~Meara Somebody is shaking me. For a blissful moment I'm shrouded in darkness that I don't want to escape from. The shaking only increases until I'm groaning, forcing my eyes open. A man is looming over me, only vaguely familar. The light from above him casts a halo over his face, causing it to take a few moments for me to realise I'm staring up at the man who drugged me and dragged me from my house. I yank myself up, nearly toppling off the couch I've been laid on. "What is going on?"The man steps away, saying nothing. When I look around I see I'm in a small sitting area, completely unfamilar to me. Sitting on a seat opposite to me is a man I've only ever seen through a television screen. Carran was appointed Alpha when I finished with my schooling, so it's only been recently. His father died in a tragic way, allowing his young son to take his place. I've never been convinced that Carran could be a good Alpha...And now I'm in the same room as him. "Ah, Meara right?"I gape
~MearaI stare at the food before me, arms folded over my chest.“You can eat, you know," Carran exclaims, piling his plate full of breakfast foods right in front of me.I have been subjected to a night here against my will. At this point I'm so desperate to get out of here that I will hear this man out. He clearly won't let me go otherwise.“I’m ready to go home," I grumble, pushing the plate away.Thankfully I told Sire I needed the day, so hopefully he hasn't noticed my absence. Knowing he is out there, capable of being chaotic and unpredictable while I'm gone makes me want to get out of here even more.“Home as in your cabin, or home with him?” Carran questions."I don't like that you know where I live," I tell him sharply. He is my Alpha, and such a tone would usually be severely frowned upon, but I think this situation warrants it.Carran leans forward. “Where is Sire staying?”“I don’t know. I'm not your spy anyways," I bite back.Carran's lack of magic is widely documented, so
~MearaI linger behind Sire as we walk back into his sprawling manor, practically dragging my feet.What Carran said to me has stained my mind, and whether I like it or not, I'm not going to be able to get it out of my head. What if Sire being free is killing people and I just haven't seen it yet? What if Sire really did steal his friend's lover, causing the war."I'm willing to answer as many questions you have to ask, if you will allow me to bathe at the same time," Sire says, sensing that the heavy silence is due to me stewing in my thoughts."In the meditation pool?" I ask warily."Yes." I can hear the smile in his voice."Alright..." I mutter. At least if things get heated he will be stuck in that pool, more vulnerable than me.I follow him downstairs, keeping my gaze trained to the floor. I don't want to take in the beauty of this manor too much when I plan to never visit it again.However, as I expected, the meditative pool steals my breath away.Hazel would love this. She live
~MearaI wander downstairs, rubbing my eyes.This manor is so vast and imposing I feel tiny in here. I could explore it for hours, but familiarising myself with this place will only make it more difficult to walk away.Sire isn’t in the dining room when I get there. I eat breakfast, silently, alone, contemplating my plan.I don’t have much of one…I don’t even know where to start.When I wander back into the main hallway, I see him approaching me. He looks solemn, although that’s to be expected with him."There is something I want to do today,” he tells me as I approach."I think I should go back-""No. You have a right to get to know me, and this may give you an insight into who I was,” he says.I stare him down. I don’t think I’m going to be able to argue my way out of this one. I was hoping I could get home and talk to Hazel. She is wise, she will know what to do."Alright, what is it?" I sigh."Take my hand and let me show you."He holds his hand out to me, not reaching for me, not
~MearaI pace back and forth in front of the bed, glowering at him.“We need to establish rules," I tell him pointedly.He adjusts the feather pillow, his gaze tracing my movements. “Rules…really?”“No touching me. Whether you like it or not, I do still have a boyfriend and you’re meant to be honourable," I exclaim, folding my arms over my chest.I don't actually think I have a boyfriend anymore after our last interaction, but it still feels wrong to jump into bed with Sire so soon after that.“Who said I'm honourable?”“Well, I assumed your era was a little more civilised in that sense," I mumble, chewing on the edge of my fingernail.I'm not actually sure, since I know little about what life was like for him all those years ago. To be honest, I don't think I want to know.“I’m a powerful Alpha. I’ve never cared for the what others are doing at any point in time,” he tells me dismissively, examining the room curiously.I narrow my eyes. “If you want any chance of impressing me, you n
~MearaUpon some miracle, I've managed to convince Sire to let me go to work.He claimed he wanted to spend the day with me, but when I insisted I needed to make money and to have a healthy break from him, he conceded.It's a good thing, because I'm behind on my rent payments for this month.“You’ve been gone for a while," Emma states, leaning against the counter.Emma and I clicked the moment I started working here. It's a small café in the centre of the Pack, and is usually very busy. Today, there hasn't even been a lunch rush.Just strange, eerie quiet.“So much has come up recently…” I mutter, running a cloth over the countertop. I've noticed her watching me since I came in, noticing something has been on my mind for my entire shift.“Oh yeah? About what?”I tense. It's not like I can tell her the entire truth...not that she would believe me. It sounds so otherworldly she would assume I'm telling a ridiculous story to evade her from the truth.My only choice is to tell her a more
~MearaI stare across at Hazel, feeling myself growing impatient.She sits at her dining room table, flipping through an old book, waving dust out of her face with every page turn.The death's currently plaguing the pack haven't come from nowhere, and it's no coincidence they have started with Sire's rising. This is the curse, and the only person I trust to figure out how to stop it is Hazel.She seemed uncomfortable when Sire came in, shuffling back a few steps as he bent his head to enter.I don't blame her..."Do you have anything?" I ask, staring down at the book she also gave me to read. The words, strung together like some other language, swim in front of me. This is impossible to decipher.She lets out a frustrated growl. "Nothing reliable."Every now and again her gaze flickers up warily to Sire. He paces incessantly behind me, which seems to be unnerving my friend."We are running out of time," I exclaim. Day by day people are dying, and the guilt from knowing I unleashed thi
~MearaI wander down the street, a heavy burden weighing on my shoulders.People sweep around me as I walk, wary about contracting the sickness that continues to plague the Pack. Little do they know, the sickness comes from the curse, and not from each other.Sire, Hazel and I have been trying to find a way to end this curse for over a week now, and we have found nothing.And considering how tense Hazel is, there may not be one.Swallowing thickly, I push my way into the bar, guilt swarming in the pit of my stomach.I have to do this. It might be the wrong thing to do, but there is a chance this is the only way that the curse will end. Even Hazel admitted it's possible, which is the closest we have been to an answer yet.Sitting at the bar, head lowered to avoid drawing attention, sits Alpha Carran.I need to do this. The fate of this Pack could be relying on this.“I’m grateful you have met with today," Carran greets as I slide into the seat next to him.“We need to make this short.