Moira
"Alpha Kier."
The wind lifted her raven black hair, wiping it back from her face as she watched him. His hazel eyes were fixated on the bonfire in the yard, and the figures dancing around it, an illusion of peace and happiness that Moira knew wouldn't last very long.
His shoulders tensed and she knew he'd heard her, but chose instead to ignore her.
Something violent twisted in her chest and she bit on her fingernail nervously, until a metallic tang filled her mouth. She sucked on the blood, wiping her thumb on the hem of her dress and took a step forward. "Kier, please--"
He rubbed his face with his palm, exhaustion lining his features. "We've talked about this, Moira. There will be no consummation. A united front is all we will ever be. Do not expect anymore than I can give to you."
Moira recalled the agreement, but she had given it no importance. Kier had sought her out hours before the duel at Aldenwood. He knew Jessamine Everhart would die by her hand that night, and he'd made her an offer. She could have declined and still won the crest anyway, but she knew Kier's hate; had seen it.
She wanted no part of it. If she was going to earn his heart one day, she couldn't begin their relationship by killing the stupid whore.
Jessamine had fought well, better than Moira could've thought possible, but Moira was trained by only the best, and if she truly had it her way, she'd have killed her in the first minute. Had Kier not offered himself on a golden platter in exchange for Jessamine's life, she would have ripped her claws into her delicate face and pounded until nothing but marred flesh and broken bones was left.
"You cannot push me away and keep acting like I don't exist. Duty demands that we mate tonight and--"
He pushed off the railing and moved to leave, but Moira stopped him with a hand to his chest. "Will you make me plead for this as well? We can't live the rest of our lives like this. Sooner or later, you're going to need to forget that wench and put your child in me."
His jaw clenched. "Now is hardly the time. War approaches. I will not bring a child into a world without peace and risk being taken by the enemy, or even worse."
Moira found that particularly hilarious. "If only that were the real reason." A lump formed in her throat. "You were thinking about her on that altar."
Kier said nothing in response to that, his face devoid of emotion.
Moira's fingers fell away from Kier's tunic. "You betray me, even now. You're in love with her."
Panic flared in Kier's eyes and it took Moira a moment to understand it. She laughed then, realising that the Alpha didn't even know he was in love. "How pathetic."
Kier's power surged and Moira felt it bear down on her. She rallied against it, leaning further into her Alpha's eyes with burning hate. "I didn't kill her before, but if I do see her again, I will not hesitate to finish what I started at the duel."
He cocked his head to the side and gold flashed in his eyes. "Just try."
******
Jessamine
Another dream.
I'm fleeing in the woods once more, falling face first into quicksand. It's pulling me in, refusing to let go as the ethereal being closes in on me.
Her gaze narrows, and dark lips form a predatory smile. "It would do you good to yield, Jessa."
"No," I snarl, and when her teeth rips into my neck, I feel the atmosphere shift.
My feet are bare against cool tiles and I'm standing in a vast antechamber, lingering in the door way. I turn in a circle, knitting my brows together in confusion. Where am I?
I take in the expansive room, my footsteps echoing on the shiny stone floor. The absence of sound is nearly deafening and even the slightest vibration has the hair on my neck rising.
Gold fabric hangs from the wide windows and ruffling with the slightest wind blow. The moon outside the carved windows is blue, and I know I'm at Dawn. I just can't tell where.
Fabric rustles and my head snaps left, towards the foyer. I follow it, and my ears perk up at the sound of rhythmic tapping of water against stone.
I halt in front of a door, golden and towering, and it is parted halfway. I bite my bottom lip a little, hesitating for a second before I slip beyond the door.
A four poster bed emerges from the darkness, silk draped around the spires at each corner. My eyes lock on the bed and my breath catches.
Moonlight filters in, illuminating the room, and I stare at Kier. His eyes are closed, his ridiculously long lashes brushing softly against tanned skin. His dark brows are pulled together and his wavy red hair falls over the left side of his face, shielding it. On his shoulder, a small mark sits--the mark he claims I gave to him.
I stop breathing, afraid to make my presence known. I watch his chest rise and fall, the smooth skin glistening with sweat. Sheets are draped over his torso and heat licks my spine when I notice his bare, thick masculine legs.
His beauty is still devastating, and I am frozen to where I stand, my core clenching and sweat breaking across my forehead as I fight against the need to crawl into the bed beside him.
Why am I here? On the night of his mating ceremony of all days? I've heard instances where mates share each other's thoughts and occasionally see things through the other's eyes.
I stumble back a step, frightened of what next I might see, and Kier's eyes snap open at the sound, unfocused at first as his head turns in my direction.
Slowly, he sits up straight, the sheets falling away from his toned, muscular chest, and my mouth runs dry. Why, he's naked.
I turn around, to hide or to flee, I'm unsure, but I must have lost time because fingers grasp my wrist, stopping me.
"Jessamine," his slumber-laden voice resonates, a deeper octave. A shiver courses through me. Dream or not, his touch is tangible.
My eyes sting and I don't bother looking back at him as I pull away and storm out of the room.
I hear his steps echo behind me and I pick up my pace, trying to remember Glenda's teachings on how to reach my wolf. I need out of this dream. Right. Now. I don't want to see Kier. Not now. Not ever.
"Jessamine, please."
I ignore him, digging my nails into my palms, hard enough to hurt. Pain? Anger? Which is the trigger? I dove in within me, feeling for my well of strength, only to come up empty, as usual. Seriously? When I don't need her meddling in my life, she just waltzes in, cackling like a witch as she tosses me in precarious situations. Why does she keep doing this to me? Is the Goddess mad at me or something?
Trying to retrace my steps has me walking around in circles. I slip out one door and end up in the same damn room with Kier, again. And again.
I make a start toward the door again and Kier blocks my path, shutting the door behind him. "If you would just stop to--"
Whirling, I grab the vase closest to him and hurl it at him. He catches it and sets it down gently. A muscle works in his jaw and his eyes harden. "Listen to me."
"Like hell I will!" I point at the room around me. "This is your doing? You pulled me in here?! Send me back, and put some damn clothes on!"
Kier raises his gaze, staring like he's only seeing where we are for the first time. Then he shakes his head and walks around me, grabbing the sheets on the bed and wrapping them around his waist. "This isn't my doing, and since you're here, we might as well talk."
"We have nothing to talk about."
"You left with Darrock."
I sneer. "You banished me, and then you named the woman who tried to kill me Luna. What is there to talk about? Nothing! I have no interest in whatever you have to say, or in seeing you. We're done."
"How could we be done if we never even started?"
We stare at each other, our bodies bristling and tensing. A familiar heat starts to pool in me, mingling with the anger and hate. "Don't you dare say that to me. You've lost the right to."
I turn away and march to the farthest end of the room, sitting on the chair. I'll have to wait it out then. Sooner or later, I'll wake from this nightmare.
Resting my head against my knee, I close my eyes and force in deep breaths. No tears. Not for Kier. Never again.
Kier makes no move towards me and I remain seated, rocking back and forth, holding onto my anger, lest I break down. Fuck it, I hate all of this.
We remain like that for a while, and the only sound that fills the air is that of our breaths.
"Does he treat you well?" he asks after a while, slumping down to sit on the floor, his head buried in his hands.
I don't respond.
"I'm sorry," he whispers.
No answer. I have a flaw. I hardly forgive and I do not forget. His apology only serves to vex me further, an ugly emotion twisting inside me, rising further to enrage me. He's sorry? That'll never cut it. An image flashes in my mind. Bleeding out in that field, watching him give another woman what belonged to me. I'll never forgive that, and I'll never let it go.
The humiliation. The coldness. His choices and disregard. His nonchalance. I fought for him, even if I knew how slim the chances were. He entertained me. Strung me along. Gave me hope and took it away, blaming me for that too. Fucking coward. Perhaps, he wanted Moira all along and I wasn't as smart as I thought I was.
If my mother could lie to me, why couldn't Kier?
"Would you--"
"No, and please stop talking to me. Your voice is hurting my head."
"I was trying to protect you," he half-growls. "You think it was easy watching you leave? Maybe I'm a coward. Call me whatever you want, but you'd be better off and safer with Darrock."
I stare in his direction, rage causing me to trembling. "I know that now."
He stills, and even from across the room, I feel the sudden pressure in the air. A vein pops in his neck and gold flashes in his eyes, spreading until there's nothing left of the beautiful hazel. "What does that mean?"
My smile is acidic. "Did you not hear? We're engaged," I coo, putting my index finger into a circle formed with my fingers. "Darrock and I. The mating ceremony is in two months. I'd send out an invitation, but Darr is such a private man."
Those eyes narrow at me and I can smell his anger. "You're lying."
I chuckle, twining my hair around my finger. "What kind of woman lives with an Alpha in his home, dines with him and sleeps with him?"
I'm lying, but he has no way of knowing, and at this point, I'm pissed enough to actually go through with that engagement, just to inflict pain.
Lately, it's been easier to read movements before even seeing them. It's why I know Kier is coming before he even moves. I'm out of the chair, gripping its back and throwing it in the direction I sense him.
He catches it and hurls it back. It doesn't stand a chance against the wall. He lunges, and I swing my fist. He knocks it aside like it's nothing and my feet is swept out from under me.
My back slams into the floorboard and I am pinned to the floor under him. His legs clamp mine. I reach for his face, slapping him, hard. He snarls and holds my right hand above my head, my left between our bodies, and leans forward, his face lowering to my neck, sniffing me to find if I truly have Darrock's scent on me.
"You're a raving lunatic!" I yell, yanking my knees up, but his weight crushes them. "I hate you!" My head snaps forward, slamming into his forehead.
Stars explode in my vision and blood trickles down my nose. He rears back, his fingers loosening around mine. I feel her then, powerful and cunning. Excited even. She likes this. I don't.
Mate, she cooes in my head.
Not in this life, psycho, I think back as I bring my knees up again, pushing him off me with little effort. I leap over the bed, landing softly and as he follows, I grip the edge of the bedstand.
The bed is suddenly airborne and I don't wait to see if he is caught in the crash. I'm out the door, racing into the larger room. A guttural roar shakes the ground and a howl follows suit.
I suddenly feel that crushing weight behind me and I swerve, last minute, lifting my legs in a maneuver I've watched Az execute in the training yard numerous times. It catches Kier in his midsection and he stumbles back a little. His gaze flicks down before rising to mine again.
Oh, he's pissed.
He grabs my foot and throws me out the door. My stomach roils as I fly past, only to be sent back into the destroyed room. I brace myself and before I can crash into the wall, he's in front of me. I topple into what feels like a brick wall instead, my fists clamping on his shoulders for support.
My pulse quickens when his arms go around me and he hugs me snugly, tucking my head under his chin. My face is crushed into his chest, my ear pressed against his racing heart. "I missed you. I'm sorry. Just... stay here. Please. Since you left, my life has been a mess. There's so much I want to say, but there's no time."
"Do you regret it?" I whisper against the smooth panes of his chest.
He doesn't respond and I have my answer.
One heartbeat is all it'd take to give in to those arms around me and the warmth that seems to seduce me. His fingers rise higher, up my back, sliding up my neck and delving into my hair.
The ache that arises in me from that single movement shocks me and I shudder. It takes all of my will and some to pull away from him. His fingers cup my cheek and silver lines his eyes. "You're leaving me too, aren't you?" He leans down, resting his forehead against mine. "It hurts. Everything does lately."
There's such sorrow in his breaking voice that I almost feel pity for him. Almost. But my rage is stronger, unyielding. It consumes everything else, leaving a thirst in me for only one thing. Retribution.
I raise my hand to his cheek and wipe the tear from under his eye, rubbing my nose against his fondly. I feel his breath slow, and his mouth comes dangerously close to mine. I draw back at the last second, feeling my surroundings warp, and I whisper, "You haven't even begun to hurt, Kier. Cry me a river, crawl on your knees, beg for mercy, and even then, it won't be enough. Your life will be a miserable existence. Your words mean nothing, just like you mean nothing to me now."
I wake shortly after and I pull on a wool sweater and pair of loose pants. Az is nodding off outside my door and I slam the door a little too hard, just to be a bitch. He startles, wiping the drool from his cheek and I feel his harrowing presence as I walk down the hallway, making my way to the fourth wing where the guests stay.
My knuckles rasp against the familiar door repeatedly, and I wait, leaning against the doorframe as I hear rustling and a female's gasp. I fold my arms, my feet tapping into the marble, and after a moment, the door flies open.
Darrock's leans out the door, a towel wrapped around his waist. His red eyes narrow at me, and the heady scent of sex and cum slams into me from inside. Not surprising. At all. "Princess. To what do I owe the pleasure of your company?"
"Yes," is all I say.
He frowns. "What?"
"I'll give my consent to our... marriage, only that. But you must do something for me, Darrock."
His frown only deepens. "What?"
"Teach me how to subdue a wolf."