Shadow Light

Shadows and Stone

As I started rejoining the world of living I couldn't help but let out a groan from the pain that was pressing into my skull. Opening my eyes and sitting up proved to be a challenge, my body felt heavy. After my vision cleared, I glanced around the room and realized it wasn't familiar. The door opened causing my head to turn quickly to see where the noise came from, my eyes widened in shock when I saw who it was. Panic was starting to set in as I looked down and realized I wasn't wearing my attire from before, instead I was in a big t-shirt that smelled suspiciously like him. I ripped the sheets off me and my eyes widened as I saw what was on my ankle, I looked at him accusingly.

"I'm sorry Astrid. But I didn't know what else to do." His warm brown eyes pleaded with me to understand why he did this, but all I could feel is deep and utter betrayal. "I couldn't let you slip through my fingers." He got closer to me, "You're the only one for me." His eyes sparkled with love for me, forbidden love.

Normally this would make any girl melt, but I wasn't a normal girl, and we were in a dangerous situation. I sat at the edge of the bed, a glare fixated on him, "Do you know what you have done? What the repercussions of this are? What will happen to us?" My voice increasing in volume with each question, venom dripping in my every word. "We will be executed!"

We stood face to face at this point, "I'd be willing to die for you, Astrid." His hand came up to cup my cheek.

As much as I wanted to lean into his touch, I couldn't. This wasn't a story, love couldn't overcome our obstacles. I risked as much as I could for my selfish desire and now look where it ended me up in. I slapped his hand away and backed away from him. "Then die you will, and you will take me to the grave with you." I spat, my hand reached for the collar of the shirt I was wearing, to bare the mark on my neck. The mark that branded me, the mark that told everyone who I belonged to. "I have been marked already, I belong to someone else."

His eyes held a rage in them, a thunderous growl erupted from his lips. Had I not been me, I would've been afraid. "You are mine, Astrid. That mark means nothing to me, I am your true mate." Dark brown eyes stared into mine, fire burning in them, "I won't let you go, I will fight for you, and I will die for you."

Honesty rang in his voice, he honestly believed that this could work. "Phoenix let's be realistic. You know I'm the future Female Alpha of the Shadow Light pack, to be mated to the future Alpha of the Shadow Light pack. I am the Beta's daughter, promised since birth to Nathaniel Shadow. You would be executed for this, and no one would be able to save you. Not even I could save you." Tears threatened to spill from my eyes at the thought of Phoenix dying and Nathaniel hurting because I would die along with him.

I say I want to leave, to go back to my duty to my family and pack. The truth is, I want to stay here with Phoenix. It's not because he's my mate, but because of all the times I snuck around to spend time with him and discovered what it felt like to be with someone with a free heart. To be with someone not out of duty, but out of enjoyment of their presence.

"I know who you are, Astrid Shadows. Beneath that dutiful daughter act, I know who you truly are." My eyes met his. The fire doused in those brown eyes, they were now melted chocolate orbs. Looking at me sweetly, patiently. He did not make me submit to his will, surprising for an Alpha wolf. "Behind that façade, I know you want me as much as you want me. I know I'm not going about this the correct way, it's going to get worse before it gets better. Keeping you here by force is the only way I can figure out how to avoid everything you're afraid of."

My lips turned down in a frown, "That's not going to work, please just let me go so I can smooth everything over. Let's not turn me into Helen of Troy." Neither of us was going to back down. I just want to protect him, and he just wants to be with me. "You can't be this dense, Phoenix. Think of your family and your pack. I'm not worth it." I was pleading with him, willing to show submission to him.

Phoenix turned his head away from me, "This is the only way, Astrid." He started to walk away from me.

I attempted to tackle him before he left the room but ended up tangled in the chains of my shackle and fell onto the floor. A pained groan escaped my lips as my chest hit the hardwood floor, an audible thump was heard. Phoenix loomed over me, a concerned look on his face. "Astrid are you hurt?"

He helped flip me onto my back, the pain quickly receded due to my advanced healing. What kept me laying there was the helplessness of my situation and the embarrassment of what just happened. I've never been the clumsy type, I blamed the mishap on my distress. "I will make you regret this." My eyes met Phoenix's and he turned his head away from guilt. "This isn't right, I'm not some prisoner you can just lock up. I'm not your sex slave to keep at your beck and call." I sat up and grabbed his face, "This is going to backfire on all of us, do you want me to die hating you?"

Phoenix got up and glared at me. "Always so pessimistic. All you've been talking about is death, we can make it through this without dying. I'll just have to figure out how to negotiate some things." He gave me his hand and helped me up. "I will not let you go, death and the Shadowlight pack be damned. I love you, Astrid Shadows and not because you're my true mate." He gently cradled my head between his hands and pressed a soft kiss on my forehead. "We will get through this, I know it's a lot to ask you to have faith, but I need you to want this as badly as I do."

I closed my eyes, not wanting to see the determination in his eyes. "I do want to be with you Phoenix, but I am so afraid of what will happen if your optimism fails. You don't know my pack like I do, they're cruel. Disobedience is not tolerated, and no one is allowed to leave the pack. As a high-ranking member, I've seen punishments dealt out, and I've had my taste of it." I whispered the last part and pulled away from him. This argument was never meant to go this far, it delved into a place I wasn't willing to talk about. "Let's just drop it for right now, I'm tired and hungry."

My eyes refused to meet Phoenix's, instead they were focused on my bare feet with a shackle wrapped around my right ankle. Phoenix sighed, "What do you want to eat?"

Hi Guys, this is the first chapter of a book I'm thinking about writing. Let me know what you guys think so far, should I post it or no? Sorry it's so short :(