Truthful Lies
~
Cadence
~

"What?"

Everyone froze from the question that reeked with scorn and distaste of her spitting it out.

But Cadence's question was clean-cut and sharp as silver. Just as the dagger she wanted to sheath out and throw at someone. She took her final steps into the threshold of the dining room, laminating in the moon's light as she pinned the oracle a stare that could send anyone running.

"What did you just say?" Cadence felt her arm being tugged back as if someone was pulling her away, far away from the truth and into a pool of lies.

She spun around, meeting her cousin's unfailing and kind eyes.

"What's going on, Accalia?"

Accalia's face remained neutral, but she wasn't smart enough to keep it up or well enough for it to not slip past Cadence. "Noth—nothing. Go back to the room and I'll speak to you later."

Cadence ripped her arm out of Accalia's hand with a venomous hiss. "You're hiding something from me. What is it?"

Accalia shrank back and placed her arms up in surrender. "I promise you, I'll tell you everything."

Cadence pitted her with a malicious stare and threw her hands in the air. "You can tell me now."

She saw Accalia look desperately over her shoulder and it was Lycus she must be signalling help for.

"Nothing, Cadence. We just wanted to talk to you about ... werewolves." Lycus stated plainly and Cadence wished to laugh in his face.

Did they think she was blind? Plain stupid? An utter fool easy to manipulate?

She heard the words that came out of Vaela's mouth like they weren't her own as if an entity took control and unravelled her tongue to say these things. She had the same occurrence with her weeks ago when trying to find the locket and the nightmares of being in a coffin.

Mated, one simple and ratifying term Cadence didn't want to hear but did. She was mated. To him.

Cadence didn't realise she turned around to face the hybrid, but when she did it was like seeing him for the first time all over again. The unmatchable height, the potent wonder in his eyes and how dead he looked to the world. These past few days hadn't done him any good and she didn't care to know why.

"The boy from the coffin," Vaela uttered and her finger trembled by her mouth, but not fast enough to close her hand over it. "That's why you had the nightmares, you were connected to the coffin. To him. His lycan called to her while his vampire side kept him alive. You're mated to him."

Cadence mulled over her words, like turning over a card that spoke of her future and wanted everything around her to burn to the ground.

She scoffed, taking a step back and forcing her head away from the hybrid that continued to stare her down. "No way in hell." No fucking way.

"Cadence ..." Accalia whispered, a break creaking through her voice and Cadence shook her head, she wouldn't have it.

Cadence wouldn't stand for this and she flailed a finger at the lot of them, wishing it to be a gun. "Those nightmares were because I was looking for the locket to free him! Not because I'm—"

She choked on her words as her breathing plummeted, dryness screeching through her throat. Through the blurriness wanting to blacken, Cadence swivelled her sights to the front door and before she took a step, a shadow loomed over her.

His warm hands dared to wrap around her forearms to keep her upright and they did, he lifted her so she wouldn't fall. His face swam close to hers, filling with emotion and the hybrid murmured, "Cadence, I am sorry."

I am sorry.

Cadence vanquished the apology like it was never there, she didn't care for his apologies or his guilt. With good measure, she shoved him in the chest and felt the air surge back into her lungs.

How long have they all known? How long have they hidden this from her? Was this before he kidnapped her? Or after? Cadence's skull could crack from the pressure building up inside.

How could Accalia not tell her? They have bunked up together. She gave her time to Cadence these past weeks. Accalia wanted Cadence away from the hybrid.

A dark laugh peeled out of Cadence and she tapped her forehead. This is why.

Her silver rings coiled around her fingers wrapped into fists and she didn't know whether to punch the hybrid or scream into her hands.

Cadence shot her head up, ignoring all the eyes on her besides his. Rexton. Not her mate, her enemy, who he will forever be to her.

"Cadence," his voice cooed, but it could have been a death rattle to her ears.

"You think I'm your saviour," Cadence spat and his gaze settled on her, so soft and innocent it made her stomach turn. "Your mate? Your anchor to your humanity? I won't save you, I wouldn't even save you if it meant saving me. I want you to die!"

The hybrid blinked, face paling and she didn't stand by to watch him crumble as he deserved.

Cadence ran out the front door and didn't look back at the lies that led her to this revelation.

~

Howls and screams shattered through the forest like an earthquake, shaking from the ground up and loud enough to shake the dirt beneath her.

Cadence didn't stop, she couldn't falter now, not when she dodged the warriors patrolling the borders of the lands and she managed to pass by them without trouble.

Crossing the barrier of the Fenris territory, the thick and obscure woodland cleared, showing the highway up ahead.

Cadence breathed out, clutching her sides as a stitch worked its way across her body. She considered hitching a ride, hell, she was willing to steal a car just to get away from this place.

The Jaeger cabin was set in the front of her mind, everything else ebbing away like a scab healing over with new, thick skin.

She didn't want to think about why Lycus called her name, was it to tell her about the hybrid? Did they all plan this? To reveal the news in a manner as if they would show support for such a difficult circumstance?

Cadence wouldn't get the chance to ask as her boots trod up a hill, coming to the edge of the forest to see numerous cars blazing by.

At night, surroundings were perceived differently and with the full moon hanging low as if to taunt Cadence from above, she wondered if she remembered her way back home. To the Jaeger house.

If it wasn't for standing so still, hearing her pulse in her ears as she thought out a hasty plan, the cars brushing by in a coming-and-going motion, Cadence wouldn't have heard the snap behind her.

Her hand found the dagger before she turned around and another snap flickered by her ear as if someone was behind her.

Something — someone was closing in on her as the cracks beneath their feet drew closer and bordered around her.

Cadence felt her hair beside her cheek whoosh with the unnatural wind and she raised her weapon, spearing the dagger through the fur.

The werewolf howled into the night, throwing itself away from Cadence and falling to the ground.

Cadence ran at it, ripped the silver dagger from its shoulder and looked it straight in the eye. Cedar orbs stared back and saliva dribbled from its mouth as it whimpered in pain from the stab wound that, over time, would kill it.

She knew Lycus's werewolves were locked up, all chained in three dungeons scattered across the pack.

This werewolf was from across the border.

Cadence's mouth fell ajar, twirling the dagger around her shaky fingers and she scanned her surroundings, knowing it mustn't be alone.

Hearing nothing, no wind, but feeble whimpers, Cadence readied to wedge the dagger into its heart. Kind enough to spare it a merciless death, but still a death.

It was from another pack, Zenith or Cole's.

A shriek ripped out of Cadence's throat before her dagger could claim its life and another werewolf smashed her to the ground.

The werewolf flicked its tongue out and licked its yellow teeth. Spit and splatters of blood hacked onto her and the wolf wrapped one of her wrists in its claws, clenching the points into her skin.

Cadence didn't cry out, gripping the dagger in her hand as vengeance soared through her chest. The dagger came at its neck, but before it could meet skin, the werewolf was thrown off Cadence's body and collided with a tree.

Cadence wiped her face, stumbling to her feet and without thought, went to stab the werewolf, wanting to watch its whimpers fall into nothingness.

A growl cut off her movement and Lycus came in front of her, shoving her back.

"Get out of my way!" Cadence roared and went to go around him.

Lycus followed her every step and soon enough two other figures sided with him. "Cadence, calm down. We need to interrogate him."

Cadence clashed eyes with her cousin and then the hybrid — Rexton. Concern, mocking, taunting concern worked its way on his face and Cadence jutted the bloody dagger at him, levelling it under his jaw.

"Don't look at me like that, I don't need your pity!" Cadence seethed at him and Lycus slammed her wrist down, clutching it tightly in his hand.

"Snap my wrist," Cadence said through clenched teeth.

"Shut up," Lycus grumbled.

Rage rattled through her and made her vision drenched in red. She wasn't a part of this family, this pack and had no ties to them in any way. She wanted nothing to do with any of them.

Lycus released her and gripped Rexton's shoulder, pulling him in front of her. They came face to face. "You're pissed, I get that. You're mated to him. It's going to feel like a punishment, you're going to hate it, but you know what, little huntress? You'll get the fuck over it."

"I'm not mated to him!"

Lycus stared her down, eyes dawned in blackness and his fangs bared. "You are! Do you think Rexton expected this? No, he fucking didn't. He's been locked away for over one hundred years because of me and you released him — his mate. You may not feel this connection, but he does. He feels guilt for what he did to you, but I'm telling you, Cadence, you don't deserve a fucking piece of it if it's coming from him."

He could die right now and she would be proud of the person that decided to take him out. He could be locked away and Cadence would stand outside of the coffin to taunt him, make him hear the voice of someone else but not see the light of day.

Cadence didn't care for him, she never would.

"You think I'll care about him?" Cadence shot back at Lycus and then looked to Rexton, sending her words directly at his face, "You think I'll ever care about you? I won't, I think everyone around me is collateral damage. But if you really want to, feel free to hang around me, hopefully, you die as quickly as everyone around me tends to do."

Cadence closed her eyes to rid herself of that look her cousin gave her and stepped away from them. "Better yet, you should have let me deal with these two werewolves instead of—"

"I heard you scream," Rexton said and his tone offered a wistful tune Cadence wanted to end. "I could hear your heart rate back at the house and we came to find you. I took that werewolf off you."

Cadence planted her hands on her knees and exhaled, wanting to figure out the angle he was playing at and where he thought it would succeed. "You want my thanks?"

"I wish to be your friend."

Cadence snorted. "Like that could ever happen."

"I don't want to mark you, Cadence, I want you to be my friend. Show me the ways you live in this new world—"

"You have your brothers for that."

Rexton pitted her with a stare, but he kept his human side composed, fully intact. "I have you, as well."

Cadence didn't have the energy to work up a remark for that. A slacken and the leaden weight fell upon her and she twirled the dagger between her fingers, blood staining her knuckles.

"I'll think about it," Cadence lied.

Rexton's face lit up and colour beamed back into his face. "Really?"

Cadence shrugged carelessly and pocketed the dagger. "Why not? I don't have a lot of friends, anyway."

Accalia shook her head in bewilderment and Lycus looked about ready to throttle her. Again.

But it went over Rexton's head as he brandished her with not a sword, something far worse, a smile that met his eyes, brightening every detail of his face.

Why so human-looking? Cadence thought to herself. After all the words she said to him, he still found it within himself to want to be her ... friend.

When that look of his became unbearable, Cadence distracted herself by motioning to the two werewolves, one unconscious and the other clutching its bleeding arm. "What about these two? Canus or Thrax pack members?"

Lycus crossed his arms over his broad chest and gave Cadence a once-over glance. "We'll find out. I'll get warriors to take them to the cellars. After they shift back in the morning, we're interrogating them."

Cadence would stick around for that. "Why'd you yell my name earlier? Was it because ..."

"No, it wasn't about that. We didn't want to tell you because I knew how you would have reacted. I thought we were protecting you." Accalia said to her, wrapping her coat around herself.

Cadence breathed from her mouth, shaking her head from side and side. "So not telling me was protecting me?"

"Yes," Accalia confirmed. "Vaela didn't know about ... this, so that's how everything came apart so quickly."

Cadence wished Accalia protected her a little bit longer.

It explained why Vaela behaved so strangely, it must be the effect of the full moon and her abilities.

"Well, why did Lycus call me then? It must be a big deal if he yelled." Cadence grumbled.

Accalia and Lycus shared a look, one that passed through them like an invisible message and Cadence almost threw up in her mouth over it.

"We'll interrogate these wolves, and see what we can find out before we make our next move," Lycus stated, not expanding further and grabbed his phone from his front pocket, typing away.

"Rexton, no one knows about you, and I need to keep it that way. Go back to the manor and bed." Lycus barked.

Rexton planted himself on the ground and scratched the back of his head, signalling to Cadence. "But—I—"

Lycus shook his head firmly and gestured back to the house. "You will see her tomorrow ... seeing as she also wants to be your friend. No one knows about you, Rex and if anyone finds out, we don't know what could happen. Now go to bed."

Rexton's expression waned, a flicker of defiance shining through but before it could beam, he gave Cadence a short wave. "Goodnight."

Cadence forced a smile and felt as if someone was clenching her heart in their hand, squeezing the life out of her. "Night."

You are not my mate, you are my enemy, Cadence repeated countlessly to her inner thoughts.

An ethereal glow descended upon him in a pallid halo, igniting him in moonlight brilliance and before he could stick around for him to see it the way Cadence did, Rexton swept into the dark forest and his body zoomed through the trees, no trace of him left in sight.

You're not my mate.

You're my enemy.

~

A very fast-paced chapter. I don't know how I feel about it. Please let me know.

If anyone thinks that Cadence's reaction was uncalled for or unfair. You might be right and your opinion is valid.

But you should also understand that Cadence is wired a specific way as a character. She's not known for her loving, bubbly personality. She's hard, rough around the edges and slightly unhinged. She doesn't crave all the things others crave. Her motives are different and most definitely don't involve that of mates or love.

I hope you enjoyed this chapter.

— Caranyx.