2

Sniffing the air, I picked up Lucy's scent followed by a clanging sound, which pierced the air.

I stormed into my room to see an angry Lucy in front of my dresser with her back turned against me.

“What are you doing?” I inquired, squinting at her form.

She froze, and glanced over her shoulder at me. Anger blazed in her eyes like molten lava and without saying a word, she returned her gaze to her front and lifted her hands in the air, wielding a hammer. It was after she swung it down that I realised what she was doing.

“Lucy!” I screamed as parts of my locket shattered to the ground. “What the hell are you doing?”

“What does it look like I'm doing?” She asked in a ragged breath. “Since you ruined my life, I will destroy everything that is dear to you.”

Adrenaline coursed through my veins and my fingers curled into fists as she hit it again.

Taking swift steps to her, I gripped her wrist, trying to snatch the hammer out of her hold, but she swung her arm and the hammer hit me across the face, delivering immense pain.

My lips parted open and howls of pain flew out of it. I released her wrist and clutched my cheek bone.

“Weak bitch. You couldn't kill my mother on your own that was why you made my father reject and banish her before you sent rogues to finish her off. I'll make you pay for it and regret every breath you take. I wish you'd just slump and die!” Her words pierced through my heart like the sharp edges of a sword.

“Where did you hear that from?” I questioned, thrown aback.

“I'll make sure you suffer when I become the alpha.” She bellowed.

“What did I ever do to you?” My voice shook as my vision turned blurry. “I've tried everything to please you. What else do you want me to do?”

“Die or leave this pack. I hate you!” Lucy squealed.

After a few seconds, Lucy's eyes widened and she quickly raked her fingers into her hair and disheveled it. Picking a shard of my locket off the ground, I watched in horror as she tore her palm with it. Blood oozed out of her self-inflicted wound. Hurriedly, she shoved the hammer into my hand.

I was too shocked to move. It was after I perceived his scent that I understood why she was hurting herself.

“What's going on here?” Ken walked into the room. “The moon goddess!” He exclaimed, rushing towards Lucy. “What happened?”

Lucy wept, pointing at me with her bleeding palm which was beginning to heal on its own.

My eyes grew wide. The hammer fell from my hand, hitting the ground with a thud. Before I could defend myself, Ken charged towards me, his fingers gripped my neck tight.

“I didn't–didn't do it,” I choked, tapping rapidly on his hand.

Ken growled at me, his eyes flashing a dangerous shade of red.

My wolf whimpered within me as I begged for my release.

“Alpha Ken!” A feminine voice reverberated through the walls of my room. “Please, let her go.”

“Beta Dana,” Lucy's voice shook, followed by the sound of her flip-flops slapping the tiles as she ran across the room to hug Ken’s Beta. “I'm so glad you're here. This witch here almost killed me.”

“Shh, don't say that about your mother,” Dana shushed her. “Alpha Ken, please,” she begged Ken again.

Ken released his grip around my neck and I slumped to the ground, gasping for air. I nursed the area, coughing to relieve myself as tears pooled in my eyes.

Ken stormed out of the room.

Dana hushed Lucy again, but Lucy whined, "I wish you were my mum.”

"Let's get you cleaned up," Dana said, and I heard the sound of their retreating footsteps.

***

My pulse raced as I held the bond termination papers in my hands. My eyes ran over the words over and over again.

After what happened yesterday, I went to the mate-bond council to get the papers.

My ears perked up, and so did my nostrils. Once I got a whiff of his scent, my throat ran dry in fear.

"You need to hide these papers," my wolf said in utmost urgency.

Before I could make a move to hide them, Ken trudged into my room. Quickly, I hid the papers behind me.

"What are you doing?" Ken asked, and I almost got convinced that he cared about me.

"Why do you care?" I asked in a resolute tone.

He stalked closer to me, and I felt sick in the gut.

"I miss you," he said in a deep voice, coated in desire, causing my skin to crawl.

“After almost strangling me to death?” I asked, averting my gaze elsewhere as confidence streamed down my veins.

“Come on, are you still mad at me?” He asked, softly pinching my chin and anglinging my face to meet his gaze.

I snatched my chin away from his hold, resisting his charms. Taking a step away from him, I did great at masking how terrified I was.

Ken’s eyes scanned my body before halting at the hand I hid behind me. His forehead creased into a deep frown.

“What's behind you?” He inquired, and I shook my head, taking a step back.

He spun me around and saw the papers. Yanking them out of my hold, he scanned them before glancing up at me with his eyes narrowed into crinkled slits.

“What the hell is this?” He questioned in a voice laced with anger.

“Bond–”

“Shut it. I know what it is. I mean why do you have this?” He inquired, turning red.

“I want to sever whatever ties we have,” I spoke up, ignoring the loud pounding of my heart.

“You will do no such thing!” He bellowed, and I flinched.

Ken tossed the papers at me, and I caught them just before they reached the ground.

“I'm tired!” I screamed, chest rising and falling. “I need to leave. I can't keep staying where I'm not wanted. Don't you see how poorly treated I am by you and Lucy?”

“Lucy is a child. Deal with it,” he snarled.

“She's thirteen already. I'm free to go,” I responded.

I walked back to Ken and handed the papers to him, but he did the most bizarre thing by ripping it apart. “You're not leaving until I say so,” he said before leaving my room.