Word Count: 1847

~Meara

I squeeze my eyes shut as the earth takes me into it's grip, pulling me downwards.

Holding my breath, I silently pray for this to be over quickly as I sink lower and lower. My lungs burn in protest, dirt filling every space it can until I emerge from below.

For a brief moment I'm suspended in the air before my back slams on the tile below.

Coughing, I roll over, clutching my stomach. All the air has been knocked from my lungs and it takes a few moments to get enough back to have my panic subside.

Sitting up, I wipe my hair back, scrunching my nose up at the feeling of the dirt that covers me.

There's no turning away now.

Tentatively I stand, gathering my thoughts. Sire's stone casket rests ominously in the centre of the room, surrounded by the crystal clear water.

This place looks exactly as I found it initially. No one would know upon looking here that I've saved Sire from this terrible fate before.

And now I'm going to do it again...I just hope he doesn't kill me.

I step into the pool, ignoring the bite of the cold water, concentrating instead on the dark casket and the inscriptions still intact on top.

It takes all the strength I can muster to heave the lid of the casket off, letting it fall back into the pool.

I draw in a deep breath, looking down into the obsidian black water that fills the casket, concealing Sire's body.

He emerges from the surface in one impressive sweep, his tattooed hands grabbing either side of the casket.

I stumble back in an attempt to avoid getting any of that magical water on me, and also to be far enough to run now that the exit has been revealed on the other side of the room.

Sire's head is bowed as he breathes in deeply, coming to his senses.

I make the most of his moment of vulnerability to re-examine him.

When he isn't at his full power and utterly terrifying, he seems like a broken soul. His shoulders are slumped, his eyes wary as he focuses on getting his breath back.

And he's beautiful. So unfairly beautiful.

The black water runs off his muscled limbs, drawing my attention back to his tattoos. I must ask him about their meaning, about what that language translates to. The way the dark lines reach for his heart inspires all sorts of theories in my mind.

He blinks, water clinging to this thick lashes. Slowly, he turns his head toward me.

My breath catches in my throat and I freeze as those stark blue eyes stare me down.

"I'm not running..." I tell him, my voice shaking. I don't make to move any closer though, in case he grabs me.

"How long has it been?" He questions, making no move to shift the dark hair plastered against his forehead.

"Three weeks," I tell him uneasily.

He raises his brows ever-so-slightly before the slightest smile touches his lips. And then, he laughs breathily.

I gape at him, my fingernails digging in my palms.

"I'm assuming your plan failed?"

"The sickness is still...it's bad," I explain, taking a cautious step forward. My feet at freezing at this point, although I ignore the painful sensation.

He only smiles, rubbing a hand down his face.

"Uh huh."

"Don't look so smug. I rose you, remember?" I bite back. This is just another reminder that Sire doesn't actually care what happens to the innocent people of my Pack. If their death serves him, then so be it.

He leans back in the casket as if it is the most relaxing bath he's ever taken. I suppose it would be after being in a cursed slumber for long.

"Good girl," he murmurs. "I need time to recoup my magic."

"I guess I sit with you."

I back up, sitting on the shallow pool ledge. If I leave he is just going to come for me, and this way I can hopefully talk him down from giving me the 'punishment' that he promised me.

"I should get immunity from any punishment because I did as I promised. I rose you again," I say tentatively.

He turns his head to look at me. His smirk suggests he's amused, but his eyes are cold.

"Is that right..."

"If you're feeling generous." He was right all along and he knew it. Surely his triumphant is enough payback.

He gives me a long hard look, not even considering my hopeful plea. "You tricked me. I thought you were in danger."

I rub my eyes. He is right. The fact that I trapped him underground again is only one part of the problem. The way I had to get what I want was cruel and unfair, but I wouldn't have done it if I didn't think I had to at the time.

"If there was another way of getting you where we needed you, I would have done that." It's important I convey the entire truth to him.

"I can't tell what felt worse. Thinking you were hurt, or seeing you working with Carran," he mutters.

His hands clench tighter around the edge of the casket, my heart aching.

"I'm sorry. I truly am," I insist.

"How did you come here? Did he not try stop you?" he questions.

I sigh. There is a chance Carran has had me watched since he last saw me, although I managed to get up this hill to do this without him noticing. He must be distracted by his entire Pack dying around him.

"He told me harm would come to me if you got you out," I say, rubbing my arms. "But I didn't listen. Clearly."

"He's nothing to fear, I assure you," he mutters.

"I wouldn't be sure. He hasn't been so kind to his Pack members considering everything that is going on," I tell him.

He frowns, but he doesn't look surprised. I didn't have many reasons to trust Sire before, but in retrospect, I feel like a blind fool who has been proved wrong in many ways.

"Is Hazel okay?" Sire asks gently.

I blink. "You care about her?"

"She is your best friend. Of course I care," I says.

"Hazel is okay. She hasn't contracted the sickness," I tell him, letting out a long sigh.

That seems to be the only positive thing that has happened to me recently. Hazel is okay, for now, but that may change, which is why I'm here, risking everything.

His gaze softens. "And you?"

"I'm okay," I assure him, lowering my gaze.

I forgot what it feels like to have his full attention. He is the one person in the world that cares for me beyond anything superficial. When he asks if I'm okay, it's because he will do anything to ensure I am if I'm not.

"For now. We need to work on this cure," he says. He knows I may be alive and un-cursed for now, but that isn't going to last if we don't do anything.

"We will...it won't help if you decide to punish me."

He smiles a little, tilting his head back. "I think it would help a lot."

"We need to work together. I need assurances that I can trust you." He is very capable of leaving this tomb and slaughtering everyone in sight purely out of anger.

I can't take that risk....

"Trust me? You locked me in here," I reminds me.

"Only because I thought this would work." I get to my feet again. "And I was concerned about your need for revenge."

A muscle in his jaw ticks. "I can't just let that man get away with it. I have to do something."

"You're only going to hurt innocent people."

Whether Sire believes it or not, a war may start. Carran isn't stupid enough to think I will never rise Sire again. He knows he will come for his revenge, and he will have a plan.

And if that plan ends with Sire being killed...I shouldn't care, but I don't want to think about it.

"Or I can provide them a new home."

"Please Sire. Don't do this." I'm begging at this point. I can't be responsible, even if it's only indirectly, to the loss of lives.

He stands, water sloshing out into the pool, tainting it with darkness. I avert my eyes, realising he's completely naked.

"I can't just move on from this. I need my Pack, and I need my mate," he says sternly, stepping out of the casket.

I stumble up and back, frightened of getting too close to him.

"What if I committed to helping you remove Carran from his position as Alpha, if you ensure no one gets hurt, and we find a cure," I barter.

Not having Carran as my Alpha anymore isn't something I would complain about...

"How would you help me?"

"I've spoken to Carran before, maybe I can do something. Plus, I wouldn't be conspiring behind your back to have you put back in here again," I say, forcing a saccharine tone.

Sire steps closer, following me until my back hits the wall. "Oh yeah? And how do I trust you?"

"I brought you back. I didn't have to, regardless of the cure," I remind him, feeling the moss and mould on this ancient wall beneath my finger tips.

He narrows his eyes. "And?"

"And what?"

He stops his advances, but only when he's so close I can feel his breath fanning across my face. "I'm your mate. You want me back, because your sex life would be awfully boring."

I roll my eyes. It seems being put back to sleep hasn't changed Sire's ability to speak his mind.

"I think you've had enough of a break now, clearly," I mutter, trying to keep my eyes on his face, refusing to let them travel down to see him in his undressed state.

He smiles, gaze tracing my face. "Are you insinuating I should take you here, on the floor of this tomb?"

"No..." I snap, feeling my cheeks heat. "I'm saying we need to get out of here. Back to your manor."

I would like to go home, but I'm going to need to keep an eye on him for a while.

He holds his hand out to me. "We have a deal, Meara. I will put my revenge off and attempt to get my Pack back, and I will find a cure."

Drawing in a breath, I take his hand in mine and shake it. I'm going to take this agreement seriously.

For now, anyway.

"Good. And I will choose to trust you," I say, painting a tight smile on my face. That trust only goes so far - he's going to have to prove to me that I'm making the right choice.

He smiles. "Excellent decision."

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~Midika 💜🐼