My Fated Mate Can Have Her-Chapter 25: Scream

Violet

"Uh?"

Lyra’s smile faltered and she stared at me, her eyes wide with naive shock. She genuinely had not expected the question.

She played with her hands.

’Why does she keep doing that?’

She laughed nervously, avoiding my eyes. "Why won’t I? You seem nice."

My forehead wrinkled with a mixture of annoyance and frustration. "I honestly don’t think that is a real answer."

She barely knew me, and I don’t think I had done anything nice so far.

She stopped fiddling with her fingers and looked at me, worry creeping into her eyes.

I sighed and my face eased. Her looking at me like that would only make me feel miserable. I could not stomach that her politeness may not be genuine and she was only doing this to get in Tow’s good graces.

After all, she couldn’t be nice to me and view me as something inferior.

I thought back to Tow’s words and my frown returned. The duality to her and Lyra was starting to disturb me. As nice as they might seem, they were most definitely not kind.

"I know the reputation I have here. You don’t have to try too hard," I told Lyra. "And you didn’t have to panic back then either. There is nothing for me to complain about. You were more than helpful, and I’ll let her know of that."

"No!"

I flinched at her sharp her voice was. She immediately looked around, and as expected, her sudden outburst drew a few stares.

She shook her head. "No. I really do think you are nice." She pressed her lips tight together and then looked me. "I am not lying. You... remind me of someone. Well, not in that sense but... I had an older sister... an omega."

"Oh..." I whispered, suddenly feeling guilty.

I wanted to ask what had happened to her sister, but that would seem insensitive. And it was very possible the sister was dead.

"She could shift, but had a very weak wolf." Lyra smiled sadly, looking up at the leaves overhead. "She passed away."

"I’m so sorry for your loss."

"It’s... it’s alright... it happened a few years ago..."

I couldn’t hold it in anymore. "If you don’t mind me asking, how did she die?"

"She and mother went to pick some raw materials and they were attacked. Rogues." Her sad smile then faded and for the first time, she had on a blank look. "If only she had been stronger, she wouldn’t have..."

"What?"

I could not believe what I was hearing...

"Hmm?"

"Nothing. I’m sorry for your loss," I whispered.

Anything to shield my annoyance.

And it would be insensitive for me to complain. This was not the time nor the place.

Still, I could not believe what I had just heard.

’Why are you even surprised?’

Strong wolves die!

They die all the time!

During hunts, and during attacks. So why was it an omega’s fault when...

’I can’t do this. I am going to lose my mind if I spend any more time with her.’

"I think we should start returning." I forced a smile. "I am starting to feel tired."

"Oh, yes." Life returned to Lyra’s eyes and she smiled warmly in return.

I felt sick to my stomach.

"Tow’s student?"

The hairs at the nape of my neck stood on end and Lyra stood at attention as she turned towards the owner of the voice.

"Ma’am...?"

’Ma’am?’

The woman standing a few steps away from us didn’t seem all that much older than we were. At least not as old as Tow.

But despite Lyra’s upright posture, her hand repeatedly tugged at the end of her braid.

She was more tense than ever.

The woman cradled a small white pup in her arms. It was asleep.

’This is strange. It was very rare for children to shift from a young age.’

Another woman stood beside her and they were both flanked by two large pitch-black wolves.

The air was uncomfortable to breathe in. That woman was familiar. Very familiar.

Fine straight blonde hair cascaded down her head and stopped below her hips. Her brown eyes were scathing, and her face...

A cold chill ran down my spine.

She looked like Kael.

’Why didn’t I immediately see that?’

The woman’s gaze traveled down my body slowly. Assessing. Measuring. Visibly finding me lacking. A strange expression flashed across her face as if she was trying to think of a reason as to why I was here.

The white pup in her arms stirred, whimpering softly. She adjusted her hold absentmindedly, never taking her eyes off me.

She lazily shifted her attention to Lyra. "What is this? Errand runs with his servant?"

The words left my mouth before I could stop them. "I am not a servant."

The eyes of the other woman seemed to bulge out of their sockets and the wolves growled, a menacing glint in their eyes.

The woman’s mouth slightly parted in disbelief. Then her lips dipped down into a sneer so venomous it made my blood run cold.

"What insolence," she hissed, her eyes taking on a sinister silver glow. "Do you know who you are speaking to?!"

"Violet, apologise now, please!" Lyra vehemently tugged at my arm, her voice shaking with barely concealed panic, but I ignored her, my hands balling into fists at my sides.

This was wrong. I did not mind her barely acknowledging me, but to just... she knew what she was doing.

I glared back at her, emboldened by anger. I had already taken enough for one day. This was it. Everyone here was insane!

And she was merely getting angry just because of what I said?!

"I didn’t—"

A wrecking pain tore at my head. I bit down hard on my jaw, clutching my head as an earthshattering explosion ripped through me. Blood rushed to my ears with such intensity that I thought my head was going to explode. Pain like I had never felt before rendered me immobile. My hands, my head, my body. I could not feel any of that. All that remained was the anguish ripping me apart from the inside out.

Blood dotted my vision and a last burst of intense pain raged through me. This time, the horrifying sound I could hear were my screams.