Chosen By Ruin

Less Than Three Weeks

The moment the heavy doors of the assembly hall shut behind us, the muffled voices inside disappear.

Silence swallows us whole.

Alpha Soren doesn’t stop walking until we reach the eastern wing of the academy, where hardly anyone ever passes during lectures.

A narrow stone bridge connecting two towering sections of Supraveil, suspended several floors above the academy grounds. Below, I can see students crossing courtyards lined with silver-leafed trees, while beyond them stretched training arenas, towering dormitories, and ancient buildings woven together with sleek glass walkways that reflect the afternoon sun.

The breeze carries the scent of rain.

It should have been calming.

Instead, my anxiety grows.

When he finally stops, he remains facing the endless view beyond the bridge.

Then he speaks. "How far along are you?" I expected something related.

I fold my arms. "Close."

His head turns towards me. "How close?"

I hold his gaze. “Seriously?” I can’t control my legs as they start pacing around the thin corner we are. “Hannah’s parents are dead- just shortly after her own death. Care to explain what’s happening?”

He narrows an unreadable expression toward me. "They were attacked by rogues."

"I don't believe that." I say, slowing my breath to calm as the breeze carries my hair.

The corner of Alpha Soren’s lip tilts a little, as if he finds my worry unimportant. "You don't need to."

The warmth I'd seen him show inside the hall vanishes totally. "I didn't send you here to investigate the Wales family."

He flexes his fingers that are covered with heavy rings as his voice hardens. "I sent you here to kill Xaden Draven, little one. I chose you for your strength.”

"Then maybe you should've prepared me better." I fire back.

He says nothing, only watches me with eyes that are supposed to make me cower, but I’m far too worried about my situation than his reaction.

"You never even mentioned Xaden had a twin."

He doesn’t answer.

"You never mentioned Hannah's mother had enemies inside this academy."

He keeps staring

"You never mentioned half the things I've had to discover while nearly getting myself killed."

Finally...His lips curve. "But you discovered them. Don’t you? And you’re alive.”

My teeth clench against one another. I take a step toward him.

"Did you hear me? I almost died figuring all those out.

Liam’s threats as he threw me over with invisible forces flashed through my mind. Xaden’s hand closing around my throat as he asked what I am…

Zolya trying to kill me on that field after that strange thing that transpired between me and Xaden...

Those angry faces…those spites from my classmates…

I swallow the memories away. I don’t have to spare Soren the details.

Alpha Soren looks very unbothered with my complaints. "As long as you're still breathing, you've made progress."

My fingers curl. "You wanted an update? You've got one." I say, almost angrily.

He slowly begins to walk toward me.

Instinct screams at me to move, to back away, but I force my feet to remain planted.

He stops before me and his golden eyes flicker. "You continue questioning me…and I'll send you back to Kol."

My stomach instantly folds into itself. Hearing the name alone is enough to force me into cooperation. I honestly would rather have this discussion with Alpha Soren than…

Memories flood my head instantly. When Alpha Kol would starve me for days just because I go against his unruly behaviors. The tortures that left scars that might never fade away again on my skin. Nights that he would force himself on me, leaving me in nothing but absolute pain.

No. “No…” I say, my bravado faltering instantly. "I won't go back to him.”

Alpha Soren’s sickening smile widens. "There she is."

My fear amuses him. "I knew mentioning his name would remind you of where your obedience lies."

My throat moves.

“So tell me, Liliana,” His eyes narrows

"What progress have you made toward killing Gwen’s favorite son?"

My heart flips.

When he puts it like that, it makes it harder to admit I’m really doing this. Trying to kill someone who did nothing to me. Someone’s son. A whole pack’s future Alpha.

Xaden’s blue eyes appear in my head, the way he'd nearly kissed me, or I had nearly kissed him on that field.

The blood covering his hands after killing Finn.

The monster everyone is warned to stay away from.

"My room is opposite his. Directly.” I inform Soren.

For the first time since we'd been alone...Alpha Soren looked pleased.

"And?" He asks.

"You will have to give me more time. He’s not exactly easy to get close to. He’s quite…uptight.” Uptight is a demeaning word when it comes to Xaden Draven. He’s Ruthless.

"I've already begun the transfer process to serve meals." I lie. “I'll eventually serve his food.”

I hesitate, "Then I'll have my chance to use the seed on him.”

"Excellent." Alpha Soren smiles, closing the remaining distance between us. “That’s why I chose you.”

My pulse hammers as he leans dangerously into my space. "You now have less than three weeks to carry it out.”

Three weeks. I fold my lips together.

Three weeks to kill Xaden.

That means I also have less than three weeks to steal the ‘Dragon Rider’ book from him before Liam exposes me.

Because it’s unlikely to discover where a ‘dead Xaden’ kept the book. He has to be alive for me to figure it all out. A cold chill washes through my body.

There is no stalling anymore. I have to start acting.

"I understand." I say to him,

"Good. When it gets hard, imagine what freedom feels like."

His voice softens. "When Xaden dies...You'll finally be free."

Freedom. That’s truly all I want. I can’t wait to have that liberty I so much crave, to act on my own decisions, and not others.

The back of Soren’s fingers brush against my cheek and I flinch. "You've really grown, Liliana. I can still remember when Kol brought you to his Packhouse." A predatory smirk rests on his lips, his voice falling further. “You were only seven.”

His eyes wander over my face.

"You're even more beautiful than I remember. Maybe you should keep the blonde hair.”

A knot forms in my stomach. "I'd rather stay focused on the mission."

His fingers drift slowly from my cheek...down the side of my neck. Then they drop. I step back a little. His eyes immediately return to that cold authoritative version of him.

“Three weeks. That’s all you have.”

He straightens his jacket, then turns away.

I remain on a spot until his footsteps disappear completely.

Only then does the breath trapped inside my lungs rush out.

Is it possible that Alpha Soren arranged the death of Hannah’s parents to make my job here easier? So that I won’t be caught?

No…he can’t be that sick in the head. I refuse to believe that.

That weight is on him. Not me. I refuse to think about it.

I would never know.

Maybe not ever.

And time isn’t waiting. Whatever I do now has to get me closer to Xaden.

Hannah’s parents just died. I will be expected to be vulnerable.

And if there is even the smallest chance that grief would make the Demon of Supraveil lower his own guards for me.

Then that is where I'd begin.

Mission One: Make the demon pity me.

And then...

I'd find a way to kill him.

It should be easy.