Chapter 6

My mother, Alice who was a werewolf by birth, fell in love with a human, Roman. Despite their relationship being frowned upon, my mom's family and her pack, the Night Walker pack, were all against it, my mom secretly married my dad, and they gave birth to me. One night, when I was still a newborn, my dad died mysteriously, my mom assumed he was killed by her pack members and fully turned against them. Then when I was ten, my mom was killed by rogues, leaving my grandmother and aunt as my only family and guardians.

They treated me with contempt and always let me know that I shouldn't have been born. That I was an evidence of a forbidden love that shouldn't have happened. The Night Walker pack also gave me same treatment. They excluded me in every werewolf activity, and only my heightened smell, hearing and my inner wolf inside me were the subtle reminder I had that I was a werewolf. A half werewolf, half human but a werewolf regardless.

I have never experienced what family love felt like. My parents died when I was still very young so I can't remember ever being loved by them. My remaining family hated me and blamed me for their daughter's death.

I also hated myself for being weak, timid and always waiting hopelessly for my family to accept me for who I was.

That was how I've lived eighteen years of my life. But I was exhausted now. I was tired. I felt suffocated. I wanted to breath my last and let go of everything.

So I clutched the sharp, shiny knife harder and brought it close to my wrist. It would be extremely painful, bleeding to death, but it couldn't be as painful as what I feel inside.

I shut my eyes tightly, images of Madison and Jonathan flashed through my mind, I inwardly apologized to them and--

"Are you crazy?!" 

The owner of the deep, angry voice snatched the knife from me and flung it to the other side of the kitchen.

I opened my eyes and Zayne's livid expression stared back at me. He was sweating profusely and panting heavily.

"Have you fucking lost it?!" He yelled again.

"Zayne.... What are you---" 

"You want to take your own life?! Really?! I always thought you were just weak and timid but I never knew you were a fucking coward and selfish too!"

"I'm a coward? I'm selfish? Look who is calling me a coward. You rejected your mate because she was not up to your expectations. Your ridiculously high expectations! And you dare call me a coward!" I screamed at Zayne. 

 I couldn't take it anymore.

How dare he call me selfish?!

I've done everything I could to survive in this cold world but universe kept mocking my efforts.

"And is that why you want to take your own life?!" He snapped back.

I glared at him, my blood boiling.

"Yes. Now get out of my way so I can complete my mission." I demanded.

"I dare you to go ahead while I'm still here." 

Livid and blinded with rage, I gathered my werewolf strength and tried pushing him out of the way, but because he was obviously stronger than I was, he wouldn't budge.

"Get out of my way!" I growled loudly.

"You would have to go through me first." Zayne stated, looking determined.

What the fuck was he problem?! 

I thought he already rejected me. Why was he here trying to help me when I didn't even ask for his goddamn help?!

I started struggling with him physically, my inner wolf came out bringing out my claws and I dug them into his arm. Zayne still didn't budge, he just continued staring at me blankly.

"You stubborn bastard! Get out of my way!" I shouted.

"Think of your friends!" He shouted back and my normal self came back.

"How do you want them to feel? When they hear that their friend took her own life? Think of them and please don't do this." His last statement came out in a soft tone. His eyes were pleading.

"Then what do you want me to do? What do y'all want from me?! You don't want me here and you don't want me to go. What do you want from me?!" I yelled and broke down into heavy sobs that shook my body.

I didn't know how long I sat on the kitchen floor crying out my heart but Zayne was there all through, just watching me bawl my eyes out.

My sobs reduced to sniffs and I finally looked up at him.

"How did you know?" My voice was hoarse and my body was weak.

"I'm supposed to know when you're not safe." He replied.

I scoffed bitterly, "What a joke."

"Then why didn't you just ignore? You couldn't care less if I died or not." I countered.

He was quiet for a moment before he responded, "We are partners. For Mrs Chester's semester project."

I frowned.

And blinked.

"What?"

"If my partner died, that would mean failure for me so I saved you for my own interests."

"You know that's a truckload of lies but we're really partners?!" I tried to clarify again.

"That's what I just said."

"She's toying with me. And it's fun for her." I said to myself scornfully.

"Who?"

"The moon goddess."

He didn't respond to that.

"We will see in school tomorrow. We have to start working on our project. Others have started and I won't let someone like you make me fail so you better show up. " He said and turned to leave. But not before he turned back and said, "I know about the annihilation. I won't let them kill you, I promise."

And Zayne was gone.

I went to school the following day, still in a daze. Wondering if what happened was all a dream. Zayne coming to stop me from taking my life. After rejecting me in front of everybody.

We met for our English project and it felt like a dream all over again because Zayne was back to being cold to me as ever.

He didn't even look at me in the eye. He only said a few words to me. I asked if we could exchange numbers so communication would be easier and he vehemently refused like I asked him for his liver. 

I caught a glimpse of Madison's blond hair and I quickly turned my face in the opposite direction. 

I was still embarrassed and ashamed of those hurtful words I said to them.

And though Jonathan said they will always be there waiting for me, I still felt guilty and didn't think they'd ever forgive me. 

I even compared them to Danielle and Nadine when I knew very well that they had only genuine intentions.

Then I remembered that I had Biology class with them. I started pondering on cutting class, which was not advisable considering how I'd missed days of classes already, or just facing it head on and ignoring them.

I concluded on the latter.

"Lia--" 

My heart pounded against my ribcage as I heard Madison call out my name softly.

I slowly whipped around to face her.

"Lia. Are you okay?" 

Why the hell was she still worried about me? I didn't deserve it.

"Do you still want us to give you space? I-- We can just--" 

I didn't let her finish before pulling her into a tight embrace, bursting into tears.

"I'm so sorry Maddie. I swear I didn't mean what I said that day." I finally told my friend amidst sobs.

"I know Lia, it's okay. I know."

We pulled away and smiled warmly at each other.

"I missed you so much." Madison stated.

"I missed you too. Where is Jonathan?" I noticed his usual absence.

"He's not in school today. He had to take his cat for medical check-up because nobody was home."

"Oh."

I wanted to tell her about how Zayne unexpectedly came to save me but I would be mentioning my suicide attempt which I didn't want to. So I kept our brief moment a little secret.

"About the annihilation Lia...."

"I know. If I get annihilated by the Eclipse pack, then so be it. I just want to go with the flow, instead of trying to fight fate, I'd just go with the script given to me. I'm too exhausted to fight." I said with a sad smile.

"That would not happen. We would protect you with everything we can." Maddie said, determinedly.

I gave her a grateful smile and started heading to Biology class.

"There's a spy. A human spy." 

I twisted around.

"Huh?"

"The Eclipse pack planted a human spy in every organization to pick out hybrids. So we have a spy among us here. They could be a student or a teacher. Nobody knows but there is one mole for the Eclipse pack in this school." She explained.

My jaw dropped slightly. Garrett is really desperate, isn't he? 

What does the bastard even have against hybrids? 

He's well known for being powerful and also being evil. He abused his power and killed people at his will. 

Now he's planting spies in high schools to kill hybrids. Evil, dirty bastard.

Without giving Maddie a response, I grabbed her arm and pulled her with me into Biology class.

After Madison told me about the human spy, I acted non chalant about it but the truth was that I became more apprehensive. I jumped at every slight sound, which was so bad for me because of my heightened sense of hearing. 

I was scared.

Life was tough and it felt like a goddamn chore but I didn't want to die. Not by Garrett Forrest's sword.

Stepping into my house, my grandmother and aunt were sitting on the couch in the living room, wearing long faces.

I was going to ask what was wrong but my Grandma beat me to it.

"Why are you late?" 

"I went over to Jonathan's house. He missed school today." I explained timidly.

I had to go see Jonathan and properly apologize and reconcile with him. I couldn't wait till tomorrow.

She finally looked up and glared at me, "So while your brothers and sisters, your family was fighting for their lives as the Eclipse pack attacked us, you were in a friend's house, having fun? Then tell me why they wouldn't suspect you for the attack?!"

"What? The Eclipse pack attacked us?! Why?!" 

Why would the Eclipse pack attack us?

"How am I supposed to know?! Garrett that sick bastard does what pleases him. That shouldn't be your problem, right now. The members are livid. Some of us were killed, some were injured severally. And they all suspect you for conspiracy because you were absent from the pack meeting yesterday and you are an hybrid."

What the hell?

They never wanted me in their pack meetings, why should that make them suspect me for an attack I knew nothing about??

My phone buzzed and I looked at it.

It was a message from an unknown number.

"Today's little attack is just a warning. Don't cross boundaries with Zayne. Do your bit as his project partner and be on your way. My uncle can wipe off your little pack in a whim, so don't test me sweetie. Zayne's girlfriend, Kendall."

What the hell?