Chapter Five

Ayla’s POV

Kiara nods and I freeze, my stomach twisting into knots.

It’s impossible. My father died a long time ago and my mother… she was just… she wasn’t… she couldn’t have been a Sayer. None of this… any of this… it doesn’t make sense.

I press my palm against my temples, trying to steady the storm of thoughts racing through my mind. My mother… Leah… the ring… my dreams—it all had to be a coincidence.

“Look, Kiara. This can’t be real, I think you’re getting it all wrong.”

I face Kael, who’s now up and leaning against the door. He doesn’t say anything; he just stares at me.

“This can’t be real. It’s insane.” I pace around the room with quickened steps.

I halt and face Kiara, whose gaze burns through me—fierce and unyielding. She’s serious.

“This… this is insane.” I throw my hands up in exasperation, my fingers clawing at the air as if grabbing hold of reality could make it stop.

They both don’t speak a word.

“Okay, listen.” I pause and take a deep inhale and exhale. “You’re telling me that my mother is a Sayer, and she’s the reason you are cursed?”

Kael’s jaw flexes before he nods once.

“You feel it, Ayla,” Kiara mutters. “You’re almost twenty-one, your powers are beginning to manifest.”

Her voice sharpens. “Speak to me.”

My heart jumps. I look around, but her lips don’t move.

Then louder inside my head: “Speak to me.”

Pain tears through my skull as I stagger backwards, clutching my head.

“What are you doing to me?!” I scream. “Please—stop!”

The voices halt and I calm down.

“How… how did you do that?” My breath is restless against my voice.

“I’ll show you to your room,” Kiara only says.

***

The next day, I get up early and have my breakfast.

Kiara’s voice still echoed in my head, plus so many things that happened the previous day. It’s all new and I’m still finding it hard to process, even when half-part of me still doesn’t believe.

I moved around the quarters for a while, touring my new environment before heading to the sparring room. I needed to relieve the growing tension inside me.

“Sebastian, is that you?” I call out, briefly grabbing the attention of others around us.

Sebastian runs towards me and lifts my body into the air.

“Why are you here?” he questions after placing me down— still surprised.

“I got picked…”

“We’re five here, so how?”

“I don’t know, I’m just here—I guess.” I shrug.

“Well, that’s fine. Now that you’re here…”

He sandwiches my cheeks in his palm as his lips find mine.

“I miss you,” he whispers.

“Seb, we can’t continue this…”

I slip out of his hold, stepping back. I can’t afford distractions right now—especially not ones that come in mixed signals.

I might be a Sayer, and tomorrow I turn twenty-one. My full wolf powers will awaken, and somewhere along all that, I’m supposed to find my mate. It’s all overwhelming.

“Ayla, you know I really like you,” he insists, giving me the puppy-eyed look he always used when he wants something. Sadly, it won’t be working today.

“We could make this serious, we’re in a new place now.”

“I’m sorry, Seb, I just… can’t,” I tell him.

Sebastian is a really cool person, but he only wants us together in private. He’s scared people will talk when they find out we’re together, and I know the only reason he wants to be serious right now is because we’re in a different place, no one here knows the things I’ve done—yet.

He turns and walks away and within seconds, he has his hands around a random girl’s waist, and she’s all up in his space, her hands wandering boldly up his inner thigh. Typical.

“Heard you’re the best at Nightwhisper. Wanna spar?” A voice calls out, grabbing my attention from Sebastian.

I turn my head towards the stranger’s voice. He wasn’t exactly my type, but he’s okay. My mind drifted to Kael for a while when I thought about my type.

He’s not my type either. Liar.

“Are you scared to take me on?” He teases, lips curving into a cocky smile.

My brows lift slowly.

“Get into the ring.” My sentence is more like a command than a request. I tilt my head towards the ring.

The moment we stepped into the ring, the whole crowd began gathering us. After going at each other for a while, I’ve cornered Cian—whose name I’ve gathered from the crowd—and he seems out of moves.

“Careful, Cian,” someone yells. “Heard she goes mental and murders people in the ring!”

Laughter erupts around me.

My chest tightens and tears blurred my vision. It was a mistake. One unintentional mistake that I’ve been punished for ever since.

Before I can focus back on the fight, Cian’s fists collide with my stomach, knocking the air out of me before tackling me to the ground, pinning my body with his legs.

His knee grinds against my core deliberately, and a smug, disgusting smile spreads across his face. I don’t hesitate—I slam my elbow into his jaw with all the strength I have. He reels backwards, dark crimson spilling from his mouth. Gasps spread amongst the crowd.

Cian wipes his lips with his thumb and when he sees the color, his demeanor changes and he growls—bearing his sharp fangs at me as he charges towards me—

“Enough!” Alpha Kael roars.

Cian pauses immediately and I can see him fuming and pulsating with both hands fisted to his sides. Next time he’ll know not to mess with me.

***

That night, I locked myself in my room and the moment the door shuts, everything I’ve been holding in breaks. Hot tears spill down my cheeks, my body trembling as Alex’s face flashes in my mind. The way she called my name and her genuine smile whenever she sights me. The way she didn’t care what anyone said about me.

And the way she died in my arms.

“I didn’t mean to,” I whisper, voice cracking. “I didn’t mean to hurt you… Alex, I swear.”

In the midst of my pain, my wolf stirs suddenly—she’s alert and eager. A pulse of pleasure rushes through me, forcing me upright.

What now?

I sigh and glance at the clock. Midnight.

My birthday. I’m twenty-one and now a fully-grown wolf.

My wolf stirs again, alerting me to the pull. Something—someone—is pulling me outside.

My instincts take over, dragging me through dark hallways until I reach a part of the quarters I hadn’t toured. A shimmering pool stretches before me, moonlight glistening on its surface. Something moves in the water, and panic shoots through me.

I turn to run—only to slam into a hard chest. In the next second, I’m pinned against the cold wall. A massive, dripping figure cages me in, heat and something tempting radiating off him.

My wolf purrs so loud it vibrates through me. Lust clouds everything.

“Running away already, Mate?”

That voice—the deepness and roughness vibrated through my spine, causing me to shiver for a second.

Mate? Already? How?

I try to get a look at his face, but it’s very dark inside here, like the goddess was listening to me… the dark clouds shift away from the moon, softly casting light into the area and giving me a proper view of his face.

Alpha Kael.

His jet black hair drips water onto my skin and his eyes glow a bright red color, showing his rank as an Alpha… but it’s the look in them that freezes me.

Desire.

Raw, unrestrained, and directed at me.