🖤🖤

I laid with Klayton —I just wanted to be close to him. After I had left the forest, the reality of everything started to sink in, and his presence was the only thing that could start to calm me.

I had picked the red book off the forest floor and could feel that it no longer held power. It was now tucked away in one of my bags; I didn't want to think about it anymore. It had caused too much trouble.

As I laid in his arms, I wondered where Embry had gone. I didn't think about it for too long because something inside me told me that I would be seeing him again soon. I hope physically shivered at the thought.

Currently, I was wearing a turtleneck and leggings despite Klayton's chest being a constant source of heat. I couldn't have him seeing my veins yet.

He kissed my new hair, breathing in the scent. Initially, he was disturbed by the drastic change —he didn't like that I was becoming more like her, but I think it grew on him.

"Are you not hot?" Klayton whispered huskily as he pulled at the collar of my shirt. I knew what he wanted, but I wasn't in the mood. And I wasn't ready to explain about my blood.

I didn't answer the question.

"Tell me a story," I sighed as I nudged my head against Klayton's chest.

"Okay, close your eyes," he said as he stroked my hair. I could feel his eyes on my face, watching my expression and waiting for me to follow his command. I do, letting my eyelids fall, giving me a much needed relief. He clears his throat softly before beginning.

"Once upon a time, there was a royal family who ruled over a great deal of land. They had a little boy, who was in line to one day rule the kingdom. The little boy lived a lavish childhood in his palace, growing up with nothing but the best. And when his parents died he was ready to take over. However, the day that he was meant to take the throne something happened. He was out, walking on the grounds when he was attacked, by a wolf. He was left there, struggling for his life, when a girl approached him.

"She had a bow and arrow on her back and striking white hair. She told him that she was a goddess. She explained what was happening to him, explained that he had been destined to become more than a ruler. He was destined to become an Alpha. And when he finally changed into a wolf he knew she was right.

When he changed back to his human form he was different; he was stronger, his senses were heightened, his features had morphed into her perfect design. Soon, every night, people of the village of Myersdale were attacked, bitten by these special wolves the moon Goddess had created. It was the birth of werewolves.

Eventually, the attacks stopped, but the children that were being born held the same characteristics as their parents and changed into werewolves as they grew older. It was the start of the race that eventually began to split off and venture out, creating different bloodlines and new packs.

Yet, over it all, an Alpha watched, watched his kingdom grow... and waited for his queen,"

I could feel Klayton's hot breath against my head, but it felt like I had stopped breathing. At first, the story made me jealous, and then sad, but in the end, I felt content.

I was going to become his queen so we could rule together. And with that thought, I drifted off to sleep.

That was until I was awakened by a growl that shook the room. I could feel a breeze on my legs. I sat up quickly and rubbed my eyes only to meet the bewildered face of Alpha Klayton.

"You were overheating and tossing around so I was going to change you," he growled in a voice so quiet I almost didn't hear him. "Adira...what the fuck is this?"

I looked down, although I already knew what he saw —the dark black veins shining through my skin.

~

We sat at the island counter located in Klayton's kitchen. I held a cup of tea in my hands, the heat traveling through the ceramic mug and into my skin. I didn't mind the feeling —anything to take my mind off the to horrors occurring all over my body.

Klayton lay opposite of me; no cup in his hand, on the other side of the island counter. His body was leanly slouching on the side of the island, and his arms crossed around his body. His eyes narrowed in on me, calculating. What was running through his mind?

"You told me you wanted a drink before your explanation. Now," he motions with his hands towards me exasperated. "Please tell me what is going on Adira. There are so many horrible ideas that are racing in my head, and I don't know what's worse. If I don't ever find out the truth —or if I do," He says more softly.

"I guess this is fitting," I hum and look around absentmindedly. "I am drinking tea while also about to spill the tea,"

"What?"

"Nevermind," I roll my eyes at my own attempt at joking around with him. "However, Klayton, this is going to be hard for me to explain. And even harder for you to hear..." I trail off, gulping at my own confession.

"You're scaring me," Klayton whispers from the other side of the counter. He grips his hair with his hands, lightly fisting it in frustration. I just notice now how it has grown out a bit longer, and how well it really suits him from the previous shorter look.

"Promise you won't be mad?" I ask him, nervously biting my lip and placing my still-hot-tea on the island counter.

"I promise," he grits with a small growl. I think he was more frustrated with the situation, rather than me. At least that is what I hope.

"Okay... I may have dabbled in some dark magic," I tell him with a small grimace. I watch as his eyes grow to the size of saucers. Before he gets a chance to speak, I quickly interrupt. "This is the, uh, side affect I guess. Through my veins, this blackness flows. I-I know, it's repulsive."

I lower my head in shame and purse my lips together. This was my consequence. Klayton snakes his way over to me and wraps his arms around me, completely surprising me with his sudden fondness. I was expecting anger, not care.

"You aren't angry?" I ask him, a single tear sliding down my cheek. He uses his thumb and pads it across my face, wiping the small tear away gently.

"Of course I'm angry," he scolds while still holding me against him. I lean into his warmth, his touching easing my anxiety although he is a contributing factor to my mass stress. "You so clearly went against my wishes whilst working with Berry and Alpha Paxton. But I'm just glad you told me. Unnatural magic always has consequences, but I'm sure there is a loophole. There always is, isn't there? Even if there isn't, I would still love you for the way you are."

I freeze in my spot. My heart rate picks up and is jackhammering away inside my chest, and I am quite sure that Klayton can hear it pounding away. Did he just say that he loves me?

Are my ears deceiving me?

"You love me?" I whisper, all the while knowing the Alpha can hear me abundantly clear as day.

"Adira Hayes, I am completely, unequivocally and unconditionally in love with you."

"Dark veins and all?" I whisper, looking up into his eyes that had a want that matched my own.

"Dark veins and all," he whispers back and leans down to kiss me. Before our lips meet I whisper back to him.

"I love you too."

~

"Oh god! Klayton!" I moan, my back arching off his bed. He thrusts into me a few more times, sloppily rocking his body against mine until he stills inside me; emptying his seed with a small grunt beside my ear. His chest pants heavily and a thin sheen of sweat covers the both of us. Pulling out of me, as I wince, he gently peels the condom off and tosses it into a small garbage bin beside him bed. The condom was a good call this time — I do not want children any time soon, although something tells me that Klayton would be more than happen to see my fully round and pregnant.

"You're amazing," he whispers and places a chaste kiss on my shoulder. I can feel him turn onto his back, one arm slouched behind me and the other behind his head. He looked relaxed; content.

Considering the circumstances I have been through as of lately, and especially with recent conflict in my relationship with Klayton, I needed to mend things. Having sex with a man built like God himself felt greedy somehow though —like I had more important things to be doing, like saving the world from a villain like Artemis. However, as my breathing is finally coming back to normal after the mind blowing sex I just had, it sort of slips my mind for the moment.

This was the second time we made love tonight.

I smile to myself, although I'm not sure if he can see me.

I made him turn the lights out.

I didn't want to be judged —although we both love each other and respect one another, I couldn't not be self conscious of the black veins running through the entirety of my body. Klayton may have been startled by then at first, but soon enough he was whispering sweet nothings into my ear as I felt his member sliding in and out of me. He told me how much he loved me, cherished me, wanted me.

The moment was over now, and all I had now was time to reminisce on when I didn't have ugly, black lines cascading how my arms. I blink the tears away and hope Klayton can't smell them, because I really just wasn't up for another one of his pep talks. Really, I had myself to blame. Berry and Paxton were contributing factors to the unforeseen events that followed, but I am the sole carrier of the burden.

These weren't even my biggest issues right now —Embry; he was.

He had disappeared out of nowhere, leaving me with the piece of soul but also leaving me with these consequences flowing darkly through my skin. He had told me, "you will pay a price", and I so clearly have. This was my personal cost, and what's worse, is I have no idea how Artemis will react once she knows he is out. He seemed significant, I mean, Artemis literally trapped him inside a book and a few people had known about him but did not dare speak of it.

I want to know who the hell he is.

I stand up, out of bed in the dark and blindly make my way to the shower. Klayton reaches for me right before I open to the door to the bathroom, and pulls him into his naked body. My body molds into his so perfectly, every curve of my body tucking into his.

"Want company?" He whispers sensually in my ear. I'm getting flashbacks to the first time we had sex and I quickly shake my head —I wanted to focus for the rest of this day.

"We already went two rounds. Have I not tired you out enough?" I tease. Klayton's scoffs and I can just hear the smile that is surely on his face at my manner.

"Who said anything about sex?" He breathes into my ear, nuzzling my neck and placing a small kiss onto my mark. The actions makes me shudder and my neck tingle, sending a warmth to my lower region.

"I also said no," I remind him with a teasing voice.

"Okay, okay." Klayton says with a sigh, but I know he's smirking. "You're right. No means no." With those final words, I take that as my cue to leave and shower. I take myself out of my warm embrace and enter the bathroom in the dark. Once I am inside and the door is shut, I turn on the lights and look at the mirror.

I really shouldn't have.

Aside from the few hickies and love bites Klayton had pampered on my body during our lovemaking, I was horrified at just what I had become. I had never taking a true moment to see the monumental difference my body had undergone since arriving at Myersdale. Almost everything about me had changed. My looks, my personality and especially the courses of my life. I didn't have much family and I only had the handful of friends surrounding me in this small location.

I couldn't even recognize the girl before me anymore, and it brought a deep sadness to me. Gulping, I step into the shower and turn the setting to heat. I sit down in the shower, my knees up to my chest. For a few minutes, I sit staring blankly at the wall just blinking, allowing the water to fully soak my naked body. My hair is sticking to my face and back, and I probably sit there until the water turns cold, doing absolutely nothing but existing. I take slow and deep breathes, filling my lungs and then exhales once more to bring me back to reality.

As I step out of the shower, wrapping a towel that had been folded from a pantry around my body, I walk over to the mirror once again. The mirror had fogged up considerably due to the water in the atmosphere, and I use my hand to wipe a small circle into it. I stare into the small circle which mirrors my reflection back to me.

I don't look like Adira Hayes anymore, so really, who am I now?