A flicker of resolve

ELARA'S POV

I looked around frantically, as much as my back would allow me. Trying to find the source of the voice.

"Who is that?" I said into the darkness. No reply.

"Please, tell me who you are? Are you here to help me? I pleaded. Silence again.

"Please, whoever you are, I need your help now more than ever. I can sense you, I can sense the cold before you speak, please tell me who you are?" I asked while straining my ears to listen.

After a few moments, I knew I was not going to get a reply. The voice decided when to talk to me.

This dashed my hopes, I had thought I had someone, anyone, looking after me and assuring me.

"It must be my mind playing tricks on me, I guess" I resigned.

"But what if there actually was someone to help me, how would they even get in and get me out of here?"

I chuckled sadly to myself at the realization that I might just be doomed to a life of suffering and maybe. Death.

I was scared for whatever plans the Alpha had for me. I am scared for my life.

"I don't want to die yet" I sobbed. I didn't know how much more my body could take, I could still feel the bond, it was faint but it was there.

This cursed bond, I wish I could rip it out and die from the pain, instead of suffering.

"Why is the bond still in place even after the Alpha rejected me?" I thought to myself, maybe I had to reject him too.

Okay. I'll do it.

"I, Elara Cornell, reject Alpha Kane as my mate, I don't want anything to do with him and I want the mate bond gone" I said, and waited. A minute passed, two, ten. Nothing happened. I felt for the bond, and it was still there, unmoving, mocking me.

This bond made me vulnerable to the Alpha's attacks any my rejection didn't do anything to it. I had never heard of this. I truly truly hoped the Alpha was trying to severe the bond. Maybe then, I could plead for my life and he would let me go.

A few hours had passed, my back felt slightly better, slightly, I tried to sit up and get the water I needed, it hurt like hell but I had to, I needed to have a drink of water.

I used my hands and pushed myself up from the straw bed, slowly but surely, I couldn't sit up fully yet so I stretched my hands and picked up the cup of water.

A sliver of joy ran through me at completing this small task.

I greedily drank from the water, it wasn't much, but it was better than nothing.

A blinding pain flashed through me. "ahhhhh" the cup fell from my hands, hitting my bed with a thud.

This pain. It was back. I remember the pain, it was from the night Yvette was with the Alpha.

He was probably trying to punish me through the bond since he couldn't punish me physically without risking me dying on him.

How cruel!

I didn't want this. I hate him, with every pain I felt, my hate for him only just increased.

With each anger I felt, my disdain for him increased. I had never felt this strongly toward anyone, not even when the bond snapped into place.

But now, I was ready to get rid of this, I didn't want to feel this.

He had no right to have this much control over me.

I don't know how but I could feel the pain and reach into it and I could recognize it.

Tears brimmed at the corner of my eyes, I didn't want to feel this pain, I didn't want the alpha to have such power over me.

I didn't want anyone to have such power over me.

"I don't want to feel this pain" I whispered, but I meant it from my guts

In my heart, I reached for the pain, with my mind's eye, I reached for the bond.

"I don't want this pain" I said, stronger and louder this time.

I could see the bond behind my closed eyelids, it glowed and looked like it burned, I reached out to touch it, my fingers grazed it and the light dimmed.

The pain reduced to a low throb.

I sighed in relief.

I didn't know how, but the bond had been weakened.

I slowly turned to lay on my front because I didn't want my back to hurt from the floor, my eyes were starting to close.

I suddenly felt tired. I lay down and my eyes fluttered close as I drifted into a painless sleep.

The bond had been weakened.

This was my last thought before drifting off to sleep.

......

I was dreaming a happy dream.

In a field..with flowers...I danced round happily, looking at somewhere so beautiful.

The place smelt so wonderful.

Was this how death was? I thought to myself.

I knew I was dreaming but it was starting to blur.

I felt a presence behind me. I turned around and saw nothing, just an endless field of flowers.

I turned back and I saw the bond, burning, glowing.

I wasn't scared of the pain anymore. I wasn't scared of the bond.

Then I heard the voice again.

"Reach out to it, touch it"

This time, I didn't question the voice or turn around to look for the source.

I smiled, reached out my hands and touched it and it immediately felt cool to the touch, no longer burning.

I heard the same words again in my dream.

This time not from me.

"You have weakened the bond, Elara," she said.

I smiled. Happy in my sleep.

I knew waking up to reality and I would be met with only darkness and pain.

So I held onto this peace as long as sleep would let me.

Because when I woke...the darkness would be waiting.