Shadow Bite || WATTYS 2017

Chapter Seventeen

Soulmates.

Asher and I are soul mates.

I've only just learnt about the existence of werewolves and now all of this is getting thrown at me without notice.

Don't get me wrong, knowing is better than having no clue about what's going on, but I'm barely turning 18, and already, in the world of werewolves I'm supposed to know exactly who to spend the rest of my life with. But I'm human, surely there's a way out?

I fling myself onto the bed face-first and scream into my pillow, as if I could just get rid of all of my emotions and bury them into that little encasement of feathers.

I roll onto my back in a starfish position and gaze up at the barren ceiling. 

Do I even want there to be a way out of it?

Do I want Asher to have me?

"Naughty naughty buttercup." His voice goes through my mind and I clench my teeth, eyes narrowing into slits and fists balled.

-How have you been Killian?" I force out, trying to keep the clear hatred out of my voice but obviously failing miserably.

"No, we should speak about what you've been doing wrong this week, buttercup."

I take in a deep breath, trying to calm the nerves and anger slowly building up inside of me, like a volcano ready to explode at any given time. For some reason, the word 'buttercup' sounds like an insult coming from him, and I can't stop myself from comparing it to the soothing way by which it leaves Asher's lips, sending a million tingles to the tips of my toes, whether I like it or not.

"What I do is none of your business." I hiss through gritted teeth, already feeling the up-building stinging in my scar hidden below my hair from his simmering rage.

My response sends his voice into a humourless fit of laughter, and it's almost as if I can feel his furious annoyance for me vibrating through my own body like played guitar strings.

"Oh, but that's where you're wrong my dear Camilla. I see everything you do. You are mine."

Disgust seeps through me and he laughs cruelly again, this time causing a sharp agony sting like prickling knives on my scar.

I say the next thing with as much arrogance as I can muster, hopefully to send him over the edge.

"You don't own me Killian. But we both know someone who does." I reply cooly, squeezing my eyes shut harder in anticipation of his unquestionable wrath. Why did I say that?

Why the hell did I say that?

Stupid, stupid, stupid-

Suddenly, I let out a strangled cry at the unbearable tentacle-like swooshes all over my body and spasms overtake me. I bite my lip to prevent any louder screams from escaping but a sizzling acidic burn trails down the length of my spine, as if melting every patch of skin in its tread, and that makes any further sounds quite hard to maintain. Tears bottle up the corners of my eyes and I feel wetness trailing down my cheeks to my neck, all the while focusing on his cruel laughter inside of my head and feeling every single burn and stab from the sounds provoking my body.

Something tugs in me and I let out a breath when part of the pain is dispatched to God knows where, allowing me to at least breathe normally while battling against the last remains of agony. I can feel Killian's annoyance seep through my pores and the scar on my forehead throbs as he delivers his last blow right there. I'm not weakened. He doesn't own me. He doesn't.