CHAPTER 005
1065 Words
CHAPTER 005
As the wind howled through the wooden walls' cracks, it made them shake as if the house itself was in fear. The roof endured a continuous pounding from the heavy rain. Every thunder crash produced vibrations that traveled through the floorboards and dislodged dust particles from the ceiling.
This was the first time I witnessed such a violent storm.
The terrifying elements of the storm did not manage to frighten me as much as other things did.
It was them.
The warriors.
The fighters entering my sight towered above me with strength that surpassed my wildest expectations. The warriors navigated the house confidently as if it belonged to them while their heavy boots made dull thumps against the floorboards. They crowded the limited space with their oppressive presence that felt dangerous and dense.
Margaret Kensington remained still like a statue while her face turned ghostly white and her lips formed a thin line of fury.
My eyes couldn’t help but follow him wherever he went.
Nathaniel Beckett.
He wasn’t like the others.
For the first time in my life, someone truly looked at me when his dark eyes locked onto mine. He did not look past me. Not through me. The focus should be on me.
I didn’t know how to handle it.
Margaret’s body went rigid. Margaret witnessed Nathaniel's gaze upon me, which revealed his curiosity through his furrowed brow instead of showing any sign of disgust.
She moved between us so quickly that her actions startled me.
She’s no one! Her voice sounded high-pitched and unstable. “She doesn’t speak. She’s not right in the head.”
The words made me flinch as I pressed myself against the wall while my hands gripped my dress.
Nathaniel’s gaze never wavered.
“She understands,” he said quietly.
His voice had a smooth and deep quality that delivered something totally new to me. It wasn't exactly kindness, but it felt eerily close.
Margaret released a forced chuckle yet her eyes revealed no trace of amusement. “No, she doesn’t. She—”
“We’re taking her with us.”
Margaret inhaled sharply. “You can’t!”
Alpha Edward Langley moved forward with deliberate slowness while his presence weighed down the entire room. Edward's keen eyes fixed Margaret in place where she stood.
He asked, "And why not?" with a voice that remained both calm and controlled.
Too controlled.
Margaret stiffened. Her fingers tightened into fists beside her body.
“She’s my granddaughter,” she spat out through trembling words.
I sucked in a breath.
She had never called me that before. Not once.
Nathaniel’s eyes narrowed. His gaze flicked between us, searching.
After Edward completed his examination of Margaret, he began to focus on me.
Her appearance bears little resemblance to yours.
Margaret forced a smile. “Takes after her father’s side.”
Edward repeated the words “Her father” as though he was testing their bitterness to uncover any hidden poison. “Who was he?”
Margaret hesitated.
Too long.
Nathaniel moved again, stepping closer to me. I inhaled shallowly while pushing myself against the wall as I contended with whether I should sprint away or remain motionless.
His eyes softened—just slightly.
“What’s your name?” he asked.
I opened my mouth.
Nothing came out.
Margaret’s nails dug into her palm.
“She doesn’t have one,” she said quickly.
Nathaniel’s jaw clenched. “Everyone has a name.”
Margaret shook her head. “Not her.”
Nathaniel’s gaze flickered back to me. Nathaniel looked at me with disbelief and confusion in his eyes.
He asked me with a quieter voice, "What is your name?"
I hesitated.
Truthfully speaking, I had never received one.
I was girl. I was nothing.
When he remained close to me waiting for a response, I wanted to have an answer to give him.
Nathaniel released a sharp breath through his nostrils before facing Edward again. “We’re taking her.”
Margaret’s hands trembled. “No, you can’t! ”
Edward lifted a brow. “Give me one compelling reason why not.”
Margaret’s chest rose and fell too quickly. Her eyes snapped toward me with a desperate intensity that was almost palpable.
She knew she was losing control.
“She’s sick,” she tried. “Weak. She won’t survive outside this house.”
Nathaniel took another step toward me. “She doesn’t look sick to me.”
“She is! ” Margaret snapped. “She—”
Her hand flew out toward me while her fingers pressed into my arm with such force that it felt like they were leaving bruises.
Nathaniel’s expression darkened.
“Let her go,” he ordered.
Margaret’s grip tightened. “She stays here! ”
Edward’s patience snapped. “Enough!”
The force of his voice caused the house to shake.
Margaret flinched.
Nathaniel's hand closed around my wrist with one swift motion.
A spark.
The contact created a strange and unfamiliar heat that surged through my veins. No one had ever made contact with me in this manner before. It was not done with care. This was not done with a purpose.
Margaret sucked in a sharp breath.
Nathaniel seized my wrist and drew me close to him, which released me completely from Margaret’s grasp.
“Come with me,” he said.
I stared at him.
No one had ever offered before.
No one had ever wanted me before.
Margaret’s lips curled into a sneer. “You will regret this,” she hissed.
Nathaniel didn’t even glance at her. Nathaniel maintained his strong, unyielding hold on my wrist as we moved forward.
“You’re safe now,” he murmured.
Safe.
The word felt foreign. Unfamiliar.
I didn’t even know what it meant.
And yet…
He guided me to the door and I followed his lead.
I detected the sound of Margaret’s labored breathing behind me together with the sensation of her hatred pounding against my back.
But I didn’t stop.
As soon as the door opened, the storm began to embrace my skin while the cold night air struck me.
The wind carried Margaret's voice as it roared through the air.
“*She’s a curse! *” She screamed. She will bring nothing but destruction to your pack.
Nathaniel’s grip on my wrist tightened.
He didn’t let go.
Didn’t stop.
I didn't look back.
And neither did I.
- Writer
