Grasping Fate

An hour later, they were still wandering through the thick forest, and Alessandra was starting to feel the panic rise.

There was no sign of civilization, no roads or houses she could use as markers to navigate her way out of this maze.

She found herself wondering what Renzo, Lizzie, and Jess were up to. Were they searching for her? Probably not yet.

It wouldn’t be until the sun began to rise that the party-goers would realize she might not be coming back.

She thought about how normal her life had been that morning; sharing pancakes with Jess and annoying Lander.

And now... now her legs were wrapped tightly around a half-naked, incredibly sexy beast.

His arms were wrapped securely around her smaller frame—smaller compared to his—and held her against his warm, solid chest.

Eventually, she grew tired and rested her head on his shoulder.

To Elijah, Alessandra was the epitome of losing control.

The soft breaths she took against his neck were enough to make him hold her tighter, afraid he’d wake up from a nightmare and she wouldn’t be in his arms.

Her touch sent goosebumps across his skin, igniting a fire in his veins.

He felt her stiffen in his arms when he buried his face in her hair, inhaling her scent—citrus and mango with a hint of nature.

He could also smell himself, which brought a small smile to his lips, making his beast purr deep in his chest.

When Alessandra felt the vibrations in his chest, she relaxed, relieved that she didn’t smell bad.

The soft purr was a contrast to his hard muscles, and she decided then and there that it was the most comforting thing she’d ever felt and heard.

A bubble of contentment wrapped around her thoughts as she closed her eyes, sighing and snuggling deeper into Golden Eye’s arms.

“I still don’t know who you are,” she murmured quietly, knowing he’d hear her anyway.

“My name is Elijah,” he replied after a moment, adjusting her in his arms.

“Thanks, that really tells me a lot,” she sighed, drifting off to sleep in Elijah’s arms.

“For now, amica mea, that’s all you need to know,” he whispered before she fell into a deep sleep.

***

Alessandra snuggled deeper into the silk sheets, a warm, hard body pressed firmly against her back.

Her head rested on a surprisingly comfortable large bicep, and a large warm hand splayed out on her lower stomach held her tightly in place.

My bed has never been this comfortable before, she thought. Stretching her arms up and mewling like a cat, her body writhed and quivered as she purred at the warmth and tingles the contact gave.

A sudden growl made her freeze instantly, the events of the last day rushing back to her, “Keep that up and you’ll be marked and mated before the afternoon,” Elijah warned, caging her body against his as he shifted to adjust himself.

Despite her better judgment, her body responded to his gruff morning voice, heat pooling between her legs, her arousal thickening the air.

Elijah stiffened before quickly getting out of bed and heading towards the bedroom door, throwing it open and slamming it shut, locking it.

He knew she’d be angry, he could already hear her angry shouts and the rattling of the door handle. But it was necessary.

Elijah looked down at the large bulge in his jogging bottoms, recalling the scent of her arousal, thick around him like a blanket—her body begging for him to take her.

Oh, it was all too necessary. He wanted nothing more than to throw open the door and ravish her body, suckle her breasts, feel the heat of her pussy around his cock.

His beast roared at the image of his inamorata, shaking in pleasure, begging for more, whimpering from pleasure as they fully completed the bond.

He was the only one who could give her this pleasure and as far as his beast was concerned, all other women were dead to him. Useless. She was the only one. His one chance.

And he’d be damned if he let another man even look at her, innocent or not.

He ran his hand through his tousled hair, walking down the hallway to a guest room where he could shower while Alessandra sat on the floor, leaning against the door.

Not only was she stuck here, but she was also covered in his scent, having spent the night in his bed, his clothes, and his arms.

There was no escape and the sun was now high in the sky. She could tell because of the floor-to-ceiling windows that covered the entire left wall, looking out over the bustling city.

She realized they were in a high-rise apartment, maybe a condo. A view like that came with a hefty price tag.

Her bottom lip trembled as she thought back to her old life—wishing she’d never followed those stupid golden eyes. She didn’t even have to do the dare. But no, she thought bitterly.

The weak-ass faery has outdone herself again. Running before she could even walk.

Renzo, Lizzie, and Jess were probably going out of their minds, possibly Derek too.

But who knows, he probably hooked up with another girl the moment she stepped foot into the goddess-forsaken Forest.

She needed to leave, but another pull on the door handle was all she needed for her motivation to escape the room to deflate like a balloon. Withering in front of her face.

What scared her was the fact that even thinking about Derek, even with another girl, a warning stab slashed across her chest making her wince.

If the doctors were right about the pain because of separation from her mate, then she must have met Elijah when she was younger. She must have. Was that why they wiped her memory?

Because she met him too young?

She grimaced thinking about being so young and vulnerable, yet clinging to Elijah, refusing to let go of probably the only source of comfort she’d had. She’d grown up with no one.

Well, she’d had Jess and Beth for the first few years but she’d already covered the fact that even though she was grateful... they weren’t enough to fill the gaping hole in her chest.

What she didn’t understand was why she couldn’t have stayed here. In the Celestial Kingdom.

Then Elijah wouldn’t be so uptight now and she would’ve grown up decently happy around someone who was meant to care for her.

She stood on shaky legs and wandered towards the window, her ears twitching cautiously and her pupils turning to slits so she wouldn’t be blinded by the bright sunlight. It was truly breathtaking.

Across a vast lake that divided the city, more skyscrapers were visible. The water, a vibrant blue and almost transparent, reflected the sun. Waves crashed onto sandy shores on both sides of the river, where families and friends strolled and chatted.

Palm trees lined the flawless roads, devoid of potholes, fallen leaves, and trash. Luxury cars cruised leisurely around.

The sky was cloudless, the sun pouring onto the bustling streets. The opposite riverbank seemed more commercial, with high-end brand logos adorning each grand storefront.

Every block held something new—a new shop, new stunning people, new cars, new culture, new stands.

She leaned against the glass, forgetting how high up she was. She pressed her face to the cool glass, trying to take in as much as possible.

A few streets down on the same side of the river as her apartment was a harbor, filled with hundreds of boats, large and small, bobbing gently with the barely-there waves, water lapping against their hulls.

Boats drifted in and out, cruising along the crystal-clear waters as she watched in awe.

On the beach below, people were playing what looked like beach ball. The tiny ball being hit back and forth. Everyone looked... happy.

It was nothing like what she’d imagined. No public executions, no full-grown lycanthropes going berserk on the street and massacring everyone.

No arrogant people on horses strutting down the street and snuffing out criminals. It baffled her, and she was captivated by the beauty of it all. How civilized everything looked.

From the Celestial Forest, you’d think it would be all Medieval with horse-drawn carriages and old mud-built houses, a podium in the middle of the crumbling cobbled city with a guillotine for anyone who dares defy his royal highness.

But... it was all modern and shit. It was the most advanced city she’d ever seen. Well, she shrugged, she’d only ever seen the city of Creekwood-Celestial, but that’s beside the point.

In fact, she’d been so engrossed with the view she’d failed to notice Elijah unlock the door and sneak back into the room.

“It’s impressive, huh,” he said, seeing her fascination with the bay. It made him wonder what life had been like for her, stuck in that compound. How boring it must have been.

She jumped, glancing at him. His hair was wet, and he was wearing a pair of dark washed jeans and a white shirt that contrasted with his tanned skin.

It stretched across his mouthwatering chest, and his jeans accentuated his firm ass. Alessandra pushed her thoughts away, scared she’d get locked in this room again.

“I’ve never seen anything like this before,” she whispered, an idea popping in her head, “Can we go out there?” She smiled brightly, hoping she could convince him to let her out. She could get “lost” and make a run for it. It would be easy, especially in the busy streets below them.

He studied her for a second, assessing her, “Maybe later,” he said cautiously, “I need to go to work in a few hours so I will call Antoinette to go with you. She’ll take you shopping, you can get everything you need.”

Antoinette? Who the fuck was Antoinette? Alessandra thought spitefully. Even though she shouldn’t care, it still sent a stab of jealousy through her body.

Her mind raced with the possibility it could be a past lover of some sorts. He couldn’t be that spineless, right? she thought.

She shoved those thoughts away violently. Hell, she was running away from him in a few hours.

She did an internal victory dance—two birds with one stone. She’s getting away from him, and he won’t be there when she does disappear. Even though she currently had a shit ton of adrenaline pumping through her body, she forced a tight smile and threw her arms around him. She needed to act like she was warming up to him, or he might get suspicious and force her to stay put, which is the opposite of what she wanted. But even then, as she mulled over a rough plan, the pain continued to wrap around her, its coarse tendrils wrapping around her heart. When he gave a small smile and kissed her forehead lightly before grabbing her hand, “Breakfast?” he asked.

The coils tightened, wrapping around her lungs painfully.

She wanted to cry at the thought of trying to find her way out of that forest, and she’d been asleep for who knows how long of the journey... or was it the thought of leaving him that seemed so painful?

Either way, she nodded, a tight smile plastered on her face masking the pain.

***

So... It turns out Antoinette was his sister. Huh—you really do learn something new every day. She’d also been generous enough to bring round a set of clothes.

At least now she wouldn’t be running through the woods half-naked.

“So Alessandra, my sister is quite an important person around here, meaning that she shouldn’t really be away from her security detail right now—” Elijah started, but Antoinette butted in. “But I just couldn’t wait to see my new sister-in-law!” She giggled excitedly, clapping her hands, “I didn’t want you to be overwhelmed after just getting here, so we are going undercover... Well... I am. You don’t really need to be disguised as no one here knows you exist yet—but they will!” She continued.

What? What does she mean they’ll know me? Was Elijah famous or something? Was that why he had this massive condo? She scolded herself, this was good. She thought.

The fewer people that know who I am, the easier it will be to escape back to Creekwood-Celestial.

Even when she got there, hopefully, Elijah will not be allowed to enter the compound—which will be her hiding place until he gives up. She had to get back. No matter what.

She had to see her friends again.

Antoinette was gorgeous though, she was basically a female version of Elijah with the same set of golden eyes and rich, luscious black hair.

Her cheekbones were high, and her almond-shaped eyes were friendly and calm. Both of them had a regal aura and seeped with authority, making her take a subconscious step towards Elijah’s side.

“Here’s a phone and my debit card. The pin is one-six-seven-four. The only contacts in the phone are me and Alexander—Antoinette's mate. If you run into any trouble or anything happens, call me right away. I’ll find you, okay?” Elijah handed her a sleek, modern phone and a black and gold debit card. She knew she’d have to ditch them if she didn’t want to be tracked, but it felt wrong to get rid of what looked like a brand-new thousand-dollar phone.

She quickly passed them to Antoinette. “Can we keep these in your purse? I don’t want to lose them.” She gave a sheepish smile.

Antoinette glanced at Elijah with caution. Shit, they knew! She had to keep her heartbeat steady or they’d know something was off.

“I’ll hold onto the card, but you really should keep the phone. Just in case, you know?” Antoinette sighed, placing the phone back into Alessandra's hand. Damn it! Now she’d have to ditch the phone too, adding to her growing guilt. But at least they didn’t suspect anything.

“Okay. But don’t blame me if I leave it in a dressing room or something.” Alessandra tried to lighten the mood, her heart aching. This might be the last time she saw Elijah for a while.

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to his chest. He was glad to see she was starting to accept their bond. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be long until they were a fully mated, happy couple.

The thought made him tighten his grip on her, burying his face in her soft neck. He kissed the spot he planned to mark, imagining their future together.

What her stomach would look like, round with his pups.

He suckled on her skin, hearing her sharp intake of breath, feeling her shiver in his arms. Her taste was intoxicating, like a drug. He left a temporary mark on her skin, a warning to others.

“Okay, have fun. Stay close to Antoinette, alright? If anything happens, call me. No matter how small it is, you call me, okay?” He released her from his strong hold.

Alessandra nodded, moving towards the door. “Goodbye, Elijah.”