For @Mzschivious_kookies Thank you for all you support 😭 Fun fact: I wrote down your old username and forgot what the new one was like, so I searched for Kookie from my followers 😅.

I heard her notebook drop to the floor with a loud thud. She stepped back away from me, her mouth open in shock.

Shit, they had heightened senses. Shit, shit, what if she says something to Mikhail? He told me not to say anything to anyone! Even though I didn't care what he wanted, I didn't want him to take his anger out on me. Not when he clearly is dangerous and unstable.

"Repeat what you just said, please", she said, her voice trembling slightly.

"I'm sorry", I said, apologising profusely in fear of angering Mikhail. "I was thinking out loud, I didn't mean to say anything".

"No, don't be sorry", she said, rudely. "I know what I heard, right?"

I opened my mouth to say something, but nothing came out. Confirming anything would pretty much be a death sentence.

She gripped my wrist tightly and tugged my body towards her, furious. "Right?!" She growled, her eyes shifting to a darker shade.

I looked back at her in surprise. She all of a sudden became an aggressive person and honestly, it scared me. "Look, I am sorry for slipping up. Please, don't say anything, please-"

"Dear God", she whispered, releasing my wrist from her hold. She walked backwards softly and dropped to a squat, holding her head in her hands. "I cannot believe this. I cannot believe he would do something like this. Something so wrong". She looked up at me in surprise. "And you are okay with this?"

I looked at her cautiously. "How can I trust you enough to answer you?"

"It doesn't matter whether or not you can trust me. You've already told me that you feel nothing for him, you have no choice but to trust me".

She was right. I would already be in deep shit for telling her and judging her reaction, she seemed to think what Mikhail was doing was wrong. Maybe, just maybe she could help me?

"No, I am not", I sighed, reluctantly. "I am far from okay. None of this is even remotely consensual. I was kidnapped and bought here".

"So, why are you still here then?!"

"Well, where can I go?" I asked incredulously, my tone rising slightly. "I'm in the middle of nowhere, surrounded by human-wolf hybrids who have a massive biological advantage over me".

"Oh, God", she said, quietly. "But why you? No offence, you're not particularly special unless... Dear God, this is getting progressively worse. You do realise this will be permanent? You will be bound to him forever, no takebacks. And, it will hurt. It will tear you apart. You will most likely suffer from chronic depression and you will never, ever be happy", she said, rushing out those words, almost feverishly.

"But, I have little choice! Do you not understand my predicament? I act calm because he reacts irrationally. I have no desire to be here at all!" I argued, annoyed at how she thought I had a choice. As if I wanted to be here. "Which sane person would be willing for this? Who would be able to accept the fact that a whole other species exist and this marking will cause them pain? No one!"

"Does anyone else know?" She asked, shrugging off my angry outburst.

"Not that I am aware of".

"These are really dangerous waters. He cannot know that I know. He can be very volatile and we will both be punished. Tell no one else either, do you understand me? You'll put them all at risk too".

"I don't plan to", I responded sharply, feeling a little irritated for the concern she had for her packmates. "And I didn't mean to tell you anything either, it's just that... well, I'm not used to being around people who can hear pretty much anything and everything. I didn't expect you to hear me".

She straightened and stood restlessly. Holding her notebook, she paced around me nervously, glancing at me every so often. I sighed and shivered, my bare body erupting in goosebumps from the open window.

"Damn it", she swore. "I wish I never asked. If the Alpha suspects me and asks me anything, I have to tell him everything".

"Well, lie then-"

"I can't!" She interrupted. "No one can! I'm so torn right now! I have a duty to this pack and I should do nothing but at the same time how can I let a woman go through such a pain?"

I felt sorry for her in a sense. Their hierarchy here seemed to constrain everyone in some way. She seemed as though she wanted to do something but physically couldn't. "Well, give him no reason to suspect you then", I said, softly. "You act how you're supposed to act and I'll pretend that I haven't said anything".

"It's not easy but- He's coming", her face filled with terror.

"Who's coming?"

"The Alpha, Jacob warned me", she hissed. "Why is he coming? God, I'm not ready for this".

I glanced down at myself in nothing but underwear and looked at her helplessly. "Please, let me put clothes on. I can't let him have the satisfaction of seeing me naked like this".

"I can't give you clothes, that will be suspicious. No one measures on top of clothing", she argued.

"Please, I'll take anything. I just- just can't..."

"For God's sake", she swore, looking around the room frantically and picking up a white silky cloth. "Take this slip and put it on. Act normal".

I slipped it on, the material sliding smoothly down my body and reaching mid-thigh. It was quite fitted and revealing but it was better than nothing.

"Aren't you terribly excited about this ceremony?" Kaira asked suddenly, her voice sounding cheery. She glared at me and mouthed they will be able to hear us.

Right, silly me. How could I forget they had heightened senses?

"Yes", I said, reluctantly. I wasn't going to fake it as Mikhail knew I didn't want to be here. I only needed to pretend like Kaira knew nothing.

"So what do you think about this colour for the trail? Isn't it beautiful?" She asked, her voice sounding excited but her face deadpan. "It matches well with your tanned complexion!"

The door swung open just as I was supposed to give a monotone response and Mikhail strode open, Jacob in step behind him looking at me weirdly.

"Alpha", Kaira said, bowing her head respectfully. He nodded at her back and she straightened up, keeping her gaze lowered.

"That's a nice outfit you're wearing", Mikhail said, raking his eyes over my body. "But I am sure you do not measure on top of clothes".

"Ah, we already did the under measurements and this slip is part of the ceremonial dress", she lied, smoothly. "I have to do a few measurements on top and then we are done".

"How boring", he said darkly. "I missed all the fun parts".

I rolled my eyes and lifted my arms as Kaira measured my waist on top of the slip. Jacob was boring daggers into the side of my head for some reason, seeming frustrated.

I stood there awkwardly whilst Kaira finished off some measurements and Mikhail watched me with a smug sense of satisfaction.

"How far have you gotten with the dress?" Mikhail asked, cutting through the painful silence. Goosebumps erupted along the length of my arm as I stood there feeling the brunt of Mikhail's uncomfortable gaze.

"All the embroidery and jeweling are completed. We just needed her measurements and then the ceremonial robes can be altered accordingly. She will need to try it on in three days, Alpha".

"That is the day before the ceremony", he frowned. "Have it ready in two days".

"But-"

Mikhail glared at her, and the pressure in the room increased heavily. I almost buckled under the sheer power he was exuding. This was so different from that force I felt the night Malik had escaped. I could fight that and stand strong, but this, this was uncomfortably present and weighed down on my soul. Even Jacob who was stood tall was sweating with the exertion of keeping himself upright.

"Yes, Alpha", she gasped. "Please, forgive my impudence".

"Forgiven", he said, waving a hand. The pressure instantly disappeared and I took in a large breath of air relieved. "Do not question me again".

"Yes, my Alpha", she said, her head bowed.

I understood why now. It was like a force of dominance overpowering anyone inferior. This is why none could go against Mikhail even if they wanted to. If he asked Kaira, she would be obliged to tell him.

"Good", he said. "Jacob, take her back to her room and come to my office within two minutes. I have just received some interesting news". He glanced at me as he said that and a sinister smile crossed his face as he snickered at my uncomfortable expression.

Jacob led me out impatiently and we walked back to my room in an uncomfortable silence. He kept glancing at me as if he wanted to say something but whenever I looked at him, he would look away.

I cleared my throat and looked at him from the corner of my eyes. He wasn't even trying got hide it anymore. Well, if he wasn't going to say anything, I wasn't going to beg him to tell me what was bugging him. I scoffed in disbelief and walked on, staying a step ahead.

As we came to my room door, he grabbed my hand before I could walk in. "Wait, I need to ask you something", he interjected.

"What?" I asked in annoyance, shrugging off his hand. That hand had been around my neck earlier and he had the right to touch me? Just because I was human, doesn't mean I would be easy. I made a show of massaging my neck where lay some faint bruising and his face turned red at the reminder.

"Is... What I-"

"Listen", I said. "I don't know what you want from me but Mikhail does not know how you tried to strangle me. I haven't even had a chance to speak to him. Please, just don't bother me. I won't say a word about it".

He looked around and groaned, unsure of what to say next.

"If you have nothing to say then goodbye", I said giving him a tight smile as I slammed the door shut behind me.

I collapsed against the floor and sighed, pressing my hands into my head. I didn't know what to do. I didn't know how I was going to get out of this place and the ceremony was literally in three days.

I missed my family. I was scared about they would be scared. My dad would panic and probably do something extreme to get me back. My grandfather would do the same. But how could they even find me? And even if by some miracle they could, would they even get to me in time?

The stress and anxiety I had bottled up since I was taken, threatened to boil over. I had to escape, I needed to escape. Tearing myself away from the door, I ran to the window and flung it open. I leaned out of the window, my body pressing against the ledge and gasped, taking in deep breathes of the chilly air. I was high up, too high up to jump and survive.

There really was no other way out. I glanced out of the window again, the ground seeming so far yet teasing me nonetheless. I was only unsupervised in my room. If I tried anything with Jacob, he would stop me before I could blink. I saw how fast they could move.

I gripped the window sill tightly. Should I do it? What if I were to die? Was there any point in escaping if I was to die? But how could I allow myself to be marked by a mentally unstable man who was chasing me purely for vengeance and especially when it would cause me a lot of pain. I could tell from my conversation with Kaira that forcefully marking a person who was not you mate as your mate was not morally accepted within in the pack. But even if I were to rally and gain support, how could they go against their Alpha? Mikhail obviously had the absolute power here.

There was also that strange force I had felt. It seemed to hold me down, nearly making me buckle under the pressure. It not only affected me but Jacob and Keira. It seemed a force of dominance, and it was not possible for me to overpower Mikhail. Only someone more powerful could and no one here seemed to fit that criterion.

My hair flailed wildly in the wind, the air frizzing up my curls as they were tousled back and forth. It was so cold, the shivers shaking my body painfully, but the pain gave me a grip. The helplessness that I was feeling, it made me feel weak, insane. Reminded me of how little power I had over my own future. The cold stung but it took my mind of the growing anxiety threatening to overwhelm me.

I hoisted myself on to the ledge, straddling it at first and then swing both my legs over so that my legs were dangling out of the building. I looked down again. The best-case scenario is that I would end up with something broken. But even that would be troublesome as how could I run away, handicapped when being pursued by overly capable wolves?

The worst-case scenario was death and not a quick one. I would most likely break my neck or spine on my way down. If my luck was bad, a bone could tear through a blood vessel and I would just bleed out to death. Or I could end up paralysed and Mikhail could have his way without any interference from me.

The bricks rough exterior scarped my fingers and I gripped on tightly. Could I do it? Could I push myself off knowing that it would effectively be a death sentence? I leaned forwards slightly, my upper body hanging out of the window.

Jump.

I tilted my head down, feeling a tear drop roll out of my left eye, trailing down the bridge of my nose until it grew heavy and dropped. The lone tear fell, camouflaged by the darkness until I could see it no more.

I pulled myself back, gasping. I couldn't do it. The survival instinct was too strong. I couldn't bring myself to kill myself.

Hi.

Gonna make it short as I feel lazy right now.

Question for today: (I'm really running out of questions lol)

Actually, ask me a question for a Q&A I'll probably never get around to:

(No I will try but only if there are some good questions)

Last first was... @qawsedtf Finally you came first!

Today's champion, comment here -->

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