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13. Katya
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๋ฐ์ดํธ:
2024-09-18 21:19:11
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Between Hate and Fateย ย ย 14. Ruslan
The shackles bite into my wrists and ankles, the chains rattling with every forced step. They drag me out of the cell without a word, like Iโm nothing more than an animal. The light outside is blinding, the first real sunlight Iโve seen in weeks.My eyes burn, and I have to squint just to see. The guards donโt slow down, donโt give me time to adjust. They shove me forward, arms locked in place, legs barely able to move in the tight restraints. I stumble, but catch myself before I hit the dirt. No one says a damn word to me.Iโm not stupid. I know what this is. Theyโre taking me to my execution. I expected this day to come. Maybe not this soon, but I knew it was inevitable. A small part of me thought they might let me rot in the cell, but no. Katya must have found some loophole. Maybe the council pushed her harder than I expected.I breathe out, a strange sense of relief flooding through me. Iโve been waiting for this, waiting for the end. Itโs better than being chained up, better than
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-09-18Between Hate and Fateย ย ย 15. Ruslan
The hot water hits my skin, and for a moment, I just stand there, letting it cascade over me, washing away the grime, blood and sweat thatโs been clinging to me for God knows how long. It feels... strange. To be in a shower. To be clean again. After weeks of being chained up in that cell, itโs almost surreal. The steam rises around me, filling the small bathroom with warmth, and I can feel my muscles slowly start to relax.I lean my head back, closing my eyes, letting the water run down my face. My body aches, every part of me stiff from being confined for so long, but the heat is helping. I can feel the tension melting away, bit by bit, the tightness in my chest easing. Itโs the first time Iโve felt anything close to comfort in what feels like forever.But even as I try to relax, thereโs this nagging feeling in the back of my mind. Iโm not really free. Not yet. I might be out of the cell, but Iโm still a prisoner. The barrier around the cabin makes sure of that. No running. No esca
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-09-19Between Hate and Fateย ย ย 16. Katya
I wake up feeling off, my stomach churning the second I open my eyes, a wave of nausea hitting me hard. I try to ignore it, to push through the uncomfortable sensation as I roll out of bed and head to the kitchen. Itโs just morning sickness. Itโll pass.The cabin is quiet, and for a moment, I relish the stillness. Itโs the only thing that feels normal anymore. I grab a pan and start making breakfast, eggs sizzling as the scent of food fills the air. But as soon as the smell hits my nose, my stomach lurches violently. I barely make it to the sink before Iโm bent over, heaving, my body betraying me.I hear footsteps behind me, and I know itโs him. Ruslan. I can feel his presence before he even says anything, the bond thrumming with his concern. I donโt look at him, still bent over the sink, trying to get the nausea under control.โWhatโs wrong with you?โ His voice is rough, almost accusing, but thereโs a layer of something else beneath it. Worry.I wipe my mouth with the back of my han
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-09-19Between Hate and Fateย ย ย 17. Ruslan
Sheโs pregnant. My mate is pregnant, and not with my child.This is a fucking joke. The Goddess must be laughing at me, watching as she keeps twisting the knife. Itโs like I canโt catch a break, like the universe is hell-bent on making me suffer, on rubbing salt into every open wound.I can barely think straight, the anger is so strong. It fills every part of me, claws at my insides, until all I can feel is the injustice of it all. I didnโt ask to be tied to her, to be bound to the woman who is carrying the child of the man who destroyed everything that mattered to me.And now his child grows inside my mate. As much as I loathe this bond, as much as I hate everything about what itโs done to me, thereโs a part of me thatโs... angry that the child isnโt mine.I grit my teeth; the thought disgusting me, but itโs there. Itโs like a sickness spreading through me, twisting my thoughts, making me want things I have no right to want.Why isnโt it my child? Why am I the one cursed with this b
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-09-20Between Hate and Fateย ย ย 18. Katya
I wake up feelingโฆ different. Better, maybe. Itโs a strange sensation, waking up without the anger or tension pressing down on me. Last nightโs conversation with Ruslan still lingers in my mind, and though it wasnโt easy, it was civil. We talked. For once, we werenโt at each otherโs throats, and the bond seems almost... satisfied. Itโs still there, of course, but quieter now, less oppressive.I stretch, my muscles still stiff from sleep, and pull on my robe before padding out to the kitchen. The house is quiet, the morning sun just beginning to filter through the windows, casting a soft light across the room. Coffee first. I need the caffeine, the warmth. I fill the kettle, set it on the stove, and lean against the counter as it heats up. Itโs quiet, peaceful even, and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I can breathe.Once the coffeeโs made, I wrap my robe a little tighter around myself and take my cup out onto the porch. The cool morning air greets me, crisp and refresh
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-09-20Between Hate and Fateย ย ย 19. Ruslan
Things between Katya and I have shifted lately, and I canโt deny that Iโm aware of it. The tension that used to choke the air between us has eased, replaced by something different. Something more dangerous. I know sheโs attracted to me. I can feel it in the way her gaze lingers just a little too long when she thinks Iโm not looking, the way her pulse quickens when Iโm near. Iโve caught her more than once, eyes flicking to my chest, or the way she shifts uncomfortably when I get too close.And Iโm not above using it to my advantage.I push her attraction because I can. Itโs easy, almost too easy, and part of me enjoys watching her squirm, watching her try to fight it, knowing she canโt. The bond wonโt let her, just like it wonโt let me stay away from her for long. Itโs a twisted game weโre both caught in, and for once, Iโm not angry about it. Not completely, at least.This afternoon is hot, the sun high in the sky, the air thick with heat that sticks to my skin. I think about going f
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-09-20Between Hate and Fateย ย ย 20. Katya
How could I have forgotten?I sit on the floor of my room, my knees pulled up to my chest, my fingers trembling as they grip the fabric of my robe. The sun is beginning to set, casting shadows across the walls, but I donโt move. I canโt. My heart is racing, my thoughts spiralling out of control. I feel disgusted with myselfโsick to my coreโbecause for a moment, just a fleeting, shameful moment, I forgot what Ruslan did.I forgot that he killed Andrei.How did I let that slip away? How did a few lingering stares and awkward, almost playful conversations make me lose sight of the fact that this manโthe same man whoโs been circling my thoughts, pulling me in with the bondโdestroyed my world?My body trembles as I try to catch my breath, but itโs no use. The panic is rising, swallowing me whole. The bond, this cursed bond, is making me weak. Itโs clouding everything. Making me forget that the man Iโm starting to look at differently is a killer. A murderer.How could I be so stupid?Iโve
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-09-21Between Hate and Fateย ย ย 21. Ruslan
Since the kiss, Iโve been avoiding Katya like the damn plague. Every time I see her, every time I feel the bond pull between us, all I can think about is her screaming at me, blaming me for destroying her life.I can feel the tension between us every time weโre in the same room, but I donโt make eye contact, donโt give her any reason to start another conversation.The bond between us is still there, humming in the background, but Iโve gotten good at ignoring it. At least, I try to. After that kiss, though? Itโs been harder. The way she kissed me back, like she was just as lost in the pull of it as I wasโitโs all I can think about. And I hate it.Because I shouldnโt be feeling anything for her.She forgot. She forgot that I killed Andrei. She blamed me for ruining her life, for tearing it apart, and the worst part is she doesnโt even know the whole truth.She doesnโt know what Andrei did to my life. Doesnโt know that her beloved husband shattered my world before I ever laid a hand on h
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๋ฐ์ดํธ : 2024-09-21
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Between Hate and Fateย ย ย Epilogue - Ruslan
5 Years LaterThe crisp mountain air fills my lungs as I stand at the foot of the cabin, the old wood of the porch creaking softly beneath my weight. The familiar scent of pine and damp earth surrounds me, grounding me in the moment as my eyes follow the scene in front of me.Katyaโs laugh echoes across the clearing, light and carefree, the kind of sound that still catches me off guard because of how much it softens everything inside me. Sheโs running, her long dark hair streaming behind her like a banner as she chases Milanya and Mikhail.Milanya shrieks with laughter, her dark curls bouncing as she sprints ahead, her silver eyes gleaming with mischief. Sheโs fast, so fast for her age, and every time I see her move with that wild, untamed energy, I see pieces of both Katya and me in her.Mikhail isnโt far behind, his silver hair catching the light as he dodges around his sister, trying to outmaneuver her. Heโs quieter, more measured in his movements, but thereโs no mistaking the spark
Between Hate and Fateย ย ย 86 - Katya
I canโt help but smile as I think about the pride in Ruslanโs eyes when he watched Milanya shift for the first time. He looked so overwhelmed, like he couldnโt believe he was witnessing something so incredible. I wonder if he realizes how much of himself she carries. The same raw determination, the same strengthโitโs all there in her, as much a part of her as her little hands and feet.The rustling of leaves pulls me out of my thoughts, and I look up to see Ruslan emerging from the trees, his massive wolf form padding silently into the clearing. Milanya trails behind him, her tiny black paws stumbling over roots and rocks but determined to keep up.Ruslan shifts first, his towering frame replacing the wolf in a seamless movement that still leaves me breathless. He slips on his shirt and pants and crouches down to help Milanya with her own shift, his hands steady and gentle as he murmurs soft words of encouragement.When sheโs back in her human form, she giggles and throws her arms ar
Between Hate and Fateย ย ย 85 - Katya
The sun is high in the sky, and a soft breeze carries the earthy scent of the forest, mixed with the faint sweetness of wildflowers. Peace. Thatโs what this isโpure, uninterrupted peace.Milanya toddles ahead, her tiny hand gripping Ruslanโs much larger one. Sheโs walking more steadily now, her confidence growing with every day. Itโs hard to believe she was just a baby clinging to my hip not so long ago. Now, sheโs this curious little explorer at fifteen months, her grey eyes wide with wonder as she glances back at me with a giggle.โSheโs fast,โ I say with a laugh, watching as she tries to tug Ruslan forward.โSheโs got my stamina,โ Ruslan replies, smirking over his shoulder. โLucky you.โโLucky me,โ I echo, rolling my eyes but unable to hide my smile.The past year and a half have changed everything. The shadows that once clung to our lives have finally dissipated, leaving room for something brighter. I feel it in the way Ruslan carries himself nowโless guarded, more at ease. Heโs
Between Hate and Fateย ย ย 84 - Ruslan
The silence in Tomasโ abandoned packhouse is suffocating. Itโs a shell of what it once wasโempty halls, shattered windows, the faint stench of fear and blood lingering in the air. The pack he once commanded with an iron fist has scattered, no doubt fleeing the inevitable after the council finally acted. Thereโs no one left to stand beside him now. Just like it should be.Itโs almost poetic.The councilโs letter came two months ago, filled with apologies to Katya. They admitted their mistake, exiling her without understanding the full picture. Theyโd tried to welcome her back, promising to reinstate her as Luna with me by her side, but she refused.โI already have a home,โ sheโd said softly.I remember the way my chest swelled with pride, hearing her say that. It didnโt matter how much power or respect the council tried to dangle in front of herโKatya wasnโt interested. She wanted peace, a life with Milanya, and me.I walk through the halls with purpose, my claws itching to end this.
Between Hate and Fateย ย ย 83 - Katya
The cabin feels far too quiet without Ruslanโs presence. Milanya is napping in her crib, the soft sound of her tiny breaths the only thing breaking the silence. Normally, Iโd find her peacefulness soothing, but today it feels like a cruel reminder of how fragile everything is.I sit by the window, my gaze fixed on the treeline where Ruslan disappeared hours ago. He had to leave to help fortify the border and investigate how Andrei managed to get onto pack lands in the first place. He hadnโt wanted to go, not after everything weโd been through last night, but we both knew he didnโt have a choice.His absence weighs heavily on me, and I canโt stop my thoughts from spiraling. The memory of Andrei in Milanyaโs room, his scarred face twisted with obsession and desperation, keeps replaying in my mind. The way he spoke about me, about Milanya, like we were possessions he had lost and deserved to reclaim.I close my eyes, leaning my head against the cool glass of the window. The bond between
Between Hate and Fateย ย ย 82 - Ruslan
Anatoly and I are standing outside my cabin, but my focus is locked on the sight of Katya and Milanya.Through the large window, I watch as the healers gently examine them, their practiced hands moving over Katyaโs arm where a bruise has already started to form. Milanya sits on Katyaโs lap, her little hands clutching at her motherโs shirt, her big, stormy eyes darting around the room.My chest tightens at the sight of them, the aftermath of everything that just happened sinking into my bones. Theyโre safe now, but the thought of how close it cameโhow close Andrei had gottenโmakes me feel like Iโm still on the battlefield.Anatolyโs voice breaks through my thoughts. โRuslan, focus. I need your report.โI tear my eyes away from them, turning to face him. His jaw is tight and his fists clenched as he watches me with concern.โI already told you what happened,โ I say, my voice rough. โAndrei got into the cabin. He had Marissa helping him, and she was armed with silver bullets.โAnatolyโs
Between Hate and Fateย ย ย 81 - Katya
Everything happens at once, a chaotic blur of motion and sound that stretches into an eternity. One moment, Marissaโs voice is ringing in my ears, cruel and taunting, her gun aimed at me and Milanya. The next, the window shatters, glass spraying across the room like frozen rain as the Gammas burst in, their growls tearing through the air.Andrei spins toward the sound, his snarl breaking into a roar as Roman lunges at him, his claws slashing through the space between them. The fight begins in an instantโa savage clash of strength and rageโbut my focus is elsewhere.Milanya.My daughterโs soft whimper pulls me back, grounding me in the chaos. Sheโs still in her crib, her tiny face scrunched with fear. I canโt let her stay there, exposed and vulnerable.I move without thinking, my feet propelling me forward as adrenaline takes over. My arms reach out, desperate to scoop her up and hold her close.โDonโt you fucking dare!โ Marissa shrieks, lunging toward me, her gun still aimed at my ch
Between Hate and Fateย ย ย 80 - Ruslan
My heart pounds in my chest, my instincts kicking into overdrive. My wolf pushes against my skin, snarling and growling, ready to fight. I scan the cabin, my eyes darting to every corner, every shadow.โRuslan?โ Katyaโs voice is soft and groggy, coming from the bedroom.I donโt answer, my focus laser-sharp on the scent that refuses to fade.โRuslan?โ she calls again, louder this time.I move toward the door, my bare feet crunching over the broken glass. Every muscle in my body is tense, my senses on high alert.โStay in the bedroom,โ I say over my shoulder, my voice low and commanding.โWhatโs going on?โ she asks, her voice tinged with worry.โJust stay there,โ I repeat, my eyes falling to Milanyaโs room, and seeing it is cracked open. I walk over and push it open slowly, my hand tightening on the frame as my eyes land on him.Andrei is standing by the crib, his back to me, his hand outstretched. His fingers trace gently along Milanyaโs cheek, and bile rises in my throat.โYou know,โ
Between Hate and Fateย ย ย 79 - Ruslan
The packhouse is alive tonight. Laughter and chatter echo through the open courtyard, and the scent of roasted meats and spiced desserts fills the air. Itโs not my scene. It never has been. But here I am, standing at the edge of it all, scanning the crowd like a hawk while trying not to look like one.Everything is calm, almost unnervingly so. The pack needed this, Anatoly had argued, and watching them laugh and relax after months of tension, I canโt say he was wrong. But I canโt shake the nagging feeling that something might go wrong.โRelax, Ruslan,โ Anatoly says from beside me. Heโs holding a glass of whiskey, his other hand resting casually on the hilt of his blade. โYouโre wound so tight youโre going to snap.โI grunt, crossing my arms over my chest. โIโll relax when Tomas is six feet under and Katya and Milanya are safe.โAnatoly smirks, sipping his drink. โFair enough. But you donโt need to look like youโre about to kill someone tonight. This is for them.โ He gestures to the p
