Minute of Love

Chapter 9

*A/N , Hello everyone , its Lily again, here's the next chapter , sorry if it's all over the place and confusing, and questions or concerns let me know :) please review and I'll cya in the next update which hopefully is soon. Thank you so much for reading!

Love Lily

*just one*

I could have sworn that I fell asleep in my room, but this morning I definitely woke up in his bed.

Slowly I got up, looking around, blinded by the brightness in the room.

Blushing I looked under the sheets…. All of my clothes were still on?

Ok. I seriously have no clue how I got here.

As if I had called him, Livius walked into the room looking distractedly into the drawers of the dresser, not realizing I had awakened.

"What are you doing"? I mouthed inaudibly .

"Getting ready to run some errands for Ellie, want to come with?" He replied from across the room, digging further into the drawer.

I slapped my hand over my mouth. Damn he has good hearing. "What are you looking for?" I asked , getting out of the bed.

"Umm I'm actually looking for my cologne" he replied still shuffling through drawers.

I paused, then burst out laughing, he turned around confused. "Wait , is it in a pale green bottle with what looks like a butter knife on it?" I wheezed out in between broken laughs.

"Butter knife?... Its a blade and yeah, you saw it?" he replied looking at me like I was sort of crazy but smiling.

Laughing harder i choked out "Neil has it! I saw him struggling to put it on yesterday" finding this more funny than it truly was.

"...ok so Neil has it, cool ill be right back" he stated still looking at me like I had lost it.

Ending my laughing fit, I stood up straight " why do you need cologne to run errands?" I asked teasingly. When did I become so comfortable with him?

"I need to keep up my reputation…. I wouldn't want you to look bad" he said winking at me.

"Make me look bad? By not wearing cologne?... Sorry but I have never once left the house and thought about your reputation." I confessed.

"Good… I would prefer you keep it that way" he replied.

"Well, I dont think that it's necessary to…"

"I do" he interjected, cutting me off. "I believe that its very important that you know that I would do even this" he walked over touching my hair " …. Please know that I belong to you".

… my heart stuttered

"Well what does that say about me, when I just go out in sweats?" i countered. "I don't want you to look bad"

He turned.

"You should only feel that way if you feel you are mine" he whispered lifting my chin so that my eyes were looking directly into his and wrapping his free arm around my waist, pulling me into him.

"Who says i'm not?" I whispered.

"...Are you?" he mouthed, but I heard him clearly.

His electric blue eyes deepening, becoming softer.

Though I had a million thoughts, not a single word came from my mouth.

He released me.

Smiling thoughtfully, then turning. He headed out the door " Ill be back once I get the cologne" he called over his shoulder.

"Livius!" i semi shouted, and he paused but didn't look back … "my silence does not mean no…" I stated.

He turned completely away from me facing the door " just as it does not mean yes" he said walking out.

Well s**t. All my life i thought the worst feeling in the world was having Vic mad at me, but nothing matched the feeling of making Livius unhappy.

I sighed walking out of the room. Though he said he would be back, im not sure I want to be there.

He caught me on the third stair down. "Where are you going?" he asked

"...to put on my shoes" I stated, slightly confused.

"Surely you are going to put on some clothes, right?" he questioned, sounding more like a statement.

I looked down, I WAS wearing clothes. I had on some white spandex shorts which contrasted with my dark skin and a silky purple top which was originally not a sleeping garment, but it was comfortable so I often threw it on before bed.

"We are just running errands, this outfit is fine" I fussed "plus it's hot outside and I don't want to have a bunch of layers on"

Continuing down the steps, It took me a few seconds to realize that I was no longer on the staircase but hanging upside down from the top of Livus's shoulders being carried up the stairs.

"What are you doing?!" I exclaimed as he squeezed both of our bodies carefully through the bathroom door and stood and front of the mirror.

"Look" he stated as my ass faced the mirror and literally what you saw was my ass .

He placed me down and all the blood rushed to my head.

Holding me up straight, he pulled me into his body. Putting his lips only millimeters away from his he whispered. "If you are mine, don't willingly show other men your backside in front of me"

A blush seemed to creep all the way from the bottom of my feet to the top of my head.

Inhaling, I glared up at him, broke free from his arms and marched to my room, without a word.

I could hear him chuckling behind me.

As we stepped out of the house I was already hot. This was the safari being hot was nothing new, but whenever I was anywhere with Livius it felt like the temperature was unbearable.

Constantly on our way to the grocery store I found myself checking him out or staring at him, in which he would turn and smile at me and I would look away or at the ground.

Wow one second Im crawling all over his body begging to be screwed and the next im acting like a shy school girl. He must think i'm so strange.

He didn't walk in front of me , rather right next to me , he reached like he wanted to hold my hand but at the same instant had no intention to. I felt like I was driving myself insane.

After what felt like a million miles and a thousand caught stares later we finally made it to the supermarket.

Walking in, cool air conditioning surrounded my body and I felt amazing.

Instantly more comfortable I took the lead starting at my favorite aisle, the bread aisle.

Knowing just how terrible bread is for my shape, I grabbed the most fattening one . No bread was not on the list, but I'm sure Ellie wouldnt mind.

I turned to ask Livius what was next on the list when the most irritating sound pierced my ears.

"LIIIIIIIVVVVVVVIIIIIII" a miniature high pitched voice called.

And to go along with the voice a miniature woman followed. Smashing into livus at full force.

What… the…. hell?

"LIVI WHERE HAVE YOU BEEN? IVE BEEN SO LONELY,I MISSED YOU SOOOO MUCH" the soon to be dead woman whined.

"Why have you been ignoring my calls?" she continued playfully slapping him on the arm, then pinching his cheek.

Then it hit me, I distinctly remember seeing this girl before. She was in the town that night during the competition. Her hair was curled and she was the winner for one of the princes, at least i thought.

Anger boiled within me.

"Yvanna what are you doing here" Livius questioned annoyed pulling her away from his body.

Yvanna? I thought in my head. Heat surged through me, oh hell now I was fired up. "Im yours" my ass. There was no feeling to describe what I felt. I then realized I was hissing at her.

This was not her fault. She didnt know he was a two timing piece of s**t like his cousins.

Standing up straight I walked directly towards them. He was just like them, How could I let myself be pulled into this. I can't believe I almost slept with this piece of trash. I CANNOT BELIEVE this is his girlfriend. She is the polar opposite of me.

Ok that hurt.

Her hair was blond with bouncy curls, she was petite but with beautiful curves. Hell she was gorgeous… even her name was pretty...Yvanna.

He looked like he was going to push her but then she leaned up and whispered something to him, in which he paused, then put his arms down, stepping in towards her and away from me.

Ok….that hurt even more.

I kept my cool, this pain was nothing compared to the pain I have experienced.

I snatched the shopping list out of his hand and kept walking then I was overwhelmed with the scent.

She smelt very strongly of sweets, like cupcakes.

Did she wear it for him? I seethed glaring up at him. In which he stupidly looked down at me confused.

Fuck you….. I of course thought but didnt say out loud.

Smiling at her i said "sorry, I didn't realize I was interrupting the time you guys meant to spend together"

Cynically she smiled back at me, then gave the fakest pout I had ever seen "he probably didnt tell you, did you darling" she batted her eyelashes looking up at him

I think i'm going to be sick.

"Yvanna if you don't get the f**k off of me" Livus said in a tone so cold it was unrecognizable.

And it made me so unbelievably angry.

"Do not…" I choked

"Zala…"

"DO NOT TALK TO HER LIKE THAT, JUST BECAUSE YOU GOT CAUGHT IN YOUR s**t DOES NOT MEAN THAT SHE DESERVES TO BE TALKED TO THAT WAY!" I screamed. Feeling so many different emotions.

"Zalara I"

"Shut up and save it for someone you truly…."belong" to" I stated keeping it short, feeling broken but in tune all at the same time.

I strutted away, and he didn't move one inch to come for me.

Yes, I have experienced pain before but this pain was completely new. It cut…. Deep.

Why did I trust him, why would I trust anyone, did I not learn my lesson?

….I know im being dramatic but I cant help it, it seemed like once again my life was surging before my eyes and all the pain i had forgotten was being resurfaced.

Neil I need you right now! My champion my guard my shadow, i need you to save me before I break in front of him.

"Neil!" I whispered begging for him to hear me, wherever he was.

Feeling the burn of tears well up in my eyes, feeling my throat tighten.

Hell no I have been through too much to cry over a boy! All my life I only cried when it truly mattered but now I was going to cry over a man i met not ever a week ago!

Why was there still a piece of me wishing for him to deny her , why wasn't he saying anything

Then I felt it for the very first time. Like a golden arrow shot through my heart I was paralyzed. My cat was experiencing heartbreak and I broke off in a dead sprint.

I couldn't stop. Wow the loss I felt right in this moment seemed to shred me. I instantly knew why I hesitated this morning. I couldn't trust him. I can't trust anyone.

What bullshit about a mate, what a joke.

I internalized the anger. This wasn't so hard, it is just like in the past.

After a quick run and a short cry I will be fine, just like in the past,

I took off towards the nearest woods faster than I had ever run in my entire life,

Just like before I ran, letting the trees branches whip me, letting the feelings Ive held suffocate me letting my sorrows drown me. But instead of dread or remorse this time I felt power.

I kept running and the burn seemed to travel through my chest, all the way through the tip of my fingers.

He lied to me, everything was a lie, all of this is a lie.

Even my life is just a fake lie,

"ZALARA STOP" a female voice sounded in my head, and my body stilled,

"Go back now" the voice whipped at me

And then I heard them, I was being followed by many men.

Out of nowhere I was tackled.

I went to scream but my mouth was covered.

I put up my best fight until I heard him. "Zalara stop! Its me"

My shadow.

My whole body seemed to turn to mush as he dragged me to hide in the mix of many trees.

"What the hell are you doing out here?! You know we aren't secured out here!" he exclaimed in a whisper.

Finally i looked around realizing that I was well outside of the boundaries of the kingdom.

Turning behind me, I saw the largest cliff I had ever seen seeming to expand to the depths of hell, and the very top reaching to heaven.

"Run!" the female voice in my head screamed.

I looked up and at the very top of the cliff was the largest palace I had ever seen.

A palace in the clouds.

It was as if my heart was drawn to it.

I stood up.

"WHAT ARE YOU DOING ZALARA" he exclaimed and then a sound I will never forget filled my ears, the sound of him suffocating.

"Neil?" I said, then screamed as I realized his neck was being crushed but I didnt know by what.

His face was turning colors I didn't even know existed, I swung at nothing. Trying to fight the invisible hands that surrounded him.

He was being lifted into the air

"Please! PLEASE PLEASE!" I screamed

And then he fell, gasping for air.

Out of nowhere the largest jaguar I had ever seen busted through the forest. Even though I wasn't scared I screamed.

Grabbing Neil and attempting to drag him he stopped me and pointed at the beast.

"Its…. Livius" he choked out, still gasping for air.

The huge cat, sauntered towards me.

My heart rate was beating through the roof and then he shifted.

Completely naked and scarred up in front of me was Livius.

His eyes boiling with anger.

"DO YOU REALIZE WHAT YOU HAVE DONE?!" he screamed

"First of all Zalara, i don't know what the hell went through that pretty head of yours but you are mine! Second do not EVER run away from me, especially under circumstances like that, and third do not EVER put yourself in danger over an argument or whatever the hell you'll call that with me" he breathed, stepping dangerously close to my inner bubble, that i so desperately needed when I was vulnerable.

How dare he claim me?

How could he stand here completely naked and yell at me like I was the i***t. I clearly saw what was happening.

"Where is Yvanna? What after you gave her a love speech you told her you would be home soon after you got done taking care of your side piece?" i screamed.

"Yvanna is no one!" he yelled. Veins seemed to protrude all over his body. "She was messing with you. So get it out of your head now"

"No, you are messing with me" I whispered walking away.

"Do not walk away from me" he growled, in a sort of hysteria.

"Zalara…." Neil whispered.

"What!" i snapped.

"...He is telling the truth" He stated and then I smelt it, it radiated off of his entire body.

Why did i forget that all jaguars could do this to each other.

"RUN!" a voice in my head screamed.

I looked around searching.

Everything was still.

Then Livius went flying. Literally his body got whipped into a tree and he slammed to the ground.

Neil got up to move towards me and then froze. Paralyzed.

His eyes swirled golden like fire.

Livius pushed a force of dark energy back at the one that just attacked him, but Neil jumped in front of it absorbing the shock, whipping back an equally damaging blow to Livius.

"Neil what are you doing?!" I screamed. Running to Livius.

"If you ever again lay a hand on her I will kill you" Neil hissed.

"Excuse me?!" Livius growled.

"Thats a promise" Neil proclaimed, his voice paralyzing me.

"Neil what happened to you? Tell me?" I whispered.

HIs eyes continued to swirl golden

"He found her" Livius said.

"Who did he find? Why is my Neil looking at me like that?!" I panicked.

"His mate" Livius stated.

And I looked up behind him.

Staring into a pair of identical emerald green eyes.

Hysteria and disbelief crept up my gut

"...why didn't you run?" she whispered.