Lunaticus

21

"Chloe."

I backed away until my back met the furthest wall. I gripped the vase in my hand, that shook with the intensity of my fear. He did not seem to notice. He stood by the door as if he had all the time of the world.

"I am sorry."

He raised his palms. "I apologize. Truly, sincerely. For all that happened. Forgive me, Chloe bear. I have come to fix my mistake."

He took a step forward. I raised the vase. "S-stay away. Or I swear to god, I'll scream."

"Baby..." He took another step. Dread filled my veins like liquid ice. "Don't you want to know what I have to say? All that I did for you?"

"S-stay, the fuck, a-away. This is the last time I'm warning you. I'd scream now."

He had reached the edge of my bed right now. Then he stopped. "Okay," He said thoughtfully. "Okay, I'll make you come to me."

He shoved his hands into the pockets of his slacks. A minute later, he pulled out his clenched fist and offered it to me. Slowly, he parted his finger.

I gasped. A silver locket, shaped like a heart, with the familiar twining roses embezelled on the outside. My mother's.

"You want it?" He smiled. "Come love. Take it."

I hesitated. I was desperate for the scent of my mother. At the same time, his own repelled me and made me want to jump out the window.

"If you don't want it, I can walk out this door right this instant and throw it away. I promise I won't hurt you."

What difference did it make? I thought tiredly. He was already in my room. One way or another, he'd figure out to get me alone. Then again, it was just a locket.

"Come on now, Chloe. I know you want it. It was one of the few things that survived."

That did it. He could be lying. He must be. But I didn't care. It had been 5 years since I had seen my family. There were pictures of them inside that locket, I just knew it.

I stomped forward and snatched the metal. But before I could pull away he snatched my wrist and pulled me forward. I staggered into his chest, and his other hand gripped the back of my neck in a chokehold.

I froze. The pain. The past. It consumed me whole. I was drowning again, feeling the helplessness, the weakness. He sniffed deeply at the crook of my neck, and he skimmed his lips across. I shivered in disgust, opening my mouth to yell. Before I could get a complete syllable out, his hand covered my mouth.

In that moment, I realized the error in my decision. I should have screamed while I had the chance.

"I waited for so long," His words broke. "My mate she...died. I knew it was a sign from the goddess. A repentance for my sin. I grieved her. She looked just...like...you..."

His lips pressed against mine. I clamped my teeth against his tongue, but he didn't care. His hand left my mouth.

"If you scream, baby, I swear I'd skin your folks like they were a hog on a skewer."

"You can't do that," I bit out, but the fear showed. He couldn't do that, could he? The alpha would never allow it. It was a crime to hurt fellow members. Everyone would feel their loss.

His hands paused at my chest. "Oh Chloe," He sighed, "Of course I can. I'm their Alpha now."

No, he wasn't...I met his grey eyes, and for the first time, I glimpsed the insanity roaming behind them. He had lost his mate. She had died.

How had she died? And what did it have to do with him becoming...

I sucked in a breath. "She was...defiled...like I was..."

His hand curled at my forearm, and I cried out in pain. Glaze coated his stormy eyes as he spoke, "That bastard. He touched my Sammy like she was his to stain. It didn't matter that I was his friend. He told me I didn't know, Marc. But how could he touch an unmarked girl knowing she wasn't his to claim..."

Exactly bastard.

But he was too far gone to see the irony in his words. He snapped back to me. He grinned shyly, "But it made me more powerful. I killed him. His family. Everyone stood against me. I work for the king now. One of the most important men in this region. And you, pretty girl, will rule alongside me. I would mark you now, right now."

I panicked. "I haven't shifted."

He paused. Then frowned. "Is that so?"

I nodded frantically. I had to last another minute. Lyell would come back.

"Why is that," He mused, trailing a finger across my jawline. "Did I break you that much, little Chloe?"

Break you that much.

Broke. Me. That. Much.

I became speechless, a mute. He looked at me and saw the desolate look in my eyes. He frowned. "I'm sorry. I should've let you shift you first before I made you mine. I've heard of it. The Goddess punishes those who come between her plans. I accept my punishment, and then some. I will accept you, Chloe, even if you are ruined, for you are mine. Through and through."

Ruined.

I closed my eyes. His fingers slipped marginally. I screamed with all my might.

***

Downstairs, in the woods near her window, Lyell paced. He didn't know why, but his blood was hot in his veins. His temples throbbed, and he kept clasping clasping and unclasping his fingers.

He doubled over suddenly. Panicking, he looked up. But the sky was cloudy. No sign of the full moon. Then why...why...

Then he heard her scream. Then he let the creature consume him, willingly. 

And for all the little while Lyell had thought that his worst days were behind him, this would be the last time things would ever be normal for him.