Scarlette

Pained

A bead of sweat trailed down my forehead as I stared down my opponent. I quickly swung out with my left leg, creating a distraction as I aimed for his stomach, which he quickly blocked. Before my leg had landed I kicked out with the other, hitting him in the chest, forcing him back a couple steps. Dropping down onto one knee I swung out with my other leg, quickly sweeping under his feet as he was still stumbling. His feet flew into the air a second before his back hit the ground with a loud thud.

"Again!" Aslin's voice rang out.

I stood up, flipping my hair out of my face, and turning to him with a look of slight annoyance, "How many times do you need me to kick Matthew's ass before you are impressed?"

"Watch your mouth princess, swearing isn't very royal of you" Matthew smirked.

I kicked out my leg and hit him in the stomach, making him topple back to the floor, "Watch your mouth Matthew, being beat by a girl isn't very knightly of you" I mocked back.

"Alright you two, that's enough for today" Aslin told us, shaking his head in amusement as he helped Matthew off the ground.

"So?" I asked Aslin, wiggling my eyebrows up at him.

"Yes?" he responded, just barely hiding his smirk.

"What did you think?" I asked, raising my eyebrows and looking up at him charmingly.

"Think about what?" he asked, raising his own eyebrows.

"Cut the crap Aslin!" I growled agitatedly.

He smirked down at me, grabbing my hand and placing it on his arm as we began to walk, "Well, my dear, you are showing wonderful potential."

I looked up at him, my eyes narrowed towards him playfully "Potential? I have beaten every knight that you've sent my way!"

"Now don't go getting cocky, Princess. All knights are not only strong and honorable, but also must be humble and patient." He smiled down at me, patting my arm while he shook his head at me.

♥♥♥

I jolted upright in the bed, coughing and gasping for breath.

"Scarlette!" A man's voice yelled out, sounding very startled.

My head shot up glaring daggers at that man, my throat letting out a string of uncontrollable growls.

What had been exhaustion and pain had turned into anger, a deep instinctual burning taking over. Although it didn't feel like my anger, or my instincts. I didn't really see them, they didn't feel like people to me, they felt like threats. My body was taking over and my mind didn't have a say.

The unknown man's eyes widened as he looked into mine, a loud thumping sound reaching my ears. The door suddenly slammed open, making me jump up into a crouched position involuntarily and letting out a vicious growl. I was completely out of control and I knew it but I didn't know how to stop it, it was like my mind was taking a back seat.

My mates eyes widened ever so slightly as he gazed into my own, looking confused and mesmerised. After a moment of just looking into each other's eyes he took a slow, cautious step towards me.

My eyes glanced down to his feet and back up to his eyes, my lips pulling back against my teeth, a low growl slipping out and echoing around the room.

"Alpha, she isn't in control" the man spoke up cautiously.

My eyes flashed towards him, another growl leaving my lips.

Using my lack of focus towards him, Cain shot forward. Everything in my mind slowed down as my head turned to see his arms reaching out to restrain me. Using the bed as momentum I sprung over his head in a backflip of sorts. My bare feet landing on the cold hardwood floor behind him. Every cell in my body had an inane urge to protect. In what I was protecting I was clueless, but my body was acting in defense and my mate was a threat.

My hands shot out, grabbing onto his left arm and twisting it behind his back in a crippling hold. I pulled him back from the bed before pulling his arm back to normal and sweeping a foot under his legs. As he was falling I swung out from behind him and clamped my knees around his torso. Landing on top of him in a straddled position on the floor, I pulled his arms above his head to ensure that he wouldn't lash out at me. Time snapped back to normal as I let out the most vicious growl, my face inches from his.

His eyes were wide as saucers as he looked up at me, his face in pure shock as his brain was processing what had just happened.

I was terrifying myself. Although my actions were purely animal instinct I could still not reach Tamara, her presence was nowhere to be found. I had no idea what was happening and wasn't sure whether to be proud or concerned that I had just turned into a female, non-asian, Jackie Chan.

My head snapped up to the open door, and as if making a split second decision, I darted for it.

I was halfway to it when suddenly something flashed through my brain making me stumble into the wall. It wasn't the pain from earlier, it wasn't any sort of pain at all. It was as if my vision cut out for a second as a few seconds of video played through my eyes. There standing in front of my was a man, his brown eyes looking up into my own. He was dirty all over but I couldn't see where he was. He blinked at me slightly and then ever so slightly he smiled. Then he was gone and my vision was back to normal. I was back in the room, my back pressed tightly against the wall. Cain and the other man were just staring at me, waiting for me to make the next move.

But I didn't see them. I was just staring straight ahead in a confused fog. My mind had let go of the protective instinct and I could finally feel my own body. I stared straight ahead trying to comprehend what I had just seen a second ago, my mind whirring in over time.

"Daddy?"

I felt my eyes flutter close, my body quickly falling to the ground. As soon as I felt my body slump onto the floor the dark tendrils tugged at my mind once more, trying to pull me into the abyss lying dangerously below.

The darkness didn't seem so bad anymore.