Kira Thorne by Shia Naawl (book recommendations website txt) 📖

foot in the door –metaphorically speaking. When I felt it was time, I walked to her side and kneeled next to her.

‘Lift you head.’ I said softly.

Natalya obeyed and I slid the tie around her eyes to take away her sight. To make her feel trapped. I then slid the tie around her neck and applied pressure just right so she could breathe but she would feel the restrain around her throat –intensify the illusion of restraint and being trapped.

‘Place your head back down.’ Natalya obeyed and her breathing quickened.

I moved away from her then. I took my heat away from her and waited. Waited. The silence spiralled Natalya’s fear. And I smelt salt. Tears.

‘Kira. Please. Don’t move away, come back. Please. I need you.’ Natalya begged.

I stayed where I was and steeled myself. My wolf understood this far more than I ever could. I didn’t want to think. I wanted to help Natalya.

‘I won’t let your darkness consume you, Natalya. Give in to your wolf, let your wolf surrender to me. Obey me now.’ My voice was forceful, demanding.

By my voice alone –no, my sheer will, Natalya’s body began to shudder at my command. She couldn’t control it in herself and I felt her wolf kneel in submission to me. The cracks shattered and the illusion of being trapped, restrained came in full force as she pressed her face closer to the floor and her neck stretched so far that I could see the muscles stretch and flex.

Natalya whimpered and groaned as the darkness began to seep away from her. ‘Please. Please. Please.’ Natalya repeated and kept repeating.

This time I allowed myself to walk towards her and sat on the floor with my legs crossed. I gently rubbed her bare neck as I lifted her head on to my lap.

Like any other wolf seeking for comfort, she dug her face into my lap but didn’t move the rest of her body. I stroked her hair gently. Soothing her. Letting her know I was to grab her when she falls. To pick up the pieces that has been shattered. The soul I craved to see was bare and raw. So very raw. Her soul was beautifully opened and my wolf howled in approval. Her soul was in my care. She was in my care.

When she calmed, I untied the ties around her eyes and neck. The marks on her neck were visible but I knew they would heal. Her eyes remained shut while her body was limp. I stroked her hair and kept stroking her until she didn’t need it anymore. Until she was stronger.

For a while, we stayed on the floor with her head on my lap. My hand still petted her hair in comfort and I let the silence be. Silence was good at times.

‘There was someone I used to know that was like you Kira.’ Natalya said brokenly. Her face turned and her eyes locked with mine.

I didn’t answer her, I just listened and waited.

‘He hurt like you are Kira. He hurt so bad but he wouldn’t let me help him. He wouldn’t let me fix it. His hurt and pain grew worse and slowly I saw him simply existing. Never actually there, if you get what I mean but I still felt it.’

My hands kept moving in comfort and my heart clenched at the thought of her feeling pain for the memory she held.

‘He went rogue. I wasn’t sure why but I begged the Pack not to kill him. I was omega and I heal wolves. I knew I could heal him, I needed to. They gave me a month to fix him.’ Natalya’s voice turned to sorrow. ‘They killed him, Kira.’ Natalya whispered. ‘They didn’t give him a chance. I knew he was fighting the rogue wolf inside him but the worst part is that he begged them to kill him. He didn’t want me to save him.’

I leaned my head down so my lips touched her temple. ‘It wasn’t your fault, Natalya. Stop blaming yourself, you did nothing wrong.’

‘I failed him. And now I’ll fail you.’

My forehead rested against hers. ‘No you didn’t fail him and you won’t fail me. Some people are too far to heal. Scarred too deep to fade and wounds to bloody to recover. You can’t heal me Natalya but I won’t turn the way he did. You won’t lose me.’

‘I hope so Kira. I don’t wanna loose you.’ Natalya said softly.
I smiled down at Natalya to reassure her but I can’t help myself think that after last night, I am lost.


Chapter 15

Natalya entered the lounge first and I was close behind her. The lounge wasn’t much in this cabin. There was a fairly large, worn-out sofa that was more for comfort than beauty. A matching loveseat stood opposite to the sofa and a large fur rug was in the middle. No pictures or mementos sat anywhere in sight which made me think maybe there was more to Alaric than I thought. The walls were wooden and the floorboards were oak.
I inhaled the coffee-scented aroma in the room. Erik was sitting on the loveseat, Alaric, Indigo and Misha sat on the sofa while Phillip and Violet petted each other on the fur rug. Natalya walked over to our Alpha and sat on his lap and rubbed noses with him. Mated pairs always rubbed noses. It was a loving gesture between mate to mate.
Erik looked at me as Natalya snuggled into his embrace and rested her head on his shoulder.

‘Thank you.’ Erik said.

I only nodded. I didn’t doubt that they heard everything and smelt Natalya’s pain and anguish. It sort of shocked me that Erik didn’t come barging in to protect his mate from me but somehow I knew that Erik understood. I also knew that events from last night either made Erik hate me for demeaning him as Alpha or kick me out of the Pack. I knew he’d be angry and the tension set in his shoulders as soon as I entered the room seemed to show and state the message clearly.

Cowardly, I know, I didn’t push Erik for comments on last night. I didn’t really like him being angry at me and quite frankly, the thought of Erik in distraught or distress made me want to hurt something. He was my Alpha and no matter the power-play with ourselves, I submit to him and him only.

I walked over to Violet and Phillip since they’re the only ones in this room I can tolerate touch and sat with them. They both didn’t miss a beat as Phillip positioned himself behind me so my back would lean on his front and Violet spread my legs so she could sit in-between them.

Violet had lavender eyes and a small, circle-shaped face. Violet had a button nose and a pale complexion but flawless of blemishes nonetheless. Violet’s hair was lush and curly as her hair reached her bottom. She was beautiful and her heart matched her beauty.
Violet starred at me through shy eyes. Though Violet wasn’t afraid of me, she was intimidated of me and my She-wolf.

‘Hi.’ Violet spoke quietly.

I rubbed my hands up and down her arms for comfort and gently placed her back against my front. I brought my right hand up and applied a little pressure on her forehead so she’d leaned against my shoulder. Violet snuggled and burrowed into the hollow of my neck and a placed a kiss on her forehead for good measure. I didn’t like the fact she was intimidated by me but its beats her being frightened of me any day.

‘Hi.’ I replied softly as I played with Violet’s hair as Phillip was playing with mine.

‘Are you feeling better?’ Phillip said in hushed tones so low that only I could hear.

I smiled and placed my free hand that was resting on my thigh, on his for reassurance and comfort.

‘I’m feeling better now.’ I whispered back.

And for a moment the lounge was utterly quiet. Uncomfortable and awkward but quiet.

‘We have to talk about last night, Kira.’ Erik said. Though he spoke quietly, his voice held power and firmness.

Damn, I hoped, futile as it was, he wouldn’t mention last night.

‘There is nothing to talk about.’ I replied. ‘I gave him my blood and he drank is like any other bloodsucker.’ I left out the part where Mircea whipped my back that actually forced things that shouldn’t be forced out and I had a pathetic, weak meltdown. Nahh, Erik didn’t have to know any of that. I can’t even comprehend with what happened and how it may or may not help me in the future.

Erik starred at me sharply. ‘That’s all he did?’

I made sure my face was expressionless. I didn’t want or will ever explain to him what happened. In Erik’s eyes, that was all that happened and the Pack’s damn eyes too.

‘That’s all he did.’

Erik’s nostril’s flared at the scent of my lie. I should’ve known better but it was worth a try. ‘Kira.’ Erik more or less boomed my name.

I struggled not to wince...or run....or shift. My body started to feel numb and ice filled my eyes. My She-Wolf started to scent my discomfort which overall made her think I’m in danger. And I sort of was. Danger of telling Erik my guilty, sick, humiliation.
I bared my teeth at Erik and held his gaze for more than a second before it dropped to the floor. It wasn’t a challenge to his status but it stated I wasn’t backing down either. I won’t.

‘What happened last night is my business and none of yours. I would’ve thought that you’d be more pissed at out power-play than my well-being.’

There. A subject that can overshadow Mircea’s feeding.

‘You’re a part of this Pack, Kira. My wolf feels no challenge towards you and both man and wolf knows that you submit to us, even if you get a tad bit more dominant sometimes.’
I let the surprise show on my face. Alpha’s were Alpha’s in the end of the day. It meant that if you challenge an Alpha and not submit –which I didn’t last night, they take it as a challenge to the Pack and the Alpha himself –because Pack and Alpha are one. The Pack backs the Alpha. It was the way it worked.

‘I...am sorry. I couldn’t allow it.’ I said, still shocked at the words he spoke.
Erik nodded his acceptance. ‘Though it doesn’t mean you can challenge me anytime you please. It doesn’t work that way Kira. Either I’m your Alpha or I’m not.’
‘You are.’ I said sincerely, putting as much of the truth scent in the air as possible. I even bared my neck for good measure.

‘Well if that’s sorted, let’s get back to pack business. Alaric?’ Erik started expectantly at Alaric.

‘Alpha Adam agreed to Pack Alliance as well as Alpha Maverick. The Alliance Ceremony has to be done soon and you need to meet with the Alphas to discuss guidelines of Pack Alliance.’

‘Good. We need to deal with the matter of Katra.’

‘Has she made any havoc in the City yet?’ I asked. I didn’t hear anything but then again, I don’t get out much.