Word count: 1729

~Mara

"You know, now I'm never going to find my mate," I mutter, digging the seeds out of my watermelon slice. Kace looks up from his breakfast with surprise.

He sets his coffee mug down, and glares at me pointedly.

"Mates don't exist," he tells me shrewdly. I sigh inwardly. We don't break eye contact as I cut a chunk of watermelon, and shove it in my mouth. He doesn't say a word as I chew.

"Yes they do," I inform him, once I've swallowed the fruit. He coughs, leaning back in his chair. This is the first time we have talked all morning. I'm just finishing my breakfast, while he is finishing his coffee. Coen is in the other room, eating his breakfast with the other guards.

"How can you be so sure?" He questions me. He sounds quite curious, while takes me by surprise.

I push my plate away. "True love exists..."

"True love is a joke," he mumbles grumpily.

"Just because your true love tried to kill you, doesn't mean it doesn't exist," I snap. He flinches, narrowing his eyes. Oh..I probably shouldn't have said that.

He stands, his muscles tightening. I'm trying so hard to not appear intimidated by him right now.

"I don't believe in some bitch who lives in the sky," he retorts. I suddenly don't regret anything I have ever said to him.

"The Moon Goddess is no such word," I tell him viciously. "She will punish you."

Kace raises his eyebrows. "Oh, kinky."

Pushing my chair back, I rush at him. He catches my arms before I can even truly lay a punch on him. The amused look on his face angers me more than anything. I rip my arms away from him, and stumble back.

"Let me hurt you," I growl at him. He shakes his head in wonder.

"I see you like it rough. Me too," he laughs lightly. My face turns bright red, in both anger and embarrassment. Why is everyone in this stupid place so dirty? I can't stand anyone of them.

Suddenly I feel a hand on my arm. I spin around to see Coen looking down at me with gentle eyes.

"Take her away," Kace mutters to him. Against my will, Coen drags me out of the room. I hate being told what to do, and the power everyone seems to have over me here is disgusting.

He lets me go when we are out in the hallway, letting me brush myself off. He even has the curtesy to allow me to catch my breath before I punch someone. This is how I know I'm mad...Because I knew never to resort to violence.

"Kaden wants to see you," Coen says after a few minutes silence. I roll my eyes. He is the last person I want to see right now, but after last night, I have no choice but to follow every command he gives.

Coen and I walk, myself following him more. This place will be my home for the rest of my life, but I still don't know the ins and outs of it yet. It's probably because every hallway looks exactly the same.

I'm lead into a room. It's small, and the floor is concrete. Nothing could be worse then that. As I wander in, Coen closes the door behind me, not following me in. This makes me sigh.

A seat lingers in the middle of the room, so I go and take a seat. It takes twelve minutes-I was counting painfully-before Kaden wanders in casually.

He's wearing his hood again, which makes me narrow my eyes. Don't tell me he is going to try hide the fact that I saw his face last night. It's something I can't ever forget.

"Good morning Mara," he says smoothly, coming to stand in front of me.

"You're looking good today," I mutter sarcastically. He sighs, and flips the hood back so I can see his face. For a second, I'm struck by his attractiveness. I hate that. I focus on his cold, hard black eyes.

"So what am I doing here?"

Kaden circles me, his gait smooth.

"You did something very bad last night," He states. He drags a gloved finger across my shoulder, over the back of my neck and to my other shoulder. I shiver in response.

I decide to stay quiet, rather than test my luck with a snarky response.

"I like games," he states suddenly. I freeze.

"I'm aware," I mutter. How could I not be when he's been playing games with me since the day I've come in here.

He comes to a stop in front of me, looking down at me like I'm his prey. The sudden urge to stand up is imminent.

"I have a riddle for you..."

Great.

"If you answer the riddle right, I'll let you continue without further punishment," he tells me. The wicked smile upon his face is making my stomach turn uneasily.

"And if I get it wrong?"

He laughs, a cruel, maniacal laugh that sends shiver down my spine.

"It's a surprise," he says lightly. I frown. What if it never happens? I truly hope it won't, and not because it may possible affect me. But because it will give him the pleasure.

Kaden stoops down beside me, and I can tell I'm about to hear this riddle. I've never been good with riddles, but hopefully if I can think about it, the answer won't be too hard.

"This will be easy," he tells me.

I nod slowly.

"If it's information you seek, come and see me," he begins. I narrow my eyes.

"If it's pairs of letters you need, I have consecutively three," he finishes. I tilt my head.

"That doesn't make sense," I say, my mind churning with possible answers. How does this relate to anything? His lips tilt, like he knows he's stumped me.

Like he knows he's won.

"Ten," he starts.

"Wait, you can't count!"

"Nine."

"I thought I had time!"

"Eight."

I slap my hand against my forehead as I realise he's not going to stop.

"Seven..."

Consecutive paired letters...What could that possibly mean?

"Six."

"Could you please give me some time?" I beg, but he shakes his head in response. The triumph on his face is sickening, as I struggle to find an answer to his cryptic riddle.

"Five."

I cover my ears so I don't have to hear his voice, as I watch him count down past five. The sinking feeling in my stomach is terrible. Jumping off a bridge right now seems better than whatever fate Kaden has in store for me.

"One," he finishes, when I take my hands off his ears.

We sit in silence for few moments, while I gather the weight of the situation. Kaden just stares at me with glistening eyes.

"The answer?"

"A bookkeeper," he tells me softly. Of course. While I sit there and think about how much of an idiot I am, Kaden gets up and walks toward the door on the far end.

He opens it, and in walks a very miserable, familiar face.

Milly. The last girl Kaden kidnapped before me. I know instantly it's her from her white blonde hair and thin figure. She was the girl every boy wanted back at home, despite their belief in mates.

A guard I don't recognise pushes her in, her hands tied behind her back. She looks sick and malnourished, dressed in practically rags. She looks up at me as she walks in, and I spot the dullness in her eyes, and the dark circles under. She looks terrible.

Kaden leads her over to me, smiling at the disbelief in my eyes.

"Mara, what are you doing here?" She questioned. Her voice scratchy, like she hasn't used it in along time. She looks genuinely saddened by the fact that I'm here as well as her, although I'm sure I look in much better condition.

I go to speak, but Kaden cuts me off.

"She had the opportunity to save you," he said to Milly. Her eyes widened, a glimmer of hope in her eyes, making my heart sink.

"But unfortunately, she failed," Kaden said gleefully, the smile on his face something that is bound to be etched into my mind forever. Milly frowned in confusion, looking at me for some kind of back up.

The door opened at the end of the room, and a guard walked in. Milly turned around, and when she saw him, she began to panic.

"What's happening?" She questions.

"I'd like you to think about Mara when you're in your cell," Kaden says.

Despite my immediate protest, the guard grabs Milly and begins to drag her from the room. I run forward, hoping to save her from the guards evil grasp.

Instead, Kaden grabs my waist, pulling me backward so I can't move forward. I punch at him angrily, trying to pull his fingers off me, but my own slip on his leather gloves.

"Let me go," I yelp, watching the door close, and Milly disappear from my sight. Kaden doesn't listen, holding me back no matter my struggles.

"Mara, calm down."

"What are you going to do to her? She's innocent, unlike you!" I yell. I'm hardly listening to the sounds coming from my mouth. It just happens.

"Listen-"

"You listen! You're a disgusting person, who won't even touch a girl!" I scream at him. I'm only just registering the test streaming down my cheeks, as I think of what might happen to Milly.

"You're angry, good. Take that anger and turn that into vengeance," he murmurs in my ear.

I push at his chest, and this time he lets me go. I stumble back, wiping the tears from my cheeks profusely.

"That's what you want? Me to be like you?" I question, my voice wavering. He sighs, swallowing.

"Not like me. I want to help you belong," he tells me.

I fall to my knees, and sob into my hands. I ant describe my hate for Kaden. He's a monster.

And he's turning me into one.

❤️••❤️

Hey guys!

This chapter is showing the development in Mara, and how she's slowly turning dark inside.

Who thinks Kaden could truly change her?

Vote and comment for more (:

Snapchat : midikacrane

Radish: Midika

YouTube: Midika Crane

~Midika 💜🐼