-Ma, ma, ma, ma... help me... -Pa, help me...
-Pa, help me...
-I didn't do anything...
-I'm not a monster...
Nebraska snapped her eyes open and sat up in bed in a cold sweat, shivering and teary-eyed. Hades at her side also sat up frightened by his wife's condition and wrapped her in his arms.
-He caressed her, trying to calm her, but although she was not sobbing, tears were running down her wolf's face.
Nebraska grabbed with her two trembling hands one of Hades' hands for support.
-My daughter Hades. I dreamed of her. I think... she's calling me... she's calling us- her voice was wavering- I feel something happened to Priscilla- and she began to cry.
Hades held her tightly in his arms and rubbed her back. It was the middle of the morning and he knew that Nebraska was not suffering from any sleep disorder, at least not anymore. At first it was hard for her to stay asleep all night because of the traumas of being locked up for so long.
But knowing her daughter was in danger made every hair on her body stand on end.
-Calm down my queen, I'll take care of this.
And of course she would. She had only let her cub go with Layan under many specifications. And knowing that these had not been met made him want to cut someone's head off.
Layan was going to have a lot of explaining to do because he was going to go get his daughter right then. And let him pray that she was okay because he wouldn't care if he was the leader of the council. He would make him pay.
***
Priscilla dragged her paws that weighed a ton and the skin was somewhat swollen. She groaned feeling dizzy after losing so much blood from the blow to her head. It was already closing, but very slowly and she had no head to use her powers to close it.
Her chest hurt. It hurt a lot.
First her wolf claimed her as his, she gave her whole being to him and now it was all fading away because he didn't trust her. She remembered the look in his eyes. Cold, unfeeling, calculating, as if he wanted to see through her, as if she didn't exist.
You are mine.
A simple illusion of a wolf who only wanted to mate with her. That was definitely it. He didn't even ask her what happened, just questioned her as to why she had left and then brushing her aside as if she had done something wrong again. He just treated her like someone who had committed a crime. Priscilla paused with her paws inside the small stream and looked at her reflection. It was already night, and the forest was dark and silent. She had vanished using her father's power and by not concentrating she had fallen halfway down the path. He did not know where he was. She wandered aimlessly.
She had been trouble since she was a cub. She remembered the worried faces of her parents at her accelerated growth spurt. She would never forget the panic in her mother's eyes the first time she killed someone.
They had treated her with affection, she couldn't deny it, but there were days when she wondered if it was better not to have been born. Her father wouldn't have so many worries. Her mother could focus on taking care of her siblings more and not be looking out for her. And Layan... he....
Damn. He was better when he had no emotions. He didn't care about anything. He didn't feel guilt, or remorse or these feelings of rejection and pain.
-You're not alone my dear. I'm still here- that familiar voice echoed in her head- Surrender to me and everything will be easier. You can't fight me and now she's alone- Liam again.
Yes, she was alone. She didn't know where, she had moved away from it all and ended up somewhere. She figured somewhere in some pack. She didn't know. She didn't know the land well and it wasn't like she really cared where she was either.
He really just wanted to see his mother and father now. To touch them and take comfort in them, but if he did they would be worried again. He thought he had called them. He hoped he hadn't. She didn't want to upset them, let alone put them in danger. They were better off without her.
-So my wolf,- Liam's voice was almost hypnotic, -You are alone, no one needs you, only me.
Priscilla took slower and slower steps feeling how everything around her became blurred. Perhaps she was really losing the battle. She used to have motivation, but no matter what she did everything seemed to bother and be an inconvenience to others.
-Just a little more. Give up... give up... give up... give up... give up... give up...
She kept moving forward, but it was as if the road was getting longer and longer and harder to follow.
-Give up, no one wants you. It's better to let go of everything.
Priscilla fell on her belly to the ground with a faint gasp, so faint that it was barely audible.
- So, soon it will all be over beautiful... give up... and soon you'll feel better- -Priscila didn't want to, but she didn't want to.
Priscilla didn't want to, but her strength was dwindling. Her eyes began to blur and her heartbeat slowed down more and more, slower, slower, slower....
-Give up... -Don't give up... -Don't give up...
-Don't give up.
A voice echoed above her and Priscilla's almost blurry eyes snapped open and the whole nebula in front of her vanished. Her heart pounded so fast inside her chest that it hurt and took her breath away. Liam's voice disappeared, as did his presence and she could only smell the scent of her alpha around her.
She didn't understand what happened.
Layan then dropped on top of her panting against her body. Somehow he managed to keep his huge wolfish body from crushing her, but it wasn't like he left her free and easy to escape again either.
-Why did you disappear like that,- he said once he caught his breath laboredly, -You have any idea how much I ran around looking for you. I lost track of you like three times,- he began to protest.
-Stay away,- Priscilla's voice was blunt, -If you're just here to scold me like always, leave me alone. It's not like you'll believe anything I tell you.
Priscilla- Layan didn't move, rather he made his weight more firm on her- It's not like you think- He rubbed his head against her neck and licked the self-made mark that was in that area.
-You don't believe me Layan. You don't trust me.
The wind was the only thing heard between them.
-You are wrong Priscilla. The one who doesn't believe in me is you.
She growled and turned her head.
-Until you finally look at me- he licked her cheek- I did believe you when you said you didn't kill him. I know you wouldn't.
She turned her head the other way and snorted wryly.
-That wasn't what your look said Layan. I know you. I'm sure you thought I was a freak like everyone else in your pack. A freak who can barely keep control of his own head-
-Pris, we talked about it, I never thought of you as a freak. Rather you are a blessing that you can have all our powers and know how to carry and use them with such ease. I am a proud wolf for that.
-But you treated me like Antoin's murderer when we were there,- she bared her teeth. She was more upset with herself than with him.
-Because I was still processing something I'd found out and yes I was upset with you and very upset. And I didn't want to explode in that place. And when I found you covered in blood I was terrified that something had happened to you because not only did I smell blood from that wolf. It was also yours- he ran his tongue over the wound on the wolf's head- It was a lot of things and I didn't want to react in the wrong way. Maybe I was tactless.
-You are never tactful.
-Neither do you, love.
Priscilla could not answer. What she had perceived had nothing to do with what Layan was telling her. But she had seen how he had reacted. So... even so...
-It's your fault Priscilla- he said against her- Why didn't you trust me and carry all by yourself. I'm sure that, even though it would be complicated I could have helped you because I'm fine right now... Liam didn't control me.
Priscilla's eyes got bigger and this time it wasn't just her head that turned but her body as well. Layan lifted up a little to let her do it, but then caught her again under his body that molded so easily to hers.
She gasped and began to tremble.
-How do you know... about Liam?- her voice was unsteady and panic began to creep into her.
But Layan lowered his head and rubbed it against her.
-A little birdie told me, my lying she-wolf.
But Priscilla found no humor in that comment.