Break Me, Mate [Extended Sample]

{twenty four}

© 2015 by Nique Joaquin. All rights reserved.

The only question on my mind right now is...

What am I doing sleeping on the couch in Maddox's office? I have like- an hour left until I have to 'get ready'.

"Um. How did I get here?" I ask as Maddox looks up from the paperwork on his desk.

"I found you knocked out in the living room. I was going to carry you up to the room, but I figured I might as well bring you here, since this is the other office I use." Maddox says and I nod.

"Great. Is it bad to have signs of Alzheimer's before a mating ceremony?" I ask sarcastically and Maddox smirks as he gets up and walks over to me.

"Not really, although I'm a bit surprised you had a gun on you." Maddox says and I raise an eyebrow as I immediately reach for the back of my jeans. Empty.

"Maddox..." I say in a warning tone.

"You had the safety off and you were sleeping. How else am I supposed to keep you safe?" Maddox asks as he pulls one of my beloved guns out of his back pocket.

"Why the hell would the safety be off?" I ask. It's not like I used it at the mall.

"I don't know, you really shouldn't ask me. I just found it like that." Maddox says and I squint my eyes at him.

"Liar." I say with a sigh as I stand up, Maddox stands as well and immediately wraps his arms around my waist. "Maddox... are you okay?" I ask.

"Yup, just wanting to hold you before the ceremony." I roll my eyes and as I do so, my eyes land on Maddox's wall.

Maddox releases me from his hold and sighs.

"I'm going to go ahead and prepare for the ceremony, you staying for much longer?" Maddox asks me and I shake my head.

"Y-yeah, go ahead." I say and I don't even turn to watch Maddox as he leaves, instead, I move towards the wall and stare. I use my index finger to touch the wall, there was a hole.

A bullet hole.

I put my phone's flashlight on and look into it. There was a bullet embedded into it and as I shone my light on it, I examined the bullet.

What.

The.

Fuck.

***

I sigh as I pull on the dress. It's a beautiful white dress that slips on effortlessly. It has long silken sleeves and a skirt that flows out elegantly to my knees. It's silk and makes my body look like it's been masked in liquid pearl. My hair was simply let down with its usual waves. I didn't wear any form of footwear and to be honest, I looked just like I had gone out of a relaxing bath- except for the fact that my hair was already dry and my lashes were coated with mascara.

I took a silent twirl in front of the mirror, the silk moved with my movements and just felt absolutely wonderful on my skin. I had to thank Helari for it later. I sighed as I opened the box of seres on the nightstand and took one out. I only had two remaining. I stood in front of the mirror and felt for the scal at the back of my neck. I carefully slid the sere in and sighed as I felt it cool my body.

"Ready?" Helari's voice asks and I look at the door only to find her peeking her head through it.

"Yeah." I say with a shrug as she makes her way in.