THE MANLY BEAST

"Asteria?" Amelia asked, getting up from where she had sat. It was quite clear that she was utterly confused. Why would he call her Asteria?

"Who are you?" She asked again, looking at this man, trying to figure out who he was or where she had seen him. He had this powerful aura around him, his head held high up and his hands folded at the back. He was arrested with a beautiful Grey garment, crystals quite noticeable on the sleeves and hem of his attire. He had gun mental grey eyes and thick eyebrows. Although his body was entirely covered by his garment, it was quite evident that he had smooth cinnamon skin. His sculpted soft oval face with pointer chin and pointed nose was hard to ignore. He had a midnight colored hair which flowers down his shoulders.

He was handsome and Amelia could not deny that fact.

"I am Kendrix. We finally meet again after so many years" He said, a sly grin on his face.

"I do not know you and what do you want to do with me? How do you even know me?" She asked, holding the bars as she came closer.

"Why won't i know the legendary phoenix? Sent to defeat the Winter King?"

"I do not understand what you are saying"

"My concern is not about you understanding because i never want you to understand. I cannot wait to pluck your feathers and take your powers away from you. As you can see, i am quite hungry for power" 

Amelia stood speechless as she tried to understand what this man was telling her. He wanted to use her to get more power. But why?

"There are many other powerful creatures other than me. Why do you need mine out of the others?" 

"You are correct. I must say, i do not need your weakling powers anymore" 

He did not need her powers anymore? Amelia thought this man does not even have a proper plan in the first place. Capturing her all for the purpose of taking her powers and afterwards change his mind so easily. For some reason she felt disdain for this man. 

"There is also a supernatural being that has two times the power any other supernatural has and i would use you to get him" His smile made her shiver and his aura did not even help at all. It was all dark, weakening her and making her to fall on the floor.

"I guess by now you would have understood what i need you for. You will lead me to him. I am more fool to not know you have met your mate yet and i am quite sure you would want to do anything to protect what is yours"

"I never even knew you had started existing nor did i know you had come of age. How you even survived without anyone sensing your life force still baffles me. Whoever hid you for this long was quite a clever and indeed very powerful" 

There was this evil glint in his eyes that made her shiver. She knew there was more to him that meets the eye. 

"My Mate does not have anything to do with you or anyone" Amelia said, as she managed to stand up. He could harm her for all she cares but when it comes to her mate, no one touches him.

Not even the handsome man standing in front of her could touch him, because she had sacrificed everything for him to be safe and no matter what she would protect him, evil till her last breath will she keep him safe.

"Of course you would do anything to keep him safe and that is why i need you my dear Asteria. Just like you feel the need to protect what is yours and do whatever possible to ensure the safety of your mate so does your other half feel. He being of a very high rank he could not be able to cope without his lovely mate"

"A high rank?"

"By now you would have found out who you are and so you would know who your mate is" He smiled as he stretched his hand to touch her cheek, but she was quick to avoid his hands.

"You are destined to eliminate the very last protector which is the Winter King, and according to Prophecy the Creator had paired you with someone powerful as a gift. He is not just powerful my dear but he will be the ruler of the six realms which you have conquered. By now you would have guessed who your mate really is"

Amelia but her lips as she shivered slightly, his dark aura taking advantage of her weakness. She knew that her mate was in trouble and she also knew that she would be used as a pawn so this devil in front of her could get what he wanted.

"Asteria?" Amelia asked, getting up from where she had sat. It was quite clear that she was utterly confused. Why would he call her Asteria?

"Who are you?" She asked again, looking at this man, trying to figure out who he was or where she had seen him. He had this powerful aura around him, his head held high up and his hands folded at the back. He was arrested with a beautiful Grey garment, crystals quite noticeable on the sleeves and hem of his attire. He had gun mental grey eyes and thick eyebrows. Although his body was entirely covered by his garment, it was quite evident that he had smooth cinnamon skin. His sculpted soft oval face with pointer chin and pointed nose was hard to ignore. He had a midnight colored hair which flowers down his shoulders.

He was handsome and Amelia could not deny that fact.

"I am Kendrix. We finally meet again after so many years" He said, a sly grin on his face.

"I do not know you and what do you want to do with me? How do you even know me?" She asked, holding the bars as she came closer.

"Why won't i know the legendary phoenix? Sent to defeat the Winter King?"

"I do not understand what you are saying"

"My concern is not about you understanding because i never want you to understand. I cannot wait to pluck your feathers and take your powers away from you. As you can see, i am quite hungry for power" 

Amelia stood speechless as she tried to understand what this man was telling her. He wanted to use her to get more power. But why?

"There are many other powerful creatures other than me. Why do you need mine out of the others?" 

"You are correct. I must say, i do not need your weakling powers anymore" 

He did not need her powers anymore? Amelia thought this man does not even have a proper plan in the first place. Capturing her all for the purpose of taking her powers and afterwards change his mind so easily. For some reason she felt disdain for this man. 

"There is also a supernatural being that has two times the power any other supernatural has and i would use you to get him" His smile made her shiver and his aura did not even help at all. It was all dark, weakening her and making her to fall on the floor.

"I guess by now you would have understood what i need you for. You will lead me to him. I am more fool to not know you have met your mate yet and i am quite sure you would want to do anything to protect what is yours"

"I never even knew you had started existing nor did i know you had come of age. How you even survived without anyone sensing your life force still baffles me. Whoever hid you for this long was quite a clever and indeed very powerful" 

There was this evil glint in his eyes that made her shiver. She knew there was more to him that meets the eye. 

"My Mate does not have anything to do with you or anyone" Amelia said, as she managed to stand up. He could harm her for all she cares but when it comes to her mate, no one touches him.

Not even the handsome man standing in front of her could touch him, because she had sacrificed everything for him to be safe and no matter what she would protect him, evil till her last breath will she keep him safe.

"Of course you would do anything to keep him safe and that is why i need you my dear Asteria. Just like you feel the need to protect what is yours and do whatever possible to ensure the safety of your mate so does your other half feel. He being of a very high rank he could not be able to cope without his lovely mate"

"A high rank?"

"By now you would have found out who you are and so you would know who your mate is" He smiled as he stretched his hand to touch her cheek, but she was quick to avoid his hands.

"You are destined to eliminate the very last protector which is the Winter King, and according to Prophecy the Creator had paired you with someone powerful as a gift. He is not just powerful my dear but he will be the ruler of the six realms which you have conquered. By now you would have guessed who your mate really is"

Amelia but her lips as she shivered slightly, his dark aura taking advantage of her weakness. She knew that her mate was in trouble and she also knew that she would be used as a pawn so this devil in front of her could get what he wanted.

She loved him, yes she loved him so much and come what may, she would do anything for him to be safe....no matter what.

"Brace yourself Asteria because you would have to do a long job for me. A...very...very long one" He turned around, walking in quickly steps, fading into the darkness which had suddenly descended, his aura leaving as he departed. And for the first time since he came, she felt at ease.

But still here thoughts kept raging. Anxiety thoughts are akin to driving around the block over and over, faster and faster. Sometimes it is just pointless. But sometimes it is quite useful to see the relationships between concepts rather than getting tied into binary thinking. And one of those times is now. She did not understand why this man wanted her. Yes she might agree he wanted her because of her mate. Was that how powerful he is? 

And why did that man call her Asteria? There is no doubt there is a story behind this. But it was just too much for her to nestle in, her heart taking in all which suddenly became too much to bear. But no matter what, this manly beast who had captured her would never make her antagonise her mate. Not now....not ever.

Collapsing on the ground and laying here head on the now frozen floor, her head kept spinning and her mouth seems all dry and her lips are cracked. It seems so hard to respond to the call of nature, maybe because she lays on the floor.

Normally, falling asleep was one of the best parts of the day, there in the cozy blankets, snug and safe, letting the world of dreams come to her in its dancing way. Falling asleep was as easy as letting the dreams begin, having a little sparkle of joy before falling asleep. Bed was my sweet thing and it made me as happy as any other treat.

Those were her childhood days. 

The days she would never want to remember or for back to. But unfortunately, her childhood memories are a photo album she could never edit. So she had to keep the best ones, the ones that bring her joy and let the others fade.

Day by day she would sit by the window of the great big tower her mother had always locked her in. Surrounded by loneliness and inner depression, she was never herself in her early childhood. Although the woman who was responsible for her upbringing always came to see her every night, she never spent time with her. She suddenly saw herself as an alien, not wanted but wanted.

Making the decision to run away is the best decision she had ever made because right from the very moment she had climbed out of that tower, she felt she was in a different world. 

The grass under her feet....

The fresh air she inhaled....

The breeze on her hair.....

The air on her skin...

Even now she could still feel it. It was so divine....beatific.....heavenly. Truly, a difficult childhood presents particular problems in how to move onwards into adulthood. There is the need to form a solid foundation rather than being given one as others have through having a functional family. It is challenging, yet possible. She had made the decision to move forward the moment she had found her mate, and move on will she till the end of her days.

Taking a deep breathe as she lay dizzily on the icy floor, she responds to the call of nature, the calmness of sleep taking over her. As her eyes closed, one face lingerie in her mind before her brain finally takes time to rest.

Jake.