentle stop before drawing her in for a kiss. I’m glad they can’t hear the absolutely chi
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 48 : The Elders' Table
*Shawn*“I thought I’d take it upon myself to run this council meeting.” Elder Luka stands tall and imposing, their eyes roving over everyone else from the seat beside mine. I’m sitting in the head seat, the one reserved for the Alpha. Usually, it would seem like a place of authority. But now, it’s more of a hot seat. But knowing Elder Luka’s fondness for Vanessa does make me feel more positive about the whole thing. My eyes immediately go to Henley, who’s sulking at the far end of the table. I resist the urge to smirk. “These matters are not foreign to us. However, we do find ourselves in a rather unique predicament where the shifter who might become our Luna is a foreigner to us. Her circumstances are definitely the first of its sort that Ashborne has seen,” they continue. “That, I believe, does require some extra consideration.”I wait my turn to speak, which will come at the end of their line of questioning. I keep myself calm, trying not to let my uneas
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 47 : Making Amends
*Vanessa*I’ve never seen Amara nervous before. Usually, she’s the most calm and level-headed person in the room, but now she’s unrecognizable with a slight shake in her hands as she tries to fix her hair in an upstyle. I watch from my perch on her bed. “Okay, I’ll ask you once and only once. Is there some kind of blackmail ploy I’m unaware of? Or maybe some hidden gun somewhere pressed to your back?”Amara spins around quickly. “What do you mean?”“I mean, you’re acting like you’re going out to meet an executioner or something. Not the guy you’ve been looking forward to spending time with since he asked you out,” I explain.She sighs warily, turning back to scrutinize her reflection in the mirror. “I can’t help it, Vee. I just want things to go smoothly, you know? It’s so much easier to enjoy something when there aren’t any expectations that come with it. And adding a label to stuff tends to create those expectations.” I stand up and walk over to
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 46 : The Alpha's Choice
*Shawn*“I was waiting for you to finally come see me.” Amara glances at me over the paperwork she has splayed across her desk. “It’s about time you start putting together plans for a decent proposal.”“How could you possibly—” I begin, completely dumbfounded at how she knows what I came here to do. But she fixes me with a look. “Don’t insult me by thinking I don’t know you. Twenty years of friendship isn’t child’s play,” she says, her voice deadpan. She gestures at the open chair in front of her. “Have a seat.”I chuckle at the formalness and move to sit opposite her. “So, when did you decide to propose to Vanessa?” she asks, steepling her fingers beneath her chin and resting her elbows on the desk. I try to decipher whether she’s being serious or not with how strict she looks.I was expecting Amara to be her usual cheery self, to jump up and hug me in congratulations.I know that she’s become Vanessa’s best friend, but surely she doesn’t think I w
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 45 : Bridges
*Vanessa*“That was not even close to what I expected,” Aaron rasps out, lying flat on his back. I laugh, removing the knee I kept pinned to his neck. As I stand, I reach out my arm to help him up and he takes it reluctantly. “A warning would’ve been great. I had no idea you were training on your own.”“So what? Were you hoping to kick my ass thinking I was unprepared for it?” I ask. “Where’s the honor in that?”He rolls his eyes at me. “Who’s been training you other than me? I don’t remember teaching you that pin.”“Seth and Dahlia,” I reply airily, and Aaron grunts. “I think it’s important to diversify my training.”“Yeah, yeah,” he grumbles, still trying to regain his breath. “Damn, if your practice sessions over these last few weeks are anything to go by, you’ll be a killing machine before the end of the year. Any chance you’d consider joining the warrior sector?”“Ha. Now you’re just being sarcastic.”“Not in the slightest, for once.” He begins t
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 44 : Battle Plans
*Vanessa*As Shawn tells me about the council meeting with the Elders and specifically Elder Luka’s dressing down of Henley, I get so caught up in the story that I don’t even notice him absentmindedly playing with my hair. I laugh when I hear what Elder Luka said, and I laugh even harder when Shawn describes Henley’s reaction. I look up at him, watching the peaceful look on his face and I feel that contentment spread to me too. It’s so calming to see and hear him be happy. But as a comfortable lull settles into our conversation, I really think for the first time about something he mentioned earlier. “Wait. I’m sorry, did you say that you were planning on expanding our territory?” I ask him, suddenly shooting up.“Yeah,” he confirms, sounding confused. Excitement piques my voice. “I have an idea.”“Baby, please don’t tell me that you’re wanting to talk about strategy right now?” he pleads with a puppy look on his face. My stomach twists when
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 43 : Late First Date
*Shawn*“Well, you seem to have plenty of new things coming up on the horizon, Alpha Shawn.” Nothing about Henley’s statement sounds congratulatory at all. Instead, he says it with clear resentment. Which only makes me happier to agree. “Yes. There are quite a few adjustments Ashborne will be making for the future. One of which is a plan to start expanding our territory within the next two years. I’ll be calling more council meetings to discuss plans regarding just how we’ll achieve that.”Henley’s eyes widen. “Expand our territory? Are you planning on staying here? I thought we would move again, and that this arrangement was only temporary,” he says, stuttering over his words. “No,” I reply simply. “This is one of the best possible locations for our pack to lay roots down. Our proximity to resources, fertile hunting grounds, and other pack patrol paths is as good as we could hope for. I doubt we’ll find anything better unless you plan to drive another pack
The Broken Fate of a Fated Mate Chapter 42 : Second Impressions
*Vanessa*Waking up in Shawn’s arms feels like a luxury. This time, I don’t have to leave in the early hours. This time, I can allow myself to relax and enjoy the feeling of his warmth and weight against my body. Last night felt like a dream. Not only did I finally feel like I was able to fully embrace becoming part of Ashborne without any last remnants of my time with Helbane and Trent, but Shawn opened up to me and allowed me to see the more vulnerable parts of himself. It felt like on both counts, I was beginning to get more serious.And while I know that I should probably have some work to do today, I don’t want to leave the comfort of Shawn’s bed. “Up already?” His voice from behind me is groggy and deeper than normal due to sleepiness, but it sounds so attractive that my stomach twists into knots.“It’s my first official day as an officially-instituted strategist. I figured I should probably start getting ready to make a good first impression,” I
