🖤🖤

It had been exactly three day's since I had taken someone's life.

Similarly to the last time I had retrieved and absorbed a soul, something about me had changed. This time my body had became more lean, more muscled.

I was stronger.

Like a warrior.

I haven't been able to stomach anything down. Anytime food comes near me, my stomach churns and I just see the bloody body of the wolf laying on the floor. My appetite was just completely gone.

Currently, I was in bed just laying down and looking at the ceiling of my bedroom. I was back at my apartment, and Lenna had come by a few times. She brought me things. Ice cream. Warm pajamas. A teddy bear.

She didn't even know what happened —she didn't need to. That's what best friends are for.

I had to tell Isaac everything. I think watching me slit a wolf's throat traumatized him almost as much as it did me, and we took comfort in each other. Strictly friendly, but I was glad to have someone to talk to about everything. Klayton and I were barely on speaking turns due to his allegiance with Artemis and not me. It hurt me, and being away from him hurt just as equally.

Our bond had just been restored by Eleanor —the witch— and I didn't even know how to talk to the man at this point.

Of course, he tried to talk to me.

In fact, after Isaac had came to my rescue he wanted to take me straight to Klayton's. Me, even being the one all bloodied and broken, instantly refused. I needed to be away from him. I also made Isaac promise not to reveal anything to Klayton because I knew if he had found out he would come bursting through my apartment door —something I really did not want right now.

I would tell Klayton everything on my own terms.

Also, it turns out, the sinister wolf had taken me to the basement of the school. Just as the witch —Eleanor— had warmed me. Almost as if she had foreshadowed it and warned me of its existence. The thought made me shudder.

There had been rumors of its existence, but the student body had collectively agreed it was just that —rumors. The club we had been at earlier that night wasn't that far from it, and Isaac told me he had a weird intuition I would be there after I had left for the washroom and hadn't turned up several minutes later.

I guess I would really have to thank Destiny for that one, although I probably wouldn't ever have been in this predicament if it weren't for her...

The items the wolf had brought back with him after having stabbed me were for my disposal. The thought made all the colour drain from my face, knowing to him I would just be another body to bury. Like Hana. Like everyone else he had killed for Artemis.

My body had healed almost completely at this point. As I had absorbed another soul, my body had become stronger and in doing so, it healed at a faster length. I was undoubtedly supernatural now...

I pull the covers over my head, aiming to drown out the sunlight making its way through the sides of my curtains. I just wanted to stay here forever.

My phone buzzes and I ignore it, thinking it's again Klayton. He had already come to my apartment but I had told Isaac to ensure he leaves; I needed to distance myself from him no matter how badly the bond was screaming at me not to.

The buzzing continue and I frown. Groaning, I get out from under my warm blankets and grab my phone from the nightstand.

Klayton.

Just as I guessed. The thought that he was probably at home, or at the school grading papers, while I was self isolating in shame make me furious. Of course this wasn't his fault, but if he hadn't been so disrespectful and chose Artemis' side through all of this... then maybe I would be able to survive this situation a little more easily.

Without giving it much thought, I turn around and launch my phone across the room; aiming to shatter it against the wall. With my newfound strength, I had been throwing tantrums and destroying things without thinking it over properly. However, and much to my dismay, a black manicured hand easily catches the phone before it shatters against my wall.

Destiny.

Anytime she comes around, I'm not sure how I feel about it. Sometimes she brings good news, sometimes she brings bad. Destiny laughs as she sees my obvious scowl, her pink hair bounces with every shake of her shoulders.

"Hey! Don't shoot the messenger," she chuckles and tosses the phone on my bed. "Cute teddy bear."

"What are you doing here?" I ask her, straight to the point.

"You've wallowed away for long enough," she says to me as she sits on my bed. I watch her black attire blend into my own blankets. "The wolf needed to die. Fuck, Adira, he deserved it! He's the one who had killed for Artemis. Too many souls have died from his hands..."

Her words just now had confirmed my suspicions. They seemed to ease a lot of my tension and discomfort and I'm instantly glad she came and told me this.

"I-I haven't been eating. I can barely sleep," I whisper. "I see his face in my dreams. I think of his blood whenever I close my eyes."

"It will pass," Destiny tells me softly. "You're so brave... You were meant to do this, and you're almost done." She reaches over to me and affectionate squeezes my shoulder. I square my shoulders, bravely lifting my chin to face her with a look of pure dedication on my face.

I keep having to remind myself that this was my fate. This is what was written in the stars for me... I was born for this role; I would make the world a better place doing so.

"What do I have to do next?"

~

"I-I miss you," I whisper over the phone. The man sighs on the other side, sounding defeated and drained — yet relieved to hear my voice.

"I can't even express how much it means to hear you say that. I miss you so much," Klayton tells me softly. "I-I can't stop thinking about everything that happened between us a few days ago. I don't even know why I said those things about Artemis."

Him even mentioning her name makes my blood boil. I smile sweetly over the phone, feigning understanding and telling him I truly understand what he means.

Lies.

Even in the past few days, so much has happened that Klayton doesn't even understand. I knew deep down he still had his raising suspicions of my intent, and believes that Destiny is spinning a tale of lies. It frustrates me but I won't be able to convince him until he can really see for himself how vile Artemis really is.

Wolves really are loyal.

The thought makes me scowl, although I hide my true feelings while I'm on the phone with Klayton. I tell him I want him to pick me up, that I miss him, and want to show him how much I miss him back at his place. Klayton barely got a few words out before telling me he's on his way to pick me up —hanging up very eagerly.

Everything was going according to the plan that was set. I take a deep breath.

I can do this.

Thanks, Destiny.

~

I walk outside the apartment the building, watching as Klayton's sleek black car pulls up beside me. He jumps out of the drivers side and runs around to the other side of the car, opening to door for me.

"Wow, such a gentleman!" I tease, trying to ease the tension between us. Klayton laughs at my comment and gingerly helps me into his car before closing the door and making his way back into the drivers seat.

We spend the next few minutes in silence, not really knowing what to say to one another. I glance at Klayton, wondering what could be racing through his mind. He probably thinks this is a comfortable silence we were in; it was not. I shifted on my seat and that grabbed his attention.

He takes one of his hands off the wheels and places it on the inside of my thigh, rubbing it tenderly and slowly. My heart starts to race and I know he can hear it, unfortunately.

"I missed you," he tells me. "God, your scent is driving me crazy! I've longed to be in your presence for these past few days. It was torture to have our bond back, and then you being coddled up in your room."

I nod gently at his words, although they piss me off. If only he knew the real reason I had locked myself away —isolating myself from everyone around me. He must think so highly of himself that he truly thought the reason was because of him taking Artemis' side.

I mean, don't get me wrong, that really pissed me off.

And I'm still not over it.

However, if only he knew that I had killed someone... with my bare hands. That this was the reason I couldn't find myself to be around another person.

To be around another soul I must take...

~

I pepper small kisses along the side of his face, my fingers running gently through his dark hair. My legs are straddling him on each side and his hands are squeezing my ass. I feel him take his lips away from mine and I mentally curse him.

"Wait, wait!" He whispers hoarsely. He pulls away from me gently and looks into my eyes. "This is happening really fast, are you sure you want to keep going? This is what you want?"

I peck him lightly and pull my top up and over my head. His eyes nearly bulge out when taking in my breasts, even though I was wearing a bra, and I watch as he bites his lip.

Damn he's so hot.

Basically, as soon we we had left his car I suggested we watch a movie inside. I fully knew coming to his place tonight that I would be having sex with him. This was part of the plan after all...

We never really got to watch the movie. About 5 minutes into the beginning of it, I hopped onto his lap and started heavily making out with him. He had no complaints in the matter.

Hence our current position.

"This is what I want," I whisper back to him. I wasn't lying —not really anyways.

Klayton immediately accepted my words as consent, and started to kiss me fervently and with even more passion than before. My hands were still tangled in his hair and I grounded my hips into his. His response was a hearty groan and one of his hands trailed from up my ass to my sides, resting on one of my breasts.

"Let's take this upstairs," he says in between peppering me small kisses. I smile and nod in response, accepting his hand as he pulls me from the couch and up to his bedroom. We laugh and giggle along the way; happy to finally be able to enjoy each other in the closest way we can.

Tonight I could set aside some of the craziness of my life and be with Klayton —a good man, one who cared about me so deeply and would cherish these next moments we share.

As we step foot into the bedroom he playfully picks me up bridal style and tosses me onto his bed. I feign a gasp, and suddenly my jaw drops as I see him remove his shirt and pants, leaving him only in his boxers.

I take my time admiring his perfectly sculpted body, all the way from his head to toe. He smirks in response and stalks his way towards me slowly, like I'm his prey.

It turns me on.

I lay on my back still in my bra, and wiggle off my pants so we are both only in our underwear at this point.

"Do you want me, Alpha?" I purr lightly to him.

Klayton growls in response and I watch as his eyes darken to an almost obsidian black. I bit my lip under his gaze, and he almost jumps on me, so eager for what is going to go down. He hovers over me and starts to place kisses from the side of my neck all the way down to my breast bone.

"I've wanted you since the first day I ever saw you," He tells me softly. Tears prickle in my eyes but I blink them away —I needed to focus on him right now. Us.

"Your body..." He says in a quiet shock, his penetrating gaze taking in every part of me entirely.

"Yeah," I say sheepishly under his dark eyes. He can see the difference, the more toned and muscular shape I now have after killing that wolf. "I've been, uh, going through some intense training in my life."

Training to become the next Moon Goddess, I think. Rightfully. However, I don't dare speak the words aloud.

"You're so beautiful," he murmurs. I gingerly grab his face and pull him up to me to claim his lips against my own. Our mouths dance against each other's and he licks my bottom lip, asking for permission. Easily I accept and I moan as I taste him.

Before I know it, we are both fumbling the rest of our clothes off and become fully naked, lying under Klayton's navy blue sheets. His hands are caressing my side and I bring one of my hands up his arm, tracing his bicep. Klayton's passionate kisses and my small moans don't stop as he brings his hand to my hips. I feel his hand lightly make its way to the inside of my thigh.

My legs almost involuntarily spread lightly for him, allowing him the access my core was begging him to touch. Klayton's kisses begin to trail from my mouth to my neck before he start sucking on it lightly. At the same moment, I feel one of his fingers slide in between my folds, eliciting a small gasp from me.

"Mmmm, Klayton." I whisper into his ear as his kisses on my neck continue. Suddenly and without much warning, a finger enters me gently. I gasp aloud at the intrusion and instinctively my hips raise to meet the small pumps his hand was making.

He adds another finger before peppering kisses all the way down my body. His face makes it way in between my legs before looking up at me and smirking. He watches in fascination as his own two fingers pump in and out of me, before biting his lip and groaning. The view before me makes me even wetter, if possible.

Klayton lowers his mouth onto my most sensitive parts, his tongue coming out to flick my clit as his fingers continue to pump me. His hands are pinning me down and just as I can feel an orgasm approaching he stops.

"I want to be inside you when you cum," he tells me before positioning his member against me. In one swift motion he enters me and we both moan against each other. He doesn't move to let me adjust to his rather large size, and I nod to him when it's okay for him to continue his movements.

Klayton gently pulls out before another gentle thrust in, earning a moan from me. I wrap my legs around his waist as his thrusts start increasing in pace.

"Fuck," he growls into my ear. "You're so tight."

"Mmmm, yes!" I whispers back as he hits all the right spots. My hips are meeting his thrusts as he drills into me repeatedly, one of his arms against the headboard and the other interlaced through my fingers now.

The headboard of his bed is now smacking loudly against the wall but neither of us care, the bond between us in bliss. My moans don't halt as I feel a budding sensation in my lower region start to grow, before I explode in completely ecstasy. My own orgasm triggers Klayton's and I can tell he is about to cum as his thrusts become more fervent and sloppier.

I feel him jerk and still inside me, his warm seed filling me up as he quietly groans in bliss. We are both panting heavily, entangled in each others arms. Klayton brings both of his arms around me before kissing my sweaty forehead and spooning me from behind. I can feel his erection still poking me although we just enjoy each other's company, not paying it any mind.

I allow my breathing to return to normal and turn around in Klayton's arms, smiling as if I had just won the lottery.

It's certainly feels that way.

"I'm going to shower, wanna join?" I wink at him coyly before placing a chaste kiss against his smiling lips.

"You know I do," he smirks. "I'll be right behind you." He says before a sloppy kiss is placed on my mouth and I get up from the bed. He slaps my ass as I walk over to his adjoining bathroom and I yelp before he bursts out in laugher from my dramatic antics.

Loser.

Moving quickly, I enter the bathroom and look at myself in the mirror.

Nothing different here.

Starting to panic internally, I glance frantically over my appearance and see that everything was exactly the same as before Klayton and I had sex. What did I do wrong? Did I not absorb the piece of soul that lay within Klayton?

This was the plan.

This wasn't my first rodeo when it came to retrieving the souls. Normally the transition would happen immediately following, and I would look and feel different. Yet I don't.

The only thing that I'm feeling right now is sore —right in between my legs.

My hectic thoughts are interrupted when Klayton comes waltzing in, smiling as if this was the best day of his life. He comes up from behind me and hugs me, not noticing my gloomy expression in the mirror.

"Why haven't you started the shower yet, babe?" He asks, pecking my cheek and nuzzling my neck. I pull away from his grasp and turn around, facing him as we are both stark naked. Ignoring his question, I begin to ask my own.

"Remember how I told you that one night how it was my calling to retrieve all the souls Theia had scattered away from Artemis? That it was part of the puzzle that makes me a Moon Goddess?" I ask him with my eyes squinted, accusingly.

"Yes...?" Even though I didn't believe you. The words were unspoken between us but I could read in between the lines. Klayton furrows his eyebrows at my sudden question. He tries to encircle his arms around me but I step out of the way. "What the—?" He looks at me perplexed.

"You were one of them. I just never told you."

"What are you talking about?"

"You were one of the pieces of Artemis' souls that got scattered away, disarming her from her full potential of the Moon Goddess. You're one of the pieces that helps make up a new Moon Goddess —one of her heirs— like me." I tell him, crossing my hands over my chest confidently.

"So what? You want to take that piece?"

"I just tried!" I tell him frustratingly, running my hands through my hair and exposing the entirety of my body to him. Klayton is getting pissed off, but I can tell he is still turned on — his hard member stark against his stomach shows me after his eyes hungrily take in my body.

"How? By having sex with me?" He asks incredulously. He throws his hands into the air. "This is insane."

"Yes actually."

The look of hurt that crosses his face stings my soul a bit, due to the bond. I know my intentions coming here were not pure or good in anyway —I was using him. Nonetheless, I felt like he deserved it after all the turmoil he put me through. Did he really think I would forgive him so easily?

His lack of responses urges me to continue to justify my actions here.

"I was told that if we mated, I would be able to collect the other missing piece of soul that was scattered away. The one inside you," I tell him. "I have already retrieved two. That's two more than anyone else has! I have a real chance here,"

"If we mated?" He exclaims and then laughs bitterly.

"That's all you have to say?" I shout. "I'm doing all of this for the greater good. For people to have a Moon Goddess who is caring, who wants what is best for her people! Selfish actions had to happen."

"Well," he seethes. "We didn't complete the mating process. I would have to bite you in order for that to happen." His jaw hardens and he turns on the shower, stepping inside and leaving me naked on the outside.