KIARA’S POV:
I twisted around with a glare, my eyes sweeping across the woods and landing on a woman in all black with a mask covering her face as she entered the forest from the shed’s direction, a gun cocked on her shoulder and a broad grin on her lips.
The scent she owns…is one that I’ve marked as an enemy’s, but there’s no doubt that she’s the one who shot the bullets. Has she switched sides?
“You’re the human who stopped my fight?” I dug my glare into her skin.
“Yes.” Her grin widened, smug devouring her features, “But what’s up with that glare? I saved you and I even went and brought backup. You people are stressful, especially my mate. Where is he?”
Backup?
Right on cue, the sound of paws echoed through the forest and werewolves suddenly thundered in behind her, one after the other…both in human and wolf form.
I tilted my head. These wolves…somehow, I can tell that they belong to mate’s pack with just a whiff of their scent, but where did they all come from?
This many allies… will be nothing but a bore. Why has the fight come to this!?
“They’re my wolves.” A whoosh of wind flew past me as mate’s scent whisked into my nostrils and his figure suddenly ghosted my back, his warmth triggering tingles across my skin. I flinched.
Mate?!
“I told you not to leave the shed. Why couldn’t you listen for once?!”
W-When did he get so close?!
Flustered, I spun around and gazed up, my orbs meeting his ebony ones. His eyes…they’ve gone back to normal…but the anger across his face hasn’t lessened one bit. In fact, he looked livid even as he pulled me by the hip, checking me for injuries. Having healed already, he found none and pulled back, eyes travelling back up to my face with a frown, angry creases on his forehead and brows furrowing.
I could clearly feel that mate was upset with me through our bond, but still, I was contented. Mate, mate’s holding me…
This feeling of being held by him…it is the first I have felt it…the first he’s been so close…
“Did you bring her here…Kiara?”
…Kiara? He’s finally acknowledged my presence!
“It was the human,” I managed to gather myself and answer, “She gave me orders to leave the shed.”
That’s partially true, but good enough.
“I only obey.”
He looked down at me, his gaze so intense that it gave me the feeling that he could see right through me. Sweating, I reluctantly broke eye contact and looked down at his chest as my hand hesitantly inched for his, gripping it tightly, “Mate, are you not hurt?”
“This is dangerous.” He stated, sighing whilst his free hand moved to run through his hair, “You should’ve never left the shed.”
Mate…is disappointed?
I opened my mouth to speak, but the sound of his wolves closing in on us made me pause, tearing my gaze away from him. They circled our figures, their front legs lowering slightly and their heads dropping as they bowed. The bow was only brief before they took off, plunging head-first into the barricade Nate’s wolves had formed around him. The enemies were clearly more in number and some even larger in size but they did not make the first move. It seems they were prioritizing shielding their Alpha over anything else.
“By all means, I want the traitor alive.” Mate declared, the command was immediately followed by numerous howls across the forest as a battle of pure savagery commenced. Snarls were exchanged and flesh was ripped, I could hardly make out which were allies and which were enemies with all this bloodshed.
Still, I cannot have them steal not only one opponent, but all. This fight must go on…whether I have to rip apart a few allies or not.
I went to wriggle my hand out of mate’s but his fingers tightened on mine at that exact moment, holding me in place. I looked up at him, confused. “We must fight.” I told him.
“No. Not you.” Was his simple reply.
I blinked. “No? No what? No fight?”
He didn’t reply, but his hands not easing it’s hold was an answer itself. Is he trying to tell me that I should stand in the middle of a war and not fight? But I came for that very reason…! He has already done his share of fighting, but me? I have barely fought anyone!
Still, the frustrated expression on his face and the disapproving look in his eyes as he looked down at me, was enough to make me keep those thoughts to myself.
As much as I want to fight, I should not disobey him any further. If mate hates me, that would be bad. Once I am obedient, mate will let me a do as I wish, won’t he?
“Alpha!” The few werewolves in human form came forward, then the woman followed behind, pushing their way through the wolves and halting just a few steps in front of us. “Apologies, Luna, Alpha! We took care of his men and headed here straight away!” One male spoke, shoulders slouching as he huffed. He looked pretty battered despite having just arrived, with dried blood all over his skin and claw marks through his clothes. That could only mean he had fought somewhere before here.
I looked him up and down, tilting my head. “You, where is the other fight?” I questioned.
“Uh…o-other fight?”
“You have been fighting, haven’t you?”
“O-Oh, yes! But we already killed them all, and this woman helped us get here.” He explained.
I frowned. “I see. Well, since your fight is already over, shouldn’t you wolves stand by while we finish ours? You must not interfere, or do you wish to die?” My eyes drifted towards the woman, the last few words directed at her.
“H…Huh?” Alarm quickly covered his face. “I d-don’t understand…”
“Has she always been like this?” A laugh came from the woman’s lips. “She reminds me of myself, must be why I don’t like her…at all. Anyway, you are covered in filth, Alpha.” She took her gun off her shoulder and pressed the muzzle to the ground, “But you seem fine, meanwhile Lucas over there, looks fucked up. Why the hell?”
Mate’s eyes settled on her and his jaw clenched, his face going grim as if a dark cloud had settled over him. “…What are you doing? Why did you bring them here?”
“What’s up with everyone and this hostile air?” She took a step back, and slipped behind the man, looking over his shoulder, “I was paid to kill all these big wolves, but I decided to level the field instead. I understand our past but in exchange for going to such lengths for the sake of your pack…well honestly for the sake of my mate, I expect to be pardoned and allowed to mate with him WITHIN your pack…”
Mate glared at her, “Have I ever looked that easy to you?”
“Well, you have room for another human, right? And I’m sure Clara has already forgiven me for trying to kill her a few times. Haven’t you, Donna?” She peeped at me, grinning from ear to ear.
“I am not Clara.” I deadpanned, scowling. “Still, what makes you think we won’t kill you where you stand? You are a mere human as it is.”
Her grin dropped instantly, “I was counting on you not wanting your brother to be mateless for the rest of his life? Am I wrong? And I lost a shit-ton of money by doing this, just so you know. Plus, I just saved you.”
“You did not ‘save’ me. Rather, you spoilt the fun.” I corrected, “I was not in any danger.”
“You definitely were.”
“I was not.”
“You were.”
“I said I was not! Human, do you wish to die?! I could pluck your ey—”
“Kiara.” Mate cut me off, the impassive manner my name rolled off his tongue sending a cold chill down my spine.
I stiffened.
“Its time you went back.” It was then that his hand finally released mine and he stepped away from me, the tingles disappearing along with his warmth. Gloom overtook me the second I heard those words and I looked back at him in panic, readying to reach back for his arm. But the second my fingers grazed his skin, his hand moved quicker than I could register and before I knew it, the side of my neck stung as a sudden feeling of lightheadedness passed over me.
My body immediately swayed to the side, eyelids becoming heavy. I tried to blink away the haze from my vision, but in seconds, everything around me had already been devoured by darkness, then I vaguely felt his arm wrap around my back just as my legs gave out and I began to fall.
Then and there, I not only lost consciousness but also, all hope of joining the bloodshed…