Word Count: 1824
~Mara
Kaden had left the Pack the same day as my punishment, and hasn't come back for days. I've been stuck in my room the entire time, reading the odd book Coen would bring me. This would entertain me for half the day, before the ink would blur under my eyes, and I would have to set it down.
I met Kace three times a day for meals. He was silent, despite my questions. I would ask him how his day was. Ignored. When we were getting married. Ignored. Where Kaden is. Ignored.
These past days have been so boring, I've resorted to scraping patterns into the wallpaper with my fingernail, creating memories of home on the soft blue wall. Sometimes I would pray. For home. For my family. For freedom.
Other times I would cry. For Milly. For myself.
I was entertaining myself by plaiting my hair when Coen opened the door to my room. I had just finished a French plait, which I used an elastic band I found under my bed to keep it together.
He looked magnificent as ever, wearing a cloak that reached his feet. It whispered around his legs when he walked. He didn't have his sheathed sword today, which made me slightly apprehensive.
"Good afternoon," he greets. I smile at him, glad to have some contact with another being today.
"Come in," I offer. He takes in a deep breath, looking torn. The look on his face makes me realise that he's not meant to come into my room. Obviously some strict orders have been put in place without me knowing.
He surprises me though, by walking in. Instead of sitting beside me on my bed, he stands awkwardly in the middle of the room.
"I have come to keep you company. Even though I'm not a female-"
"Thank you Coen," I say honestly.
He smiles slightly. He never smiles with his teeth, I notice.
"Come sit," I say, patting the spot beside me on the bed. He stares at it as if it's a dragon about to breath fire on him if he gets close. I tilt my head on confusion.
"Sitting on an engaged ladies bed is unforgivable," he tells me. He looks down at his feet, but I still catch the blush that creeps onto his cheeks.
So I decide to slip down onto the floor, crossing my legs over. Coen chuckles slightly at my way of meeting in the middle, and sits down in front of me.
"Do you believe in mates?" I ask, after a few moments in silence. My words seems to have a great affect on him. It's as if a huge burden has settled on his shoulders, weighing him down. Did I say something wrong?
"I do," he tells me. This surprises me. From what Kace has said, it doesn't seem like Vengeance Pack members are accustomed to believe in mates, or even true love for that matter.
I decide I need to ask, "Do you have one?"
He nods slowly, his eyes glazing over. He stares onto space for awhile, delving back into memories I'm not aware of.
"I do."
He sounds so sad, it makes my heart ache. Mates bring you joy, and happiness. Maybe Kaden forbids him from being with her?
"She rejected me."
I cringe. How stupid could I be to bring this subject up when it's obviously something he doesn't want to talk about.
"I'm sor-"
"Don't be. She found someone else, and that's it," he said, a look in defeat in his eyes. Paleness seems to consume his complexion all of a sudden. He looks sick.
"How can that be? She should have fallen in love with you at that moment. She should have lost the ability to see any other man," I said. That's what's I had been taught. It was Alpha Elijah's words we had to follow.
He swallows uncomfortably. "She was already in love. There is nothing I could do."
"Can I know her name?"
"Althea."
"Of the Power Pack?"
"Yes."
His words make me sad. This is a horrible fate.
"You know, the Moon Goddess wants you with someone else. Maybe someone who lost their mate like you did," I tell him, trying to give him some hope in the dark. Fate should play its part right now.
Coen grabs my hand, and smiles at me.
"Thank you Mara. You're the only one who understands," he says warmly. Those words fill me with a feeling of realisation. Maybe I'll never find my mate. Not when I'm being confined in this Pack by a terrible sociopathic killer such as Kaden.
We sit in silence for awhile.
"You'll find someone too," he says gently. We meet eyes. His are so warm, compared to Kaden's. I shake my head.
"Perhaps. But not with a Vengeance Pack member," I said.
He squeezed my hand. His comfort is helping right now, but it isn't filling the dark hold that seems to have formed in my heart.
"It just isn't fair. You don't deserve to be here," he said softly. This made me sigh. He's right, I didn't do anything to deserve this fate. I could basically see the wheels turning in Coen's head, like he was thinking about what he could do to get me out of this situation.
And he was.
"I could help you escape," he said suddenly. My eyebrows furrowed. Is he being serious right now. His eyes are alight with curiosity, with excitement. He jumped to his feet, not letting my hand go so I was forced to stand also.
"You could climb the wall," he said, the smile on his face like no other. I tilted my head. His joy doesn't seem to be translating to me at this point.
"Wall?"
"The wall that contains this Pack inside. I know of an outlet that would take you out of here. Kaden uses, and doesn't know I know that passcode," Coen told me.
My heart leapt. Is he serious? If he is, then that means I could get back to my family, and what little friends I have. Suddenly I am as excited as he is, hope finally shining at the end of the tunnel I thought had been filled in.
"Are you serious?"
"Yes. We should go now, before Kaden gets back, or I am expected to take you to dinner," Coen said hurriedly. I nodded. If Kaden found me trying to escape, I'm likely to get on the biggest of trouble. But if he finds Coen aiding me in my escape, then he might kill him.
Fingers still intwined with Coen's, I let him lead me out the door. He doesn't worry about any other guards being there, as if he knows they won't be. This makes me wonder if they are with Kaden, and where he might be.
"There is a highway on the other side of the wall. You should be able to flag someone down, that might take you back to your Pack," Coen told me.
The Highway. It's the only part of this world co-owned by all the Packs. No one can claim it as their own; it open for everyone to use, whenever they chose.
Coen leads me through a maze of hallways I've never seen before. This disorientates me, but the thought of being back at home gives me a sense of drive I have never felt before.
We make it into daylight soon enough. This makes me sigh in relief, feeling the sun beat against my face. I haven't been outside in so long, it feels, so this is a huge relief. I even take the time to notice that the grounds are groomed nicely. Kaden must hire someone to garden for him, since I can't see him getting his hands dirty in that way.
"This way," Coen prompts, tugging my hand. He's anxious for me to get out of here, but I can't help but want to take on a resource I definitely took for granted.
The wall is massive. I've never noticed it before because back at home, we never learnt about the Vengeance Pack. It seems to go on forever, scaling the entire Pack. Coen leads me across the grass, looking very keen to get there as quickly as possible.
"Where is this door?" I question. I was looking at the wall as we got closer, not seeing a door handle or button of any sort. Coen laughs lightly.
"Right here," he says. He presses one of the bricks, and I watch in amazement as it falls backward, and disappears into the wall. All of a sudden, bricks started falling back, away from my view. But they were controlled, mechanical arms pulling them back so a space was left where they were.
And I could see the outside world.
I went to leave, but Coen grabbed my arm. "Wait."
"Are you coming?" I question lightly. His face falls, and he shakes his head solemnly.
"I can't. I must stay and serve Kaden. It is my job. And anyway, I wouldn't survive out there, packless. I have a terrible memory," he said. He lets go of my hand, and it falls to my side heavily. Is he serious? I can't just let him stay here with the monster such as Kaden.
"What if Kaden finds out you helped me escape?" I question. Coen sighed deeply. "He won't."
He gently pushed me toward the exit. "Now go, before it is to late."
I lean forward, and wrap my arms around Coen's shoulders. He hugs me back, although a little apprehensively.
"Thank you," I whisper. A feeling of loss fills my heart, but I try push it away. Coen wants to stay here. He was born here, and like he said, he must serve Kaden like he promised. I know now that I don't have the time to try stay and convince him.
"I'll see you again Mara."
❣••❣
The grass brushes across my legs, as I run. I've stayed at a steady jog these past few minutes. The highway is in my view, cars whizzing past. When I make it to the side of the road, no one stops. I even wave my arms above my head, hoping someone would see me.
But no one did.
I did see some people look at me, but none of them stopped. Did they not see that I was desperate to get out of here?
Suddenly a black SUV indicates to the left, to pull over to the side of the road I am on. I let out a deep breath, grateful that finally someone had shown up.
The window wound down, revealing how sat in the front of the car. My heart plummeted to my feet.
Kaden.
💙••💙
Hey guys!
What do you think is going to happen to Mara now?
Im hoping for the best because I'm in Auckland right now, and my wifi isn't great...
Vote and comment for more! (:
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