| CHAPTER 55 : FUNERAL |

My head sank delicately on my knees. Water rippled in calm soothing waves, spreading warmth to my body. My fingers wrinkled from staying in the water for too long. A deep sigh came out of my lips, echoing against the bathroom walls.

Behind the door, Drew and King Alpha spoke in a rapid conversation with both of them sounding furious and serious.

I tuned them out, not having it in me to eavesdrop. My eyes remained close as my ears listened to the calm beating of my heart.

Right before I almost passed out, Drew, who knew exactly what was happening, rushed me into the bathroom of King Alpha's room and placed me in the bathtub, filling the tub with warm water which almost boiled my skin at first but then slowly gave calmness and soothed the pain.

My clothes stuck to my weak limbs as I sat curled up, afraid to move and trigger the pain again.

I have no idea what happened and was too tired to even find out. Too pathetic to move.

"You've got to be kidding me?" King Alpha yelled at Drew, behind the closed door.

My head nestled itself further on my knees, trying to block out Drew's and King Alpha's voices.

A few silent moments passed before a knock rapped on the door.

"Ezlynn?" it was Drew, "may I come in?"

I gave out the faintest 'yeah' and I knew he heard it. Freaking werewolves could even hear ants' crawl.

The door opened.

"Are you still feeling the pain?"

I opened my eyes and looked at him, not raising my head. Drew stood at the threshold with one of his hands on the door handle. His body huge enough to block the entire way out.

"No."

"Do you want to come out?"

I thought about it and nodded. I've been in the water for too long and the water was starting to get cold.

He stepped into the bathroom, shrinking its size with his huge figure and picked up a bathrobe, holding it towards me. I slowly stood up. Big droplets of water dripped down my body from my shoulders to my legs. Drew had his eyes respectfully averted as he held the bathrobe ready for me.

I slipped in my arms and fastened the bathrobe around me. I followed him out the bathroom and gritted my teeth when the cold air sent shivers throughout my body.

King Alpha stood, perched against a bedpost, one hand gripping his elbow and other hand to his lips while he bit on his thumbnail. His eyes shot to mine as soon as I stepped out of the bathroom and God, did he look grim.

Drew guided me to the bed and made me sit.

I suddenly felt like a little kid who was going to get a life lesson or a lecture by the way how Drew and King Alpha towered over me with serious expressions.

Drew looked somewhat his natural polite self with a small smile while King Alpha looked entirely annoyed.

"So what's going?" I asked, "Or what's happened?"

When they both remained silent, Drew shot a look towards King Alpha which clearly said 'Talk'. King Alpha responded to his look with a scowl before turning to look at me.

My fingers played together as my eyes locked with his.

"So?" I raised an eyebrow.

"You are not going to like this." King Alpha spoke.

"King Alpha finally starts to care about what I like and dislike," I gave a fake contended look, "I feel so adored."

"Your sass was the only thing I expected during this time," he smiled sarcastically.

"During what times?" I asked.

He went silent for a second, shooting a glare towards Drew that said 'I'm not fucking doing this'. Drew glared back and nodded as if saying 'yes, you are'.

King Alpha gave a groan, putting his hand on his face, "But she's a child!"

"S'cuse me?" I raised an eyebrow.

"You're like a fucking kid. How am I gonna get it through your thick head?" King Alpha gave an annoyed look.

"Is this about the pain that made me feel like I was under a rolling truck?"

King Alpha gave a pleading look towards Drew. But Drew being Drew, he smiled, patting King Alpha's back.

"I'll see you when you're done with having...you know." There was a teasing glint in his eyes as he looked between King Alpha and I.

And just like that, he walked out the door, leaving King Alpha and I alone.

I looked at King Alpha questioningly while he avoided my gaze, glaring.

"Is someone gonna tell me what's going on?" I asked.

"You know if you were any other girl, I would have jumped at the chance for this moment," he flashed me a fake sweet smile before deadpanning, "but since it's you, I have to go through all that good boy stuff."

"I don't know what you are talking about. So please elaborate before I beat the crap out of you."

He sighed, sitting next to me by keeping four feet between us. He looked at me and flashed me a fake wide smile.

"Get ready to endure another one of werewolf shit."

"Enlighten me." I sarcastically smiled back.

"Werewolves who found their mates would go through this thing called 'heat'. It happens once a year before a full moon," his lips were turned down into an irritated frown, "both parties feel this urge of having sex. The urge," he looked at me, "is pain for you."

I blinked.

Hold up-

I have never jumped this fast from King Alpha's bed ever in my life. I placed my hands on my hips, giving him a huge frown.

"You're saying this pain is an urge of having...that!?"

He nodded, the corner of his lip lifting in amusement, "Pretty much."

The thought of having that with King Alpha sent me rolling over the hill. I've never thought of it but the thought of him only touching me made me want to wrap myself in a blanket and gush profusely. I'm pretty sure I almost passed out last time when we kissed.

God, we kissed.

"What kind of sick twisted creatures you are?" I scrunched my face.

"Werewolves in the past always saw this as an action of Love and Affection," he spoke sarcastically, "and they had no problem with it."

"Well I do! I'm not going to do the deed with you just because some werewolf crap gives me pain. I'M NOT EVEN A WEREWOLF! Why do I have to go through this?"

"Geez clam down," he frowned at me before rolling his eyes, "way to make sex sound so boring. Seriously? Doing the deed? What are we high schoolers?"

I raised my hand in the air, "I am."

He snorted, "Right."

"Why didn't you feel any pain?" I raised an eyebrow.

He looked up at me, his mouth lifting up into one of his smug smirks which already told me something cocky was coming.

"I'm King Alpha, baby," there it was, "I don't feel pain from some mate bullshit."

I scoffed.

Right when I was about to speak, I suddenly realized the position we were in. During my tantrum, I didn't notice when my feet carried me near him. King Alpha's hands were supporting his body on the bed while he leaned back. Me, who was towering over him.

Oh god.

What if I had accidentally tripped and fell over him and we go falling onto the bed in slow motion like those in the movies?

I didn't want to take a step back though. And by looking at his smirk, I think he doesn't mind. I inwardly rolled my eyes. Of course, he doesn't.

"Yeah, the great and almighty." I rolled my eyes.

"Very."

"Okay so...the pain is gone now so I guess I don't have that urge anymore?" I spoke, "so that's it, right? I felt the pain, it almost drove my soul away, now it's gone."

He furrowed his eyebrows, "What are you talking about?"

"What?"

"That was just the beginning of the heat," he spoke seriously, "the real urge, or pain is yet to come."

I furrowed my eyebrows, "What do you mean?"

"The pain doesn't go away until the full moon's passed away. Many can't survive till then. People who resisted it usually ended up dead."

"You mean...?"

"You need to have sex to survive until the full moon, otherwise..." he gave a slow shrug.

"You're kidding me." I gritted.

"Let's just say I'll have to attend a funeral if not." 

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Date: 30 August 2021