Broken Bonds

Talon

Despite his father's wishes, he was still just a scrawny little kid when he first met her. He thought he finally lost his marbles as he stared at the little girl that came out of nowhere. Chasing butterflies, she said. Like it was the most normal thing in the world and not a total absurdity. He wanted to laugh, he realised. For the first time in what felt like years. And he knew then, he had to send her away. Warriors shouldn't laugh. They were born to do only one thing. But sending her away was easier said than done.

***

He couldn't do it. No matter how wrong the rational part of his brain told him it was, he just couldn't stop going to her. Somewhere between the cheerful laughter when they chased each other around, the gentle touches when she treated his wounds and the outrage in her eyes as she cursed his father, the little girl became his best friend. One he could no longer imagine his life without.

***

He didn't even notice when the change first started to happen. She was still his best friend, but somewhere along the way his feeling grew into something way stronger and way more beautiful. But also way more dangerous. Their packs hated each other. It would be a total disaster. And it was almost funny how little he cared about that. All he cared about was her and the strong need for her to love him as much as he loved her.

***

He hated himself for what he had to do. Almost took back his words when he saw the betrayal in her eyes. But staying away was necessary if he wanted his dreams to come true. And he almost couldn't believe it when they really did. One look was all it took for him to know. She was his soulmate. He kissed her then, no longer able to hold the turmoil of emotions inside him. The very first kiss he ever gave to anyone. It was nowhere near as graceful as he wanted it to be, but it was perfect. Because she was perfect. And she belonged to him. Forever. Nothing was ever going to tear them apart. God, how wrong he was. They took her right from his arms.

***

The thumps of their heartbeats accompanied them as she laid in his embrace. Her eyes closed, a blissful smile playing on her lips. His own eyes were sparkling as he watched her and although he stopped feeling his back hours ago, the hard bark of the tree pressing into it, he would rather die than move and disturb her sleep. He was so ridiculously happy. And in love. But the bubble burst with the sound of the footsteps.

***

The torn skin on his back hurt like hell. Whoever whipped him did a mighty good job trying to weaken him down. But they didn't realise that nothing they would do to his body would ever hurt as much as his soul. They had no right, but they ripped a part of it away anyway. And with it, they took away his will to continue living. And that feeling only intensified when he learned that the woman he loved left.

***

A year passed. A year filled with heartache and sadness as he still wasn't able to find any trace of her. But he was not going to give up. He was going to spend the rest of his life searching for her if necessary. Or he thought so. The universe had other plans for him. When the news of his mother falling sick reached him, he knew it was time to return home. If he could still call that godforsaken place that. Who would have thought the next time he would leave, it would be with a new title before his name?

***

He killed his father. Those words should awaken horror inside him, but he only felt relief when they played inside his mind. The bad beast was gone but an even worse one was about to take his place for he was about to do something unforgivable. He was so sure she would always stand by his side. But when the day he waited so long for finally came, there was no one there. He became an alpha, but she was gone. And the time he had to find her ran out.