Pleading

[~CORAL~]

A knock came through the door before it was pushed open. Kiara, my best-friend stood at the threshold, a small wooden tray in her hand.

“I brought you some sandwich.” She smiles softly at me.

“I’m not hungry.” I mutter, leaning deeper against my knee, I draw my blanket tightly over my body.

Kiara sighs, stepping into the room. She drops the tray on the bed-side table and takes a spot on the bed, beside me.

“Come on Coco, you need to eat. You can’t keep doing this to yourself. You’re making me worried.”

“I’m fine.” I whisper, resting my head on my knee. My red hair curtains my face as I tuck myself, wishing the darkness would swallow me whole.

“No you’re not, Coco! You’re barely eating. No, scratch that, you’ve not been eating at all! It’s been a week now. You’re not taking care of yourself and that just makes me more miserable as your best friend because I feel like I’m not doing my best to help you.”

“I’m not dead yet, am I?” I question, flatly.

“You can’t give me that responds.” Kiara injects, sounding annoyed and when I don't respond to that either, she takes a deep breath then exhales softly. ”Come on, eat something… even if it’s a bite. You don’t look so well either. Please Coral… At least do it for me.” She compels softly.

“I want to be alone.” I pronounce sharply.

“Coco—”

“Kiara, please...”

“Alright... Sorry.” She says after a moment, carrying herself off the bed.

I didn't need to look at her to know the expression on her face and it haunted me even without looking.

“Kiara?” I call and she stops moving.

“Yes, Coco.” Her gentle voice makes me smile a little and I fumble with my hands inside the blanket.

“I’m thankful for you and your parents letting me stay, I really am.”

“Oh Coco, you don’t have to thank us for anything,” She says, slipping back in to hug me. She rests her head on my nape. “You’re my best friend, of course I’ll be more than happy to do anything for you and of course, father and mother can’t object either.”

“Thanks, Kiara.”

“You know I'll always be here for you, right?”

I nod, smiling softly. “I know but this is not your burden to carry. So just leave me alone, for now, I’ll be fine.”

“Fine,” She sighs, sounding a little morose. “I’ll leave you alone for a while.” The weight of the bed shifts when she gets off. “But I’ll leave these here for you, in case you change your mind.”

I turn in my position for the first time since Kiara entered the room and I glance at the bed side table to see the content of what she had brought with her.

She did mention something about sandwich. A cup of orange juice sat beside it too. The aroma fills my nose instantly and my stomach let out the most embarrassing sound and flush.

Kiara’s laughter filled the room but it sounded a bit faded. She was already at the door’s threshold when I glance up at her.

She must have heard my stupid stomach growl, she must have planned this. I can withhold myself from eating for a couple of weeks but if I actually acknowledged something as food and my stomach grumbles then there won’t be any stopping me from gobbling it all down till I'm satisfied.

“Looks like your stomach has reached its limit,” she points out with a small smile, her eyes shining with unshed tears. “Eat up, I’ll be downstairs if you need anything.”

With that she walks off, leaving the door ajar. I stare back at the tray and my body moves on its own accord.

Grabbing the tray, I don’t wait till it’s in front of me before I start to gobble it down. My silent tears fall down my face.

***

I stay in bed, my gaze thrown out the window as I listen to the words of the earth; the birds chirping as they drift across the sky, the distant sound of people talking, shared laughter, the swoosh of gentle breeze… everything feels so peaceful and comforting.

But my heartache remained.

I thought I’d feel better if I was away from home. If I was away from the sources of my affliction. But that didn’t seem to be the case.

It’s been a week since I moved into Kiara’s home and her family has been warm to me. They didn’t say word to me when I arrived at their doorstep unannounced, they simply took me in but their eyes held empathy.

It wasn’t news that my mates were my brothers— stepbrothers. Which was I now? Either way, the mate bond wasn’t one I wanted, yet I wanted nothing more than to be in their presence, enclosed by their strong embrace.

I wanted to be with them. Or at least that's how the bond made me feel.

How do I actually feel? I wasn't so sure anymore... this was all too confusing.

Everyone in the pack knew about it, it’d caused a major uproar and I wouldn’t blame them for their worry but then again, only my family knew the truth about our relationship, that I wasn't their child and that my brothers aren’t my biological siblings.

I had nowhere else to run to except to my best friend's and I don’t have a lot of friends either.

Everyone else feared my brothers, Kiara was the only one who didn’t. She adored them especially Raegan, though most of the girls did as well but they’d only wanted to be my friend just to get to my brothers.

Kiara was different and she took the pleasure of wadding them off like evil spirits. I found it adorable because she was the only one that genuinely wanted to be my friend amongst the girls. The children of the opposite sex were too busy being chased off by them.

I’d only barely managed being friends with Jason but even he was cautious of my brothers wrath.

A memory flashed through my mind’s eye. It was from a year ago when Raegan had chased off Jason.

Raegan had made a comment about having found his mate and about her being in the pack but she wasn’t of age yet so their bond link was incomplete, mostly on her part which was why she couldn’t feel him.

And he didn’t mention that she was mated to the three of them either...

It was slowly coming to me now as another memory flashed into my mind.

“What’s she like, Raegan?” I'd asked with unabashed curiosity.

“Who?”

“Your mate silly, you said you’ve met her. So? Tell me!”

“Hmm… well, she’s the most beautiful creature I’ve ever seen.”

It’d been me all along, his mate he spoke so fondly about. Now his overly protective behaviour made rational sense. He had been marking his territory…

That fool… if only he’d acted rationally then I might just have fallen for him at first sight too.

I curl in bed and let my eyes close as I sigh, willing my heart to stop aching and my body to fall asleep. But it doesn’t and suddenly, a loud roar jerks me off my bed then a noise, like a crash follows after.

The commotion was startling, growing louder and it dragged at my curiosity.

Soon my feet reach the floor and I swiftly skid down the corridor and down the stairs.

I was midway down the stairs when I felt it, the cinnamon scent of Rune filled my nostrils even before I saw him. And he was buried underneath Kiara’s father who was struggling to hold him down.

“I said to stay put!” He growls. “She doesn’t want to see you.”

“Is that supposed to mean anything to me? She’s my mate! I have every right to see her. Now let go before I hurt you, Leon.”

“You jest.” Kiara's father scoffs.

“You think?” Rune states matter-of-factly then he moves rapidly, flipping them both over, so now he’s the one holding Leon down.

Leon looks surprised. After all he was the fourth strongest werewolf in the pack aside Father, Raegan and Damian.

As a Zeta wolf, Rune was more of a strategist than a fighter so his strength was never truly known. But he was always beaten by Leon during training or barely won.

Leon was a Delta warrior, the chief warrior and he’s always dominated over Rune. So Rune’s sudden strength as he held him down was what anyone would call astonishing.

Flesh smacks against flesh and bone as Rune throws a punch to Leon’s face. His violet, magenta eyes glows intensely as he throws punch after punch as he growls out.

“I. said. I. Have. Every. Right. To. See. Her. Damnit!”

I watch, awestruck at my brother’s sudden barbaric nature. He’s never been this violent with or to anyone before. He was really going to hurt Kiara’s father if he didn’t stop.

They’ve done so much for me since I got here, taking care of me when they didn’t have to. I wasn’t going to stand for this any longer.

Kiara and her mother stood frozen at a corner, watching with frightened gazes. I brave myself forward.

“That’s enough, Rune!” His head snaps up instantly, his fist hangs a millimeter over Leon’s face. I pause at the landing. “What do you think you’re doing?” My voice stern as I pin him with a hard look on my face.

He breathes, as though he's just snap out of a trance and he blinks, his eyes still glows a vibrant mix of purple. “Coral...” My name is a soft whisper on his lips.

I fight the sudden urge to run to him and hug him. Then he gasp, like he just realize what he was doing and then scrambles off Leon.

He approaches me quickly but I put my hand out in gesture, he stops instantly, almost tripping on his feet.

“Why are you here, Rune?”