Chapter 76

• This Is Home
• HAERA
• I wanted to leave and turn my back on him after letting those words out but I knew it wasn't going to be easy considering the kind of man my mate was and amidst the noise of my wolf's objections in my head and I knew it right then–when his eyes turned dark and face red that no anger of his could ever be greater than this, not even when he beat his brother to a pulp. And definitely not when he slit Gennora's throat moments ago. For some reason, that side of him scared me. Before he ever became the Alpha, when he was just an ill-fated alpha prince, he was rumored to be so crazy that every maid at the imperial pack avoided him and were so afraid of tending to him but I've never actually seen him lose control. With everything that has happened so far, he was bound to lose it–if he hasn't even done that yet. "I'm going to assume I didn't hear you correctly Haera so I'll give you a chance to swallow your words right here and right now." He said, his voice hard and slow as if it hurt him to even talk. I took a step back from him before looking into his eyes defiantly. I had already made my stand. "You heard me loud and clear. I don't want you. I do not want anyone and I most certainly do not want to be your mate." A low dark chuckle left his lips. It was the kind of laughter that comes after something that definitely is anything but funny. Whatever it meant, I hated it coming from someone who said being mated to a maid was "hilarious". He was quick to cover the distance I put in between us with one stride of his long legs towards me. I didn't move away from him like I should, like I was meant to. I'd blame it on the mate bond but I knew it was because of the satisfaction of seeing him look helpless but trying to cover it up with the dark and sinister look in his eyes that screamed dangerous. His very eyes warned me to run–because it switched between his usual grey eyes to black, so much that I couldn't tell which colour belonged to him and his wolf. "Look me in the eyes and repeat that Haera, look me–" "I didn't look away when I first said the words!" "Oh...so it isn't a joke?" I said nothing and just glared back at him. He let out a loud growl as he stalked even closer and that caused me to flinch slightly. "How dare you? How dare you say that to me after everything I've done for you? I did all these for you!" Lies. All lies. When has he ever done anything for me but for himself? Even when he warned me to stay away from his brother, it was because of his stupid bloated ego and had nothing to do with him trying to protect me. How could he claim he did all these for me when he has never even for once believed me? The punishments , the harsh words! I was subjected to every degrading treatment from him and what? He did this for me? How insane of him to even dare to think that. I scoffed, the same flame of anger that took over him consuming me as well. "Don't you dare lie to me! When have you ever done anything for anyone but yourself? You expect me to believe you did all this for me? I'm no fool!" "Haera." He gave a low warning. "You did it all for yourself! Or what do you expect me to do? Kneel in front of you and thank you for suddenly changing my life overnight after making me go through hell?" "Your mouth Haera, watch it! You can't talk to me li–" "I can say whatever I want! After all, I'm worthy of your presence now aren't I? I should be worthy of saying whatever I want too." I was barely able to let the last word out of my mouth when he suddenly grabbed me by the throat and clamped his palm down on it. Instinctively, my hands went to his bigger ones that held my throat and I fought against him, gasping for air and for my life. He didn't let go, neither did he loosen his grip on me, if anything, it tightened. I tried to speak but I could barely form words. My throat burned like his palm was hot coal from a heater. My eyes burned as well, tears stinging from the pain and from the fear that engulfed me. Fear because I have never seen him this way. Never. His eyes were crazed and they had already turned a darker shade of black if anything like that even exists. It was the eyes of a man that was ready to do anything, damn the consequences. "Le–let m–e...plea–" I choked on my words. "Alp–Zach–You're hur–t–ing m–e" My tears finally snapped from their reins and fell down my cheeks, dropping on the hand of his that held my throat tight. It was right then that the colour of his eyes changed from the ocean of black to the normal one. The heat and aura from him suddenly blew past like the wind and then his grip loosened, making me fall back to the ground the moment he took his hands of me. I coughed. Hard. Grabbing my throat that still felt the imprint of his palm on it. My eyes and my lungs still burned like they were on fire. He made a move to come closer to me on the floor but I shifted away from him as fast as I could. I didn't even look at him to see how he felt after almost strangling me to death. How could he? His aura turned calm all of a sudden. The dangerous tide was over but I wasn't leaving any chances. I wanted out. "Leave." One word. I didn't even need to be told before I picked yself off the ground and scampered out of the room, almost doubling over as I did. I ran out of the throne room. As fast as my legs could carry me, not once stopping to look back because I never even want to. I ran,the tears now having a free fall down my face. I needed comfort. I needed somewhere I could lay my burden down on. I needed to be far away from the man who was meant to be my mate but scared the shit out of me. I went to the only place that seemed like it would bring solace to me. My new found home and hope. "Haera, my child are you okay?" My momma, my new found source of comfort, said to me the moment she opened the door. I let out a loud cry from my lips and ran into her arms. She didn't ask questions and just let me cry my eyes out in her arms again. She said nothing and just patted my back lovingly and slowly. After a few seconds, I felt Alpha Jar–my father's aura around just as his hands came around me and encompassed me and my mother all at once. I breathed in the scent of the both of them combined and I relished in it. "It's fine now Haera. We're here. We're with you and we'll forever be." No words have ever felt more sincere. Home. This is home.