FOREDOOMED

Chapter 1 FATE

A thud followed with a whimper of pain, which Adira realized was her own voice as she lay flat on her stomach on the cold cement floor. Dark red liquid oozed out from her nose, flowed to her cheeks, and trickled down the floor, forming a droplet that grew bigger as it continued to drip. When her eyes fluttered open, the fading white paint on the wall and a metallic scent welcomed her in complete silence. It might be her foggy mind caused either by the hard fall just earlier or the lack of sleep she had suffered for a year now that she couldn't figure out where was she.

Slowly turning herself around and wiping the blood on her face, she let her eyes roam around with the hope that even a single familiar detail could help her remember. The peeling paint on the wall created spidery cracks and holes, a large strip was already dangling, barely hanging on before it would totally come off. Against that wall was a single wooden table where her backpack lay, its feet unsteadily wobbling like any moment it would collapse. Next to it was a bed that creaked for the slightest movement as though wailing its woes of having to bear a heavy weight for a long time.

Still, the room remained a puzzle her mind was beyond capable of solving. Or perhaps, her mind simply refused to function. Yes, that could be it. Nonetheless, the fog on her brain wasn't the cause of the hard fall nor lack of sleep, but the consequence of over-exercising her power, over-exhausting her body. The bloodstain on her face was a proof of that. Maybe, this was it, the point where her mind and body had reached their limits.

Not wanting to surrender, Adira attempted to sit up and ignored how every bone on her body ached and complained with every movement she made. After what appeared to be the longest struggle she had to endure just by sitting down, she was somehow pleased with her minor achievement. With her back seeking the support of the bed and her head leaning down on the mattress, she stared at the low ceiling to search for any clue that would help her solve her pressing problem--the exact location of this place.

Aha, she got an answer, not on her present dilemma but the cause of it. How many countries had she been to? How many times had she transferred from one city to another? How many apartments or hotel rooms she had stayed in for six months maximum? Countless, her mind quickly responded. That's the sole reason she couldn't grasp any familiarity in this room.

What's the use of exerting too much effort from recalling a place she would leave a week after perhaps? She was safe, albeit temporarily, from that beast. Her eyes were drooping with exhaustion taking over her frail body, her neck dropping low. The thought that she was safe had her defenses all lowered down, and she slowly plunged into the abyss of darkness.

A persistent knocking on her door forced her eyes to open in alertness as light welcomed her back. She was desperately commanding her fatigued legs to move, but they stayed sprawled limply on the floor. She tried to turn her waist or raise her deflated arms but failed. This was the second time she had been in this most weakened state; it would take a month of complete rest, not using any of her power, before she could recover. There was nothing she could do except pray that whoever was behind that door wasn't that cruel beast.

A loud bang followed with the door flying before hitting the wall opposite to it, splinters of wood were all over. Her eyes darted at the intruder whose face she found not unfamiliar--the most loyal servant of the beast. Then, that only meant he was here...he had found her...too soon.

"i***t," a deep rough voice grumbled. With his burly servant covering entirely the doorway, the monster was behind that wall yet his ominous aura had already pervaded this small room.

When his servant stepped aside, she quickly lowered her gaze not in fear or submission, but in defiance of succumbing to her fate. She would rather choose death over this monster. Yes, death would be her last resort that would completely unfetter her from his shackles. Not yet, though.

If she had to die, she intended to look straight at his golden eyes dimming into the blackest until nothing but emptiness residing it. She was both his strength and weakness, howbeit he would deny that truth. Her demise was his downfall. And, there was nothing more gratifying in facing death than the knowledge she would bring his own ruin. All at the right time, though.

The heavy footsteps approaching near was like a toll of the bell signaling not her life to end but her fate sealed to doom. He stood in between her sprawled legs, and his black combat boots embellished with metal straps came into her view.

"Look at me," he commanded in a gruff voice.

Bowing more lowly her head was a strong message she wanted to convey--she would not submit to him. He, albeit, interpreting it as an act of cowering in fear sneered in disgust.

What was about this mere human, an Inferus, that drew him here? Her scent, plain and dull, nothing extraordinary except that whiff of lavender mixed with blood. Scanning her body from head to foot, he found not a single wound, not even a scratch. His eyes zeroed in on her face and traced that faint smear of blood from her cheeks up to her nose. Did someone hurt her or was she sick?

Again, that disgust rose within him with the possibility, albeit slim it was, that she might be his mate that dumb goddess had paired with him. No, she died long ago, her lifeless body they had shown to him.

Then, why did he feel a strong pull toward her? Could be she her second chance, a rare gift to those who were deemed deserving by that manipulative b*tch goddess?

After what he did, she would rather send him to the depths of hell and be forever d*mned. This wasn't a gift, but a curse to mock him, the Alpha of all alphas to be paired with a frail Inferus. A low growl slipped through his gritted teeth as rage built inside him. No, he must have a cool head, he reminded himself as he unclenched his fist.

The need to confirm his suspicion overpowered his rage and disgust. And there was only one way to find it out--their eyes had to meet. He slightly bent down and grabbed a fist of her dark blonde hair. Unexpectedly, he found her short hair soft and smooth against his calloused palm that his thumb began caressing it unconsciously. Then, his eyes landed on her small and plump lips, too pale for his liking, still the desire to seize it for a rough kiss to make her finally his woman, his queen, his... NO, not a weak Inferus like her, he stubbornly refused.

Giving his head a slight shake, he cleared his mind of that stupid thoughts and focused on her eyes that were still lowered, her eyelashes trembling in fear, he surmised. His grip tightened in annoyance, yet she dared not to whimper.

The moment his filthy white hand touched her hair, she felt bile rising in her throat and was ready to throw up right on his face. That would be childish, she decided. But, was that very hand that squeezed her godmother's throat until... As the image rose in her imagination, she trembled as fury vibrated through her entire being.

Impatiently, he tugged her head upward, and her eyes were locked to his, instantly kindling that fire. Her eyes were fiercely glaring with her dark pupils flaring and changing into bluish fiery flames as heat radiated against her brown contacts that could have been scorched if it were any ordinary, while his eyes were intensely smoldering with his golden eyes bursting in fiery sparkles like an ablaze ball of reddish flame, as scalding heat engulfed his orbs yet remaining steadily open, not wavering a bit.

With their sweltering smoky stare, that burning heat soon spread and raged throughout their body, causing their hearts to wildly throb in sync and minds filled with a single word--MATE.

Completely in a daze, he slowly leaned down while she anticipated in excitement, her rage dissipated unbeknownst to her. But when his gaze lowered to her lips, she broke free from the aflame trance and mentally scolded herself from succumbing too easily even after countless times going through this experience.

"Stop," she said firmly when his face was mere inches away from hers.

That one word was enough to put off the fire within him, turning back to his usual cold eyes. Upon realizing his reckless action, his thick angular eyebrows drew together and his jaw clenched as a muscle ticked, though barely visible with his big scruffy beard almost covering his face. Added to it was his disheveled wavy hair falling down to his shoulders like some lion's mane.

His irritation escalated to anger when another realization hit him hard this time--this woman commanded him and he submitted. With his hand still fisted in her hair, he tightened his hold.

"I own you now," he declared as though she was a mere thing he had uncovered and took her as his new possession.

Drawing all strength left in her, she spat on his face and threw him a deathly glare. His body stilled as he was caught surprised by her audacity. She wasn't as weak as he thought she was, personality-wise. Somehow, that discovery turned a corner of his mouth to quirk up into a smirk.

He wiped out the spit on his face with his other hand without breaking their eye contact. Then, he pulled down her hair more harshly this time, allowing him to scrutinize and marvel at her face from that broad forehead, wide cheekbones, and prominent jawline. All those hard and rough angles only made her fiercer, doubling the attraction he felt towards her. She would be good enough, he decided.

"Sleep well, woman," he murmured before she felt some stinging pain in her neck.