Varek didn’t say a word to me after that. Even when I asked him why I needed to keep my clothes on, he ignored me.So, we just walked and walked on and the heat was gone now, completely gone. In its place was a bone-deep cold that stole the air from my lungs. Every step drained what little strength I had left. My teeth chattered uncontrollably, and I couldn’t even feel my fingers anymore. I regretted ever complaining about the heat. I would take that over this in a heartbeat.It wasn’t snowing. It wasn’t raining. But the cold, God, the cold felt like we had been dropped straight into Antarctica. I hadn’t been there, but I imagined this was what it felt like.I blew warm air into my hands, rubbing them together in a useless attempt to stay warm. It didn’t help.Shifters aren’t supposed to feel cold like this. We can usually handle extreme weather better than humans, especially the cold. But this… this wasn’t normal and if I was freezing, then that meant it was something far worse.I pu
I burst into laughter, not just a soft chuckle but a loud, full-belly kind of laugh that shook my whole body. I bent over, clutching my waist to stop myself from falling to the ground. My eyes stung from the tears forming at the corners, and I could barely breathe.“A witch?” I wheezed in between gasps. “Did you just say we’re going to see a witch? Is this some kind of joke? Because if it is, it’s so funny!”Varek didn’t even flinch. He just stood there, arms crossed, staring at me like I had completely lost my mind. “You don’t believe witches exist?”“Everyone knows they don’t!” I said, wiping the sweat from my forehead. “Witches are extinct. They were wiped out years ago, every last one of them.”“Not all of them,” he said quietly, tilting his head slightly. “You don’t know half of what goes on beyond your little realm and I don’t blame you. It’s your kind’s fault they’re nearly extinct. Power-hungry, always killing anything you don’t understand, even those that aren’t threats.”“H
“Enough!” I snapped, my voice echoing off the stone walls. “Enough of you saying this has something to do with me! I don’t know what’s going on! I never called for you. I have no idea why our wolves share the same fur color, so can you just drop it already?”My hands clenched at my sides. “What’s your obsession with making a fuss over nothing? Yes, fine, you helped me and I thanked you. The next logical step is for you to let me go my own way, and you go yours.”“You can’t!” Varek’s voice boomed, fierce and deep. “Destiny has tied us together, and our fates have aligned!”I froze. “What?” I whispered, eyes wide. “What did you just say?”But instead of answering, he cursed under his breath and ran a frustrated hand through his thick hair.“I don’t understand any of this,” he muttered. “And for the first time in my life, I’m completely confused and it all started the moment you entered the picture.”He took a breath, his chest rising and falling rapidly.“I’m trying to find out what thi
“Varek,” I said his name again, slowly this time, tasting the way it rolled off my lips. I kind of liked how it sounded but the low, warning growl that rumbled from his throat snapped me back to reality. That sound alone was enough to shut me up. I pressed my lips together quickly, before he decided to pin me to a wall or even worse, throw me across the hallway like some rag doll.We walked in silence for a few more minutes and my patience was thinning fast.“Can you please just tell me where we’re going?” I finally asked again, my voice laced with exhaustion. I was tired, restless, and starting to get irritated.“I told you that I would answer one question and I already did,” he replied coldly, not even sparing me a glance.Oh, that’s how he wanted to play it? He’s using that as a reason not to answer my questions anymore? Fine. “I can play dirty too,” I muttered under my breath, then dropped myself onto the floor, crossing my arms like a stubborn child.He kept walking for a few
I still got no response. He just kept walking ahead like I wasn’t even there.I tried again. “Simeon told me that if I worked in the library, I would get to ask you any question I wanted. Isn’t that right?”Silence.“So you’re not going to keep your promise? I thought as the Lycan King, you were supposed to stick to your word but I guess I was wrong. What a disappointment,” I said with a small tut.In a flash, he turned around and before I could react, he grabbed me and pinned me hard against the wall and air left my lungs from the sudden force. He was so close, very close.His hand rested lightly but firmly on my throat. His eyes locked onto mine, glowing slightly with a strange light. “One more word,” he said in a low, threatening tone, “and I won’t hesitate to rip out your tongue… or seal that mouth shut.”His eyes dropped to my lips, staring like they were something forbidden. His gaze flickered, bright, then dim. My breathing quickened, my lips slightly parted in shock. I wasn’
“If you want to leave here, I would suggest you come with me,” he said, his voice cold and clipped. “But if you’re not interested, do yourself a favor and stay back. I’ll just assume you enjoy your time here.”My ears twitched at his words.Was he serious?Did that mean I actually had a chance to leave this place if I went with him? Or was this another twisted game meant to mess with my head?I folded my arms, narrowing my eyes. “How am I supposed to trust you? You could be lying to me right now and I wouldn’t even know.”He shrugged as if he couldn’t care less. “Like I said, it’s your choice. But one thing I do know is that, just as much as you want to get out of here, I want to get rid of you. So if you want answers, I suggest you come with me.”With that, he turned his back on me and began walking away.“Wait, you can’t just—” I started, reaching out to grab his arm.Before my hand could fully wrap around his, he reacted, fast, too fast.He shoved me back with a force I never saw c
“What do you think you’re doing?” I snarled, pushing myself up to my feet, and walking back to the door determined to try again.I turned to the door and placed my hands on it, trying to reach that same level of anger again. I tried and tried, pulling, pushing, shouting and growling but nothing worked. The flow was gone. He had ruined it.Anger burned in my chest as I turned back to him, my teeth clenched but he was already staring at me, His eyes glowing faintly and his expression deadly.“When I call for you,” he said, voice sharp and low like a growl, “you run to me. Never make me come for you again, Never! ”I let out a dry laugh, tilting my head as I stared up at him with anger in my eyes.“Run to you?” I scoffed. “You want me to listen and come running every time you call but what about what happened earlier? When I called you as soon as I realized that I was stuck inside that creepy, shitty library? Did you come for me? Did you show up? Or are you going to pretend and lie to m
“The who wants to do what?” I asked with a dry laugh, my tone dripping with sarcasm. “Sorry, not sorry, but tell your king I’m not available for meetings today. I’ve had a long day, and I need to rest.”“You can’t disobey the king,” Simeon said firmly. “He asked to see you, and it’s my duty to bring you to him.”“Simeon, please,” I snapped, already turning away. “If you were in my shoes, you wouldn’t want to meet with anyone either. I don’t know what he wants from me, and honestly, I don’t care. I just want to be left alone.”I didn’t wait for his reply. I walked towards the same door we used when we came in and tried to push it openbut it wouldn’t budge.“Stupid door. Come on!” I groaned, slamming my hands against it, trying again and again, but it stayed firmly shut.I turned slightly and called over my shoulder, “Simeon, a little help here? You opened it so easily before. Can you do it again?”Silence.I turned around fully and froze.Simeon’s eyes were no longer their usual color.
Violeta gave me one last irritated glare before turning away, her short hand pushing the trolley back into the kitchen. I stared daggers into her back until she was out of sight.“Violeta is a nice person. You just—” Simeon began.“Oh, please save it, Simeon,” I snapped, cutting him off. “Don’t start preaching about how she was misunderstood or how she’ll warm up to me eventually. I’m not in the mood.”I turned to face him fully. “Can you read my mind too, or not?”My voice rose with anger.“Or is there something else I should know about you before I make a complete fool of myself again? Because at this point, I feel like I’m losing it!”Simeon stayed silent, but I could see the flicker of guilt in his eyes.“Seriously,” I continued, pointing at him. “You could’ve warned me what kind of creature she was before she walked in there. So yeah, this is partly on you, whether you like it or not.”“Do you think I don’t know you’re not really a little boy?” I snapped, still glaring. “You mig