64. Pain Beyond Reckoning

KIARA

I walked through the halls, my heart pounding with each step. I gasped as a deep, intoxicating scent hit my nose; I"d never smelled anything so addictive, so seductive that it made me dizzy. My heart thumped as I inhaled it. It smelt so much like Alejandro's… Just a billion times more tempting if that were even possible. I stopped outside a door and opened it.

My mate was here and deep down I felt I knew exactly who it was…

I looked into the room, but the sight that reached my eyes was one that would always remain. The painful sight of my mate making out with another woman. For a moment, it felt as if time had stopped, his gaze snapped towards me and my heart suddenly exploded with a surge of emotions.

Alejandro was my mate. My king. My other half.

Despite the pain I felt, I looked into his eyes, giving him the chance to come to me. We would work on this; we could make it ok. Please.

My heart was crumbling and I couldn"t hold it together forever, please Alejandro.

Jasmin said something but I didn't even hear her, trying to stop my broken heart from shattering completely.

"Ignore her." His deep husky voice came, sending my stomach into a storm.

His words ripped through me and I felt as if my heart was being torn out of my chest. Pain like nothing before seared through me like a thousand whip lashes. It only became worse when he turned back to Jasmin and kissed her.

I couldn"t do this. I know I said I'd fight for my mate but how do you fight for someone who is currently making out with another, without caring that his mate was standing right there?

The agony of his betrayal and actions ripped through me. Deep down, I felt that perhaps my mate would reject me. We all have that fear. But having it happen was worse than any nightmare one could conjure up.

I turned and ran, stumbling as I rushed to the steps, losing one of my heels as I tripped. My hands clamped over my mouth to stifle my sobs that I had no control over. I kicked the other shoe off, running down the steps as fast as I could and towards the entrance.

Pushing through the throngs of people, I ignored the shouts of annoyance. I was out in the fresh air and I made for the entrance gate. I just wanted to get away from here. I had just reached the gates, rushing out of the compound and past security, feeling my emotions growing, my aura bubbling to the surface.

I heard someone shout but I didn't care as I sped up, running as fast as I could. Pain rushed up my ankle but it was nothing compared to what I felt inside. Darkness enveloped me the further away that I got from the brightly lit venue. I fell to the ground as pain and rejection made my wolf howl in pain. I wrapped my arms around myself, as I rocked myself. It was too much to endure. Tears trickled down my cheeks.

This night was meant to be every girl's dream, but mine had become a nightmare. It all made sense, the connection that I felt with him… the fact I wasn't able to stay away from him, but maybe that was all it was, a pull that he had no interest or need for.

"Please go away." I sobbed into the silence, clutching my chest.

But there was nowhere for it to go and deep down I knew my wolf believed he'd come to us. The crippling pain that engulfed my entire being was too much for me and I felt weak as if a million knives had been impaled in me. I tried shifting but my wolf had shut off, making me feel as if a part of me had died.

"No, don't abandon me.' I sobbed in my head. She was all I had right now but all I got was a howl of agony in return. The final straw that turned my shattered heart to dust. She wanted her mate and there was nothing I said that would make her return until she was ready to. How dare he... How could he do this to us?

Blinding anger and power rushed forth, illuminating the darkness in a dazzling purple.

"Kiara!" Someone shouted.

"Angel, you need to calm down." I recognised that voice, but right now I wanted a release for all the rage and pain that was consuming me…

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ELIJAH

I was talking with another Alpha when I sensed a surge of power, I turned sharply as I stared out the window. A dazzling purple light illuminated the sky.

Kiara.

I rushed out as fast as I could, seeing it was coming from outside of the walls that surrounded the grounds. I ran as fast as I could, seeing Darien rushing out of the gates ahead of me.

Many of Alejandro's warriors looked alarmed as we all saw the scene before us. She stood there, her entire body enveloped in purple flames. Unharmed yet holding so much power, it stunned even me.

"Kiara!" Darien shouted, trying to get close to her.

This wasn't a normal aura which a person could sense. This was a power in itself… I had never seen anything like this. It awed me that she was this strong, but at the same time, I was worried about what had caused her to get so upset and the attention she was bringing to herself. One thought twisted deep within me. Rejection.

"Angel, you need to calm down." I said, trying to step towards her.

The force of her power was keeping me at bay and I was worried it would attract the enemy like last time. The heat of her power burned, no matter how hard I tried, I couldn"t get to her. Not only was she emitting heat but her power had seemingly created a barrier around her. One even I couldn"t penetrate.

"Kiara! Listen to me, baby girl!" I shouted.

‘Kiara please!' I tried through the mind link, but I was met with a block.

Fuck, how do we get close?

She turned her head. Tears streamed down her cheeks and all I wanted was to castrate the asshole who did this to her. No one hurt my girl and got away with it.

A distant unearthly shriek filled the air and my eyes flashed. Her power had alerted them!

Before I could react, a black blur rushed past me, pushing against Kiara's powers. The immense aura made me step back. There was only one person who had that much power, a power that Kiara now rivalled.

Alejandro's.

I watched helplessly as he pushed through the forcefield reaching her and pulled Kiara into his arms.

"Don't touch me!" Kiara shrieked, pushing him back.

To my surprise, he didn't react.

"Look…"

"Don't talk to me! Stay away from me, you bastard!" She shrieked,

"Kiara, you need to control-"

"Don't! And I mean fucking don't tell me what to do!"

Her powers only grew and I could almost see Alejandro's black aura against her vibrant purple one. How the hell was Kiara standing up to him? That wasn't normal.

"I have no choice." He said quietly.

She raised her hand to strike him and in a move faster than the eye could keep up he grabbed her wrist, spinning her around and striking her neck, knocking her unconscious. Her head slumped back against him and he caught her around the waist, looking down at her with a deep unreadable frown on his face. Her powers vanished and for a moment I wasn't able to move forward. It wasn't because of her power, which was now gone…

I watched Alejandro look down at Kiara with a deep, thoughtful expression on his face, and I wondered what was going through his mind.

Why did it feel like I was intruding? I frowned, pushing the thought aside as I walked over to them.

"I'll take her." I said quietly.

He nodded, not even saying a word as he lifted her bridal style and placed her in my arms, almost gently.

I frowned as he turned away. A thought occurred to me… but it felt too far-fetched. No. It wasn't possible.

"Alejandro…" I began. What did I want to say anyway?

"I better go deal with those fuckers."

It was all he said before he rushed off in a blur.

‘I"m heading back to the mansion with Kiara.' I mind linked Liam. Quickly filling him in on what happened with Kiara.

‘Wait for us, we haven"t found our mates anyway.' Liam replied.

I looked down at my daughter, her cheeks stained with tears, as she sniffed in her sleep.

Who had hurt her? I intended to find out and if it was who I thought it was… Then what?