Change of Heart

Chapter 36

**

Night fell when I finally reached the front door. Inside was pitch black without a single sound. It was as if the house was deserted. "Alex?" I called out with such a squeaky tone. "Alek? Is anyone here?"

No answer.

Searching each room, I found no signs of them. Letting out a sad sigh, I headed for the kitchen for some water. My throat was dry and my stomach was growling. I haven't had anything to eat or drink this entire time. It feels like it's been ages since I've had something to eat. Turning on the light, I took a glass cup out of the cupboard.

A loud crash sounded from behind me. I ended up dropping the cup in my hand causing it to shatter as it hit the ground. Throwing my body around, I saw Alek standing at the other end of the kitchen.

"Hey, sorry, I didn't mean to spook you. Kind of tripped over the table and pounded into the ground. That's what you get for not paying attention I guess." Alek laughed as he rubbed the back of his neck.

I was relieved it was him. For a second there I was afraid I had an unwanted visitor. Though, I was hoping it would've been Alex.. "It's alright. Uh, umm...Alek, have you seen Alex at all today?"

"No, I haven't actually. I came here earlier, but neither of you were here, and I'm not that great at tracking so I wouldn't have been able to search for you guys that easily." He took a short pause before continuing. "Instead, I just went on a detour of my own for a while, came back and here you are."

Averting my eyes, I nodded. "I-I see..." What happened to him, I wonder?

Alek came up to me and set his hand on my shoulder. "I'm sure he's alright." He reassured me with a smile. And just like that, the second of ease drifted from my body as his expression hardened. "In any case, I need to talk to you. It's about those chains." I already didn't like where this was headed.

"What about them?"

"I already talked to Alex about it. He didn't take it too well. But considering your situation...you'd probably take it even harder."

My body froze from the tension. Could that have been why he was avoiding me today? "What is it about these chains that made even Alex so worked up?"

Alek removed his hand from my shoulder, and leaned against the counter. "Those chains aren't ordinary chains, but binding chains. When Alex came to me, he told me about that chain around your neck. And at that time, I guess we came back to late."

I wrapped my fingers around the ones on my wrists. I was afraid to ask...I knew he would end up telling me either way, but the words ended up spilling out. "So, what are these binding chains for?"

"Exactly how they sound, but these are more complex." He crossed his arms, and began staring at the wall in front of him. "At first, when he mentioned the chain, I wasn't sure what to think of it. But, after Alex told me about your reaction...to him reaching for a kiss, I knew it had to only be one thing. That binding chain was put on you by Zander right?

I nodded. "Yea it was. Somehow, it happened in a dream, but when I came to it was still there."

He gritted his teeth. "That was no dream. Especially if the wounds you received were also real when you woke up." Did Alex tell him about those too? "Continuing on...that chain serves a purpose, a collar that represent your loyalty to Zander."

A collar? Am I some sort of pet to him? "Zander mentioned something about a contract. What did he mean by that?"

"Just like any regular contract, it can't be broken or changed."