As if the room stilled, Siana to held her breath. Afraid even the slightest disturbance would cause a shift in the worlds rotation. Their faces were inches apart, close contact had Griffin pinned roughly as War echoed the small room with his energy.

“War I..” Griffin began only to be silenced by a thunderous snarl.

“Silence! You have no more right to speak than a battle snail.” The S hissed from War’s lips, sending tiny tingles throughout Siana’s body. She watched as War pulled a blade from out of air, he moved it slowly at first catching both Griffin’s eyes.

“You seem to of forgotten how to use your brains, should I rid them for you?” It wasn’t only Griffin who caught his breath to the back of his throat, but also Siana. Knowing the group of individuals was harder than most was something she already knew of, but to see them like this was far from normal.

“War, I...I wouldn’t of.She just needed to learn her place.” Griffin seemed to of lost a soul for words, the very life from his face dissipating faster than melting snow in a heat wave.

“No she doesn’t. Your pride has gotten the better of you, and for that you lack understanding. In battle there are no rules, she fought to stay alive a skill not teachable. Be thankful she stands on the same side as you, or your life wouldn’t of been so easily returned.” Tossing Griffin to another wall, he cracked a board that broke his momentum.

“Begon before I do what I feel I should.” Siana caught the glint of death behind War’s eyes. She wasn’t surprised to see Griffin get up without so much as a grunt, leaving as quickly as he came. Turning to her sprawled out frame War stared at her.

His feet took two steps and was already standing over her.

A gaze so hard, unforgiving and deadly bore into her own eyes. Gulping down more bile Siana held her breath, fear he would smell her fright.

“Get up!” She did so, but not nearly as graceful as she’d hope for. Seemed that first toss into the chest had done some damage to her hip, it blistered in pain which shot down her leg and back up again. Her shorter body caused War to lean down a bit to meet her at eye level.

“Your lack of tongue has caused a target to smear on your backside.” His lip twitched showing similar teeth to her growing ones. Pressing her back to the wall, it helped pull some of her weight off that damaged hip.

“From now on when you are spoken to, you give a verbal reply. Understood?” Watching her closely War snarled when she nodded, getting a jump from her was half his reward as lips parted. Her voice was soft, yet held a mystery of so much more.

“Yes” Keeping her teeth covered with lips, she gave him the first sound ever to be heard from within herself.

He kept an eye on her from a little longer. The realization that if he left her as he once did, to be as others before her have, she’d not make it another night within the walls before them. Though he didn’t believe that Griffin would break orders to finish what he came for, it didn’t settle well with War that he even tried. If Griffin, one of the longest warrior within the walls was comfortable with coming for her, who else had already tried or would.

Because of his journeys War had not been able to set things in stone, leaving the members to figure Siana out on their own. Margaret had warned him that this could happen, that with every day he missed would take her further from what he needed. Rising to his full height War snorted, if hovering around this manor for a long while was what he needed to ensure she got cared for than he would suffer through it.

It wasn’t because he didn’t like being at the manor, but more that he loved the simplicity of roaming the country sides in search of battles to be had. A long time warrior at heart, War felt more at home under stars than roofs.

A mind made up he moved a set away from her, the deep rooted smell causing his blood to crave her own.

“Gather your belongings” If was gruffer than he wanted, but he needed her to be quick. Folding his arms over a broad chest War watched as she slithered past him and headed for a corner. When her fingers grasped a nightgown and nothing more his brow lifted. Coming to stand a few feet from him, she stayed silent as if waiting for her next order.

“That is all you have?” She gave him a nod before squeaking to his under body growl.

“Yes” He took note that she seemed almost torn about hearing her own voice, as though she’d forgotten what it even sounded like. With his interest peaked War decided to push a bit more.

“Show me where you lay.” When one finger pointed to the exact same spot as where she’d picked up the gown War’s insides flipped. The smoothed out indent on a few wooden panels verified her answer. He understood sleeping in harsh conditions, even being unable to sleep due to such conditions. But for a child to sleep on a floor like a common house cat while there were beds laying about for her comfort, he knew not.

“Why do you sleep there?” It permitted a low growl of annoyance, the very idea she was sticking her nose to what he offered blistered his core. To his question her face fell grey, her body twitched as if she was trying to make up her mind.

“I don’t know” The moment she passed the words War could smell her lies, they tingled off the back of his neck sending red flags. She was hiding something, or perhaps scared to give a reason as to the why.

Within a flash he was back in a breath of her face. It made her suck in a breath, while cheeks turned a rose red. While being slightly aggravated with her lying, War did find a bit of amusement from her trying it on him.

Moving slowly as to keep her fright to a minaul he moved his lips closer to her ear, as if whispering a secret no one else should know.

“It you plan to lie to me again, make sure its a good one. Or at least learn the art better, you're giving yourself away.” He heard it, the deep sucking of her breath as his words entered her body. Moving slowly backwards so his eye caught hers, War witnessed even darker cheeks.

If he asked her what his breath on her skin did to her, she’d of said it was causing her mind to melt. Fire ants couldn’t of done a better job had they given the chance. Well aware of what her body was experiencing Siana kept her mouth shut, that is till he spoke again.

“Answer the question, Siana” It broke her hold on a vastened tongue.

“I was told to sleep there.” She had wished she’d of just had Griffin to remove that horrible body part, than she wouldn’t of had to see the dangerous shine in his eyes. They removed all sense of calmness from the room. Without a word he spun around heading out the door, but not before giving her an order.

“Come!” Without delaying Siana quickly paced after him, making sure her distance stayed the same. While walking down a corridor Siana noticed a few confused stares, she wondered what was to become of her now. Something about where he was headed seemed almost familiar. Keeping a good eye on her distance from him, Siana allowed her eyes to meander a bit more than usual.

They took in the sights around, things such as pictures, furniture and random trinkets that would strike a cord to her memory. It wasn’t till he opened a large wooden door that it all came flooding back to her. Everything in that room was the exact same as it was when she first woke.

Every piece of furniture, the rug followed by a massive bed in which she could almost remember the feel of what sleep it brought to her. Snapping her from deep thoughts of a restful sleep, War tossed a few logs onto a dying fireplace. A few pokes with a iron and it came back to life once more. Whatever his mood was Siana couldn’t pick, he was moving around the room as she stood in the doorway like a scared mouse.

He finally noticed her and gave an annoyed growl.

“Get in, and shut the door” The idea of being contained in a room alone with him was just as frightening as being in a room with Griffin, if not more so. However frightened she was Siana obeyed. Keeping as close to the now closed door, she held onto her gown for dear life. He took up a seat near the fireplace, a few minutes of listening to the crackling of wood seemed to calm her soul.

“Come here” Its calmness dropped to the pit of her stomach to his order, moving slowly she came to stand a few feet in front of him. Something about that bothered him, and with a huff he spoke.

“Closer” She took a few steps, but refused to advance anymore.

Siana nearly came out with a yelp when one hand of his reached over and grabbed the top of her britches, pulling her to walk straight to his side. Her heart thumbed dangerously inside her ribs, every beat threatening to break them open. It only escalated when his finger pulled the string holding them up upon her hips.

Pulling back from him, Siana received a thunderous response. No sooner to his sound did a hand on his lip over her hip, keeping her body angled so as to not show anymore of herself to him Siana gasped feeling the icy cold hand against raw skin. He had picked the hip that by now held an array of colors from being smashed.

She waited for his hand to lost its coolness only to find it holding it and then some. Pain that had steadily been growing was now vanishing. When his hand removed itself from her hip, there was no sign of being abused. A nod in her direction gave implement that she could fix herself. Siana did so quickly.

Old enough to know what happens behind closed doors, Siana wasn’t completely sure War wasn’t going to try something. Woman spoke freely about what their Mates or partner did when no one was looking, it was almost as though they bragged about it to the other females. She couldn’t fathom what was so grand about such things, or even what one would gain from expressing such stories of forbidden love. There was much talk about certain males, which ones would pick who and which would never bed a female.

War had been one of those males brought up in conversation. Speaking freely about how he’d not once after a certain instance taken another female to bed was talked of like a heroic battle. They marveled in the idea of being his next, or only. Even spoke of things they’d do to get such a male. After a while Siana grew bored with their lustful conversations, she had no need for it.

It was a known fact that some males were considered better than other, whether it be because of skill or some other random factor. Among those men was War, woman who had tried to become closest to him were slightly more scornful of his name than others. Siana had counted on an off hand at least a dozen or so whom tried and ultimately failed. She found it rather amusing.

The mere indication that the males here where revered as prized bulls caused Siana’s stomach to knot up. Placed on high pedestals for all to admire, while secretly envying them for what they made them out to be. Nothing more than a vicious circle of never ending empty glory. She wanted to know why women weren’t revered in such a manner, perhaps they once were but gave up or just didn’t want such a role.

Either way Siana didn’t like the choosing as it sat now, had she been born of them she’d of liked to see that change.

Without a word War stood up heading straight for the door back out, she followed unsure of what else to do. His hand rose facing his palm in her face.

“Stay here, I will come for you soon. Rest if you like” With that he was gone, closing the door yet not locking it behind him. Turning around to view her surroundings Siana breathed in deeply for the first time.

That bed. So large compared to many others she’d seen. It rivaled in heavy furs, with dark grained wooden beams on all four sides. Biting her bottom lip Siana moved a little closer, he had said she could rest. But did that give her liberty to take comfort in his bed? A bed he slept in, and maybe even gained company in. She shook her head.

Best to not risk a beating for thinking it appropriate to sleep in a males bed. She also kept it in mind that doing such a thing could lead him to believe she was willing, when in fact she wasn’t sure what she wanted. He had been gone nearly most of her life, making her a ripe age for such hushed talk. But the idea of being with a man of his size, power and overwhelming dominance made her knees buckle.

She roughly shook her head again, no don’t go there if you wish to keep to the plan. Taking another look around Siana decided the best thing to do was pick an unused corner and rest there.

Briskly walking back towards the room where he found her, War clenched both fists. He was still brewing over what Griffin had done, only to feel the need to shatter a man's skull between his fingers over the idea of her being told to sleep like a dog. What had happened to the kin he so intrusted so much to, even trusting them to care for a child seemed an easy task. Yet they failed, turning the girl into a skittish pup with no real vigor for life.

By the time he stood in front of the door to her old room, all the youngsters had returned from either training or chores. He watched from the shadows as they mindlessly laughed, walking right into the room without a care for anything. It only brewed his anger more. How long...how long did they go about in such a way, while treating a newly bitten of his blood like trash.

It was only moments that they all entered that he heard words from a high ranked warriors son that had him crashing the door from its silvery hinges.

“Seems like the mongrel ran away” It sparked a few laughs from lesser youngsters. To the door breaking all gasped removing themselves from the line of War’s gaze.

Normally he’d of just grunted to the comment, but he was starting to place the pieces together. Slowly they became clearer as to the why’s of how Siana had become who she was now. They’d pushed her to the point of shadow skipping, always making sure to be something of an Omega.

“To what right do you have to call one of my chosen a mongrel?”If the boy was smart he’d beg for his life, for the question held no right answer. At least in War’s eyes it didn’t.

“She’s the daughter to a traitor!” Was the best his stuttering voice could produce. War sneered his fangs, allowing a silvery toxin to drip slowly from each one.

“So you base her skills, reputations and morals on what her father has done. Instead of giving her the chance to prove innocent. A fine leader you shall never make.” He’d of thought that would of shut the boy up, he was mistaken and almost marveled in the boys words.

“Even father doesn’t…” War snapped his jaws growling out a warning.

“Even your father has been bested by the so called Mongrel, if you so speak again with no backbone I will rid you of your own so that you may chew on it for some knowledge.” A few female gasps were covered by hands, War gave them very little attention.

(Posted early because I'm dying to see this book hit the 1000 reads mark >.> but you could get faster updates if it hits the 1000 vote marl ....just saying. -coughs- >.> right so I'ma go now. Happy readying lovies)