KEILAH
As the edges of my vision began to fade, I mustered every ounce of strength I had left and looked into his eyes and spoke up anyways… “Why are you always trying to kill me when I am your mate?” He flicked his eyes, a mixture of anger and confusion dancing within them. I pressed on, my voice shaky but determined. “I know you’re a werewolf and the alpha who doesn’t like humans for some reason I don’t know of. And me being human and your mate makes it difficult for you, I understand and am sorry that you’re struggling with it.”
His expression hardened, but a hint of conflict lingered in his eyes. In a swift motion, he released his hold, allowing me to crumple to the ground. Gasping for air, I watched as he turned away without saying anything and disappeared out.
Feeling bruised and drained, I managed to pull myself up and staggered towards the bathroom. The hot water cascaded over me, soothing my aching muscles, but my mind was still racing with unanswered questions. Why does he always hurt me? Does he enjoy watching me in pain? What was it about humans that made him despite us so deeply?
After the shower, I wrapped myself in a towel and sat on the bed, contemplating everything that had transpired. A knock on the door startled me, and the old woman entered with a tray of food. She smiled warmly, placing it on the nightstand.
“Here, dearie, have something to eat.” she said kindly before sitting next to me with a furrowed face after looking at my neck. Did Ralph do that to you? She asked.
Mmmh, I replied and scooped rice with chicken gravy into my mouth. He found me on the phone with my aunt, but he thought I was talking to the police.
I’ll go talk to him. He has to stop this. She said as she stood up.
Don’t bother… as I finished the words, she was already out.
The food tastes amazing, but swallowing was another tug of war I had to fight.
After eating half of the food I dressed in the clothes she got me, they weren’t my style but not bad. I grabbed the tray and left the room to look for the kitchen.
I stood frozen at how big this mansion was. It was massive, filled with grandeur. The walls were ornate and adorned with intricate paintings, and chandeliers hung from ceilings so high they seemed to touch the heavens. I felt like a speck in this grandeur, unsure of where to go next. Despite its opulence, there was an eerie silence that hung in the air.
As I marched forward, my footsteps echoed against the marble floors, making the silence of the mansion seem even more pronounced.
After wandering around, peeking in different empty rooms that I thought was a kitchen, I finally gave up, feeling tired. I thought finding a kitten would be easy. I didn’t expect it to be this hard. Now I have no idea how to go back to the room I was in.
Lost in my thoughts, I inadvertently found myself standing at a set of imposing double doors. With a tiny hope that it might be the kitchen, I pushed the doors open, to my astonishment it was another room bigger than the rest. My breath caught in my throat as I stepped inside. The room was immense, adorned with lavish furnishings and a king-sized bed that dominated the space. It took a moment for me to realize whose room I had unknowingly entered. It’s his room. It smells like him. Thinking of his name just gives me goosebumps.
Feeling a rush of fear, I turned to leave, but something caught my eye on the bedside table. Among the assortment of books and trinkets was a glass framed photograph-a younger version of him, smiling alongside a woman who bore a striking resemblance to him.
Getting closer, my heart skipped a beat as I realized the woman in the photo was one of the women I see in my dream. The tray slipped from my hands, scattering the leftover food everywhere.
Lost in my thoughts, I failed to notice his presence until his deep voice cut through the silence.
“What are you doing here?” His tone was stern, catching me off guard as I turned to face him, wide-eyed and speechless.
He stood at the doorway, his expression unreadable, eyes fixed on mine. It was then that I noticed the raw emotion etched into his features-a mixture of confusion, anger, and a hint of disgust.
“I…I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to intrude,” I stammered.
Wh… who is that woman, I asked while pointing at the framed photo, shaking.
His gaze flickered between me and the photograph before giving me a lingering gaze. His gaze was so intense, but my mind was glued to the picture until someone intruded, breaking the tense.
Oh, what do we have here? The alpha’s human mate. She looked up at Ralph, whose eyes never left mine. Did I interrupt you guys? She said and drew herself closer to him. She was so close to him that it bothered me a little. Don’t tell me you’re going to mate with her. You don’t need to do that. I will help you keep your wolf and your position as our alpha.
She gave me a side eye before bringing her hands around his body before saying, “You only need to claim me.”
Her words felt like a cold breeze cutting through the tension. I unexpectedly clenched my fists, trying to reign in the surge of emotions.
The way she touched him made my stomach twist. The way she leaned into him, her fingers tracing his arm, sparked an unfamiliar jealousy within me. Good heavens, what’s wrong with me? What are these emotions I am having? Not in a world I would ever dream of falling for this psycho. Is it the unexpected aftermath of facing the fragility of life? I wondered.
I shook these annoying emotions out of my head and opened my mouth to dryly ask him about the photo, but before I could speak anything, he pushed the woman away, turned away, and left.
Wait, you didn’t answer me. I asked, shouting behind his back as I tried to follow him. Before I could make it out, this woman grabbed my hand and swung me across the room. I landed on the chaos of the books, their weight pressing down on me.
She sauntered towards me with a deceitful smile, extending a hand as if to help. “Oops, I didn’t mean for that to happen. Are you okay?” She asked, her voice dripping with insincerity. l hesitated, eyeing her cautiously, but accepted the offered hand and began to rise.
Before I could regain my balance, her expression darkened, grabbing me in the throat. “Stay away from him. He’s mine.” she hissed, her grip tightening around my throat. Her eyes bore into mine, a chilling warning as the room seemed to grow colder. Panic surged within me as I struggled to break free, but her strength was daunting.
Just as quickly as it began, she released me, letting me stumble backwards. With a final menacing glare, she turned away, disappearing out the doors. Gasping for air, I steadied myself against the bookshelf, heart pounding with both fear and confusion.
What in the world have I done to deserve this? What made her think I’m into this man? I awkwardly laughed before whispering sharply, “You’ve got the wrong person. Any woman in my shoes would never have their eyes on a scumbag like him. He’s all yours.” My heart was jamming so terribly. But before I could dwell on it further, my eyes landed back on the photo.
Curious, I reached for the photo on the nightstand, wondering if I was imagining things. As I lifted it, l couldn’t help but notice its weight. With trembling hands, I examined it closely, confirming that it was indeed real. It was the same woman I had seen in my recurring dreams, the one whose best friend betrayed. The memory of that dream flashed in my mind, causing me to lose my grip on the glass photo frame. The sound of shattering glass reverberated through the room, jolting me back to reality. For a moment, I stood motionless, the weight of realization sinking in. The photo inside was made out of glass. l stared at the shattered pieces, my heart pounding in my chest. The pieces of glass lay scattered across the marble floor, reflecting slivers of light that danced around the room.
Panic surged through me, unable to think what was gonna happen to me once he found out I broke his photo.