SHADOWS

THIRD PERSON.

It was half past four at dawn when Kharyah was startled awake by Gaia's continuous trembling, occasional whimpers, pleas and abnormal body temperature.

She sprung from the bed and put on the lights. She stood mere inches from Gaia's sleeping form, watching her intently. Almost suspiciously.

What was wrong? Why was she sweating so much? And who was she begging so incessantly? She'd been sweating so much she had wet the clothes she had been given.

Kharyah's lowered her palm unto Gaia's forehead— immediately regretting her decision. Her mate's skin was scalding hot.

"Dusha!"

She called out, anger vibrating from her gut. Her beta appeared before her no second later.

"Get the doctors, I don't care if you have to drag them here by their necks. Just get them here."

The white-haired man shivered, catching a small glimpse of his Alpha's darkened pupils and sensing the absolute fury fueled by panic in her voice.

"Right."

He left as he came.

Bringing back a medical team in no later than ten minutes. Kharyah had been marking time and was ready to pluck out the eyes of anyone who was a minute later.

The Alpha was in a sour mood— to put it nicely. She exited the room and stood outside the door for what seemed like aeons.

About an hour later, the doctor came out to see her. A broad smile on her face.

"What's so funny?"

Kharyah's dark expression startled the doctor, making him jump a few steps back.

"C-congratulations. Your mate is pregnant."

Kharyah's sighed, more in anguish than relief.

"What else?"

"There are signs of her being injected with pheromones to facilitate this pregnancy. Are you aware of this?"

The doctor consulted intently.

"Look, I met her yesterday."

"Ah, I see. Well, I'd like to inform you that such methods are dangerous and can cause a drastic drop in her fertility rate. Chances are, she might never go into...heat again."

"Anything else I should know? Doctor?"

Sarcasm dripped effortlessly from her words

"Well, you see...she..she's—"

"Spill it."

"She shows signs of intense abuse."

Kharyah stiffened. As if she wasn't upset enough. What the fuck was wrong with everything?

"Go. On."

She ordered through gritted teeth.

"Mostly physical. But we also suspect sexual as well as psychological."

Kharyah took in a deep breath and let out a long humourless chuckle.

"You know what, I've heard enough. I'll call you when I need more details."

Kharyah walked past the doctor into her room. She looked to the bed area and found a stable Gaia fast asleep.

She needed a cigar and she needed one badly. Fuck this! All of it!

********

About two hours had passed as Kharyah sat at her kitchen island in the hotel suite. Her scotch bottle was half empty but her mood saw no improvements.

She sat crouched on the kitchen stool, skimpily clad in her red silk thigh-length bathing robe. Nails tapping away at the marble surface.

"Mm-mm."

Kharyah tensed. How has she not sensed her until now? Her internal panic increased tenfold. Who was her mate, really?

"Good. Morning. Care for a glass?"

"I'm here to apologise."

She said walking toward her.

"What about?"

"My behaviour, earlier. It was unbecoming."

Kharyah chuckled.

"Do you apologise to people for having an emotional response to things?"

"Well, I deem emotions unnecessary."

Kharyah whirled around, now facing her mate with a smug look on her face.

"Tell me you've emotionally neglected yourself without telling me you've emotionally neglected yourself."

Gaia gazed at Kharyah with narrowed eyes and a cocked brow.

"I beg your pardon."

"What I mean to say is, taken away human emotions and we cease to be. That's virtually taking away our individuality."

Gaia sighed. The exchange was getting to her in ways that normally didn't. What was wrong with her?

GAIA'S POV.

My vision seemed to flicker between foggy and blurry as I felt an ominous nostalgia wash over me. As if that wasn't bad enough, I felt as though the floor was being ripped from beneath me. I needed to strengthen my footing. I crouched, the ground still shaking beneath me.

The room suddenly went dark, images fitting and omitting themselves from the pitch black scenery.

"M-mother?"

I dared. I shouldn't have.

The cold began to creep up on me, as I soon realised I was drenched in water with a wet sack over my head.

I screamed.

"Please! Let me out! I won't...I won't hunt them anymore! I won't defy you anymore! Mother!!!"

Panting and trembling, on the verge of tears. I tried to take the sack off,  tugging on the wet cloth with all my might but it wouldn't budge. I just kept getting drenched with more water as I felt my body temperature drop.

"Mother! Mother!!! You promised!! You promised me!!"

I felt my throat begin to sting. I couldn't stop my body's violent trembling.

With my arms and legs bound by copper wires, there was little I could do.

But there was someone in the room right?! Yes, she was with me just seconds ago.

"Please, please help me! Get me out of here!"

KHARYAH'S POV.

I stared in disbelief as My mate kept shrieking and sobbing, palms covering her face as she dropped to the floor.

I shot out of my seat. What the fuck was going on now?

I walk over and shook her several times as she screamed for help.

"Please! Let me out! I won't...I won't hunt them anymore! I won't defy you anymore! Mother!!!"

Her cries became louder and more panicked as she began to tremble violently. Good, God? PTSD?

I picked her up from the floor but that as well was met with strong resistance as she flailed violently.

I had to act and I had to act fast before she broke me—literally.

As speedily but gently as possible I filled our space with calming pheromones.

"Please calm down. I won't hurt you. I'm not her. It's okay."

I cooed.

And thankfully, she quieted down, falling into a state of pheromone-induced rest.

I took her to the sleeping area and lay her on the bed, tucking her in. As I was getting off, a hand grabbed my robe.

"Don't go."

Her voice was barely a whisper.

My heart skipped a beat.

"You need to...rest—"

"P-please, I know I said I didn't regard emotion but I'm terrified. Please don't go!"

She broke into tears as her hand tightened around my garment, tugging at it.

"Fine."

I got into the bed and snuggled close to her as she turned away from me with teary eyes. There was a long and awkward silence.

"I'm...sorry I hurt your feelings,"

I said.

"Why are you being so nice to me? Miss?"

"Kharyah. I don't know and maybe because I like you. Like a lot. Maybe too much. I don't know."

She giggled at my response.

"I'm serious."

" Well, don't mates automatically like each other?"

"Not all the time. And stuff happens."

"Alright."

There was another achingly long silence.

"I'm sorry I've caused you so much trouble."

She turned toward me, her beautiful blue eyes gazing straight into mine. She'd stopped crying but her eyes had reddened from the constant shedding of tears. Time seemed to stop for me as I gazed into those pained blue orbs.

"Why are you staring so much?"

She drew me out of my thoughts.

I took in her captivating features once more, feeling all giddy in my tummy.

"You're beautiful. Extremely Gorgeous."

I said leaning in, seeing nothing but her luscious, full, taffy-coloured lips.

To my surprise, she smashed her lips unto mine as we met in a sensual yet passionate kiss. It was unlike anything id ever done. My senses went into overload as I felt my feet tingle and the giddiness in my stomach rise. It was as though I was high on dopamine. We broke away, panting heavily. She turned her away from me once more—quivering.

"Are you—"

"Let's...let's do it again!"

She said whipping around.

Sigh, and here I was thinking I fucked up again.

I sat up, motioning her to do same. I then picked her up effortlessly and placed her on my lap. God, I can't believe I'm doing this.

"If, I begin touching you in places you're not comfortable with, hit my shoulder. And you can also...touch me or slap me or bite me. Whatever you like."

I felt my cheek get warmer as those words left my mouth.

"Alright."

She wasted no time in connecting our lips once more. I looked into her suggestive gaze. Her blue irises flickered between blue and amber. Oh, those amoral, dilated pupils just made me twitch with excitement as I grabbed hold of her waist, pulling her closer. She broke from the kiss, lips still on mine as her tongue roamed the wet surface of my lips. For some reason, I couldn't move. I'd been frozen in place as she leered at me, a guttural moan escaping from her lips. What hit me next was her sweet bodily scent which had me drooling. The more I breathed in the scent, the more intoxicatingly sweet it became.

I eventually felt my invisible constraints loosen as I grabbed hold of her again. Feeling her up from her waist down.

"Good god, you'll the death of me."

What drove me to the edge was when her teeth sink into my flesh as she bit and sucked on my neck.

"Fuck!" By boxers felt more and more uncomfortable with each passing second. I'm sure she'd felt it by now, but not once had she stopped assaulting my neck.

We continued kissing, tongues syncing in a battle of sensual abandon.

"Mm-mm!"

Dusha! That bloody cunt! I immediately grabbed the duvet and fold a skimpily dressed Gaia into it. Taking up the space in front of her.

Dusha sighed.

"You have a meeting to attend. And a Luna to send off."

He said seeming irritated.

"What's got your panties in a twist?"

He sighed.

"That insufferable bitch is outside."

He spat through gritted teeth.

"I honestly don't get why you hate your brother so much."

Knock. Knock.

"Come in!"

The door burst open as I watched the 6'1, raven-haired, grey-eyed man sashay into the room in his six-inch stiletto heels. That bastard had always been prim and proper with his waist-length black hair, black leather gloves, neatly pressed cotton shirt and trousers. Ah, and not forgetting those almond-hooded eyes that made it seem as though he was asleep but at the same time looking right through your soul.

"Yaho!"