Cursed Hearts

CHAPTER FOUR

Later that night, she couldn't sleep. Not because of pain, or discomfort but because something kept humming inside her. A pulse she couldn't trace. Not her heartbeat. Something else, something within. When the hospital room finally went quiet and the soft shuffle of nurses faded, Emilia sat up slowly. Feeling a tingling sensation on her neck. She peeled off the bandage on her neck. Feeling the wound but it has healed completely. She ran to the bathroom to check the mirror. There was no bruising, no scratches, just a smooth skin with a faint, silver mark almost like a scar. Or a brand. Her mind flashed back to what the strange man had said earlier. “You've been claimed”. Was this what he meant?. Her stomach twisted in horror. Was she some property? To who? Or what? Exactly. She put the bandage back on and slipped out of bed. No monitors were connected anymore. The hallway was empty. Dim. You could barely see anything. Emilia walked barefoot down the corridor each step sucked up with silence. She didn't know where she was going, only that something inside her was pulling, tugging her forward like a string wound tight to her bones. She ended up outside.

The hospital sat on the edge of town. Emilia walked down the empty streets. The air was sharp. The sky bruised with clouds. Emilia stepped into the parking lot and turned towards the woods.

Her body moved with instincts. Branches whispered and the shadows welcomed her. Then she heard a voice .

Not external. Inside her.

“Come”. She heard the voice say. Cold chill ran down her spine.

“You're awake now. We see you”. Her heart pounded. Her hands shook but her feet kept moving. The deeper she went, the clearer the voice become.

Not loud but persistent. Not masculine or feminine. Just ancient.

She stepped into a moonlit cleaning. The same one from before. And there it was again.

The wolf.

But this time it didn't growl. A low sound rumbled from deep within it's chest like a greeting. Emilia didn't run. She should have. But her feet were rooted to the ground. Her heartbeat with the same rhythm as the creature in front of her.

“You're not real. This is not real”. She whispered. Shutting her eyes, hoping to wake up from this night mare. Everywhere became silent again. She shut her eyes open to find a man standing in front of her. Not the same man from the hospital. He looked younger, probably in his late twenties. Dressed in black. He was about 6ft tall with a piercing green eyes and dark silky hair. Emilia couldn't see his complete features because of the darkness. He looked at her like he knew her. Not in a friendly way but fated.

“I've waited so long to meet you”. He said. His hands grazed her face.

“Who are you?”. She said. Stumbling back to avoid his touch but he was persistent and a little too confident. He took a step forward. His gaze never leaving her.

“Liam “.

“And you are?”. He asked in a playful tone but Emilia wasn't in the mood for games.

“What are you?.” She asked. “And why am I even here?”. Liam sighed.

“There are things in this world that you can't find in the your science textbooks. Beasts that walk amongst men. Forests that holds secrets and creatures that rule by ancient law”. Liam paused giving her sometime to digest the little he had said.

Emilia stared at him stunned.

“So you are a beast?”. She asked. “Same like the other man from earlier”. Liam frowned.

“What other man?”. He said. His soft tone mixed slightly with anger.

“I don't know”. Emilia yelled. “His eyes we're like Mercury. He kept saying crazy things like you “. This only fueled Liam's anger. There was only one person that fits that description.

He grabbed her face, staring right into her and she did too.

★★★★★

Liam walked down the hall with a clenched fist. Nobody dare stand in his ways. Even the servants were terrified seeing him. He went to outside to the pool where he knew Elias always took his bath.

Elias had just came out of the pool when he saw Liam walked towards him.

“Welcome brother”. Elias said with a smile. Opening his hands for an embrace. Liam grabbed by his robe and gave him a punch in the face. This only made Elias smile.

Liam threw him to the ground and pinned him down.

“Why did you visit her?”. He yelled, sending another blow to his face.

“Why did you talk to her?”. He yelled again. Elias just smiled.

“Relax brother. Remember, she's not your mate but your mission”. Elias smirked. Liam gets frustrated and continues to him. Elias' face was swollen now and blood was seeping down his nose. The maids just stood there terrified. No one dared to look.

“Enough”. A voice said. Liam let him go.

“Apologies my King”. Liam bowed.

“What is the matter?”. Victor asked.

“He interfered with my mission, My King”.

“Is that so?”.

“Yeah so what”. Elias rolled his eyes. Taking a towel to wipe his bloody face. “He was slacking so I gave him a head start”.

“This is a delicate mission that requires patience so do not interfere “. Victor said.

“Yes your Majesty”. Elias said sarcastically. He hung the towel around his neck and he headed to his room with a smirk on his face.

Liam wished Victor hadn't stopped him, he would have destroyed his stupid face.

“Breakfast is served, My Lord”. A maid informed him. He headed to the dining hall. Elias was already seated there.

“So when are you going to start training with her”. Elias said to Liam.

“Yes how far you gone?”. Victor said.

“I'm taking things slow, Your Majesty”. Liam shot a gkare at Elias.

“Slow?”. Elias scoffs. “We don't have time for slow”. Liam gripped the fork tightly trying to suppress his anger.

“You know I always knew you were incompetent. Always giving excuses instead of getting the job done”. Turning to Victor. “Permit me to take over and I'll bring her to you, healthy and stronger than anyone in Raven's peak”..

“And how are you going to do that?” Liam yelled back at him.

“Well unlike you, I know how to utilize my time not sitting down and whining like a child “. Elias said.

“ It's funny coming from someone who still wets his bed”. Liam clapped back at him. Elias became upset. He threw his knife at him. He wasn't fast enough and it landed on his shoulders.

“Enough “. Victor said slamming the table with his fist. “I'm sure Liam knows how important his mission is, let him handle it”. Elias got up furious and left the hall, Liam followed heading to his room. He cleaned his wound and used a clean bandage to cover it up.