The amazing cover on the side was made by SpinningMyselfDizzy. Thank you!

Dedicated to kaya_stone for the incredible support you have been showing this story for so long. Thanks darling.

A huge shoutout to Alysdremzz for being the most amazing friend ever. Happy birthday my darling! Love you!

WARNING: LOOOONG CHAPTER AHEAD LOL, READ AT YOUR OWN...UH...LEISURE? ^-^'

This chapter is unedited so kindly excuse the grammatical errors.

___

Suzzanah's POV

I rushed out of Luna Prophecy's cottage, trying to blink back my tears. Shards of broken glass lay littered in the lawn around the cottage from when Zuerien's outburst had broken the windows and I hoped no one would injure themselves while walking across it.

I was surprised that no one had come running to ask what the heck had happened. I figured someone had mind-linked the wolves not to worry about it.

I ran down the cobblestone pathway with my head lowered. I didn't even know the way back to my room, but I needed to get away, I needed to be by myself for some time. My face felt flushed and my lips trembled as I desperately tried to keep myself from breaking down in the middle of the pathway.

YOU'LL DO AS YOU'RE TOLD AND THAT'S FINAL

Zuerien's words echoed in my mind and I barely managed to bite back a whimper. I walked as fast as I could, making sure that my hair hid my teary eyed face from prying eyes. I didn't want to break down in front of strangers. I wouldn't let them see how vulnerable I was...to discouragement, to fear, to pain.

Because I had made a promise that no matter what, I would...

I would...

The thought of the next few words brought forth a fresh bout of tears that brimmed my eyes, blurring my vision. They were her motto, the words she had always lived by.

My sister...

I stopped in my tracks at a deserted spot and turned towards the railing, holding on to it as I desperately tried to reel in my turbulent emotions. My sister, my only family, was all alone in a foreign land. She had no one to aid her, no one to rely on. She was all alone in enemy territory, with people who could kill her just for being associated with me. And what could I go?

Nothing!

I couldn't do anything to help my only sister, my own blood!

I rubbed my eyes vigorously with my free hand but the tears continued to stream down my face and over my palm. Images of Karina's face filled my mind and I felt my heart constrict in pain at the thought of my darling sister.

My sister who was in danger, who was probably afraid and who was all alone...

How could Zuerien forbid me to talk to her? How could he expect me to just wait and not do anything? Couldn't he see just how desperate I was? Couldn't he tell how terrified I was for my sister? They could be hurting her right now for all we knew and I couldn't do anything!

God, if something happened to Karina, I would die! I couldn't live without her. I couldn't, I couldn't...

A pained sob escaped my lips as I stood there facing the woods. My hand pressed over my lips to muffle the sound of my weeping. My entire body shuddered as I silently gasped for breath, biting my lips hard to keep myself from crying out loud.

Karina...I'm so sorry...

Waves of pain and hopelessness washed over me, making me bend over and squeeze my eyes shut as tears continued to fall.

I'm sorry that I'm so helpless, I'm sorry that I'm breaking down...

Another pained cry left my lips as I gasped for breath against the pain in my chest.

Karina...I'm so sorry that I can't...that I can't be...

I felt a warm hand on top of my head making my eyes shoot open and my head whip to the side. Through my blurred teary vision, I saw Mr. Talon's kind face looking down at me, his gaze soft, affectionate and understanding.

The look in his eyes made fresh tears brim my eyes once more and immediately pain flashed across his face.

"Oh child", he said gently and my self-control snapped as I rushed forward and buried my face in his bright yellow sweater, sobbing bitterly.

His hands immediately came around me, one over my back and the other still on my head. He patted my head while rubbing my back soothingly as I cried into his chest.

"There, there child", he said comfortingly, "That's right, let it all out"

"Mr. Talon", I wept, between gasps, "I feel so helpless"

"Oh dear, it's alright", he said softly, "everyone feels helpless at some point in their lives"

"I can't do anything for Karina", I cried, "I'm such a terrible sister"

"Don't be silly Anna", he replied, still rubbing my back as I hiccupped into his sweater, "You're a wonderful sister. The apple of Karina's eye, no doubt"

Despite my pained state, I still smiled at his comment, "Karina has always...fawned over me...ever since I was a child", I told him.

"I bet she has", he said matter-of-factly, "You seem to do that a lot to people"

I sniffed, "Do what?"

"Make them want to cherish you"

My heart warmed at his words as he gently patted my head and said, "Anna, sometimes life puts us in circumstances where there really isn't anything we can do to make things better. But at times like those, what we need to remind ourselves is not how helpless we are, but how even though we are helpless, we can still make it out okay"

I slowly opened my eyes and blinked before pulling away to look up at him.

He smiled affectionately at me, "Do you understand what I'm saying child?" he asked, "In times when we can't triumph over our hard times, we need to be strong through them"

My eyes widened at his words, as a nostalgia mingled with a familiar warmth flooded my body.

Those words...

"You know what they say child", Mr. Talon said, "and I quote, 'Life doesn't get easier, you just get stronger'"

He reached forward and brushed my hair out of my eyes and over my forehead, "So be strong child", he told me with a smile, "and soon, everything will be okay"

My heart rate sped up slightly as his word resounded in my head, mingling with those I already knew and echoing again, in my sister's soft beautiful voice.

They were the same words, her words, her pledge.

Be strong

Those were the very words she'd always tell me and herself whenever we were going through hard times.

"Be strong Anna, we'll get through this. We'll get through this together"

Karina...

Karina had been everything to me. A friend when I was lonely, a protector when I was afraid, a teacher when I was unaware, a mother when I was unloved...and a sister, always a sister, my sister.

She was my hero.

I looked at Mr. Talon through my teary eyes as he continued to smile at me, "I'm sure that if Karina were here-"

"She'd say the same thing", I completed his sentence and he nodded.

It was true. Karina would say those very same words.

Anna, be strong

"Come now, let's clean up that face", Mr. Talon said before pressing a soft cloth to my eyes, wiping my tears.

He wiped both my eyes and the rest of my face carefully, like a father wipes his little child's face after they fall on the road and bawl their eyes out.

I felt gratitude well up inside me for this wonderful werewolf before me. He had been with me from the very beginning, always caring for me, worrying about me and comforting me. My friend, that's who he was, my best friend.

"There", he said wiping the last of the wetness off my face before holding the cloth out to me.

It was his handkerchief.

"Turns out I had stuffed it in my pant pockets", Mr. Talon told me smiling, "I'm glad I remembered. Do you want to hold on to it child?"

I smiled at him and nodded, taking it from and pressing it to my eyes. I felt his large hand on top of my head and I peeked at him from over his handkerchief.

"Come child. Let's get you to your room so you can wash up", Mr. Talon told me, "And to make it up to you-" he looked around to make sure no one was around before bending forward and whispering, "I'll tell you as much as I can...about the shadows"

I gasped and stared at him wide eyed, and when he nodded at me honestly. Immediately I grabbed his hand and pulled him along, running down the cobblestone pathway as fast I could.

An alarmed screech escaped his lips, "Wha-WHAT are you doing child?!"

"Getting us to my room!" I shouted as I ran, tugging him after me.

"But wait-"

"No backing out Mr. Talon!" I told him.

"Yes, but child-"

"You gave me your word!"

"I know child, but LISTEN!" he shouted, "Your room is in the opposite direction"

____

Once inside my room, I quickly washed my flushed face with cold water. I had made Mr. Talon run all the way to my room and earned quite a few puzzled looks from the passersby too. And although normally I'd be embarrassed at my own shenanigans, right now I was too excited to get answers to be bothered by something like that.

Finally, I'd know something about the Shadows that everyone seemed so on edge about. The shadows that were a taboo here, a forbidden subject to venture into.

The Shadows whom Karina was up against.

Quickly drying my face, I looked at myself in the mirror, my eyes falling on the beautiful dress that Zuerien had gifted me.

Zuerien...

Our argument from before resounded in my head, making me cringe. I ran my hands down the soft fabric of the dress he had personally chosen for me. It made me feel so special. He made me feel so special.

YOU'LL DO AS YOU'RE TOLD AND THAT'S FINAL!

I let my hands drop to my sides and sighed heavily. If only things hadn't turned out like that. Shaking my head, I pushed the hurt back to an inconspicuous corner of my mind. I had more important things to do now than to dwell in self-pity.

Taking a deep breath, I turned around and pulled the bathroom door open, only to walk into a room as dark as black hole. Everything was pitch black, as though I had walked out into a moonless night with sunglasses.

I blinked bewildered, wondering why I had suddenly gone blind. It was supposed to be the middle of the afternoon, so who turned off the sun?

"Mr. Talon?" I called out puzzled as I walked cautiously into the dark room, trying not to dislocate either shin.

I knew that the curtains were thick and dark but who knew that drawing them would turn day into night! And where did Mr. Talon go?

I was about to call out to him again when all of a sudden a bright beam of light burst into the room, and my breath caught in throat when I found a terrifying yellow-white face covered in shadows gawking at me wide eyed.

A horrified scream escaped my lips as I fell backwards, away from the figure. Immediately the wraithlike figure also let out a shout of fright and a thud sounded shortly after followed by the room going dark again.

That voice

"MR. TALON?" I cried out, clutching my chest, trying to calm my racing heart.

"Child?" Mr. Talon's bewildered voice called out to me making me blink in the dark.

"What are you doing?" I asked, "And why did you close all the windows and draw the curtains?"

"Ensuring that...everything is...ready", he grit out as I heard him struggling with something as he spoke.

Suddenly the room lit up again, but this time Mr. Talon was careful to direct the beam of the light away from his face. My brow furrowed as I watched him smile at the flashlight victoriously.

"There!" he said before patting the bed, "Come child, sit down. Are you ready?"

Uh?...

I walked up to him as he put the torch light between the two of us, "Ready for what?" I asked.

"For the retelling of a forbidden story", he whispered, "A tale as old as time child"

I gulped, "You're being very dramatic"

"I'm setting the mood", he replied, "If you're going to get answers, you might as well get them theatrically", he motioned towards my headrest, "Grab a pillow!"

"Okay?" I said as I took my pillow while he took Megan's and placed it I front of him, hugging it to his chest.

I wondered where Megan had gone off to. She hadn't been in the room when Zuerien had come in this morning. And I hadn't seen her since. Maybe she was meeting up with her colleagues and friends from Sydney.

"Are you sure it's okay?" I asked Mr. Talon, "Telling me about things I'm apparently not supposed to know about?"

"It's not that you aren't supposed to know about this Suzzanah", Mr. Talon told me, "I think the Alpha was just waiting for a more apt time and place to tell you everything. But with how things turned out, I can't think of a better time than this to tell you"

"I don't want you to get in trouble because of me", I told him honestly and he smiled, "Don't worry. I won't get in any trouble. You're the Queen and this is your right!"

I smiled at him wholeheartedly and he smiled back before rubbing his hands together in preparation.

"Alright", he said as we both sat snugly on my bed facing each other, with the yellow flashlight between us, "Are you ready Suzzanah?" he asked again.

I inhaled deeply, "As ready as I'll ever be"

He nodded before taking a deep breath himself and I felt chills run down my spine in anticipation of what was to come.

The retelling of a forbidden story, a tale as old as time

"Many, many, many years ago, when the Earth was still just a humongous expanse of soil and water, all life existed only within the depths of these endless woods", Mr. Talon began in a low baritone, "Countless supernatural species walked the Earth, unbeknownst to the ancient human tribal people of the forest, who proclaimed everything that they didn't understand as a ghost, a myth or a legend"

I pulled my pillow closer to me as he continued, "Most of the knowledge that humans have about the Supernaturals, whom they consider a myth, are nothing but stories passed down many generations from their ancient tribal ancestors", he spoke just above a whisper, "But there was one particular species- one as old as light itself- which although discovered by the ancient humans, remained nearly undocumented by them, even though that particular species actually existed alongside them every single day of their lives"

I bit my lip as, feeling the hairs at the back of my neck stand on end.

"So well hidden were they, that even those who saw them, didn't really see them at all", he told me, "So well did they blend into the background of all things mundane, that no one even could even imagine the existence of such an extraordinary species"

My heart rate spiked as a sudden chill settled around us. It was as though our surroundings were adapting themselves in a way most appropriate for this particular tale.

"Born from one of the most fundamental aspects of an existence, they turned out to be one of the most superior creatures to ever roam the face of this Earth"

Stopping for a moment, Mr. Talon gulped, his jaw clenching in a tense manner as he continued, "They were creatures that had the ability to control every other form of life. Nothing was immune to their power, no one could stand in their way. No one could even really know if they were there, or if they were not...because what they were...was something that was essentially...possessed by of us all, and something we just could not get rid of"

My breath caught in my throat at his words and goosebumps formed on my skin.

They were something we all possessed...but we couldn't get rid of them

"The very first documentations of the existence of their species, were found in the form of stone-age artworks painted on the walls of caves, deep down in the heart of Earth", he said, "There were very few, but they were there, and they were most intriguing too"

Mr. Talon produced some neatly folded sheets of paper from his pant pocket and started to open them.

"I took these from that book I found in the library", he told me and I gawked at him, "You tore from a library book"

"Hush child!" he said cringing, "I'm already beating myself up about this. Don't add salt to my wounds"

I pressed my lips together and he motioned for me come forward and we both bent over the first sheet of paper on which there was text written in long cursive calligraphy.

"These are records describing the painting that were found in the caves", he told me before reading out from the paper, "They were long, dark, distorted creatures, always hidden in the background, with pitch black bodies- from top to bottom- that looked frail, almost ghost like. They had no real appreciable form, looking different in each art work, which suggested that they could be shapeshifters. Sometimes, they looked like animals, sometimes like plants and sometimes...they took the form of humans...and those were the most frightening of them all"

I held my breath as he refolded that paper before placing the second sheet in front of us.

"The one thing common in all the paintings they were depicted in, was that they always stood behind a particular object, almost as if they were trying to blend into the background", Mr. Talon told me, "be it a tree, a stone, an animal or even a human, they always stood behind them or at some other inconspicuous angle"

His brow furrowed as he added, "And for some reason...there were never paintings drawn exclusively of them. They were always depicted in the dark background of another object in the forefront of the picture"

The description of these creatures sent shivers down my spine, making me feel even more unnerved than I had felt a minute ago.

Creatures that existed alongside us and yet remained hidden from us...

Mr. Talon showed me the second sheet of paper, in which there was a pictorial representation of the creatures they had described. And the minute I laid eyes on the image, I sucked in a breath as my blood ran cold.

The picture showed a figure which, although barely had a recognizable frame, had enough of one to make it appear...disturbingly distinct. A dark head, with long dark hair black cascading down it, and a body like a black cloak falling to the ground in an ethereal manner. The figure appeared to hold some semblance to a woman, but also had an eerie feel to it, that was too unsettling to be anything human.

If there is one word I can use to describe it perfectly, it would be...without a doubt...

"A Shadow", Mr. Talon spoke, stealing the words right out of my mind, "Each of those paintings depicted what can best be described as a Shadow. They are always in the background. They are always dark. They are possessed by us, attached to us, and yet, not really a part of us, and not something we can't get rid of"

Chills ran down my spine as the weight of those words sunk into me. It was true. There was no living creature in this world that did not cast a shadow. No object visible to the naked eye could escape having the presence of one. Shadows were very much a part of our lives...and yet, not really a part of us at all.

They were...so...mysterious...

"It was understandable why they were always in the background and why they never existed without the another object around them", Mr. Talon said, "Because a shadow is something that cannot exist without a shadow caster...right?"

I nodded shakily and he immediately shouted, "WRONG!"

I jumped, clutching the pillow tighter against my chest as he went on, "These things could. This particular species of shadows could exist without the need for another object to cast them. And even if they were cast by another object, they were shadows that were not bound to impersonate the casters. They could take up whatever form they liked! They were autonomous, not dependent on anything but themselves"

He raised his hand and we both looked down at the long distorted shadow it cast over my bedsheet, "They were shadows that could live and breathe and move and exist all on their own, just like we can", he said, "But in order to keep their identity hidden, they had to take cover in the shadows cast by other objects, so that even those who saw them, didn't really see them at all"

A ragged breath escaped my lips as I rubbed my hands trying to warm myself. My skin felt cold and ice like, chilling me right down to the bone.

"These dark figures travelled from darkness to light", Mr. Talon went on, "moving from one place to another by hiding themselves in the shadows cast by other things. They existed alongside all Supernaturals, lingering in their shadows, hidden from their sight. And from those shadows, they watched everything that went on. Nothing was ever hidden from their sight"

"That's so creepy", I whispered and he nodded, "Oh it is Suzzanah. So very creepy. These shadows possessed the power to control other shadows- to move them, to morph them, to use them as they willed"

The ability to manipulate other shadows...

"By manipulating shadows, they could indirectly manipulate their casters too", Mr. Talon told me, "For example, if they pulled my shadow forward, I'd come forward too and if they froze my shadow, I wouldn't be able to move either"

I gulped, "They can basically control everything we do by controlling our shadows"

Mr. Talon nodded, "Exactly. Supposedly they used these tactics to freak the living daylights out of many Supernaturals back in the time when they were unaware of such a species"

I cringed, internally screaming at the thought of something like that happening to me.

"Over time, the other Supernaturals discovered their existence, and as expected, they were more than a little alarmed. The very existence of a species that could co-exist with us without us even knowing that they were there, was extremely unnerving. They could see everything we did, hear everything we said and know everything about us...and we would remain helpless against them"

I shuddered. Just the thought of someone hiding in the shadows and watching every single thing I did chilled me to the bone.

"It was truly fear evoking", Mr. Talon said, "They were a species barely recognized, but more powerful than anything else out there. They were Supernaturals who could not be defeated. Unhindered and unfazed by anything and anyone. They were no ordinary shadows..."

I held my breath as he completed, "They were Les gens de l'ombre- The Shadow People"

My breath caught in my throat and my heart rate sky rocketed as his words resounded in my head.

They were autonomous

They were inconspicuous

They were powerful

They were no ordinary shadows

They were...The Shadow People

I exhaled a shaky breath, feeling fear sear through my veins. These Shadow People were really creeping me out.

"After a lot of observation, one theory that the other Supernaturals came up with was that since shadows are fundamentally creatures arising from the dark, exposing them to the sunlight would destroy them", Mr. Talon said,

I immediate sat up attentively as he continued, "So the other Supernaturals realized that as long as they stayed in the sun, they would be protected from the shadow creatures", his eyes widened, "But that idea backfired terribly, because being in the sunlight meant casting shadows of their own, which could be manipulated by the Shadow People.

I cringed, it was like there was no escape from them.

"So what did they do in the end?" I asked him.

"They called a truce", he replied, "They asked the leader of the shadows to let them live in peace and in return, they would give them a large portion of land which they could claim as their own and live in"

"Did they agree?"

He nodded, "They did", he said, "and for some time, all was well. The shadow creatures inhabited their own land as per the terms of the truce, but they also lived in a strange sort of fear. You see, it was because the theory proposed by the other Supernaturals was actually true. The Shadow people could not go into the sunlight, or any other form of bright light. And that hindered where they could and could not go"

So not only were they now trapped within a given piece of land but they were also prisoners of the time of day.

"Apart from that, there was also the issue of population", Mr. Talon said, "The shadow people were very few in number. And though like all Supernaturals, they had an extremely long lifespan, they were not immune to death. And for them, death could come easily, just by being exposed to light. So...they evolved"

Evolved?

"Much like humans, evolution has influenced the Supernaturals too", Mr. Talon told me, "In the very beginning, Werewolves were creatures bound to the moon. They were a species that could only shift into their wolves on a full moon. And their shift was involuntary. Forced. They could not control it. Therefore, they came to be known as The People of the Moon"

I nodded in awe.

"Similarly, vampires evolved too", Mr. Talon told me, "They were bound to the night, unable to go into the sun, much like the Shadow People, but they too evolved such that now, they can roam freely, wherever they wish to go"

"How intriguing"

"Indeed!" Mr. Talon replied, "But I think it's safe to say, without a doubt, that the Shadow People evolved most drastically, and their evolution made them the nearly invincible people they are now"

I gulped, "Evolved how exactly?" I asked.

"They developed human appearances", Mr. Talon told me with wide eyes, "No one really knows how, but they evolved such that they developed mortal bodies, just like our bodies"

I sucked in a breath as his eyes twinkled in excitement, "You understand what that means don't you Suzzanah?" he said, "Now that they had human forms could increase in numbers. Their kind could grow and flourish!"

He bent forward, his eyes widening, "And most important of all, they could now go into the sun! In fact, the sun accentuated their powers by casting darker, stronger shadows which they could control. And just like that, they not only became a people who fought their weakness but ones who conquered them altogether. And they became...The People of the Sun!"

I gasped, my heart skipping a beat at his words as I watched him wide eyed.

The People of the Moon...And the People of the Sun...

A part of me knew that I should have expected something like that. I had never seen this Terrence Magnifis guy, but I knew that there were other humans who had, like my sister, and I doubt they would just be A-Okay with some dark, wraithlike lanky shadow of a being, walking around 'like a boss' and running a multi-billion-dollar organization. There would be chaos! So things made sense, now that I knew that they looked exactly like humans.

But then...

"What about their shadows?" I asked, "What is the point of evolving from something Supernatural into something natural? Wouldn't they lose their powers?"

"Oh no child", Mr. Talon shook his head vigorously, "They didn't evolve into humans. And neither did they lose their powers. Their dark side, that is their shadow powers remained a part of them on the inside, much like our wolves exist inside of us", he told me, "And they could shift from their human forms to their shadow forms as and when they liked. And to add onto that, both their forms could exist side-by-side in the forefront. They could both exist together"

"What does that mean?" I asked.

"Just like a human casts a shadow, their human form casts one too", Mr. Talon said, "So their shadow forms and human forms can co-exist simultaneously"

"So it's a little like how it is with werewolves, "I said, "You can stay human, but your wolf can take over your body and both the human and the wolf can exist in the forefront concomitantly"

"Yes, something like that", Mr. Talon said, "Only difference being that in werewolves, their human form and wolf form are bound together. They exist as one person. The wolf may be able to take over the human's mind and body, but it cannot detach itself from its human"

All blood drained from my face and I paled.

Does he mean?...

Mr. Talon gulped nervously and nodded, "The shadows cast by the Shadow People are supernatural shadows. They can easily detach themselves from the body of their caster and roam wherever they want, as long as the caster allows it"

Both of us shuddered simultaneously and my eyes involuntarily moved around the room searching for any creepy, crawly, detached shadows dancing in the dark.

"So that's what their kind is", I whispered, feeling eerie chills run down my body, "They are people who were born from and control shadows. That's why Karina was so freaked out. That's why she told me to..."

"Stay away from the Shadows!"

I shot up on my bed, clutching my chest tightly, hyperventilating. My mind replayed all the things Mr. Talon had just told me about them and fear intermixed with extreme panic flooded my veins. My sister was in the hands of such terrifying creatures!

"Karina..." I breathed out and Mr. Talon cringed before reaching out to grab my hand.

"Stay calm child", he told me, "I know you're worried but the Shadow people have nothing against humans. As long as they don't know that Karina knows about them, we have nothing to be worried about"

"And what if they find out?" I asked, fear marring my features as it simultaneously rushed through my veins, "What if they find out that Karina knows about them? What would they do then?"

Mr. Talon cringed, scratching his head before his eyes lit up, "Well, there is a chance that they wouldn't mind", he told me, "Much like us, they too a have a few human allies, humans who have sworn to secrecy and know their true identities. If they like and trust Karina enough, they won't bring her any harm"

I remembered Karina telling me that that Terrence guy was fascinated by her. Did that classify as liking her enough to not hurt her? Or was it just him keeping an eye on her? Because she was...

Because she was my sister...and I was...their enemy's mate.

My panic spiked and Mr. Talon seemed to have understood my distress because he immediately sat up straight.

"Oh child, please try and relax" he told me, heavy concern lacing his voice, "even though it's hard, right now, we need to focus on the positive. They don't know about Karina yet, and that's how it will stay. She will be alright"

Mr. Talon got off the bed and quickly poured me a glass of water. He handed it to me and then walked to the window.

"I know it must be so hard for you Suzzanah", he said, "But like the King said earlier, we need to hope for the best", he turned to me, "and what is the other thing we need to do child?" he asked expectantly as I set the empty glass down on my table.

Karina...

"Be strong", I told him and he smiled, "That's right", he replied and I gave him a small smile of my own, "Okay, enough of the history lesson for now child. Switch off that flashlight"

I did as I was told as he turned towards the curtains, "After all, we don't need artificial light. We are neither vampires, nor shadows. So..." he grabbed the curtains and pulled them aside, "let's enjoy the Su-"

His words were cut off by peal of lightening, that flashed across the horizon the minute he pulled aside the blinds. It lit up the suddenly dark and stormy sky for a split second, before fading into the clouds leaving both me and Mr. Talon utterly baffled.

"W-what the-" Mr. Talon gaped at the gloomy weather outside with dark clouds threatening to pour heavy showers down any minute, "What in the world happened to the weather?"

I ran up to him and looked outside, my eyes wide in surprise and confusion. Just this morning it had been bright and warm outside, promising a perfect sunny day for outdoor activities. And now it was dark and stormy like in the middle of monsoon season.

"I wonder if Rino is alright", Mr. Talon said immediately making my gaze move to him.

"Why?" I asked, "is he afraid of thunder storms?"

Mr. Talon snorted, "No", he replied, "He causes them"

"Huh?"

My brow furrowed in confusion as Mr. Talon sighed.

"As you know, Rino is an Elemental wizard", he told me, "And he is a powerful one at that, even if he doesn't look it. And because his dominant Element is Water, whenever he is in an off mood, he causes-"

A loud bout of thunder roared outside the windows making me jump in shock and Mr. Talon sighed, "-that", he said and I blinked at him.

So that's why everyone always blamed him for the and weather. He controlled it! So did that mean...

"The sudden rainfall last night...during Master Cole and Zuerien's fight", I said, "it was him?"

"Oh yes", Mr. Talon replied, "Only he is capable of such theatrics"

I smiled looking out of the window again. I had always liked the rain. Somehow it always gave me a very peaceful feeling, and the best part was the rich scent of wet soil it always left behind.

Zuerien's scent

The thought of Zuerien made my shoulders sag. I felt bad about the argument we had had, but I had really hoped that he would understand my desperation. Karina was my only family after all. If only things hadn't turned out like that.

I miss him...

"So Anna" Mr. Talon's voice caught my attention as he made his way towards the door, "Its chilly out and we are both feeling a wee bit creeped out, so what do you say we go get a nice hot cup of coffee to warm ourselves up child?"

I smiled and nodded walking to the door as Mr. Talon pulled it open. Immediately a gust of cold air hit us hard making us both shiver and look around wide eyed. The clouds were grey and heavy with rain, and the temperature outside had dropped by several degrees which meant that a cold intolerant person like me would soon transform into an icy popsicle.

"Why don't you get a jacket child", Mr. Talon said and I immediately cringed.

Jacket

Even that reminded me of Zuerien.

Nodding, I quickly pulled a dark cardigan over my sundress and put on my flats. Once outside, Mr. Talon locked the door while I continued to stare at the stormy skies.

If Master Rino really was the cause of this rain, did that mean he was feeling upset? I hoped that wasn't so especially because he was such a lively and carefree person, always smiling whole-heartedly.

"Do you mind if we stop by at my room child?" Mr. Talon asked, "I want to change out of this outrageous thing"

I smiled and nodded and we started walking down the cobblestone pathway towards his cottage. As we walked, my mind went over all the things Mr. Talon had told me about the shadows. They seemed quite mysterious and rather scary too, but I wondered if I felt that way because I only knew one side of the story.

Before I discovered the existence of Supernaturals and things were still normal, Karina had told me that most people there were rather nice. She had made some friends too. So surely they couldn't be all that bad...right?

Right?

So what exactly was the reason behind their enmity with the werewolves? What could have possibly happened that even speaking about them was forbidden. That there was so much hatred between the two kinds that no contact was acceptable between them.

I was about to ask Mr. Talon about it when I noticed that his eyes were glazed over. He was mind-linking.

I wondered if it was Zuerien and immediately a wave of longing washed over me.

Zuerien...

Mr. Talon blinked and shook his head before looking at me, "Child, do you have a picture of your sister on your phone?" he asked and I nodded.

"Please show it to me", he said and I did, "I need to send this to Alpha Zuerien, is that alright?" he asked and I nodded, "but what for?" I asked.

"Maybe they want a reference to give to their human acquaintances in Canada so that they can go check on her", he replied trying to send the picture to Zuerien.

Keyword- tried.

I sighed remembering how slow he could be with electronic gadgets. Shaking my head, I took my phone from him before quickly sending the photograph to Zuerien while Mr. Talon smiled at me sheepishly before his eyes glazed over again.

I stared at Zuerien's contact for a minute, my heart aching to hear his voice again. Then my eyes slid lower to Karina's number from which I had received a call from last night at the lounge.

Had it really even been her? And if not, was someone else in possession of her phone? Was that why she forbade to call her on it? And why did that person even have her phone in the first place?

I hadn't received any more calls from her or any other unknown numbers all morning, but what if I did? Should I take it? Or should I ignore it like Zuerien told me to?

I clutched my phone tightly in my hand, staring my sister's smiling picture which I had just sent to Zuerien.

Karina...

No! I would definitely take the call. It could be Karina calling to tell me that she was in trouble! I didn't care if it put me in danger, I couldn't ignore the calls. But just in case, if I didn't hear any reply from the other side for at least 6 seconds after I picked up, I would hang up.

Yeah! That was a good plan. I'd do that.

Now if only someone would call...

Beside me Mr. Talon shook his head again and I looked at him to find that his eyes had returned to normal. He immediately turned to me wide-eyed, "Luna Prophecy has woken up!"

My eyes immediately lit up, "That's a relief!" I said and he nodded, "She told the others that the one of the Lunas is in Canada"

I clutched my phone tighter, "And what did they say? Did she see her this time?"

"Yes she did", Mr. Talon said, "I don't know for sure yet, but if the Luna is in Canada then I think there is a high chance that the Alpha may try and retrieve her immediately. If so, you may get to hear from Karina"

I smiled widely, "I'll get to see her?!"

"Probably not"

"What?!"

"I doubt the Alpha will let you go to Canada child", he told me, "Regardless of whether or not one of our Lunas is there, he won't let you venture into enemy territory. So what we can hope for is to get some news about your sister and her well-being, a message from her at best"

"Can't they retrieve my sister along with the Luna?" I asked desperately and he sighed, "I'm not quite sure what they are planning to do. I suppose we'll find out soon enough. Come", he said as we quickened our paces towards Mr. Talon's room.

As I waited for him outside his cottage while he changed, I couldn't help but feel a little bitter. Zuerien had refused to do anything about my sister being in Canada, but when it came to one of the Lunas, it suddenly seemed like he could bend the rules.

I knew it was childish of me to act this way, but my sister was my main concern. I couldn't help but feel worried and I couldn't help but feel hurt.

I tugged at the ends of my hair, feeling aggravated. Why did things have to be so complicated? All this incessant worrying and frequent panic attacks were really taking a toll on me. I wish I had some way to release all this pent up frustration.

I sighed looking around at the other cottages. There were not many people outside, everyone was probably at the Game Grounds. I wondered if they would cancel the events if it started to rain.

As my eyes drifted across the cottages, I saw a woman coming out of hers, with a very familiar object slung over her shoulder.

A bow!

My eyes widened as I found the arrows in her belt quiver as she walked down the cobblestone pathway, probably towards the Game Grounds.

A bow and arrows! Did that mean...

"Ah! Finally, it feels good to be in your own comfort clothes", Mr. Talon said emerging from his room in a formal dress shirt and dress pants.

"Mr. Talon!" I said immediately grabbing his hands making him jump.

"Heavens child! What is it?!" he asked wide-eyed.

"Is there an archery event at the Annual Games?" I asked him excitedly and his brow furrowed as he nodded, "Uh, yes, I believe there is"

"WHEN?!" I asked eagerly, "is it today?"

"No...I don't...think so", he said, "The women's archery competition should be...either tomorrow or the day after tomorrow", he said taking out his tiny notepad from his pant pocket and flipping through the pages, "Why are you asking?"

"But the archers will be practicing today right?" I asked, not answering his question, and his brows knit together even further as he nodded, "Yes Suzzanah, but wh-"

"Will you take me there after coffee?" I said feeling excitement flow through my veins, "Take me to the field where they practice please"

"O-okay, I suppose" he replied, "I don't know where your sudden interest in archery has come from but I'll take you. For now, to the restaurant we go. Come along"

I squealed happily and pulled him in a hug before tugging him along towards the restaurant.

I might just have found a way to release all that pent up frustration.

____

As we walked into the lounge, I couldn't help but feel a little bit disappointed. Mr. Talon had suggested that since it was almost lunch time, we might as well have lunch and go see the archery practice in the evening.

I had very reluctantly agreed, knowing that it was probably best I ate with him now. Somehow, I wasn't in the mood to eat with everybody else, especially because with Zuerien and me being in the same room, things would be a little awkward for everyone.

All throughout our walk to the restaurant Mr. Talon had thoroughly questioned me about every single dish I liked, even the ones I had never tried but wanted to. From starters to desserts, he asked me everything, including my favorite ice cream flavors.

I wondered if he planned on treating me to my favorite foods to make me feel better after my fight with Zuerien. In return I asked him about his favorite dishes and found out that much like Zuerien, he didn't really have any favorites as such.

But he did pleasantly surprise me by telling me that he had a sweet tooth and cotton candy made him very happy, which was one of the most adorable things I had ever heard. I mentally made a note to get him cotton candy sometime in the near future.

As we walked into the restaurant, Mr. Talon started to guide me towards the lounge and my brow furrowed in confusion.

"Why are we going to the lounge Mr. Talon?" I asked, "since it's just the two of us, can't we just eat in the restaurant"

Mr. Talon cringed, his nose crinkling as he looked at me guiltily and my face fell, "Mr. Talon", I said worriedly, "It is just the two of us...right?"

His eyes flickered towards the door to the lounge before he replied, "Sorry child"

"Oh no!" I cried out immediately turning to leave but he grabbed my arm, "Suzzanah wait!" he cried out.

"I don't want to eat with everyone else", I told him, "Especially not with...with..."

"Oh child, don't be like this", he chided before whispering so that no one else heard us, "I know the Alpha hurt your feelings but couples should not stay angry at each other for long periods. It's not healthy!"

"But-"

"You can patch things up with him over lunch, now come along", Mr. Talon said pulling me along with him.

"But Mr. Talon-"

I was interrupted yet again, but this time not by Mr. Talon, but by Rino.

"ANNA!"

Both mine and Mr. Talon's heads shot towards the lounge's door to find Rino standing there and grinning widely, "I'm so happy you came!" he cried out.

"Rino!" I said walking towards him, "Are you alright? Did something happen?" I asked making his brow furrow, "I mean...the weather outside and your mood...we just figured-"

"Oh the weather!" he said looking out the window, "Yeah that's my doing", he said scratching his head sheepishly, "I tried not to show it, but after you and the Wolfa fought and you left crying, I just couldn't help but feel sad", he replied, "And well, this-", he motioned to the stormy weather outside, "-is a result of my bottled up feelings of despair"

"Aw Rino", I said smiling at him, "That's really sweet of you but please don't be sad. I'm fine now...and well...I'm sorry about running out like that earlier", I said feeling embarrassed, "It was really dramatic of me and quite unnecessary-"

"Oh don't apologize Anna, it's not your fault", he replied, "Wolfa's temper tantrums can be a little over the top, but you get used to them", he grinned, "Because he may seem all cold and stony on the outside, but on the inside he's like a giant fluffy teddy bear-uh, wolf who loves being cuddled"

Mr. Talon choked on air and I bit back a laugh before shaking my head, "You think so?"

"I know so!" he replied, "I'm so glad you decided to come Anna. We were all worried you wouldn't"

"Well...I didn't have much of a choice", I said looking at Mr. Talon who smiled at me sheepishly, "But I guess in a way, it's a good thing"

"That's the spirit Anna!" Rino cried out before lunging at me with his arms wide open only to be pulled back by the collar by none other than an extremely annoyed looking Alpha King.

"RINO! How many times do I have to tell you-" Zuerien shouted before lowering his voice, "-to not touch what's mine?!"

Rino turned his head and grinned at Zuerien, "I don't remember Wolfa", he replied honestly making Zuerien exhale in aggravation while Mr. Talon cringed.

A second later, Zuerien's eyes met mine at the same time as mine did his, and the irritation in his eyes disappeared immediately and a more gentle expression replaced it. I winced slightly before looking down at my feet, not wanting to hold his gaze.

I was no longer mad at him, I doubt I ever had been, but I was hurt and somehow, looking at him made it just a little bit unbearable, not just the hurt, but also the longing.

I missed him...even though it had hardly been half an hour...I really missed him...

"Let's go inside", Zuerien said before pulling a still grinning Rino inside with him.

Mr. Talon smiled at me, "Come Suzzanah", he said before leading me into the lounge.

Alpha Penson, Alpha Marco and Master Cole were already inside and they immediately smiled at me as I walked in, standing up to greet me.

I smiled back before turning to close the door behind us. Almost immediately I felt Zuerien's presence right behind me and the minute I turned around, I came face to chest with him.

My head shot upwards only for my eyes to meet with a painfully familiar pair or warm brown ones, that were watching me with a fierce intensity.

An emotion I could recognize as...regret...

I know...I regret it too...the way things happened earlier...but I can't talk to you just yet...not just yet...not when it still hurts so much...

Before he could say anything I lowered my head and gave him a small nod before turning and walking away. I could tell that my reaction disturbed him, maybe even agitated him, but I didn't want to speak to him right now. Not while I was still bitter.

I just need a little more time to get over this...and then maybe, I won't feel so hurt anymore...

If anyone else in the room noticed our cold exchange, they didn't show it, for which I was grateful. I walked up to the large table where we had all had dinner the earlier night.

Master Cole smiled, "I'm really glad you joined us for lunch Luna", he said warmly.

I noticed that his usual kind smile and relaxed attitude were back. I was happy to see him like this again. I gave him a small smile before looking at Alpha Penson and Alpha Marco who both wore similar warm smiles. I wondered if I should apologize to them for having run out like I had but I didn't get a chance when suddenly a large arm slipped around my waist making my head jerk up towards the owner of it.

"Take your seats", Zuerien said coolly before pulling out a chair for me.

I tried to wiggle out of his grip but he didn't seem in the least bit fazed as he gently steered me towards my seat.

Begrudgingly, I took a seat, not looking at him as he took the seat on the right of mine, while Master Cole was on my left and Rino sat opposite to me.

As everyone settled into their respective seats, I looked at Alpha Penson who sat next to Rino. He smiled at me looking absolutely alright now and I wondered what had happened to him earlier when he saw that crystal. I'd have to ask him after lunch.

My eyes moved over all the people now seated at the table and my brow furrowed, "Won't Luna Prophecy be joining us?" I asked out loud.

"'Fraid not", Alpha Marco said, "She fell asleep again, just before we were about to leave for lunch. I think the teleportations have really taken a toll on her"

"Oh", I nodded feeling disappointed, "I hope she feels better soon"

"Oh she will", he replied, "once she meets you that is. She is really excited about it"

"As am I Alpha", I told him smiling.

"Oh please, call me Marco", he said with a wink, flashing his classic flirtatious smile. His eyes briefly fell on Zuerien before they widened in alarm and he cleared his throat, "I mean, uh, you're the Queen, so you don't need to address us with our titles"

"He's right Luna", Master Cole added, "So please, call me Cole"

"And call the Wolfa Kairien!"

All our confused gazes shot towards a grinning Rino who sat opposite to me. Multiple sighs sounded simultaneously as everyone said in unison, "Zuerien"

Rino's eyes went wide, "Oh yeah!" he said, "Call him Zuerien. He hates it when you call him Wolfa"

Zuerien tensed next to me while Marco slapped the back of Rino's head, "Its Alpha, fool"

While they continued to talk, my eyes immediately drifted towards Zuerien who sat stiffly next to me.

He hates it when I call him Alpha...

I remembered calling him by his title before rushing out of Luna Prophecy's room. Zuerien's gaze suddenly found mine, and the look in his eyes immediately confirmed Rino's words as being true.

I looked away, choosing to stare at my lap instead while I could still feel Zuerien gaze on me. He hadn't really brought up the matter of our fight since I got here, and he didn't seem like he was angry anymore either. So did that mean he was over it? Did he expect me to do the same? Act like it never happened?

My shoulders slumped, a small sigh of displeasure escaping my lips. If only things were that easy.

Zuerien's left leg moved so that it pressed into the side of my right leg, immediately making my eyes widen as I pulled my leg away from his. I could still feel his gaze on me and I knew it would only be a matter of time before everyone else noticed the awkward tension between us. Or had they already noticed?

Gah! Where are those waiters when you need them?

At least if I had a menu card to concentrate on, I could use it to hide my face and also my discomfort.

"Oh! There comes the food!" Mr. Talon chirped making my head jerk upwards.

Food?

I turned just in time to find a horde of waiters barging into the lounge, all carrying enormous trays overflowing with food. My eyes bulged out of my sockets as they took in the gargantuan quantities of food. When had they even ordered? And how exactly were these men planning on finishing all of this?

Please tell me they don't expect me to contribute to the task! There is enough food on this table to feed me for half a month!

I gulped taking a closer look at all the food items, and my already wide eyes widened even more as I realized that all the dishes on the table were ones I had just told Mr. Talon that I really liked or really wanted to try.

My head immediately turned towards him and to find him already looking at me expectantly. When our eyes met, he shook his head quickly before subtly motioning towards Zuerien.

My eyes slowly drifted towards Zuerien who was speaking quietly to a terrified looking waiter who was nodding vigorously at everything Zuerien was saying.

Was this his idea?

As though he had sensed my eyes on him, his head suddenly turned and his gaze found mine. My eyes immediately widened and I quickly turned away, going back to staring at my plate.

I could feel Zuerien's eyes still on me, and I tried not to fidget awkwardly. Not wanting to think about his intense gaze drilling holes into the side of my face, I quickly started to scoop larger than usual quantities of the dishes onto my plate before hurriedly shoving the food into my mouth.

The minute I pulled the spoon out of my mouth, all gazes at the table zeroed in on me, immediately flooding me with discomfort.

Why are they staring? Was I supposed to wait? Was it a rule that we all needed to start together or something?

Feeling more than a little out of place, with a spoonful of food still in my mouth, I looked up at Rino nervously to find him staring at me intently, as though he was expecting some kind of reaction from me.

My brow furrowed as I slowly chewed on the food and my gaze left his to find Cole, who was watching me with a similar anticipation. The minute I looked at him, he quickly smiled at me before he started eating himself. Everyone seemed to follow his lead and started eating, and I couldn't even begin to describe how awkward I was feeling.

Uhhh?

Quietly, I shoved more food into my mouth. If it wasn't for the discomfort I was currently feeling, knowing that everyone in the room was discreetly watching me for a reaction, I would have moaned out loud. The food was absolutely delicious!

"Do you like the food?" Alpha Penson asked making me stop stuffing my face.

I looked up at him with bloated cheeks and nodded making his smile. Suddenly, a large familiar hand cupped my cheek, turning my head to the side, his side. My eyes widened in alarm as they found Zuerien's face and much to my horror, his thumb grazed my lower lip, wiping away some sauce, while the entire time his dark gaze stayed glued to my lips.

Everyone suddenly stopped eating again, Rino even dropping his spoon, as all their wide eyes stared at the both of us. The temperature in the room suddenly sky rocketed and the cardigan I was wearing started to feel like an insulator. I heard a soft whistle come from Marco and my face heated up to a thousand and one degrees as I immediately moved away from Zuerien's touch.

I chewed as fast as I could, not looking up from my plate. My skin still felt extremely flushed and I was dying of embarrassment.

Why was Zuerien so...so...GAH!

I could tell that all the men had amused expressions on their faces, and also that Zuerien was feeling quite smug at the moment. Jerk!

I felt his leg graze mine again and I gave him a quick glare before readjusting myself on my chair so that I was sitting further away from him. Finally, able to swallow the food, I put another spoonful into my mouth only to choke on my food when I felt Zuerien's large warm hand on the exposed part of my knee.

Coughing violently, I immediately caught everyone's attention again. Master Cole quickly picked up my glass of water and much to my horror, instead of giving it to me, he handed it to Zuerien. And before I had a chance to protest, Zuerien pressed the glass to my lips.

Not having any other choice but to comply, I drank the water he offered while he patted my back as gently as I did.

"Are you alright Queen?" Marco asked when I was done and I nodded at him.

"You know Anna", Rino spoke up, "My great great grandfather's uncle once said if you choke on your food, it means that someone is having dirty thoughts about you"

I almost choked again, WHAT?!

All heads whipped towards him before immediately jerking towards Marco whose eyes went wide in disbelief, "Hey, don't look at me! I'm innocent!"

Everyone eyed him suspiciously but I knew he was telling the truth. The proof was sitting on my knee right now! While everyone was still busy blaming poor Marco, I grabbed Zuerien's hand and tried to remove it from my leg. When it didn't budge I glared up at him to find him looking down at me with a smug smirk.

I narrowed my eyes at him before pinching him hard. An almost inaudible hiss escaped his lips, but his smirk didn't falter, making my aggravation spike. With a hard shove, I managed to dislodge his hand before pulling my dress down as far as it could go.

If he thought he could just ignore our argument from earlier and do whatever he liked with me, he had another thing coming!

I could tell that Zuerien was feeling quite amused and I resisted the urge to kick him under the table lest I ended up kicking Alpha Penson or Cole and things got even more embarrassing.

I managed to get through the rest of my lunch without much trouble. There did seem to be a slight tension in the air, because all men kept exchanging anticipatory glances, but apart from that, it was normal. Thankfully Zuerien refrained from trying to touch me again or I would have stuck a fork in his hand.

Most of the time at the table was spent talking about some important pack affairs or about the Annual Games and the events to come. I learnt that Marco had a pack of his own called the Ronaldo Pack, but when his Alpha Extraordinaire duties kept him busy, his Beta stood in for him and reported all the pack business to him at the end of the day. I also learnt that Marco, Cole and Prophecy had yet to find their mates.

"It should be easy to find Prophecy's mate", Marco said, "Because she is a Luna, we just need to assemble all the Alphas and Alpha's to-be in one place, and one of them is bound to be her soulmate"

"So you mean that one of the Alphas here right now could be her mate?" I asked and he nodded, "Yeah. But Prophecy says that she doesn't mind even if she doesn't find her mate right away. She says she deals with enough haughty self-obsessed males already to not want a new addition to that just yet"

Alpha Penson smiled, "She may say that, but I think secretly, she is really looking forward to meeting him", he said.

"Or her", Marco added matter-of-factly, "I mean judging by her unhealthy obsession with the Lunas and even the Queen, I wouldn't be surprised if she ended up mated to a female Alpha"

"Her obsession with certain women is still better than your obsession with them all", Zuerien told him making him gape at Zuerien.

"Hey! A wolf has his needs King!" he said defensively, "Just because you're the only one here who has a gorgeous mate who can satisfy yours, doesn't mean we don't have a right to be sated. It's not fair!"

Heat immediately rushed to my cheeks making my face glow bright red. Satisfy his needs?! That just sounds wrong!

A slow smirk spread across Zuerien's lips, "I guess I'm lucky", he said softly, his eyes immediately finding mine and it took all of my will power to not explode from the heat overload in my body.

Apart from such near death experiences, I quite enjoyed lunch. All the dishes were beyond delicious, and I ate much more than I had intended to, such that by the time I was done, I was so full that I felt like couldn't get off my chair. Zuerien seemed quite pleased to see me stuffed like a pig and sporting a pot belly, because throughout lunch he had a ghost of a smile playing on his lips.

Why are you looking at his lips?

That thought had alarmed me much more than it should have and I cursed the stupid annoying voice in my head before forcing myself to not look at him again.

Much to my alarm as well as awe, the six men at the table emptied all the dishes, going so far as to even consider ordering more. Because I was finished before everyone else, I spent considerable amount of time gaping at the them and their insatiable appetites.

Once everyone was done, and I had finished my dessert- a chocolate fudge brownie with ice cream, another one of my favorites- we all stood up to leave. All the men had work they needed to see to, even Rino. Mr. Talon apologized to me profusely and promised to take me to the see the archery practice later that evening so I agreed reluctantly.

Somehow, even though lunch had been much more pleasant than I had expected, I still got the feeling that they were all hiding something from me. Or maybe that was just me being paranoid.

As everyone started to leave the lounge, I tried to squeeze between them and leave first, trying to avoid a certain someone. But it was almost like they were all deliberately blocking my way, not letting me exit.

I ended up being the second last person to reach the door, the last person very conveniently being Zuerien but before I could rush outside, a large hand pushed the door closed leaving me staring at the dark wood in shock.

OH NO!

I gasped and turned around only to be pulled into a hard chest as strong arms came around me in a tight and intimate hug.

The rich scent of wet soil immediately filled my lungs and a familiar sense of overwhelming comfort flooded my body. It was the most amazing feeling in the world, the feeling of being hugged by your mate.

"Suzzanah", Zuerien breathed out as he hugged me close to himself, his voice deep and full of emotion.

I immediately squirmed in his arms, pushing at his chest, "Let me go", I said but his arms only tightened around me

"Don't be angry sweetheart", he whispered and I felt my heart clench at his words and my lips pressed together.

I'm not angry...not angry...

"I don't want to talk to you right now Zuerien"

"I didn't mean to yell at you", he said and my jaw clenched.

"But you did"

"Because you wouldn't listen to me"

I grit my teeth before pushing him away so I could see his face, "So every time I don't listen to you, you'll yell at me till I do, is that it?"

"No Suzzanah", he replied, cupping my cheek, "If it were up to me, I'd take back every mean thing I ever said to you. But as much as I regret it, at that moment and given those particular circumstances, I couldn't help but react the way I did. And I'm afraid that even in the future, if I am ever forced to choose between your desires and your safety, I will still choose the latter"

I closed my eyes and exhaled heavily. I didn't want to talk about this anymore, it was like we were getting nowhere. He still refused to see my desperation, and I couldn't bring myself to understand him when I was hurting on the inside.

I needed time.

"Let me go Zuerien", I told him softly, but firmly.

His eyes immediately darkened and he shook his head, "No", he replied.

"Why ever not?!"

"Because you're mine"

"I'm not some possession you can control Zuerien", I told him, "I'm not a robot you can order around. I've always cherished being your mate, but you lost a part of me when you decided that it was your right to force me to obey you even if I didn't like it...even if-", my voice trembled, "-it hurt me"

Guilt immediately flashed in his eyes as he pulled me closer, "I never meant to hurt you sweetheart", he said, his voice brimming with sincerity, "And you have the right to be upset with me. But it's okay...because I intend on winning you back, all of you"

His words held a promise that made my heart skip a beat.

I'll win all of you back...even what I lost...

"And Suzzanah", he lifted my chin so that my eyes met confident brown ones, "I always get what I want"

____

A/N

Hey darlings,

I know this update is a little late but do bear with me, my exams are killing me lol.

This was a HUGE chapter and it took me forever to write. The history discussed in it will prove to be extremely important in the story to come XD and I can't wait to write about it.

On a different note, lately I've been receiving a LOT of reading requests even though I already mentioned in my bio that I DON'T take them. So I request all my dear readers to please not send me reading requests. I'm sorry but I just don't have the time :( I wish you all success in your respective writing endeavours ♥

Also apparently MANY of you have exams right now, so to all those of you who do, wish you ALL THE VERY BEST FOR YOUR EXAMS! Go kick exam butt you guys XD I'm rooting for you! And Stay healthy!

If you liked this chapter, Please do VOTE and COMMENT to let me know what you think :D

Until next time,

All my love

Angel