Chapter 9: 9

Word Count: 2250

~Hunter

I stare down at the plate in front of me, trying to eat it as quickly as possible so I can go back to the room.

Why Allira, Kaan's mother, insists on forcing me to attend these dinners is beyond me. I'm not part of their family, and I don't want to sit opposite Kaan in serious pain, pretending like he isn't contemplating the ways he could kill me.

Over the past week he has been training me rigorously.

He could at least try make it less obvious he is desperate to get me out of here...

"Where's father?" Tay asks. She manages to look cheerful in even the most grim situations. I can't decide if I despise it or admire it.

The ex-Alpha was here for a day before he's off again. They may as well move out and give everyone space.

"He's away at our holiday home. I'll be joining him tomorrow," Allira states.

Kaan shakes his head a little, staring down at his food. I don't think he cares what his parents are doing, but some part of him resents them.

If I had to stay, I would want to know why.

"For how long?"

"A week or so, maybe longer. Kaan, you are in charge of looking after both your sisters, and Taysa, you are in charge of looking after Hunter," Allira instructs.

I grit my teeth together. I'm not a child in need of looking after. Especially by a girl who could very well be younger than me. What does she think I'm a threat or something?

More ability to walk further and for longer may be improving, but I'm still weak.

"Of course mother." Tay glances at me, grinning. I give her a tight smile, to appease her.

Allira stares down her son, who still refuses to look at her. "Kaan?"

"Do I have another choice?" He mutters. "I'm the Alpha, it's not as if I have more important issues to be dealing with."

Allira ignores him, summoning a breath. "If anything important happens in my absence, contact me immediately."

"Yes mother," Tay chirps.

"Will you be okay, Hunter? With these two?" She gestures between her two children. It takes everything in me not to beg her to get me out of here.

Despite the fact that I'm trapped here, I am in an advantageous position. No one will know I'm here, nor will they expect it. For now, I'm safe, but that could change at any moment.

And the last thing I want is for Tay or Kaan to learn about my past.

"I'll manage, I'm sure," I force out.

"Perhaps by the time we are back, you will be entirely healed," she notes. I nod, my stomach turning at her poisonous smile. This woman is insufferable.

I drag my fork along my plate. "I truly hope so."

***

The next morning, a gentle knock sounds on my door.

Tay bustles in, holding a mug of steaming liquid in her hand. My mood is sour this morning and her bright smile only unsettles me. A storm is rolling in and the room is stained with shadows.

"Have this." She hands me the mug, settling in next to me on the bed.

My scrunches up as I give it a sniff. "What is it?"

"Coffee, silly. It's my lame excuse to come talk to you."

"Oh, right."

I'm used to morning coffee, but only when it's full of cream and sugar, not black like this. I wince at the taste, although the bitterness suits my mood.

"Kaan said you could be back on a horse in two weeks. I'm excited for you," she says, rubbing my back.

I look at her sideways. If she is so pleased for me, why doesn't she sound like it?

"Yes. I am excited to continue my travels," I say carefully.

She rests her head on my shoulder, sighing. "I wish I could come with you. I would love to see other Territories."

Part of me feels bad for this girl. Really bad. I know what it feels like to have a powerful family member that leaves you feeling discarded and less important.

She should escape, like I did.

"Perhaps you can arrange your own trips soon." I realise as I say it that my tone has betrayed me. How can I tell her to make her own life elsewhere without causing more trouble for myself?

She sits back, scowling at me. "Do you really hate me that much?"

"No..."

I don't hate her. In another situation, maybe she and I could be friends, but right now, my priority isn't making friends that I'm going to leave behind.

"You hate talking to me, you don't want to stay, so I must be the most horrid person to be around." She twists around, sitting in front of me, nearly crushing my legs.

Sighing, I set the coffee down. There is no dodging this conversation.

"You're not. I mean, it's not you. I'm just not used to having many friends. I can be a bit stiff and uptight, I will try to work on that," I tell her smoothly.

Back home I wasn't allowed to have friends. I couldn't even converse happily with my own sister, which was probably why her never became close.

Her light green eyes practically melt with sadness. "You seemed to like Azura."

"It's probably because she can't talk," I note.

Tay swallows tightly, tucking her hair behind her ears. I hope she doesn't feel the need to compete with Azura...the poor girl can't even talk, and probably hates me.

"If it means anything, I hate your brother," I add tentatively.

Tay finally breaks a smile. Relief ebbs through me. These next two weeks will be insufferable if Tay hates me as much as Kaan does.

"He's easy to hate," she laughs under her breath.

"Is he ever going to move out of here?" I question, stuffing my head into the pillow. At least Tay is willing to sit and listen to me complain about Kaan after training.

"This place is his to inherit," she says, gesturing around. "We are all waiting for my parents to die or get out."

This place is magnificent. Apparently it's been here for centuries, and I can tell. Not because it's aged poorly, but because it has a beautiful history here that I admire.

"What will happen to you?"

I know, but maybe she doesn't...her parents are going to marry her off for money or power, and that will be that. Like me, she will be discarded.

"Maybe Kaan will let me stay." She shrugs a little. "I want to find love...my mate."

Suddenly she looks so young, so inexperienced. She doesn't know how cruel the world is. She can sit in this beautiful castle and dream of her mate coming to sweep her off her feet.

I wish I felt that way. There are no mates waiting for us. That's life.

"You never leave. How can you find your mate?" I ask her.

She slumps backward, covering her face with her hand. Finally she's letting her guard down and is starting to feel more human.

"I don't know, but I'm going to figure it out," she grumbles.

I pick at my fingernails, my mind trailing along the path of mates. When I was younger I dreamt of finding mine, but my mother made it clear to me that if that happened, I wouldn't be able to be with him.

From then on, I dreaded finding him...

The thought of finding my mate and not being able to be with him is more terrifying than going my entire life without one.

Now that I'm free, I don't know what to feel.

"What about Kaan? Does he have a mate?" I ask casually. I shouldn't care, but curiosity slumbers deep inside me that is focused directly on him.

"No," Tay sits back up, her fawn brown hair flying around her face. "It's more standard for him to marry someone my parents chose over finding his mate."

"That's horrible." I manage to make myself sound aghast, but I know the truth behind that.

Suddenly, a sly smile touches Tay's lips. "You should speak to him more. He has no friends, so maybe you two could get along."

I raise my brows, reaching for the coffee again. The last is terrible, but my mood is already lightening the more it sets into my system.

"Please don't tell me this is some kind of matchmaking attempt," I groan.

The terrifying truth is that if I had still lived at home, due to my father's position, I would be eligible to marry him.

"I've only ever seen Kaan sneak a few girls in the manor before, for...you know." Tay flushes, giggling to herself.

My brows raise. "Sex?"

She shakes her head frantically, covering her ears. I laugh lightly to myself, trying to remember a time I was scared of the concept too.

"I hate that word."

"Virgin. Got it," I exclaim.

She lightly slaps my arm as if the concept is so appalling it shouldn't dare be spoken aloud. "Hey, mean."

"Sorry. There's nothing wrong with that, I'll just make sure to watch my mouth." I wink and she rolls her eyes.

It's not like I'm all that experienced. Mother used to restrict who I could see, which made me want those boys I couldn't have even more. It led to many interesting experiences in the last couple years.

"Have you been with anyone?" Tay asks awkwardly.

"A few times. All fleeting though, except one..." I trail off.

Unwarranted memories assault my vision suddenly. That relationship isn't one I want to think of because it still haunts me. I still love him, even though I left him behind.

Sometimes I fantasise about contacting him again, but that will have to wait until I'm free and untraceable.

Tay's eyes light up. "Really?"

I clear my throat. "So Kaan brings ladies back here? How scandalous."

Tay narrows her eyes a little, and for a moment I think she is going to torture me and demand I spill the most lurid details about this past relationship.

Thankfully she spares me.

"I know, but I don't think he was ever in love with any of them. I'm sure most of his affairs are outside of the estate," she notes.

"How often does he leave?" I ask.

"He's obviously allowed to leave on business affairs, which is quite often. Almost every day, even. But my parents warn him against leaving to integrate with the common folk." Tay rolls her eyes dramatically. "I have no interest in it, or what he gets up to, personally.

I laugh. Of course she doesn't.

She grabs my hands, squeezing my fingers. "Anyways, if you and Kaan got together, would it not be fun?"

I restrain myself from pulling a face. Fun? I'm not sure Kaan even understands the concept.

"I'm not going to be here long..." I remind her coolly. Maybe, if I try hard, I'll be off by next week. I'll ride the horse they gave me off through unowned territory and I will never think of this place again.

Tay's brow furrow. "You might be longer than expected."

"I hate him," I insist. "He shot me in the back!"

"He apologised," she reminds me, but I shake my head. "Perhaps, with time, you will come to like him."

I doubt it. What makes me hate him even more is how damn attracted to him I am. He's obviously gorgeous, strong and talented, but he's insufferable.

"Tay, you're his brother. Can we not have this conversation?" I grumble, forcing myself up out of the bed. I have a day off from training and I want to enjoy it with a walk of the grounds and maybe a visit to Azura.

"Sorry, you're right. I better go, enjoy your drink!" she exclaims before skipping from the room.

The day passes slowly, as most days here do. By the time night rolls around, I just want to crawl into bed to bring on the next day...a day closer to getting out of here.

However, as hours roll on and on, I can't sleep.

Thoughts stir in my mind, forcing me to remember my fear of being caught, of being dragged back to the place I once thought was home.

Eventually I tire of tossing and turning. I drag myself from out of bed and drape a dressing gown over my shoulders.

The moon glares brightly into the room. It's the calm before the storm that is meant to roll through shortly.

I gently brush the curtains aside, gazing out.

The forest beckons me, reminding me of why I want to escape. I want to be free, to be away from the monsters that chase me.

A figure shifts in the darkness, crossing through the front garden and onto the lawn.

Frowning, I peer through the glass. The figure is tall, with a broad stature and a walk that is unhurried but purposeful.

Is that Kaan?

He's sneaking out, I'm sure of it. He's going into the village like Tay says he does.

And I want to go with him. I grab a coat, slip on some boots and hurry out the door, eager to catch up to him.

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~Midika 💜🐼