Offered to the Triplet Alphas

Chapter-11. Like a doll

[Xanthea]

Ezra stood motionless. His knuckles cracked as he curled his fingers into a tight fist. A chill quavered down my spine as he turned around, his glare stripping nerves right off my skin. The surrounding air grew thick with an ominous tension.

"This has never happened before. I warned you, didn't I, Xanthea? You plant discord among us again, and I will kill you," he snarled as his growl sunk deeper and deeper into my bones. Feebly clutching Asher, I felt a tremble run through my entire body.

"I'm sorry... I'm sorry..." I mumbled in half daze and half dread.

Shadows erupted around Ezra, consuming him in a swirling spiral of pitch-black flames. A daunting gravity collapsed around me, pulling me into the depth of my grave.

Tearing through the curtain of dark flames, emerged a figure - a manifestation of nightmares. A demon? A wolf? I couldn't tell. A glimpse and my blood had frozen in my veins.

My breaths caught in my lungs, my heart screamed at me to run. But my body was paralyzed under his scrutiny. Predatory scrutiny. His eyes glowed a murderous red.

Fangs, sharp enough to shatter boulders. His wolf form, darker than the void itself, bore intricate crimson patterns that pulsed with a mystical glow.

The red trident pattern at the center of his forehead glowed like a third eye, resembling an unholy trinity of eyes.

I stared at Ezra's transformed self. There was nothing I could feel in my complete existence except primal fear freezing the marrow of my bones.

My lips quivered, but I had lost the speech completely.

My heart was in my throat as the otherworldly wolf lurked closer to me. There was nowhere I could run to where he wouldn't hunt me down.

My breaths hitched as I gripped on the air. Asher was gone. I crawled back onto the bed. In a blink, I crashed on the bed. A screech tore through me as his claws sank into my chest, tearing through my skin, ribs, and lungs like blazing daggers. My eyes stretched out in horror. His fangs tore into my face-

"NO!" I sprung up on the bed, panting.

I sat on the bed, numb, cold sweats breaking throughout my body. My violently beating heart was the only sign that I was still alive. My mouth and my throat were dry. I gulped hard, clenching my chest as I curled my knees to my aching chest.

A nightmare. It was just a nightmare. I caressed my heart, feeling its erratic beats beneath my palm.

Last night...

my mind with every detail,

shivering fingers, bringing them to my lips. Ezra would have killed me had Asher not

***

me and Ezra's wolf

as my own. You can't touch her if

after a week, Raven refuses to touch her, you will see how easily I can touch her and tear her apart with or without your

***

a sigh, running

A week.

hope your nightmare wasn't too

flinched at the

mission wake-you-up-dreadfully was a success,"

head that I didn't even notice her presence, nor that I was already wearing a slip up black silk

bowed a

once. Because it seems like you love making people wait while you have your beauty

monotonous tone.

at her blankly until the meaning of her words sank

I said and her clearly fake

She contemplated me.

for you to

"Their family... wants

off me and got down from the bed. A sharp pain bolted through my hips

And the way you are right now..." she analyzed my body. "Honestly, I don't blame you. All earthly princesses have been the same, but you seem the most timid, out of place, malnourished, weak and

cheeks instantly flushed up. I didn't know how I would look at myself in the mirror

made a backflip, somersaulted all its way until it

the way, I am Mavka. You can call me Mav or Avka or whatever you feel like. It's not like I matter much,"

Miss Mavka, will they... be there... as well?

covering her

d-did I say

again as if

all. Miss Mavka? Miss? To me?" she