25

CLARA
I stood frozen, my hands shaking with fear as I watched the scene playing out in front of me. My hands immediately flew up to my neck, and I gasped out, my eyes widening in shock as I knew I was in danger and there was no help coming.
I could feel my heartbeat picking up its pace, beating erratically, almost as fast as the fear was spreading through my whole body. Was this really how it was going to end for me if I got caught? I never even got to do any of the things I’d seen myself doing as I got older, never lived my life the way I really wanted to. And now everything was just going to pull to an abrupt halt the moment I made the mistake of slipping up and getting found out. I was going to lose everything, Eleanor included, and might end up ruining her without her even realizing it.
The sound of someone’s footsteps retreating drew my attention back to the image in front of me and I snapped back to reality just to see Eleanor running out of the arena and I did the same, by the time we got to her, she was retching, having emptied her stomach. Her hands clenched together, and I could see the anger in her eyes.
This was different from the Eleanor I used to know, and it scared me. She has been going through a lot of hardship and pain, all coupled with the meaningless punishments from her master, the alpha of this cursed pack. Jasmine had told me everything Eleanor had gone through in the hands of Zane and seeing her that day when she was released had me more worried than ever, now knowing what he was capable of and hoping she does not have to go through that anytime soon… or ever again.
I wouldn’t say life has been fair for me ever since the day our pack was burnt to the ground and I was put up for auction at the arena, but I was thankful to the Moon Goddess for how it played out for me for the most of it. I was lucky enough to be bought by my mate, who had patiently been waiting for his true mate and had bought me without a second thought the moment he laid eyes on me.
I had been living a more satisfying life, under the same roof as my mate, who adored and loved me. I had told him I wanted to find Eleanor after coming to terms with the fact that I’d found my mate, and he did not miss a beat before promising to find her at all costs. When he finally did, I was overjoyed, but also anxious at the thought of meeting her again. It would also be against protocol to just go to her as I wanted to, and Lennox made sure I did not make any rash decisions that could warrant punishment or something worse.
He was so protective of me, and as much as I loved that, I was dying to see her and know how she was doing, living in this godforsaken place. I grew tired of watching her from afar, and it just wasn’t enough anymore as I grew more desperate with each passing day. Thankfully, I hadn’t gotten to my limit before Lennox had pulled some strings to get me into the alpha’s quarter, which he was totally against at first, but he knew he had to do something or I’d be taking matters into my own hands.
That night, when he’d announced the good news, we got drunk in celebration and made an even bigger mistake, one that we’d been struggling to cover up for weeks now. Keeping the continuous arguments with Lennox, -who never missed a chance to voice his displeasure at my decision to keep it hidden- aside, I grew more paranoid with each passing day, as it was only a matter of time until someone finds out and we, or rather I, would be in big trouble.
I should tell Eleanor or even Jasmine at this juncture, but then again, what good would come out of burdening them with my own issues, and knowing Eleanor, she would probably do everything in her power to make sure I was well protected, even if it meant hurting herself more, or worse accepting defeat. Would I be able to forgive and live with myself knowing that I was the reason she would allow herself to be trampled upon by the guy she so desperately wanted to kill?
‘Get yourself together, Clara, you can do it. Just leave it a secret. You don’t have to keep weighing them down with your own problems. You will be fine.’ I kept repeating to myself.
“I need to find him, it seems he is the only one that can help us” I heard Eleanor say and I was confused as I stared from Jasmine to Eleanor, hoping one of them would tell me who ‘he’ was and maybe his name, whoever he was.
“You are joking right. Thanks to him, you were imprisoned, starved, and even assaulted in there by Zane, and you still want to see him!?” Jasmine asked almost in a yell, and Eleanor nodded, pursing her lips.
“He is the only one that can help us right now. I don’t know, I just feel like if I can get to him and tell him about all this, then maybe he could help me…. . maybe train me to fight back or something,” Eleanor mumbles, and Jasmine scoffs loudly.
“Do you know how you sound right now? You sound fucking insane! Are you really just trying to get yourself killed?” Jasmine asks ludicrously and I figured I’d had enough of being left in the dark.
“Hold on guys… hold on. Please stop with the death talk, you are all freaking me out. And what do you mean by him, who is the ‘he’ in question and you…” I said, pointing to Eleanor, “… What do you mean he is the only one that can help us right now? I need answers! Let me in!” I finished, crossing my hands over my chest as my eyes moved between both of them.
“Your friend or sister here…. had found her mate the night we were arrested and beaten. I believe he was the reason why she was thrown in that dungeon and left to starve for a week and some days and yet here she is, talking about going to find him. Now tell me that doesn’t sound like she wants to accept death in Zane’s hands, because clearly what you saw just now is a clear depiction of what would happen to any of us if we ever meet with any of our mates or get to be marked by them!” Jasmine informed me, exasperated and I felt my heart stutter in my chest.
“Y-y-you found your mate. W-w-who is he?” I stuttered out, eyes wide.
“Finding her mate and knowing who he is won’t help her right now,” Jasmine cut in and I snarled.
“I know but I would like to hear from her….. she has never hidden anything from me before. I’m just shocked, that’s all” I said, pouting as I waited for Eleanor to answer.
“Yes. He’s Easton and right now, I need to find him,” Eleanor simply says, like that was all the explanation I needed before turning to Jasmine, “Do you think you’ll be able to find some information about him without getting caught?” She asks in a mutter, Jasmine still donning an unimpressed look.
“Are we really going to do this?” Jasmine asks and Eleanor nods, looking up to the other like a kicked puppy until she finally caves. “Fine… I’ll look into it, but I’m not promising anything! If I find it to be dangerous, I’m dipping, and dragging you out of it too,” she warns, pointing a finger at Eleanor who smiles.
“Well… what if you find it not to be as dangerous as you fear? What if Eleanor is right and this….. Easton is able to give us a helping hand? What if he’s the key to our freedom? To get us out of this hellhole and live our lives the way we truly want to! To be with our fated mates and be happy with them, do you not want that for yourself?” I asked, mainly to Jasmine but still looking between both of them.
“Tch!! I am really not at all cut out for whatever lovey-dovey relationship is supposed to await me when I find my supposed fated mate. I need him for my revenge and that’s all this is going to be about. If he is as strong as he claimed to be, then I will have no trouble plotting with him, and together, we would get rid of Zane, with me giving the final blow, of course,” Eleanor answers, her hands balling into fists at the end of her words.
“I agree with you and I am ready to support you even to the death. Let’s get our freedom.” I asserted, smiling with newfound hope.
“What the hell Clara, I thought you would be sane enough to try and talk her out of it! This is dangerous! Oh goddess, clearly, I am the only sane one here that is trying to save us from our impending deaths” Jasmine cries, rolling her eyes as Eleanor and I reply with wide grins.
I knew I was being selfish at the moment, I was clearly going to use Eleanor’s well-meaning revenge for my own selfish reasons, but that wasn’t all it was. I also wanted Zane to pay for everything I and Eleanor had been made to go through since the moment his unfortunate feet stepped upon our pack. I also did not want to live and die here, as a slave. I wanted to experience happiness once again. That wasn’t totally selfish of me, was it?
The sound of the trumpet blaring loudly jolted me out of my thoughts and I turned to see Jasmine looking at me with a raised brow, and quickly realized I had a hand on my neck and I quickly dropped it, avoiding her gaze.
“I’m going to head out first, I have some work to do in that damn alpha’s room,” Eleanor grits out, she waved at us for a bit too before hurrying off, mumbling words that I figured were curses aimed at Zane as her figure retreated and that made me smile.
“I guess I will be taking my leave too,” I told Jasmine, bowing slightly and turning to take my leave when she smiled, only for her to grab my wrist, causing me to turn around.
“Clara, I know something is going on with you and I know Eleanor can sense it too. If it’s something we can help you with, then please, you shouldn’t hesitate to tell us about it, but please don’t go egging your best friend into doing something this dangerous. It could cost her her life, you know” Jasmine whispered, her tone heavy with concern, and I smiled knowingly.
“It’s nothing, Jasmine. Thank you for your concern, but Zane invaded our pack, killed our parents, and burned it to the ground. It’s only fair that we want to do the same for him if given the chance. I don’t want to live out my life here as a slave and constantly have sleepless nights praying I don’t break the rules and lose my life because of it, not knowing when it’s going to be your turn to lose your head over a sadistic rule made by a narcissistic asshole is not how I want to keep living. It’s only right we fight and if you don’t see it that way, that’s fine, but I will not appreciate you trying to stop us. I will be off now.”
I shrugged my hand free from her hold after a while of silence. She was right to suspect me. Had I really made it that obvious that something was on my mind? She was right, my acts were a bit careless, but I couldn’t bring myself to tell her that I’d broken the sacred rules. I was carrying the mark of my mate, who also happened to be my master. The smallest of slip ups could be the end for me.
I couldn’t afford that. This was my only way out of here and I would do anything to hold on to it.