**CIARA'S POV**
"Oh, I am so dead," I said to myself while running home.
As I got home, I was so scared that I stood in a corner. As I heard Xander's voice, I knew my death day already arrived finally. I could feel his Alpha energy radiating from afar.
Breaking down the door, I flinched and curled up in a corner.
"I warned you, didn't I?" He shouted at me.
"I told you to stay away from her, didn't I?" He yelled at me.
"If anything happens to my sister, I swear on my parents' grave, I'm gonna kill you." He said.
After he was done, he left then I saw a guard come in to drag me to the dungeon.
On getting there, I saw Xander with a whip that has sharp edges. The guard threw me inside the dungeons and I fell flat on my tummy. Ouch!
The lashes of the whip brought me back from wheresoever I had gone to. Ahrggggh!
"Ahhhhh!!!!" I screamed as the whip came in contact with my body. Shit!
The pain is way too much because there were still wounds that were not treated on my body. He kept whipping until he was mind-linked I guess so because he spaced out. He left me there soaked with my blood.
Sometimes I wonder why I am not dead yet like I should have been dead with the beatings and whipping. Yet, I am alive and breathing.
I crawled out of the dungeons.
**NICOLE'S POV**
Beep… Beep… Beep… Beep.
The sound of the machine beside me brought me out of my unconscious state. I tried opening my eyes but the bright light of the room made me close them abruptly. I opened them again trying to adjust to the bright light of the room, eventually, I opened them to see a pair of blue eyes piercing into mine. This eye belongs to… Eunice.
I sat up immediately as I saw how soaked her face was.
"Was she crying?' I thought.
"Eu…" I choked out. My throat was so dry.
She poured water into a cup and gave it to me. I collected and gulped it down within seconds. I looked outside my room and saw my friends.
"Why are you crying?" I asked her.
"Because of you, I was scared… What if something happens to you, what will happen to your brother… And also me." She said with new tears brewing on her face. I felt sad.
I mind-linked my brother to tell him that I was fine and he should come right away. He came in almost immediately.
"Oh my goodness, Nicole, you scared me." He said shoving Eunice aside. I frowned at his action and he noticed it from my facial expression.
He turned towards Eunice who was crying and was about to leave when he held her hands, she removed her hands and ran out of the hospital. I looked away, I am so angry with him right now.
"I am not going to talk to you unless you settle things with her," I said angrily.
"How could you hurt her? within the little time, you had just met her, you already made her cry." I said ignoring the pain I was feeling in my head.
He was still contemplating what to do when he ran after her. I hope things work out.
**XANDER'S POV**
I ran after Eunice.
"Eunice, Eunice," I called after her as I ran in her direction. She is way too fast for a human but being an Alpha got an advantage. In no time, I caught up with her.
I held her hand and drew her close to myself and hugged her.
"I'm sorry." I apologized. She was crying.
Gosh!
Am I that bad?
"You shouted at me, you… You even pushed me away like I don't matter to you, I hate you." She said hitting me.
Ciara, all thanks to you my mate hates me now. Oh, I wonder what I'm gonna do to you, death is the easiest punishment for you.
I pulled her close and forcefully kissed her. She tried fighting me off but since I'm stronger, she failed. Then I hugged her.
"Please, do not hate me, pleeeeaaassse," I said begging her. Only her can see me in this vulnerable state. She was now sniffing in her tears.
"Are you okay now?" I asked her breathing I her scent, it so much calm me down.
"Yes." She said after a while.
"Can I tell you something?" I said.
"What?" She asked.
"You look ugly while crying…… It does not look pretty on you." I said with a smirk.
She hit my arm
"Ouch!" I faked a wince.
"Okay, okay," I said surrendering.
"Why were you so angry with me ?" She asked.
"Because Nicole is the only family member I have," I said.
"My parents are dead so… I have to make sure that Nicole does not leave me too," I said.
"Who was that girl?" She asked.
"Ciara," I replied.
"Tell me about it." She said.
I took her to the lakeside and sat down there with her in between my legs.
"When we were younger, I went on a picnic with my parents and beta's family, at that time there was this rampant rouge attacks on our pack so my dad was so busy, but then suddenly he said we should go for a picnic, I later found out that Ciara was the one that convinced him," I said.
"Ciara?" She asked.
"Yes, she was my best friend and the beta's daughter," I said.
"Then while we were away, the rouge attacked our pack and came to meet us where we were, our parents fought so hard to make sure the of us - Ciara, Nicole, and I get to the packhouse. They stalled them for our safety." I continued.
"They killed our parents and our pack members," I said. Remembering that awful incident makes my blood boil but since Eunice is here her scent was helpful.
"All these would not have happened if she had not asked to go for a picnic, she forced our parents and then… Then it led to the death of the people who cherished and loved her." I said with anger.