Liyah's POV"Stay away from me!!"The sound of my own voice surprised me but I couldn't help it. Elyan regarded me with confusion written all over his face."Why are you-""Just... don't touch me! Okay? I know the way to the rooms. Just tell me where you want me to clean up."The rapid beating of my heart had already started to weaken me. I drew my shirt tighter to me. We were alone in the room. It was dangerous... anything could happen. I felt my chest start to ache as the memories I had been trying to get rid of began to flash through my head.Instead of the anger I had expected, Elyan backed away from me, muttering an apology and moving to the door. But I wanted him out. Away from me completely. If I was alone no one could hurt me. No one...Desperate to be able to breathe properly again, I limped past him and outside the door. I felt safer out in the open, but I couldn't see anyone around. If one of the could hurt me then all of them were capab

Nikolai's POVI couldn't count the number of times I had splashed cold water over my face, but it didn't take away my red rimmed eyes or the weight on my chest. Frustrated with myself for not having control over my emotions at the moment, I grabbed a face towel and wiped my face with it. My nose was runny as well and I could feel that my eyes were swollen. I couldn't remember the last time I had felt this way.As I gulped down a cup of water, my mind floated back to Liyah.Liyah. Knowing her name now only made me feel worse about everything. Why had I been so full of hate, blinded so deeply by regret that I had become this... inhumane. I wondered what Elle would think if she was here now. If I was this disappointed in myself, then I could imagine just how disappointed she would be in me. I had hurt an innocent woman for weeks, for a crime she didn't commit. I buried my head in my hands, letting the pain and regret wash all over me. She

Liyah's POVIt had been two weeks since I was declared free. I was fully recovered now, rarely caught a glimpse of the alpha, and I had been accompanying Margaret to wherever she was needed when there was an emergency. Everything was going... good, surprisingly. But I still couldn't help but feel like it was all too good to be true. I kept expecting something bad to occur like it always did when things were going too well in my life. Maybe it was because I was used to having bad things happen to me so I never expected my happiness to last. But so far nothing had transpired yet. Being a free woman felt... weird. I could go out whenever and wherever I wanted to, I didn't have to do any chores, and I didn't have to ask permission for anything from anymore. Sometimes I felt like I would get punished for it but when time passed and nothing happened, it began to dawn on me that it was real. I was no longer a prisoner. Everyone treated me like a person now, which was su

Nikolai's POVI stopped dead in my tracks when I saw Liyah also sitting in the backseat of the truck. Before I could react, Eve had jumped forward to drag me by the arm and pull me towards the car. "Yay!" She squealed. "You're thirty minutes late but I forgive you. We can get going now.""Wasn't it supposed to be just the two of us?" I asked, but she pretended like she didn't hear me and dragged mecri the other side of the truck. Sneaky little girl. The driver at the wheel greeted, then bowed when he saw me, attracting Liyah's attention. I saw the surprise on her face when she looked up to see me. I followed awkwardly as Eve unlocked the car door and clambered in, plopping herself comfortably between Liyah and I. I suddenly began to feel hot and I tried to ignore it but it only got worse. This was my car, my house. Why did I feel so uncomfortable and out of place? "Turn on the air conditioning," I commanded. When he did I began to

Nikolai's POVI stood horrified at the entrance of the kitchen, my palm permanently glued to my forehead. I couldn't understand why I cared so much that I began to feel embarrassed. As if to make my point clearer, my face heated as Drew began to describe in detail how I used to chase him and Anna all over the garden with my booger fingers whenever they provoked me.When I heard Liyah gasp in disbelief and then start to giggle, I wanted to rush into the kitchen and clap a hand over Drew's mouth. Why did he have to tell all these embarrassing stories in front of her? Just why?"And it's so cool how you're all still very good friends," I heard her say.Brief seconds of awkward silence took over, and I could imagine them thinking of what to say."Well, we all grow up don't we?" I heard Drew laugh awkwardly, then silence ensued.My heart clenched as I turned away and started to walk back to my room, lest they walk out to me standing suspiciously at the door.