I Don't Believe In Love, Alpha

Chapter 12

Artemis' P.O.V

He was already here I had to get out of here, I had to escape the darkness that consumed me I had to warn him. But it felt like I couldn't grab onto anything it was like I was in a sea of nothing but I wasn't drowning.  But suddenly there was a dim light in the distance that began to grow, it began to get closer and brighter, and the voice of a woman came with the light increasing with the intensity of the light. "My child, it's time to wake up now, you have to fight this darkness, to start over. Artemis wake up, this has all been a dream, wake up, Artemis, Artemis! Artemis!" I was suddenly thrust back into the real world. I was covered in sweat and laying in a bed, It felt so familiar the smells around me all smelled familiar. "Where, where am I." I tried to sit up as my vision started to come into focus but I was suddenly pushed back down. "Calm down sweetie, you just had a nightmare, it's ok I'm here." This voice, I knew it well but I just couldn't place it but it was caring and contained so much love

"Mom... is, is that you?" I felt a warm hand on my cheek just as my eyes focused completely, and right before me stood my mom. The tears began to pour from my eyes, it was her, her large emerald eyes stared into mine as her long silver ponytail swayed as she pulled me into an embrace. Her tan arms wrapped around me. When I was younger my father would always say I was a replica of my mother but she had this ethereal beauty that would always be unmatched. I cried loudly in my mother's arms as she held on tightly to me. It seems I've been doing a lot of crying lately, I've grown weak, defenseless, who was I anymore, I wasn't the strong she wolf that could tear anyone down, or fend off her attackers with ease anymore. Who was I, I had been captured, tortured, mocked, all because I had decided to open my heart, to my mate, but was still a stranger. Who was I, what happened to me, what happened to my strength?

When my mom felt me freeze in her arms she put me at arms length so she could stare into my eyes, while I contemplated. "Artemis, allowing someone into your heart, especially after a tragedy does not make you weak, your father and I tried to protect you from this force of evil but we failed, our biggest regret was leaving you. But I want you to know that you are strong, this is a force you cannot face alone you need your mate. I want you to know that your father and I are just so proud of the woman you have become, I know you have many doubts but trust me when I say you are not weak. Your father and I believe in you, we love you with all of our hearts, the road ahead is going to be rough and there will be many obstacles, but you will overcome them." She pulled me in for a bone crushing hug. "Oh, well isn't this just the sweetest reunion, it appears I didn't destroy your souls when I killed you, how unfortunate." My mother broke the hug and stood in front of my protectively facing her murderer. She raised on arm and flung it back in my direction and turned her head. "I love you so much sweetheart." I was thrown back into the darkness as I screamed for my mother, "MOOOOOOM!!!!" Once again I had lost her, a fire was raging inside of me, I opened my eyes and I was once again chained in the dungeon. I was screaming the word no like a maniac. My anger enveloped me, how could he, he had taken away my parents once and he's done it again, and now he thinks he can take the only person I've let into my heart. My fury blinded me I strained against the chains I had been unable to break. All of my previous doubts had been forgotten. I pulled so hard against the chains and finally they snapped, I was free from one restriction. After I broke the chains I stood tearing the bottom of my already torn up and dirty gown so I would be able to sprint easier. I felt the color of my eyes change color with the shear rage building up inside of me. 

My senses heightened everything in the dungeon became more visible as if there wasn't a single speck of darkness. I kick the door that lead to the stairs with so much pent up fury that it splintered and broke. I was running down the hallway trying to find any trace of my mate, there was a faint scent of rain that caught my attention as I ran past a corridor. I halted to a stop and began running after the scent, just as I was about to turn a corner someone grabbed onto my arm and tried to tug me back. However due to my heightened abilities and anger fueled strength I flung the person who grabbed me in front of me easily slamming them into the stone floor with my hand around their neck. I felt my canines enlarge and the though of who I held before me, it was the girl that had helped torture me shoving the heated rods in my back. My hand instinctively tightened around her throat and I could smell and see the fear that was evident throughout her entire body. She tried to fight my hand around her throat, I continued squeezing until she passed out. I wasn't going to kill her yet, even in the blind rage I was in I knew that I would have everyone here suffer for what they did. I had much worse things in mind for her than the quick death I could have just inflicted upon her. I left her unconscious there because his scent became stronger, he was close, the thought of him being near allowed my wolf to surface even more and the effects of whatever had been in our system to wear off. I continued to sprint and when I turned the corner I saw him. He was shirtless, covered in some blood that wasn't his, his brown hair was in a mess, his fangs were out, he was seething and oozing with the same shear rage that had consumed me, and he was breathing heavily. He was sweating slightly because his abs were covered in a thin layer of sweat, he must have run in wolf form here. His black gym shorts where slightly torn at the bottom. He turned once he noticed my presence his eyes were glowing and they were almost black. I didn't wait a second longer before sprinting towards him, he engulfed me in his arms neither one of us caring about how sweaty or dirty the other was. We didn't exchange words we simply held onto one another as if our lives depended of it. He squeezed me so hard and picked me up so that there was no room between us. I wrapped my legs around him, squeezing my arms around his neck and burying my face in the crook of his neck taking in his warmth and scent instantly calming me. I had the same effect because he wrapped his hand around my waist keeping me in place and buried his face in the crook of my neck. We both relaxed, after what seemed like eternity he spoke softly into my ear, his deep voice made my heart rate speed up. "I've missed you so much I promise I will never let you go or let anything like this every happen, I'm sorry I have failed at protecting you, I thought I had lost you will you ever forgive me Artemis?" I pulled back slightly and cupped his face he held so much anguish, despair, guilt, and passion in his eyes which had returned to there normal color. "I do not fully understand the mate bond yet, and was not prepared to have ever found you, or have the feelings that I do towards you, but none of this was your fault, neither of us knew that we would encounter such a force, I could never hate you, you are the only one I have ever allowed truly into my heart, I can't say I love you now even though we are mates, but I know I cannot live the rest of my life without you. And that I must acknowledge my feelings for you and how you've changed me, you are my mate and I will never hate you or let you go." He stared into my eyes before he crashed his lips to mine, it was a passionate kiss expressing all of the feelings of loneliness, desperation, desire, happiness, and hope. When we broke the kiss he pressed his forehead to mine and stared into my eyes.

"Well isn't this just another touching reunion." Once again my anger spiked and so did Zayden's he put me down and protectively pushed me behind him. "Well now that lover boy's here" his smirk grew and became more sinister as a dark cloud began to form around him and grow seeping out from behind him "Let the fun begin."

I am so sorry it has taken me this long to do anything, I've spent the year focusing on school, and applications, and volunteering, I promise I will try to update more and maybe even finish the story by the end of the year, thank you to everyone that has read, is still reading and whoever has been patient with me I just want to thank you guys for reading and I hope you enjoy. I also immensely apologize for any grammar mistakes I will go back and edit when the book is done.