KAMILA'S POV
(FROM A FEW HOURS EARLIER)
"Remember, this weekend, my cousin from Starlight pack is visiting and wants to see the both of us." I say to my mate while we wait for the final event of this tournament to begin.
The sun is extremely hot outside today, yet students gather in numbers to watch the game and honestly, I don't see the point to any of this - the incessant need to engage in pointless activities that adds no value to one's skills or gains them any type of useful connection in the Wolfdom.
Why waste an afternoon riding a boat when you can be studying on important things like pack politics and how each member of the council holds power in what region of the pack?
However, my mate seems to enjoy such pointless activities such as this, even going as far as making it an annual thing amongst the boys.
Right now, his eyes are directed at me but I can easily tell he's thinking about something else, even while our hands are intertwined.
"We also have that date next week Friday." I remind him again for the fifth time, just so there's no excuse that pops up as always.
It's only now that his eyes refocus on me, and his left brow twitches up in confusion.
"Wait, that's next Friday?"
I sigh the moment the words leave his mouth, my wolf doing the same thing as well.
Why am I not surprised by the repetitive behavior?
"You promised to be more present in our relationship right after you recent escapades with Jessica, remember? The date was your first step in remedying the situation, but I see it's not on your list of priorities as compared to this dumb event."
"Not now, Kam. People are watching."
There he goes again, changing the topic and making it seem like it's my fault we have so many issues. I myself am exhausted, having to constantly point out our problems like a nagging bitch, and so, I decide that this time it's not worth it.
Besides his negligence and behavior, I know his sweet side, I know that there was once a part of him that charmed me even when I'd once been reluctant to accept our bond. Well, it mostly took my father's 'light' convincing - but that's besides the point.
Artemis might not know it, but he was my salvation, the one thing that saved me from the hordes of Satan that raised me. Perhaps that was one of the many reasons I'd fallen for him with no restraint, because without him, I'd have nothing, no one to care or willingly stay by my side. Even though half of the school flocks around me, they only do it for my status - deep down, they know what I truly am.
A monster.
But I was raised to be one, because only a heart as tainted as mine could ever withstand a man like Artemis. It's my duty; my honor. Moreover, I see a side to him that no else in the world does, a sensitive heart who's obsessive in his desires - and that side is solely reserved for me.
Just me.
Call it toxic, but he is my mate after all - I'd always be home to him.
"Whatever." I say, looking away from him to catch my breath.
At least it's the final day, right?
After now, he'll be able to spend more time with me. We'd finally do more couple things like he promised, and he'd be less on edge.
"How about we get the chef to prepare something special for just two of us?" I ask now, just thinking about spending time together
I look up at him again, and he's zoned out completely, eyes focused on something serious to the left.
I follow the train of his eyes, finding the human girl and her low-class Omega friend.
The two unusual bunch fit themselves perfectly, but what really stands out right now is none other than Jasper laughing along and conversing with the two like best friends.
What the actual fuck?
Call me old-fashioned, but there is a reason for segregation, and it is the basis our culture stands on. Our classes make and build our society.
Knowing that, a Beta wolf has no place associating with an Omega, much less a filthy human girl.
A million and one questions run through my head, wandering what that idiot is doing there, acting without orders from Artemis.
I look to my mate to complain and what I find answers most of my questions. His eyes remain fixated on the happy group without a shred of anger or annoyance.
If at all he's annoyed, it's because he wants to be there instead.
There's an immediate prick in my chest, my wolf whining from the pain as well just as I realize just who his eyes remain on.
"Does she amuse you that much?" I ask, holding back as much of my bitterness as I can.
"What, who?" He tries to hide it, turning his head away too quickly.
Of course, deny it as you've always done.
"I think I need to do one more check on my boat." He comments now, changing the topic to something else.
He scurries off in the other direction before I can stop him, leaving me there alone to watch them.
I can't help but fume, my heart twisting with a strange sense of unease. With all the girls Artemis has been with, I could always tell that the attraction was only skin deep. Fucking them always gets it out of his system.
Although that has never stopped me from going after them - after all, fighting for a love I very well deserved should never be a crime. But this human girl...
She's not worthy of my time, yet she dares to find a way to bother me constantly even with all the warnings I have given to her out of mercy.
Maybe I'm done being merciful.
In Raven Wood Academy, there are worst things than Artemis Sinclair, and anyone stupid enough to cross my lines eventually learns that the hard way.
I snap my finger and the next moment, one of my numerous followers that always stays nearby to fulfill my wishes in school emerges, ready to follow any command I give without hesitation.
"Yes, my lady?" He bows with respect
"Get to her boat before she can. I want her swimming with the fishes before the end of today." I say simply.
He nods, understanding my words, and in the next second, he vanishes like a shadow, but it's perfect.
Good.
Father would never tolerate my weakness; he'd never accept me if this union with Artemis fails. Threat or not, I will not allow a human girl to ruin everything I've worked so hard to build.
***
An hour later and minutes into the race, Artemis has already taken the lead as expected.
The crowd around me cheers loudly, celebrating his obvious victory.
I wonder what the commotion is mostly about; we all knew he was going to win and the necessity of this final stage was pointless.
But I guess let's humor the human girl.
Somehow, the brat manages to catch up to my mate and for a moment, they exchange some words. From where I sit, I can see her wide smile, reveling in his attention, no doubt about it, and he responds to her as well.
My chest is pricked once more, tightening with the pain that occasionally comes with being mated to someone like Artemis.
But I push it aside, not letting myself be bothered.
There's still a possibility that there's nothing else to it other than just pure curiosity. I mean, who wouldn't be curious about the little human girl prancing around school with so much audacity?
She's just something that's new, and this curiosity would fade over time, or I could make it fade away much faster.
I watch the scene unfold before he speeds up ahead of her again, displaying one of his many expert skills yet again for the crowd to awe at.
He leaves her, and finally, what I've been waiting for eventually happens.
Her once speeding boat comes to a halt, and it seems like she's finally realized what's wrong.
I chuckle to myself, watching her fumble around in panic, trying to fix it when she obviously can't. There's nothing to clog it with, I made sure of that.
I giggle, watching the show.
She runs around, forgetting just how small and delicate her water vessel is before it suddenly turns over and she falls right into the water.
The crowd gasps in shock from the sudden turn of events and even after a few seconds, she doesn't show up to the top as well.
I can't contain the burst of laughter that explodes from me, desperately wanting to applaud her for putting on a worthy show that has my mood improved.
So, she doesn't know how to swim and yet, knowing the consequences, she foolishly challenged herself in such an event. How childish of her.
The scene plays out perfectly just as I imagined.
While Artemis rushes to the finish line, the human bitch drowns for a few minutes until I', satisfied that she's suffered enough in the water.
Unexpectedly though, Artemis stops, looking behind and realizing along with everyone else that she's gone under.
I know my mate, the game is more important than anything to him, especially wining, so of course, he wouldn't risk it - even if it means the human would remain under for just a few more seconds.
He's almost there after all.
But what he does next is shocking...
Instead of crossing the finish line, he turns back suddenly, ignoring the post he was rushing towards only seconds ago to go back for her.
"He's going back for the human girl!"
Some bastard in the crowd yells out like the rest of us don't already have eyes and can't see what's happening.
I climb to my feet, feeling the tension as well.
He wouldn't dare, not while everyone else is watching.
But he does.
Like a hero in a twisted fairytale, he dives into the river, pulling her out in only a few seconds before swinging back to the starting point.
The entire crowd rushes there to witness the entire scene. Witness the Alpha prince, my mate, saving the human girl that was drowning.
In a fit of rage, I go there as well, pushing through the crowd that soon parts ways the minute I'm recognized by them. I move through until I'm right in front of him.
He presses at her chest in haste, with a hint of desperation in his eyes, while he tries to revive her. With every push he gives to her chest, mine hurts even more, doubting what I'm watching.
Until he presses his lips to hers, blowing in.
The world stops, and my heart shatters.
I force my eyes, unable to watch, feeling my entire body burn like flames from the sight of it. These flames scald me, incinerating the last of my sanity and leaving behind a waste of bitterness, pain, and so much rage.
Again, I'm being punished by the mate bond for every single one of the actions he takes without my own consideration. Is this love or hell?
Until she coughs out water does he seem more relaxed before picking her up in his arms and holding her against the warmth of his own body.
"What are you looking at? Everyone, leave!" He yells to the crowd, and they immediately disperse.
Just like that, he walks right past me like I'm a ghost he can't see or recognize, hurting my feelings even more.
"Arty!" I turn to yell at him the second he moves past me. "Where are you going? You need to finish the race."
He stops in his tracks, only turning slightly to answer me.
"That's not important right now. I'm taking her to see the nurse."
Not important?
"But I... I left everything I was doing to come here and support you, and you're just going to leave with her like that. You can get someone else to take her to see the nurse. Why does it have to be you!" I yell at the top of my voice, clutching onto my aching chest, trying to fight the tears that burn in my eyes.
I must remain dignified no matter what. As the future Luna, no one should ever see my tears.
Even with my plea, he looks at me coldly. Blue eyes that hold not even a shred of pity or remorse stare back at me with a fiery rage that shuts me up the next second.
"It was you, wasn't it?"
I freeze in place from the simple question, unable to say anything else.
"We'll talk about this later." He says stiffly before turning to leave again.
Once again, he's left me alone to face the watching crowd that only ever stares and whisper about us - praising him and mocking me for not knowing how privileged I am to be mated to the Alpha prince.
I nearly laugh out bitterly. I nearly also drop to my knees and bawl.
But I don't.
I could never.
What I do feel is beyond hatred, beyond the need to hurt the human girl. I want to cripple her, and feed her corpse to feral wolves as a nice parting gift.