~MearaThe world materialises around me, revealing an unfamiliar sight.Hazel pulls her hand out of Sire, shuddering. The experience of being transported somewhere isn't easy to get used to.She shakes off any uncomfortable feelings before gasping, turning in a tight circle as she drinks in the site of where the ceremony takes place.“Wow, I’ve only ever dreamed of this place," she marvels, pressing her palms to her cheeks.This place is far from our Pack, only accessible by magic. For as far as the eye can see, there is only cracked desert plains, reaching out toward the horizon. The only thing disturbing the hauntingly empty space is a lush oasis that doesn't stretch very far at all.Rubbing a frown from my brow, I look back over my shoulder. Desert. When I look forward, there's the oasis that looks like a crack in reality."How is this even possible?" I question, looking at where the ground has been dug up and a marble pool of some sort lies."Magic," Hazel answers, stepping onto t
~MearaI shift into the room uncomfortably, my cheeks stained with a semi-permenant blush.The weight of what is supposed to happen tonight hangs between Sire and I. He's transported us from the ceremony site to a tense dinner with Hazel, and back here again, to his manor.Now we stand in my room. Well, I stand in the centre of it, and he lingers apprehensively in the doorway."How are you feeling?" He asks gently.He has never seemed more uncomfortable than in this moment."I'm fine," I mumble, rubbing the back of my neck.We stand in silence for a few long, painful moments. My skin feels hot, my eyes unable to meet his intense stare. I'm afraid that if I look at him, and how tall and imposing her looks, I'll panic and try to take back the whole ceremony.I mean, how can I have sex with this man when I can't even look into his eyes right now?"Do you need something to eat?" He questions, rubbing a hand through his hair."No...no I'm fine.""Alright." He clears his throat, looking mo
~MearaI draw the curtains back, the sun warming my skin.That feeling used to be one of my favourites. After a satisfying sleep, standing under the morning sun rays would bring a pleasant feeling. Now, that feeling is suffocated by what I've woken up to.I feel like I am a completely different person.Sire was asleep next to me when I woke up this morning. I snuck from the room and headed downstairs, wanting to avoid the conversation that I know is inevitable.Even doing that was difficult. Since waking, I can feel a tension between us, that I almost deluded myself into thinking I could physically grab it. The more I've stepped away from him, the more the bond has tightened.I already can tell that if we are too far away, it will go from feeling vaguely uncomfortable, to overwhelmingly painful.The witches weren't lying about the connection...“Good morning.”I flinch, whirling around.With my thoughts no longer crowded by thoughts of the bond, I feel the tension ease with Sire's pro
~MearaI storm up the steps, trying to force some calm into my body.He doesn't need to die. He doesn't need to die.I repeat my mantra over and over under my breath, trying to keep to my morals. As much as I would like to see Carran suffer for detaining my best friend, and causing her physical injury, I can't give into the temptation when there is so much more at stake.Sire was more than willing to oblige my angered intentions. I've managed to calm down within the hour. Enough, at least, to decide that no harm will come to Carran unless he instigates it.Or if he causes Hazel any more harm...I slam my fist into the door rapidly. His guards let me into the property with nothing more than a murmur of greeting.Carran knows I'm coming. He's betting on it, I assume.The door opens moments later, and instead of it being one of his staff like I suspected, it's Carran. He gives me a lopsided grin, propping the door open for me to storm into the foyer."I assume you know why I'm here," I g
~MearaCarran's panic sets in immediately.He sends a few guards off to search the home, but that only makes him more vulnerable. Sure enough, only moments later the last guard sets off, Sire stalks through the door, closing it firmly behind him.Carran immediately scrambles back, rounding the desk as if it could do anything to protect him from his imminent death."You don't want to kill me," he hisses.Sire glances to the side, to where I lean against the wall, cradling my bleeding wound. Something dark and lethal flicks across his eyes before he drags them back to Carran."Actually, I think I do," he says lowly.Despite being the picture of death, he looks awfully casual. His hands are seated in his pockets, and there is not a single weapon in sight."My witches have very specific instructions if you do," Carran spits out, trying to hide his obvious fear behind a wall of venom. "Far more terrible things await you, Sire, if you kill me.""You hurt my mate.""She can be healed." Carra
~MearaI rest my hands on Sire's shoulders, trying to ground him.Today is what all of this has been about. Although it doesn't feel like it for him, it's been centuries since Sire has been in power, and no one here knows of what he is capable of.It's why Sire didn't sleep last night, spending most of it pacing back and forth down the hallway.We both know words aren't going to be enough to convince the people that he can be trusted. They have no idea who he is, and he killed their Alpha. They will learn, though, that there hasn't been such a powerful Alpha since him, and there will never be another one again.Sire looks up the stairs of the raised stage, hearing the murmurings of those who await news on their Alpha. We are in the busiest part of the Pack, and everyone has been alerted that an important announcement awaits them."Don't be nervous," I soothe. Despite my urging for his calm, my own tone is tight and strained.I have faith in him, but I'm also nervous. What if the peopl
~Meara “Here.”Groaning, I dump my pack against a nearby tree, stretching my stiff back.“Here?” I look around the clearing. Seems a lot less impressive than what I envisaged in my head.My friend glances over her shoulder from where she is rifling in her bag.“What did you expect?”“Something more than a random clearing…A marker, maybe?” I kick at the dirt, expecting fairy dust or something of similar affect to float up from the ground.See, when your friend tells you about an ancient curse keeping an Alpha entombed alive underground from centuries ago, you expect more magic.Hazel herself has partial witch genetics, which is why I agreed to accompany her on this tiresome hike.The story is compelling. The Alpha beneath our feet is encompassed in a unique spell. He was placed there during a war between two Pack's, considered too dangerous to continue living, but impossible to kill.Well, that's if the story is true, anyway.“It took years for my father to find it. He wants to keep a
~MearaScrambling backward, I don't stop until my back is pressed against a wall.The tomb is decently sized with tile walls and a natural ceiling of dirt, which seems unaffected even though I just sank through it.The air is stale and mossy smelling. Every crevice of the walls and floors are caked with dirt and fresh growth. Water drips down most of the walls, wetting my back while it feeds the flora.And from what I can see, there is no escape.My head falls into my hands. This can't be real.There is a terrible reality that echoes through my head, but I refuse to acknowledge it. This was meant to be a fun, stupid trip. The story is amusing, sounding more like fiction than reality.And yet here I am, in a tomb that can only belong to one person.Finally, I drag a reluctant gaze to the stone casket.It's perfectly untouched. The stone is still bright and polished, as if it were just put here yesterday, while the rest of the tomb decays.Magic.It sits a top a dais that is half submer
~MearaI rest my hands on Sire's shoulders, trying to ground him.Today is what all of this has been about. Although it doesn't feel like it for him, it's been centuries since Sire has been in power, and no one here knows of what he is capable of.It's why Sire didn't sleep last night, spending most of it pacing back and forth down the hallway.We both know words aren't going to be enough to convince the people that he can be trusted. They have no idea who he is, and he killed their Alpha. They will learn, though, that there hasn't been such a powerful Alpha since him, and there will never be another one again.Sire looks up the stairs of the raised stage, hearing the murmurings of those who await news on their Alpha. We are in the busiest part of the Pack, and everyone has been alerted that an important announcement awaits them."Don't be nervous," I soothe. Despite my urging for his calm, my own tone is tight and strained.I have faith in him, but I'm also nervous. What if the peopl
~MearaCarran's panic sets in immediately.He sends a few guards off to search the home, but that only makes him more vulnerable. Sure enough, only moments later the last guard sets off, Sire stalks through the door, closing it firmly behind him.Carran immediately scrambles back, rounding the desk as if it could do anything to protect him from his imminent death."You don't want to kill me," he hisses.Sire glances to the side, to where I lean against the wall, cradling my bleeding wound. Something dark and lethal flicks across his eyes before he drags them back to Carran."Actually, I think I do," he says lowly.Despite being the picture of death, he looks awfully casual. His hands are seated in his pockets, and there is not a single weapon in sight."My witches have very specific instructions if you do," Carran spits out, trying to hide his obvious fear behind a wall of venom. "Far more terrible things await you, Sire, if you kill me.""You hurt my mate.""She can be healed." Carra
~MearaI storm up the steps, trying to force some calm into my body.He doesn't need to die. He doesn't need to die.I repeat my mantra over and over under my breath, trying to keep to my morals. As much as I would like to see Carran suffer for detaining my best friend, and causing her physical injury, I can't give into the temptation when there is so much more at stake.Sire was more than willing to oblige my angered intentions. I've managed to calm down within the hour. Enough, at least, to decide that no harm will come to Carran unless he instigates it.Or if he causes Hazel any more harm...I slam my fist into the door rapidly. His guards let me into the property with nothing more than a murmur of greeting.Carran knows I'm coming. He's betting on it, I assume.The door opens moments later, and instead of it being one of his staff like I suspected, it's Carran. He gives me a lopsided grin, propping the door open for me to storm into the foyer."I assume you know why I'm here," I g
~MearaI draw the curtains back, the sun warming my skin.That feeling used to be one of my favourites. After a satisfying sleep, standing under the morning sun rays would bring a pleasant feeling. Now, that feeling is suffocated by what I've woken up to.I feel like I am a completely different person.Sire was asleep next to me when I woke up this morning. I snuck from the room and headed downstairs, wanting to avoid the conversation that I know is inevitable.Even doing that was difficult. Since waking, I can feel a tension between us, that I almost deluded myself into thinking I could physically grab it. The more I've stepped away from him, the more the bond has tightened.I already can tell that if we are too far away, it will go from feeling vaguely uncomfortable, to overwhelmingly painful.The witches weren't lying about the connection...“Good morning.”I flinch, whirling around.With my thoughts no longer crowded by thoughts of the bond, I feel the tension ease with Sire's pro
~MearaI shift into the room uncomfortably, my cheeks stained with a semi-permenant blush.The weight of what is supposed to happen tonight hangs between Sire and I. He's transported us from the ceremony site to a tense dinner with Hazel, and back here again, to his manor.Now we stand in my room. Well, I stand in the centre of it, and he lingers apprehensively in the doorway."How are you feeling?" He asks gently.He has never seemed more uncomfortable than in this moment."I'm fine," I mumble, rubbing the back of my neck.We stand in silence for a few long, painful moments. My skin feels hot, my eyes unable to meet his intense stare. I'm afraid that if I look at him, and how tall and imposing her looks, I'll panic and try to take back the whole ceremony.I mean, how can I have sex with this man when I can't even look into his eyes right now?"Do you need something to eat?" He questions, rubbing a hand through his hair."No...no I'm fine.""Alright." He clears his throat, looking mo
~MearaThe world materialises around me, revealing an unfamiliar sight.Hazel pulls her hand out of Sire, shuddering. The experience of being transported somewhere isn't easy to get used to.She shakes off any uncomfortable feelings before gasping, turning in a tight circle as she drinks in the site of where the ceremony takes place.“Wow, I’ve only ever dreamed of this place," she marvels, pressing her palms to her cheeks.This place is far from our Pack, only accessible by magic. For as far as the eye can see, there is only cracked desert plains, reaching out toward the horizon. The only thing disturbing the hauntingly empty space is a lush oasis that doesn't stretch very far at all.Rubbing a frown from my brow, I look back over my shoulder. Desert. When I look forward, there's the oasis that looks like a crack in reality."How is this even possible?" I question, looking at where the ground has been dug up and a marble pool of some sort lies."Magic," Hazel answers, stepping onto t
~MearaI push away from Sire, whirling around to face him.My cheeks are flushed with shame, knowing I've been caught in a lie that I'm not going to be able to escape from. Sire wouldn't have brought me back here so promptly if he didn't know something was going on.“Why don’t you sit down.” He motions into the other room, his stare ice cold.“Take me back, Sire," I growl.He brushes past me, shaking his head. “You’re not going anywhere.”My jaw tightens as I narrow my eyes at his back, contemplating ways to get out of this conversation. He won't understand, even if what I'm trying to do is for his benefit. He would rather kill Carran now then continue hiding.“I just needed a break…” I exclaim, following him into the sitting room.Sire waves his hand in the direction of the double glass doors. They swing open, a warm breeze flowing in, contrasting against the chill that has seized my insides.“I know you were with Carran,” he mutters, falling into his brown leather seat, letting out
~MearaI hurry down the stairs, shoving a coat over my shoulders as I go.Time is of the essence. I need to do this today.As I expected, Sire is in his office, pouring over who knows what. I haven't asked him because I'm afraid the answer will reveal a diabolical plan that I don't want to be privy to.I need to focus on one thing at a time.He looks up from his desk as I wander in, hushing my rushed breathing."Can you take me to Hazel?" I ask lightly.I made my decision in the early hours of this morning. Part of me is curious...would Carran even consider it, or would he blow me off? Regardless, the driving force behind my decision is the other repercussion of ending the curse with Sire.Carran will want to know how it ended, and if he asks the right people and the right questions, he will know Sire has been released from his tomb.I can't let that happen. Carran would kill Sire."We can both talk to her," Sire offers, rising from his chair."I want to see her, on my own." I rub the
~MearaI stare through the canopy of leaves, stretching out uncomfortably.There's a bitter chill to the air, but at least the rain has ceased. We are camped out in the forest near Kimsa's house. It's too late to walk to the edge of her magical protection bubble, and she doesn't want us in the house with her, so here we are."Tomorrow we go to Hazel and have her bring us to this location," Sire says as he sets down some more blankets next to me, gesturing at me to lay them over myself.I fold my hands over my stomach, staring upward. "You haven't even given me a chance to think about this."This should be an easy decision. I shouldn't be thinking twice about being aligned to Sire. We are mates, we are already bonded. But the way Kimsa described what it would be like to be aligned overwhelmed me.When we are apart, I will feel it...I already do, but now, I fear it may be excruciating. What else might I feel? Will my emotions become too much to handle?The thought is terrifying..."What