Thank you everyone who has stuck around for this long. I feel so blessed by the time you take to read. I hope to keep you entertained and in love. Next Chapter is Roman's.
It was a ghastly place - that’s why I hated the city. Things always got out of hand, with trash everywhere and potholes. Though it was covered in snow you could tell the place was rundown and possibly older than two generations.The building stood alone at the edge of town, made of red bricks and grey cement paths. Khai and Walter got out of the car and started hauling the big packs of rice and flour out of the car and they told me to take as much of the smaller stuff as I could.Behind the walls I could hear small footsteps running around, screams of joy – a chorus of children. Walter set two knocks on the door and a tired old woman opened the door. Grey hair and a long black dress, sparing no skin. She appeared to be a nun.“Shekhaina, so good to see you boy.”She pulled him into a hug. Khai was all smiles when he set the pack of rice on the ground and embraced her.Shekhaina. What a beautiful name.“Walter,” she beamed and hugged him too.She placed several kisses all over his face.
Walter and I went indoors. The nun lady offered us some hot chocolate and we drank it in the kitchen. Her name was Emelda and she was so sweet my teeth hurt.I could see Khai from here, reading a story to 10 to 15 children seated on the mat before him in the living room. He was so animated, doing the voices and everything. I tried not to stare.“Can I be honest with you?” I asked Walter.Walter faced me and nodded. I was afraid he’d tell Khai everything. Khai could force it out of him but I needed someone to talk to.I hesitated. His eyes were true and curious. He was the best option. I hardly saw him around so I hoped that would be advantageous. Hopefully, he wouldn't be around enough for Khai to pry.“This whole mate thing, it’s confusing. I hardly know him but I feel like I can trust him. I want him but I’m also afraid of him. Do you get that?”“That’s how it is at first. Humans call it love at first sight. You see someone and instantly know you love them then you get to know them
And there it was—that look defined by pity. I slid my hand out of hers as she scowled at me.The snow had a better look. Indifference. Never pity. She'd soon become like the rest of them, watching me, waiting for a break. Concerned. Worried. Saddened."I'll kill him," she muttered.Her hand was in a fist, her jaw clenched."Where did he even get the gall?" her voice grew louder as she became infuriated."That's vile. It's disgusting Khai. Is he still alive?"I nodded slowly. I was surprised. No one had ever reacted like that. I expected a sorry. An apology but none of that. Rage. Just as I had felt. All-consuming rage."Let's find him.""Roman," I whispered.That's insane, I wanted to say. Crazy. It's old news, it doesn't even bother me anymore. I don't care about him. He's probably in jail by now. I can't be living in the past. All these things I wanted to say but I said none of them. I said nothing.We couldn't kill a human. They are so helpless. A sickness would get him. Such vile
When we got home the house was dark. Everyone had gone to sleep. We tiptoed poorly through the house, giggling like teenagers who'd snuck out right under mommy and daddy's noses. Roman bumped her elbow against the corner of the counter and hissed in pain. I covered my mouth and I laughed at her."It's not funny," she whispered."It is," I laughed.The stairs seemed to creak louder than they'd ever creaked in their lives. Each step the wood yawned and stretched.In the room she went to the bathroom and put on a night dress. I wore my own pyjamas and she came out of the bathroom in my mother's old night dress."You look like someone's grandmother," I said."Glad I'm unattractive to you Khai," she said with a mischievous grin and sat on her side of the bed.She began tying her hair up and I watched her merticulously. How she held and picked up each lock into the velvet hair tie. She had her back to me so I could just stare. The night dress was big so when her arms were raised the sleeves
Yolanda and I discussed the matter of Grace's accommodation. Khai didn't even want to come; he stayed in his room. I wore Yolanda's jeans and a white top."She will just take back her old room back. I didn't even touch it," I sighed."As long as it’s cool with you," Jacob said, we were in their room.It was a large room that smelled of autumn leaves that had been basking in the Sun all day. We sat on the three-seat couch by the frosted window."Yeah I mean, I'll have to sleep with Khai eventually,” I said plainly.Jacob smiled playfully at me."Sleep with him," he laughed."Gosh, Jacob!" I exclaimed, blushing.Yolanda laughed from their bathroom."Why are you silly?" I asked him."It's just the way he is," Yolanda said.She came out, wiping her face with a towel. They hugged each other and kissed. Their love was so obnoxious, you didn't need to be a genius to see. It was too much."How did you guys meet?"They turned their attention to me. Jacob smiled."Jacob and I have been in this
"I like this dress, maybe you will look good in it too."I looked up from biting my lips, at Yolanda who held a floral dress to her body."It's short, it's still winter," I said mindlessly.I wasn't paying attention.It didn't make sense now did it? How I could be so close to Khai yet so distant? We slept in the same room yet I'd get butterflies thinking of what to say next."Oh come on, winter will be over in a month or so, you even said it,” she said walking to me from the other side of the clothing rack."I don't know." I shook my head.We were at a large shopping mall uptown, in an independent clothing store called Flora's. I had suggested we get in here but I couldn't focus. All that presented itself before my eyes was Khai's body - a shirt shifting off his body before bed, then he'd slip on his navy blue pyjama shirt and smirk at me, and read a book as I fell asleep. His scent remained in my nose though he was miles away at home. I could still smell him, craved him like a vice. I
Who did they think I was? Grace, who went around sleeping with everyone? Because that worked out great for her. Were they trying to sabotage me? I was a real wolf. I had values, morals, and traditions. Did they think I would just fold to whatever condition they laid before me? Did she think I was gullible because I was a wild wolf?I sighed. I needed to calm down. I decided to keep quiet for the rest of the shopping trip, listening to Yolanda's stories about her and Jacob. I had to admit they were really interesting but, at the same time, I was thinking about Khai.What he was doing right now or what he was thinking about. I could feel that he was alive somewhere somehow. Was he just sitting at home or was he out with the pack, having a meeting or doing whatever made him rich?"You look great," Yolanda said.She was reading a magazine. We were in a fitting room and I came out in the flora dress."It compliments your skin colour, it makes you glow," she added.Heat rushed up to my chee
"This is interesting," I commented as I held beautiful black lace underwear. Its fabric soft to the touch. My mind could already imagine her goddess-carved body in the black lace. She'd rule my world.Roman tied her hair up in the corner. She looked at me with an uncomfortable look."Uh... yeah- um. Yolanda put it there. I don't know why she did that," she stuttered.Roman was a shit lair. Her heart rate always sped up and her eyes wandered when she did. She was like an open book. Sometimes."It's nice," I admitted and imagined her gorgeous lady lumps in the lingerie. Her sweet caramel skin under the black."Thanks, I guess?” she said awkwardly.A silence crept up on us. That night in the diner was the only time it ever felt normal between us. Were just people, talking and things flowed between us like a cold river. I wanted it to be that way all the time.I eyed a plastic of products on the side of my bed. I dug around in the bag and took out a container."I sent someone out for some
Malcolm was ravenous and relentless. The resistance I felt to fight him looked like it didn't exist in him. He clawed and he bit, he pulled and tried to tear but my body was too strong as an alpha. I turned to him as he was on me and bit into his shoulder. He howled painfully and kicked himself off me. Malcolm, surrender, please. Khai would want you to live.
We found ourselves outside, everyone had transformed into their wolf forms. The majority of the pack had already gathered to watch. Malcolm stood opposite me, snarling and growling.Traga wolves, please hear me. This is not my doing but that of your great ancestor and Khai. This is not my will but that of your own. Blasphemy! A wolf shouted.The pack was clearly split into sides. Those who wanted to remain Traga wolves were in the majority, standing behind Malcolm. I saw many wolves I thought would be on my side.The only one on my side was Grace in her brown wolf form which shone red under the sun. Her love for Khai brought her here and also a pack that never chose her. My heart expected Yolanda to be on my side, Linda or Edna but they stood fiercely behind Malcolm.A howl ripped from the forest and a grey wolf appeared. Audrey. Her blue eyes were like ice.I will fight as well. she growledTwo against one is hardly fair, even for an alpha, Grace said.She stepped forward and nodded
I had not seen her in months. Her absence even made me believe she wasn't around anymore. I never passed her anywhere.Even at the funeral. I knew she was there but I didn't see her.“You better sit down,” Whitney warned.Grace glanced at her without any emotions and walked toward me. I stood up as she approached. She looked tired and broken.“I heard him before he went away," she continued.“If you want to make yourself useful, do it by going back to that room!” Whitney shouted.Whitney charged toward Grace. I found myself running to block her from striking Grace.I gripped her hand in my hand inches from Grace's face. Grace had her arms up in defence. Whitney's wide eyes locked with mine incredulously.“You will sit down!” I said in my alpha voice and it brought her down to her knees."Oh!" Whitney grunted and she found herself crouched on the floor.My voice was so heav
When the elders gathered in the living room, winter was coming to a visible end. Their eyes were still full of grief and heartache, but Raymond was as cold as stone.I told no one else about what Yaga and Khai told me to do after Audrey's reaction. I kept it to myself. Malcolm could read a difference in me but he couldn’t put a finger on it. Most of the time I avoided his advances and efforts to make something out of the proposed arrangement but I gave him no opening.My stomach turned; I could feel another war coming on.“Roman, the time has come. We understand that you may not want anything big but we will need it on paper,” Khai’s grandfather said to me.I sat alone on the single couch while everyone sat around me. This must’ve been how Khai felt when he led. All these eyes and weight on him. No wonder he was broken.My mouth remained sealed and I looked over at Malcolm who for once in one of these meetings was looking me directly in the eyes. Bold and immovable.“By the end of tom
I reached out for her and she moved her hand away. That's when I knew there was division between us."Do you know what you sound like?" she said as she glared at me.I shrugged helplessly."A colonizer.""Excuse me?" I breathed.I wasn't sure if I heard her right."I should've listened to Malcolm. You've made Malcolm a reliable source. Do you know how insane you need to be to make Malcolm sound reliable?" she shouted.The workers around us watched us and all the harvesting had stopped. Audrey saw the eyes and closed the space between us and lowered her voice."How dare you use Khai's name to justify your schemes," she said through clenched teeth."This is not my scheme Audrey. I don't want this either but Khai said-""How dare you?"Her eyes became glossy and she jabbed a finger in my chest."Doing that will eradicate everything that makes us Traga. You came in here and usurped our leader and now you
Winter covered the garden with its cold whiteness and a few months breezed past. The trees grew bare with leaves and frostbite crept up my fragile human toes.I never had to worry about these things when I spent every day and night as a wolf. My fur always kept me warm but as a human, which I spent most of my time as - I found sickness and shivering to be commonplace.They were generous with the mourning period but time was running out. I couldn't avoid the subject of marriage to Malcolm any longer. Eventually, the elders would end their kind silence and come to the house again.Intimidated and confused, I had said yes to marrying Malcolm under the condition that they would lend me the guard dogs in my fight against the Azraels. They had done that for me.This was against my moral code. Growing up, my father taught me to keep my word but then I felt Khai, heard him in my head and promised him I’d never marry Malcolm and see the plan through - my mor
It became apparent why I was here. Why it was the doorstep of the Tragas I fell upon. It was for this moment right here. Khai and I were nothing but collateral, a means to an end.I was but a small cog in the machine, a pawn in a chess game played by the gods. Traga was willing to sacrifice himself to Yaga so his children would get stronger and live longer. My blood would certainly guarantee that.After Khai left my mind and body I felt lonely. Lonelier than I’d ever been or believed was possible. I sat in the desert crying for what felt like an hour as the black hole in my chest gaped wider.I saw them looking for me in the distance and I ran to hide so I could cry all the cowardice out of me.I couldn’t continue like this anymore. I needed to take the first step. Move out of the passive and into the active.For the first time in a long time, I got on my knees and said a prayer.Give me the strength to see these plans through. Please soften the hearts of Traga Wolves so they may rece
The night went on and I left the crowd to sit alone with my fourth drink. I wanted to cry but my body felt too tired of all the sadness and pain. Also, I was tired of forcing smiles.I walked a mile off and sat on the dirt, gazing up at the moon.I’d never given the moon much thought till I came to Traga. All I cared about before was the sun and now I was of both the sun and the moon.As I stared the moon it began to glow. I kept my gaze fixed on it and I felt my blood rushing through my veins. I stood up to my feet as my heart pounded in my chest.What was happening?It went on for a while until my chest felt warm. Tears brimmed at my eyes as I felt it again. His love. His warmth, his presence glowing from inside of me.It was Khai. How?Roman. Khai?Yes. How? I laughed, a mix of joy and tears.How was this happening. I’d never felt so whole in my life. My
Ginos was a place out of town, randomly in the middle of the dessert like area. It was made of shipping containers huddled into a circle where people could sit and have drinks. They only served barbeque meats and alcohol. The air was heavy with spices, smoke and charred meat which made my mouth salivate.I couldn’t believe the Tragas had finally managed to get me off raw meat. I couldn’t imagine eating it.We joined two tables and sat together, the loudest group in the whole place. Hannah, Falcon, Jacob, Yolanda, Audrey, Malcolm, Linda and apparently Greg was coming. The idea didn’t excite me and I felt that it was disrespectful seeing as Khai was barely gone for a week and she was already going over his head.Khai never wanted Greg around them. He could do nothing about Linda’s love for him but he made it clear he didn’t want him around other wolves.I didn’t have the energy to argue and fight a losing battle. No matter what I said, Linda would justify his presence in her head. And on