Kiara:
I can’t sleep all day because all I can think about is what Zane might do to me. I am an Alpha female, and there’s no way I will bow to a human convert like him. Apologize? That’s foreign to my nature, and he’s not my Blake.
The mention of Blake brings tears to my eyes, and I end up crying myself to sleep.
“Ma’am, wake up,” someone says, touching and poking my body.
My body wakes up, and the chill from the concrete floor where I lie rushes up my body faster than a lightning bolt. This causes me to open my eyes at once to see Ariana crouched beside me.
“It’s morning and I’m here to give you your breakfast,” she says, and I groan, refusing to sit up.
I have fought so hard to keep going, but life is becoming unbearable. The thoughts of Blake still cloud my mind and I feel an ache in it, as I wonder what he could be doing with Veronica at the moment.
“Ma’am, please eat. Mr. Malibu will be here in a few minutes to bring you out to the entire house, and he plans to…”
“Show me the mirror of truth. I know it’s very terrible, both for werewolves and humans,” I say, and she sighs. “I told you not to worry about me, or be sad about me being punished, because I’ll overcome,” I say, sitting up.
Even after this, Ariana keeps her head bent.
“I’ll eat your food if it pleases you.”
She looks up with a smile on her face, and then she pushes the plate of bread and wine to me.
“Thank you,” I whisper, then I start to eat my food.
Shortly after I finish my meal, and Ariana leaves, I hear the gates opening, and Zane’s aura fills the place.
My heart beats faster because I know it’s time. I lie face down on the ground with my eyes shut, in order not to face him. He is a beast, and he doesn’t deserve to be seen.
“Have you changed your mind yet, or are you willing to face the mirror of truth? I know you have some heart-wrenching pasts, and you will be met with them today.”
Zane:
“I would rather die by stake than stand in public to apologize to a man like you!” She grits her teeth, sending a surge of anger to my chest.
A part of me doesn’t want to do this to her, but I have to exert my authority. She has disrespected me enough in my house, and that would give the wrong impression to my servants.
“Very well then,” I say, snapping a finger, and my men unlock the cell doors.
They grab her roughly, undo her chains, then they pull her to her feet, and push both her hands backwards.
She looks up at me and I stare at her once beautiful eyes which now hold nothing but sorrow. Her hair is a mess and her clothes are dirty because she hasn’t showered, but I try to shut my emotions off to all of this. She has to be punished.
“Take her to my chambers and tie her down to the seat in front of the mirror. Gather the servants in the house and let them watch her misery.”
My words hurt me, and I look away as my men whisk her out of the dungeon.
“Zane, you can fix this by calling this off right away. Do not let this turn into something else.”
When my wolf speaks, the anger in me heightens.
“You are not my father, and I do not need you telling me what to do!” I yell, storming off.
When I get to my chambers, I see Kiara sitting with her head bent. I try to ignore her, and I take a seat on the elevated platform in front while my servants stand around.
“I give you one last chance to apologize, Kiara,” I say to her, and then she scoffs.
“Over my dead body.”
“Very well then,” I say, snapping a finger, and Rufus grabs her by her throat, causing her to scream in pain.
The mirror which is placed in front of her on a stand is unveiled, and she stares into it.
“Argh!” she screams.
Kiara:
The first reflection I see in the mirror is Blake and Veronica. The memories of them are replayed and this time, I am in the room while they get down to their business.
“I love you so much, and I regret marrying Kiara,” Blake moans into her ears, causing my breathing to heighten with my heart heavier than a mountain on a needle.
“Saying you are not hurt won’t take away the pain, Kiara. Your husband hates you, and your father, too. He has moved on without you,” the mirror speaks, and I shake my head, placing my hands on my ears to block out his words but he isn’t speaking out to anyone but me, and of course, Zane who is my mate.
I’m taken to our home, where my father is busy with his tasks. The family photos that once adorned the walls are now destroyed. The scene swiftly transitions to the images being incinerated, a symbol of my metaphorical death to him.
“Stop this!” I plead, my fingers digging into Rufus’s hand, prompting him to let go of my head.
“Lash her!” Zane commands. I feel the sting of a whip on the back of my neck, and someone seizes me from behind.
The servants gasp in shock, and I see Ariana fleeing the scene, tears streaming down her face.
Once again, the mirror captures my gaze. This time, it shows me in this house. Initially, I’m unaware that it’s the mirror’s trick to soothe me, but the sight of Zane and Natalie together shatters my heart into countless pieces.
“She is a worthless piece of shit who deserves to suffer,” Zane declares, grabbing Natalie and pressing his lips onto hers.
The image of what happened that day plays over and over until I tear Natalie to pieces in my mind.
“Admit it, you are a murderer and the man for whom you killed her doesn’t love you. Everyone hates you in life, and…”
“Enough!” I shout, pushing the man holding my head with great force, making him stagger back.
“Lash her!” Zane commands, and one of his men rushes at me to lash me, but I grab his hands, flinging him into the mirror.
It crashes down, shattering into multiple pieces and cutting into the man’s skin, which begins to bleed.
Bailey’s soul is pricked, and she takes over my body. I grab the chain wrapped around my legs, tugging on it, and tearing it down.
The servants scream, tuning out of the room as I tune into a wolf.
Then I stand up, and strike his men randomly. I want to stop, but the rage has eaten down and all I want to do is hurt the people that caused me pain.
“Stop right this moment!” Zane commands, but I ignore him, grabbing his men at random and flinging them into the air.
Someone pulls out a gun.
“Do not fucking shoot!” He commands again, and I turn around to see his black wolf rushing at me.
He pushes me so hard that I fall to the wall. He reverts to human form, and I charge at him with my wolf, but then he strikes me with a stake. Not just any stake, it is Argentum…