Fate

Chapter Thirty Nine

Word Count: 1814

~Zayla

Both her and I stare at each other, no words spoken.

I'm trying to read her expression, but it's difficult. She looks confused and frightened. I'm looking for recognition, but there is nothing there. My own mother stares at me blankly, seeing a stranger who appeared in her home in a burst of magic and confusion. But I don't blame her. She hasn't seen me in over twenty years.

When I go to stand, she stumbles back, frightened. She looks a lot like me, I can tell. Her eyes are the same violet shade as a Phantom Wolf. We share a similar bone structure in our face, with the same dark brown hair and lean stature.

"Oh my...How did you get in my house," she gasps, the back of her knees hitting her couch as she warily inches away from me. "Who are you?"

It chips at a piece of my heart, sending it right to my throat. "Mother, it's me. Zayla."

The mention of my name doesn't seem to help my case. She stares at me blankly, seemingly becoming more nervous about my presence. I just want to reach out and hug her, but instead, I'm standing her, wanting to burst into tears because my own mother doesn't remember who I am. I recognize he simply because of all the photos we had.

"My daughter is only young," she tells me, casting her gaze up and down my body, attempting to guess my age.

Of course. Something is wrong.

"You time perception must be manipulated here," I say grimly. Time does seem stranger here. How long I've been in this realm is unknown to me. It could be days, minutes of seconds. The sky seems unchanging. "It's really me. Jasper, my father, and your mate is back in the mortal world."

All of a sudden, something clicks in her brain. She remembers me, I can tell. For a moment, I can see what looks like tears well in her eyes as she reaches for me, pulling me in for a hug.

I savour that moment. A moment I've dreamt about for my whole life.

She sounds heartbroken, for a moment. "You died?"

"Technically yes. But I'm getting out of here. I just needed to see you first," I tell her, as she pulls away from the hug. I want to cry too, but I know I shouldn't. I don't have time to cry, or the energy, quite frankly. My head still spins from using my powers, and I can see dark spots in the middle of my vision.

"You're so beautiful," Thea says, before she seems to notice me swaying before her. "Are you okay, sit down."

She guides me to her couch, letting me sit. I immediately feel better, my vision clearly, the fog lifting off my mind. Her home here seems very small, but at least her furniture is comfortable. She sits beside me, grabbing my hand.

"You and Jasper gave me a lot of power. Too much, I'm beginning to think," I tell her, placing the tips of my fingers on my temple. I can feel my pulse beating frantically.

"How are you escaping? Like your father?" she asks.

My father. I don't know how I'm meant to break it to my own mother that her mate isn't doing so well above ground. She is strong though, and most likely assumes something is wrong already. Jasper would never just leave her behind her to escape. He would do anything to bring her with him.

"Fate and Death are bringing me back," I explain to her. If only I could take her with me. It could solve one of my biggest problems. Not including till being in Fate's possession. "He still has me. But I think I'm getting out of there."

"I'm so glad you came to see me-"

As much as I want to hear her talk, I have to cut her off. Time is of the essence.

"I can't stay long. Fate is tracking me," I tell her anxiously. I know what I need from her, and I can't leave without it. As much as I can't stand my father right now, I need to do this. "I need you to write Jasper a note. He wants to come back here, to you. Until I can get you out of here, I need to keep him mentally stable."

Thea blinks a few times, but nods in agreement, knowing she has no other choice. "Of course."

She stands walking to a small table at the other end of the room, while I remain seated on the couch. She searches for a piece of paper and a pen, before she starts scribbling on it. Hopefully this will raise my father's spirits.

All of a sudden, mother's front door is pushed open, and in saunters Fate.

I flinch, scrambling to my feet. I thought I would a little more time with my mother, but just like that, he found me. Perhaps I could use my powers again, but it's too late. I can feel it in my body that another round could do something permanently damaging to me.

"This little game of yours truly is tiring," he says flatly.

Fate is clearly on the last inch of his patience. Instead of being concerned moments before, he now looks bored, and perhaps bothered. I haven't seen him like this in quite some time. I've clearly stepped over a line. It's too bad I couldn't care less.

"Karma must be hanging around," I say blandly. Mother is ignoring Fate, concentrating on her note. Good, I need to distract him. "How did you find me?"

"I figured you would be here. Seems you've discovered a little more power. How fascinating," she says. I want to smile at the sullen mood that has settled over him. Finally, he is tasting some of his own medicine.

"I'm not going with you. Not yet."

He sighs through his nose. I know I have no other choice, but I need to fill some time to let Thea finish. Fate takes a step toward me, which I match back. A slight narrow of his eyes expresses how quickly his anger is growing within him.

"You act like you have a choice, Zayla," he says, his tone eerily calm. "I tried being patient. It's time to go back home."

I hear mother pipe up from behind me. "Fate, please. I haven't seen her in years."

He completely ignores her, concentrating on me. His expression is starting to make me nervous. There is a storm in his eyes, brewing over the edges. His steps catch up to my retreat too quickly. He seizes my arm, holding so tightly I want to cringe. This is over, unless I risk my life to escape.

"We have to go," he says darkly, so close to me, I can smell that familiar scent, and see every detail of his face. "I suggest taking my hand willingly before I have to drag you back and punish you myself for all the stunts you've pulled today."

From behind me, I can feel mother push a folded piece of paper into my palm. Relief consumes me at the same time Fate's magic does.

I glance over my shoulder, having one last look at Thea. "I love you."

"I love you too," she says. Although it sounds like a distant thought as the ground falls out from under me, and everything disappears.

The sand appears under my feet quickly. Too quick, with me being distracted, so I land straight onto the beach. My knees ache already from the damage they received earlier, so the landing hurts more than usual. But I'm too busy concentrating on Fate. I'm angry at him. Furious, in fact.

"Are you so sadistic that you enjoy ripping a daughter away from her mother?" I snap.

He had turned to walk away, but my words make him turn on his heels. He looks back at me, clearly as angry as I am right now.

"You don't get to say anything," he seethes. "Why did you run from me like that? I would have helped you, Zayla. I would have given you time. You still don't trust me?"

"You took everything from me. How could I trust you?" I question him?

Is he truly so delusional that he thinks I can trust him? From the youngest age, I was taught that Fate was my enemy. That I should never trust an immortal, otherwise what happened to my father happened to me. He stole me away from my family, and still I'm here, trying my best to escape.

"I'm doing all I can. I'm helping you, don't you get that?" he asks me. His voice is strained, as if he is desperately trying to convince me. "Your mother couldn't come back. It doesn't work that way. You should be concentrating on your father."

"After what he did? I'm done with that," I tell him, despite holding the note I need to give to him tightly in my hand. "That's not the point. I just want out of here."

"I don't understand why you can't see that everything I'm trying to do is for your benefit. You're the one who put yourself in danger like that," Fate tells me, his expression darkening with every word he says.

Steaming rage is bubbling up in the both of us.

"I'm sorry I'm young, and stupid, and not nearly as powerful as you. Sorry my life isn't perfectly in control like yours is," I snap. My voice, at this point, is at a full-on yell. I'm so consumed in my own frustration because of my situation, I can't help but yell and try my best to take it out on him.

"You know nothing about me-"

"That's the point!" I growl. Finally he is confirming what I have been trying to get through to him. "Don't act like I should trust you when you won't tell me anything about you. You're just like the immortal who killed my mother. You're all the same."

At those words, he falters. His expression goes flat, and he blinks a few times. It got through to him. I can see it.

"Is that what you really think?" he asks, his voice dying down from where it was raised.

"Yes. I hate you."

I'm hardly sure if I'm even meaning what I'm saying at this point. I'm so angered, I don't care what I say, or who they may affect. I want to crawl to my bed and cry, and wish all of this pain away.

Fate's jaw clenches, and he sighs deeply.

"You can go," he says, defeat filling his tone. "The point of you being here exists no longer."

And before I can say anything, he disappears.

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~Midika 💜🐼