2: Anything was better than death

Kali’s POV

I staggered backwards, my eyes still glued to the scene in front of me. My lips trembled as my heart shattered into a million pieces.

I wanted…needed to cry.

But I could not shed a single tear. Not from lack of trying.

I would give anything in this very moment to be able to break down and cry myself a river at this betrayal. But as has been the case all my life, I could not shed a single teardrop. 

“Why?” the question came out as a shaky, screeching sound. 

Kora grabbed the duvet and wrapped it loosely around her exposed breast, her face completely devoid of any remorse. Instead, her lips curled up in a small, triumphant smile. 

What did I ever do to Kora to make her hate me so much? She had everything. The perfect life. Beautiful, flowing black hair. Parents who loved her and flocks of men just dying for her to look in their direction.

Making my life miserable at home was not enough for her, she also had to take Enzo from me. Out of every fucking man in the pack, why did it have to be Enzo?.

And Enzo…. He was supposed to love me. What about all the plans we made and the fucking promises….

I balled my fist at my side as though that would stop my heart from exploding. Enzo was the only good thing in my life, the light in my grim world and now that light has fizzled off.

I had to leave here. The room reeked of sex and betrayal and I feared that I might die from heartbreak if I stayed any longer. I turned to leave but Enzo grabbed my arm, falling to his knees.

“I don’t know why I did it. But I love you, not her or anyone else in the world. I’m sorry,” he cried.

I scoffed in disbelief, this had to be some kind of sick joke. He knew how badly Kora treated me and of all the women he had to break my heart with, he chose her. 

Or maybe it’s just my destiny to be abandoned by everyone.

Even the moon goddess abandoned me on our coming to age ceremony held for every eighteen year old in the pack. She granted everyone their wolf, including Kora. Everyone but me. Kora’s wolf was inky black. Black wolves were strong, powerful wolves and hence, quite rare.

“She is just a peasant for Pete’s sake. I am powerful and the future Luna of this pack,” Kora spat. 

My  nose flared up in rage. “You slut!” I shrieked and dove at her. But Enzo caught me by the waist, pulling me away.

I wriggled away. “How could you do this to me Enzo? How?”

Kora’s eyes darked as she turned to Enzo. “I will lift you from your lowly omega status and make you respected in the entire pack. All you have to do is reject this peasant,” she flashed a spiteful glance at me before returning her gaze to Enzo, “would you do that for me Enzo?” I could have sworn that I saw her eyes twinkle.

I glanced at Enzo, he looked almost lost staring into her eyes. But I knew in my heart he would never reject me, he would not hurt me like that. Breaking our mate bond especially in my current condition could kill me. 

Enzo turned to me. “I, Enzo Truman, reject you, Kali Guthrie, as my mate.”

I didn't even have enough time to feel shocked as unimaginable pain ripped through me, like a part of my body was being forcefully yanked off. I convulsed, collapsing to the floor in pain. 

Darkness began closing up on me. I felt grateful for death, this was the end of my suffering. Before my eyelids finally closed, a cloud of darkness engulfed me.

And then silence.

                                                              ________

Rays of sun settled on my face. I made to turn away, but couldn’t. 

Something was restraining both my hands.

My eyelids flew open and my eyes darted around in alarm..

I was in the pack hospital. I tried to move my hands, but the were restrained to the bed with cuffs.

What the heck was going on?

When the door flew open, Maduro, Hera and Kora came in. I sat up. 

Maduro had murder in his eyes and Kora had her hand in a cast with a red scar on her neck. What happened to her? And most importantly, why was I cuffed to the bed like a criminal.

“You tried to kill my princess to hide your crime!” Maduro roared, his huge, imposing frame standing over me.

My crime? What the fuck was going on? And what did he mean by hurt Kora.

I stared at Kora, whose eyes were puffy from crying, wondering what was she trying to do? Kill me?. “What?  No, I don’t know what you are talking abo….”

Maduro’s fist slammed into my face, filling my mouth with metallic taste. 

“Are you calling my daughter a liar?” he barked.

I looked over at Kora helplessly silently appealing to any fragment of conscience she had left, to tell the truth or at least stop her father from killing me. Enzo already broke our mate bond what else does she want from me? 

“I didn’t do anything, please,” I replied weakly.

“Liar!” Kora squeaked. “I saw you with the flame sapphire and when I tried to stop you, you almost killed me! Thank God Enzo was there to save me,” she cried and Hera pulled her into a hug, flashing death stare at me.

What the fuck was she talking about? Why was she doing this? “That never happ….”

When Maduro’s fist slammed into my face again, my head spun. “Enzo already colloborated the story.”

My eyes widened in surprise. Enzo would never….

The door fell open and two guards marched in with one of the guards holding a sapphire. “Sir,” the guard with an ugly scar on his cheeks called. “We found it amongst her belongings,” he said firmly.

“You little thief,” Maduro glared at me with bloodshot eyes, his fist which were balled at his sides trembled from raw anger. “After all we did for you!”

I know nothing I said could save me, so I just cried.  I wept for my miserable life. I dont know why Kora was doing this to me.

When Maduro raised his balled fist, I shut my eyes and waited for the blow. But it never came. Instead, I heard Hera’s voice. “You are going to kill her!” she screeched.

“I should kill her for what she has done!”

“She would be of no use to us dead!

Maduro grunted before backing away from me. “Cut her loose,” Hera ordered. The scarred guard, trudged forward and cut the plastic cuffs.

I sighed in relief but my problems were far from being over. Fear overwhelmed me. Hera would never have come to rescue, so whatever it was she had in mind had to be far worse than having my head bashed in by Maduro’s powerful fist.

“Now listen closely,” Hera started but was interrupted by a skinny, tall, guard who hurried in and prostrated.

“Ike and his men are here!”

The panic on Maduro’s face made my heart skip a bit.

Maduro was not scared of anything. Not even during the war that broke out ten years ago when the Thradeu clan had attacked and almost won, but Maduro found a way to reach out to the Alpha of the Shadow clan, the mad alpha, no one knew what he looked like or even his actual name. But everyone had the same thing to say about him, he was a beast, a devil, a curse upon anyone who dared to cross his path. And no one dared to cross his path.

The shadow clan, he largest and fiercest clan amongst the twelve wolf clan and was hidden somewhere beyond the cold mountains, across the blue river; no one was sure of it’s exact location.

If Kora had been anyone else, I would have felt bad for her. 

Hera yanked my arm and I cried out as pain shot through the already sore arm. “Now listen carefully, you will do as I say or I promise you, I will make sure you die a miserable death!”

I believed her, bobbing my head severally.

Anything was better than death.