THE FUTURE PLAN
ZARYA'S POV
We ran Serenity at the Hospital. I was expecting that I would sleep well after all the missions I have been through. My world was ruined when I heard that my brother went to the Elemental Kingdom and they would go get his Mom. They were under attack and he was hit.
I walked back and forth as I was thinking about what to do. The kings would not abandon my brother, they would protect him as much as they do, but I was not content with that thoughts, My brother did not know any self-defense. Just one arrow and he would knock out. Those were werewolves, he was just a human without the power or strength to fight back.
"Zarya…" Hali suddenly hugged me from the back.
"My brother… I need to go to him."
"Let's fucking go there." Hali rested his chin on my shoulder. Why was he acting extra sweet? Why do I feel at the moment that he loves me?
"What about Serenity?"
"Damn Froy will take care of her. Oh, I will call Tan Tan, too."
"Tan Tan?" My two eyebrows moved up as the confusion filled my expression.
"He came to the High Wood yesterday. Haven't seen him. Perhaps when everything is damn good." He pulled my hand away from the room. I caught myself following him. He called Froy and Tan Tan on the phone and said that they would be in charge of Serenity.
"Hop in." He cocked his head, gesturing to me to go inside. I did what he said. I positioned my body next to the driver's seat. After I shut the door, I was shocked when Hali cupped my cheek and kissed my lips. I never felt any aggressive or reckless in what he did. It was gentle, slow, and passionate as if he was telling me how much he worried about what happened to me.
After a short careful kiss, he stared at my eyes while caressing both cheeks. I was waiting for him to say a word, but he was silent. It took a second. Nothing came out of his mouth. I watched the spark of his eyes. I did want to guess as it would just give hope to what was the status of our hearts.
"Don't get too far from me again." he held the steering wheel. His emotionless eyes looked at the road. "And don't fucking kiss another man again. Not Colden, not anyone… but me."
I could hear a possession in his voice. It was like he was so mad, but he was not shouting just how he used to be. It felt like he was jealous, but he was not saying it directly. I could hear the anxiety in his tone.
"Why?" I forced myself to spell out that question. Perhaps, this was my only chance to ask him and he would answer seriously.
"Because I…" He stopped for so long. I waited for his next line. I did not want the growing hope inside my chest. This would just give me pain when I hold too tight. "Because I agree to protect you and your actions can harm you."
Is that so? The starting happiness suddenly turned into pain that slashed, squeezed, and punched my heart over and over again.
Why are you expecting, Zarya? That he would say he loves you? What insane thinking!
I leaned my head at the window. I sealed my mouth as my thoughts were screaming. The car almost flew when he drove it. However, I did not care. My head was preoccupied with all the things I had been through this day plus my heart was too painful, causing my body to weaken.
I am scared that one day, I will be worthless to him. I am afraid to know that he would find another woman who can give his desires and me? Becomes nothing to him.
"Did you remember Kastrid?"
Out of nowhere, he asked me. What about her? Did he love her? He could not get over her? I hoped he did not talk.
I forced myself to open my mouth. "How can I forget her?"
"She came into me and said 'Can you protect me? Can you be my shield, even if the whore like me doesn't deserve to live longer?' I said… always." His voice was gentle and soft. No emotion could be heard from his tone, even though I knew there was… inside him.
"You didn't kill her. Are you blaming yourself for her death?" I gazed into his side-view face, his pointed nose, tantalizing eyes, and lips were the visual representation of a great sculpt of a man's face.
"I swore to protect her and yet I… failed." He bit his lips as he grabbed some air.
"Then, why this topic makes sense?" I was drowned in his capturing features, which was why I looked away. The more I saw him, the more I fell deeper and I did not know if I could swim back to the shallow area of love. All I knew was, that I was trapped by his charm and attraction.
"You are different, Poor Little Thing. I don't wanna fail twice." When I heard the word 'you' that brought expression to his face. He was in pain, worried, and messed up.
"That won't happen to me. I can fight. You taught me."
Yeah, I can fight, but one thing I can't fight for. It's my love for him, my admiration, and my want to be with him for the rest of my life.
"No… I should fight for you." He gazed directly into my eyes and said emotionally. "I am your protector."
"You did." I sniffed as my heart was drumming recklessly. In his look, I felt like I was melting.
I am dead. Deadly in love. Poor me.
"If father gave permission for your marriage with Colden, grab it."
"Are you… serious!"
"If Colden asks, he will let him. You have one reward to get from him because of your father's good deed to the Elemental Kingdom."
"You, fucking serious! No way! I won't marry him!"
"You need to一"
"No! How dare you to tell who I will marry or who's not!"
"That's for your own protecti一"
"I can protect myself!'
"You should create your next generation, so your child will not be born as low born一"
"I don't care! I will not do what you say! You are not my king!"
"You said I am when…" He stopped talking. He bit his lips. Suddenly he parked the car on the side of the road. He cupped my cheek and whispered. "I know what's best for you."
"Why can't I… marry you instead?" I forced myself not to cry. "It's heavy." I touched my chest and massaged it. "I can't marry another man."
"If you can kiss him, you can marry him, too." Hali placed our noses together. "I have never done sacrifice what's mine… just now."
"Why? Just give one reason."
He opened his mouth and then closed it again. "Because I… I care for you."
I nodded my head. "Why is marrying Colden a protection?"
"Ice Pack is one of the peaceful packs among those five elemental packs, after marriage… you will live there far from the Elemental Kingdom, far from danger." His lines were so emotional. "But first… you need to be a beta, I believe in you." He paused, touching my cheek up and down. "Beta's training can make you more strong, you can have payback to your family's murderer."
"How about… us?" I gulped my saliva, trying to be brave to ask him.
"There's no us. We are not into love, are we?"
I wanted to spell out what I called him. 'Asshole' He is always be.
"After we get Khal's mother, I will plan for you. All you need to do is to listen and follow it. You have no right to ask."