Kamari's Point of View
Here I thought women were the needy ones in life. Zayan refused to stop texting me throughout the day. Even when I had my hands so deep inside a toilet I might as well have asked it permission first, he carried on texting me.
Having your phone with you whilst working was already a transgression. Texting back would earn me an extra three weeks' worth of working extra hours.
"The patrol came up clean. No rogues in sight. But we are worried that one of the other packs might be thinking about taking over Crescent Shine. We got our sources on the inside and things aren't looking good." Quinten said and moved his papers closer to him.
Arik sat closest to me. Kept tapping his pen on the table in irritation.
When Eris had asked me to clean this boardroom specifically, I hadn't imagined there would be a meeting in progress. Maybe this was her way of shoving the rejection in my face. Showing me that Arik had no intention of paying me any mind. It was cruel.
But I was here, cleaning away.
"We need to start thinking about extra patrols, just in case someone decides to strike first. Train a good few new recruits in the process. Things can get bloody if they want to invade our territory." One of the other council members chipped in.
This made Arik groan. His eyes shifted slightly toward me as I cleaned the last portrait in the room. For a second I saw something other than irritation linger in his eyes. Need, perhaps. "When you are done cleaning, stay. You can serve us beverages and snacks," He looked back at the rest of the room. "It seems this is going to be carrying on for a while."
Nodding, I moved to the back of the room. My phone buzzed in my pocket again but the group was too preoccupied with the discussion to notice it. Cursing, I turned and ripped it out of my pocket. Placed it on silent. There were about 30 messages in total from Zayan. So many that I couldn't read the last one he sent me without unlocking my phone.
"Kamari, we need more water. Go fetch us some."Quinten instructed. For a split second, Quinten was met with a stern glare from Arik. Just one. It told me enough about who was in charge.
I waited for approval from him. Stared at him like a lost dog. Until Arik nodded, relieving me from the room.
As soon as I shut the door, I could hear them talking again. Hushed words were uttered with some force.
"I thought you rejected her, dude. Why so possessive?" This was Quinten.
"She is still a member of my staff and not yours. Know your place."
"That look didn't seem like she was just staff. You need to keep her at arm's length. Good to get your penis inside but nothing else." Every word Quinten said pummeled me. Good for an evening but not forever.
"You know I can't do that. It'll mean she can-"
I stopped listening. Walked away before I started crying again. Taking the stairs two at a time, I willed myself to move slower. To stop being in such a rush. Nothing could get worse than this. This pain I felt whenever Arik dismissed me.
Lost in my own thought, I barely noticed Lily packing out some snacks in the kitchen. Took the water on the counter and left. Only for a pair of hands to grab me just past the foyer. I wanted to yelp but one of the hands released my hips and clamped down over my mouth. Stifled me.
We were quickly flung into the coat closet just beside the foyer. Zayan stared back at me when the automatic light came on. When the door clicked shut behind us. I stared up at him in bewilderment. Glanced down at his hand still covering my mouth.
"Why didn't you answer your texts?" He hissed, our faces inches apart. "I need to know if you are in or not and you refused to answer me." There was a vibration of fury in his voice. I scowled. The six-pack of water was between us.
Using our combined bodies, I let go of the water with one hand and ripped his hand off of my mouth. Glared at him. We could match energies all day long if that was what he wanted.
"I am working! I don't have the luxury to sit and conspire against someone all day. Who is going to pay my bills?" I threw back at him.
Zayan's hand tightened on my hip. His face inched closer, our eyes never breaking contact. There was a sense of urgency in his eyes. "If your work is going to get in the way of our plan, then name your price. I will pay whatever I have to to get you free. To get your full attention," He inhaled, nostrils flaring a bit as he did. "But I need your full attention. However sexy you might be, you have the flirting skills of a fish. We need to work on that which means you need to focus on the task at hand."
Underlying threats. Backhanded compliment. Feeling my anger rise steadily, I shoved him as far away from me as possible. Zayan barely moved but it felt like my lungs could take in air again. Just a few inches made the world of a difference. The six-pack dropped to the floor with a dull thud.
"Look, I have thought about all of this. Yes, I would love to make Arik pay but going about it in this way isn't right. Besides, I don't need another needy male up my ass all the time. I really don't. So take your plan, and that ass of yours and get out of here."
This seemed to upset him even more. Zayan moved into my space again. His arms caged me in on the sides. My heart did several jumps as he exhaled close to my ear. Goosebumps broke out. I had never responded to anyone like this. Melted into them just from a few breaths on my ear.
"This isn't optional anymore, sweetheart. You are stuck with me. Now, get that dump truck ass out there and ask Mr. Alpha what it will cost to get you free."
Footsteps approached the closet. But I was too wrapped up in Zayan to care. Even he seemed to be dead set on me. His focus nearly burned holes in my face. The door opened. I felt my life slip out of me. Until Zayan did the unthinkable.
He leaned into me and crashed our lips together. The kiss was searing and intense. Made my toes curl in my shoes. A throat cleared beside us and I looked straight at the person.
Zayan looked the other way.
"I'm sorry if I interrupted something," Lily said, her face a mixture of shock and triumph. "I just need one of the coats."
I blushed when she winked at me. Nodded her head in approval. It was the first time she had ever shown me any form of kindness. Positivity.
"I- I'll-" I took in a steadying breath. "I'll have it out for you in a minute."
She shut the door moments later, a large smile still plastered on her lips.
"You can't do that again!" I all but screamed at a chuckling Zayan in front of me. "If Arik caught us, we would both be in deep shit and you know that! You were exiled! I am an omega! They will find a reason to kill us both!"
His chuckles turned into a smirk. Cocky bastard. "You are a really good kisser. Too bad I can't have you for myself."
Kamari's Point of ViewI could see him following me on the sides of the road. See his wolf weave in and out of the tree line. It was tragic to watch but gave me a small sense of comfort. Safety. Zayan refused to take no for an answer and I was starting to get that into my head.Gripping my steering wheel, I settled on rather going to the park than to my house. It was in the town not too far from us, meaning only humans. No one would know about the exiled heir. Or even care that two people were there. But I needed to talk to Zayan again. If we were to do this, there had to be boundaries.I slipped my car into a parking not far from a few benches. At this time of the night, no one was around to see the wolf slide out of the woods on the other side. Or see that very same wolf turn into a human. At least Zayan had brought some clothes along. "You know harassing me won't get me to sign up for your cause any faster," I said and leaned against the bonnet of my car. By the time he got halfwa
Kamari's Point of View"Do you trust him?" My dad had asked me this several times already. Kept hammering on the fact that I didn't know Zayan. But my dad knew his father from before he was exiled. Knew him to be a good enough Alpha that cared greatly for his people.But my dad wanted me to make up my own mind about Zayan. Just because he grew up with the old Alpha, didn't mean Zayan was to be trusted."Yes. I do. And even if I didn't, what is the worst that could happen to me if he paid for my release? I leave this place and never look back? Sign me up then." I replied and slammed the door shut behind me.The sun was barely out behind the mountains. The world was still asleep and silent. But I had to be at work and my dad wanted to get this conversation with Arik over and done with. My dad only shrugged and squinted in my direction. Stopped a good few feet in front of the pack house. He looked older in this light. More worn out. The days of being stuck here had started to show. He w
Kamari's Point of View'Meet me at the park.' The text was short and sweet. Nearly made me trip over stones as I rushed to my car. But I wanted to go. Zayan would know what it meant. I needed to vent. To scream.Arik wanted to keep me here just because he could. Because he felt entitled to me even after rejecting me. It was a slap to my face. Something I would never forget."Where are you going?" Arik called from behind me. It was still early. I still had a full day of cleaning ahead of me. For the first time since being branded as an omega, I was outright defying him. To hell with whatever consequence would follow."I am leaving for the day!" I screamed back and fumbled with my keys. There was a ping on my phone but I didn't dare look down. Didn't dare give the Alpha another moment to catch up. "I didn't dismiss you! You still belong to me!" Arik screamed back. I could hear his footsteps on the gravel behind me. Hear him approaching at an alarming rate. My keys refused to correct th
Zayan's Point of ViewShe reminded me of myself. There was another level to her personality. Entrenched inside her soul. For some, it would have been too deep to try and find. But I adored a challenge and Kamari seemed like the toughest one yet. Kamari wasn't gone for long before Nolan showed up. Before my heart started aching slightly. It was the same cramp I felt whenever Eris would leave, only subtler. Stranger. I couldn't figure out whether I hated the feeling or missed it."How much?" I asked when my friend approached. His eyebrows were set into a firm line. "Zayan, are you sure you want to go through with this? Kamari looked like a mess earlier. I don't think she will be able to stomach any of it." Nolan said and stood in front of me. His dark brown hair was tossed in every direction. He had run here, some of it on foot, from the looks of it.Steeling my jaw, I looked him square in the eyes. Made it clear that there was no turning back now. Whatever happened, Kamari would deal
Kamari's Point of View'It is a new day. A new start. Just keep your head down. Take in a deep breath. You got this. You can do this.'The mantra repeated itself in my mind. Over and over again like a broken record. Each word gained more emphasis than the first. As if I could beat it into me. Make my body believe it to be true.I stood in front of the pack house, glaring up at it as if it would swallow me whole. My dad had tried his best to fix what I had broken. Tried to reason with Arik. But there was no getting around this. I had to get back to work, whether I liked it or not.Zayan had promised to pay whatever Arik demanded. Although I knew the price was extremely steep. Never before had someone bought their freedom for 500 thousand dollars. It just highlighted what Arik had said.He wouldn't make it easy for me to leave. Or even fucking bearable. "Kamari!" Eris screamed from inside the house. I clenched my jaw. Ground my teeth against each other. 'Another day. Brand new. We can
Kamari's Point of View"So when are we getting married? I never even asked you how many children you want to have. Or where you wanted to live." I blabbered. Nolan was driving me home in my beat-up Fiesta. Glanced at me from the corner of his eye.This was my lame attempt at breaking the tension in the car. At getting him to smile. But I felt the way he looked. Torn up. Chewed up. Spat back out.Luckily for me, Nolan decided to try and cut the tension as well. He smiled and tilted his head away from me. "I think about a year-long proposal will do. I want one kid and that is it. Doesn't matter if it is a boy or a girl. Fuck the gender stereotypes that only a boy can carry on the family name. As for living..." He seemed to think of an answer. His gaze softened when he looked at me again. Small smile on his lips. "Wherever you are." He mumbled.I blinked. Blinked again. He seemed sincere. As if he would move with me wherever I went. It was a sweet sentiment but one I didn't share. Nolan
Kamari's Point of ViewWhenever tragedy struck, my dad always tried to compensate for it. When I had just gotten kicked out by my mother, he bought me a large stuffed horse that I still had. That I still cuddled. When his parents passed away in an accident at thirteen, I got a new phone.Not that he ever compensated his love with gifts. Sometimes I just thought he might have a hard time with his own emotions and that he couldn't help me fix my own. I understood that to a certain degree.He always tried his best. Made me who I was today. Now my mother wanted to sweep me away and take all the glory for herself. Although I doubted that was the entire story. From how ragged he had looked when we entered the house, she must have proposed something else as well.At least this time around, my dad had no time to buy me anything. All he could do was bake us some bread, bagels, and muffins. Which I was grateful for. Which I adored.Nolan had suggested a movie night in, with the three of us buil
Zayan's Point of ViewI couldn't get hold of her. Text messages weren't going through. My calls went to voicemail. It tightened my chest to the point where I couldn't sleep anymore. Made me toss and turn the entire night long.Something was wrong. Horrendously wrong and I needed to be there for her. Comfort her. But showing up at her house in the middle of the night would be a bad move. It would show her that something was growing inside my chest...When I had no business feeling any sort of way toward her.Finally, the sun broke over the horizon and I jumped out of bed. The last few hours were spent in silence. Contemplation. Mainly contemplation about whether I had to allow these feelings to grow or not. So far it was a no from my brain. We could be friends. Best of friends. I would be her silent and watching guardian whilst she moved away and fell in love with someone else. Now that was one fucking hard pill to swallow."You are up early this morning." My father bemoaned from the