Her Human Prince

Truth

**revised: 02/09/18**

A piercing scream tore the silence of the night. It was the third day since it happened and Keira had somehow managed to convince herself that Brian had calmed down. Only to be proved otherwise as his voice rung throughout the house.

The raven haired alpha threw open the door. She was welcomed by a thrashing form on the bed. 'He's having another nightmare.' With her jaws set hard and a pair of clenched fists, Keira approached Brian. She reached for his face only to hesitate at the last second and draw it back. How she wished she could take it all back. Make the pain go away for the love of her life.

The familiar scent of the ocean invaded Brian's senses. It chased away his fears and soon, he found himself drifting towards consciousness. A few seconds more and he was able to open his eyes. "Keira..." The letters dragged as it left his lips. There was relief in his trembling voice as the form on the side of the bed focused and became clearer.

Keira inhaled deeply. She knew that she needed to get herself together if she wanted to get this over with. She lifted her hand and rested it on the bed post, all the while not breaking eye contact with the brown eyed boy. "Hi..."

Brian held the female's gaze as if she would disappear and the monsters would come back for him if he did otherwise. He slowly pushed his sweat drenched body off the bed into a sitting position. Keira didn't make any attempt to move and so Brian lifted his hand, offering the former to take it. "Please..."

'Just this once.'  Keira thought then took his hand. She sat beside him on the bed. There were no words being said, just silence enveloping the two of them in a warm embrace under the light of the moon.

With Keira rubbing circles on the back of his hand, Brian was able to fully relax. It was a soothing feeling that traveled from that point of contact throughout his body. He had never felt so secure in a while.

"Go back to sleep." As soon as the words left Keira's lips, the calm look on Brian's face washed away. 'He's scared.' And so she gave him a soft smile and said, "I'm not going anywhere. I'll stay here and watch over you."

Moments passed and Keira was sure the raven haired male would not heed her wish but ever so slowly, he nodded. He sunk back under the covers still not letting go of her hand. Brian, then, turned to his side facing Keira and pressed her hand against his cheek. It gave him a sense of security... peace...

Keira waited patiently beside her mate. She stared at him lovingly, memorizing every corner of his face. 'How could the moon be so cruel?' The goddess gave her a mate she can never have and hold close.

Once Brian was asleep, Keira sneaked out of the room. She walked towards the stairs then made her way down to the kitchen. Getting herself a glass of water, Keira let out a long, tired sigh.

"How are you holding up?" A familiar brunette came into view, almost startling Keira out of her deep thoughts. "It's hard isn't it?" Katarina continued when the female didn't answer. She slowly made her way beside her cousin who was leaning on the kitchen sink. "Watching the one you love, your mate, suffering and you can't do anything." Her green orbs pierced through Keira's grey ones with so much emotion. So much pain. "You just stand there, looking at him. So powerless."

Keira felt that her cousin was in some way mocking her. She didn't like it one bit. She knew she was lacking but she didn't need Katarina to rub it on her face. She gave the brunette a disbelieving look as she scoffed. "What would you even know?" There was anger just a few layers under Keira's tone.

"Believe me. I know." The corner of Katarina's lips lifted into a grin as she returned a taunting scoff. Keira had never seen her cousin act this way before. She would've thought the female hated her if she didn't know better. Or does she?

"I know of having your mate stand in front of you. Inches from your grasp but still he remains unreachable." Katarina, now standing face to face with Keira, lifted her hand and caressed the raven haired alpha's cheek. "I know how much it hurts to just watch as he suffers, wishing you could take it all away. Wishing to just take his place... his pain. But you couldn't."

Katarina let her hand fall to her side as she stepped back. A lone tear cascaded down her cheek, twinkling as the moonlight shining through the kitchen window hit her face. "I know how it feels to hold power and be powerless. Maybe it is you who knows nothing, Keira." 

"What do you mean, Kat? What the hell are you talking about?!" Keira's grip on the glass tightened. Her brows were knitted together as confusion and anger boiled deep inside her. "You met your mate in one of your trips. You said he was from a European pack. He rejected you right then and there and you come home a month later. Jacob and I helped you all the way through it then you ditch us a second later, all summer for your human friend. What the hell is your problem, Kat?"

"You." Katarina answered faster than Keira could blink. The brunette's eyes flashed gold and her body began to shake. "You are my sister by heart. But moments like this, I can't help but hate you with all I've got! You took everything away from me! My parents! My home! Now, my mate!"

Katarina sunk on the floor while Keira looked down on her slumped form. The alpha female didn't know her cousin held such feelings towards her and all the anger she was feeling earlier vanished to thin air. She took in the brunette's broken state and slowly, piece by piece it fell into place. "Jacob... w-was it --- him?"

The next day, Brian woke up with the warmth of the sun poking through the curtains of his room. He unconsciously reached beside him only to be greeted with the cold absence of Keira. 'And she said she would watch over me.' There was disappointment in his tone as he climbed out of bed. He headed for the bathroom and took a shower. The first in the past four days.

Brian felt refreshed, alive. What wonders can a good night's sleep do! And a shower. He soon descended the stairs and to the living room of the pack house. There were a few kids playing Lego and drawing on sketchpads scattered on the floor. He walked past them, dodging pieces of toys and made his way to the kitchen.  A smile crept up on his face when he saw someone familiar.

"Hi." Keira's voice was soft and sweet as she greeted the newcomer. She was looking at him under those thick lashes and he was once again pulled in like a magnet.

"Hi." Brian's voice was hoarse and came out almost inaudible. He made his way to the kitchen counter and sat beside Keira. "Where's everyone else?" He asked when he noticed that the kitchen was empty except for the two of them.

"Brian..." She was uncertain, of what? Brian didn't know. There was some kind of strain in her voice and when Keira was finally able to look straight into Brian's eyes, she said the words that marked the beginning of the end. "We need to talk."

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(A/N: I am not sure about Kat's eye color. I wrote it in this chapter as green. Please do correct if I'm wrong. Thank you.)