Hearts Betray

Chapter 13- Tradition Should Die

Esmeray's POV

Life has interesting ways of testing us.

When dark times arrive, our main instinct is to scramble desperately towards any form of light that we can spot.

Then how does it make sense that some of us find solace in another form of darkness?

I would consider myself a creature of the night. Not only because I am a vampire, but because my soul finds peace when night arrives. Nightfall brings out the most in nature and the world itself.  When darkness falls, creatures of the Earth escape through sleep. Nature seems to come alive. The moon illuminates its deepest of powers and secrets; it makes reality feel like a dream, and a dream like reality.

When the willpower of some seems to wane, the darkness that the moon embraces can help restore it, quicker than the light of day ever could.

Whenever the moon would appear to highlight the darker and more mysterious aspects of a day, I would always look up and thank the Moon Goddess for her presence. I always saw her deception as a way of opening my eyes to harsh truths. Her aid had always been appreciated and was never left unnoticed.

So that night, when the moon made her nightly appearance, I looked up and acknowledged that she was there with me when all else seemed to have been going against me.

"You will not touch what is mine."

Theodore's words rang out in my head repeatedly. I tried to fuel my mental power by drawing it directly from the moon's energy.

I was sick of males treating me like their property. Like an object that can be passed on and claimed if, and when, they so desire.

I took a calming breath and let go of Theodore's hand, taking a step away from him the moment Zander went into his pack house. He had to change back into his human form to continue hearing the unwanted explanations of the night's events. Theodore noticed my demeanour change, and quickly looked over at me.

He began addressing me but didn't get far.

"Esmeray-"

"That is my name, yes." I cut in. I didn't want to be rude to him, but I failed at that, miserably. Hurt flashed in his eyes for a split second before he reached his hand out towards me again. I refused to take it, feeling horrible for hurting him. But I had to stand my ground and show him that I knew my own worth.

Upon Zander's temporary departure, many other creatures began arriving. Cody and Sebastien were the first two that I had spotted. Their dragon forms flying in the eerie light were hard to omit.

Beatrice returned from the forest, followed by a small group of vampires, with Sapphire on the lead.

'I knew he didn't come alone.' I conceded to myself.

Zander then emerged from the pack house as a human again, and Theodore instantly averted his focus onto him.

The night was turning extremely chaotic in such a short period of time. I didn't know where to look, whose side to take and whom to trust in the unfavourable position.

To make matters worse, Zander's pack began appearing from all directions of his territory. The werewolves had no intentions of attacking anybody; they were merely there because their Alpha had summoned them. They were playing right into Zander's game of power, and Zander clearly loved the idea of his pack outnumbering everybody else.

He stopped a short distance away from Theodore and spread his arms apart, as if he was speaking to someone who was a rank below him.

"Is that everyone you've brought so?" He questioned, grinning like a maniac. "Not too impressive for a Prince."