My Most Precious Human

Processing

The rest of the ceremony went smoothly… I think. My mind was elsewhere most of the time. I captured

the sight of those standing at the foot of the hill and couldn't think of anything other than my father's

unimaginable cruelty. He had sold a part of his own pack. He got rid of those who had come to the

Southern Woods Pack with my mother. I bet that he had done it once when he killed her. What could be

more disrespectful than selling members of her old pack as slaves? I couldn't bear the thought that I

had that monster's blood running through my veins, but I figured that I should at least make good use

of the genes he gave me: use them against him and against every wrong he had ever done.

Draven held my hand through the whole formal part, as if he was marking me as his, and I let him, not

completely consciously, but I did. I stood still with my eyes numbly registering everyone and no one at

the same time. My bewilderment successfully took away my attention from any kind of sound until the

ceremony was over, which I wouldn't have known if it weren't for Draven pulling my hand.

"Let's go, Lilith." He put a proud smile on his face. "Our new pack members invite us to the party

tonight. I'm sure they would like to get to know you."

"Yeah…" I muttered, slowly recovering from the state of daze. "I will gladly get to know them too."

He chuckled, leading me down the hill. I followed him obediently while keeping a mask of composure

glued to my face, but inside I was falling apart. I couldn't even express how badly I needed to be alone Content bel0ngs to Nôvel(D)r/a/ma.Org.

for a while, and looking at my current outfit, a shower, and a change of untorn clothes would have

helped greatly as well.

Once we got down, the currently former Scarlet Valley Pack members started to bow down to Draven

and me. They wanted to shake our hands as if they accepted our blessing. I was embarrassed when

they started to treat me like their queen, but looking at their hopeful faces shook my heart and made

me give them a warm smile despite having teary eyes.

As we passed through the crowd, Draven led us to the van. The rest of our group was already waiting

inside, including a grinning Ian and a miserably gloomy Jetta. Since her childish attitude was at the end

of my list of problems, I ignored her and sat in my previous seat.

"Where are we going?" I thought that I might be the only one unaware.

"We are staying at the town's best hotel," Ian explained. "Alpha and you could have stayed at the

mansion, but we would have to clean all the bodies first," he chuckled wickedly.

"So… do we have any other assignments for today?" I asked shyly.

"No." Draven turned his head towards me. "You will all be given rooms to freshen up, and your only

responsibility will be to participate in the party, which starts at 8 PM."

Draven's statement caused an excited uproar within the car, and I couldn't be more relieved knowing

that I would be able to rest. I was unable to tell how many hours I had been running on fumes. I pushed

myself beyond the limits of exhaustion far too many times in a row.

I felt like crying when I opened the door of my hotel room. I don't think I had ever been this excited

about seeing a bed and a pillow. The only thing that stopped me from throwing myself onto the sheets

was the way I stank. A combination of blood and sweat was something I needed to get off of me ASAP.

I threw my backpack on the floor and got myself naked, hurriedly losing what was left of my clothes. I

closed the shower cabin door and turned on the semi-hot water. The painted confidence fell off my face

as the water began to wash away the signs of my fights, giving way to tears. I wasn't able to name one

reason why I was crying. I was overloaded with emotions and had to get rid of some of them instantly. I

was slowly acknowledging the purpose of my participation in this war. I felt like I had to prove that I was

worthy of my mother's and Ezra's sacrifices, and my contribution to freeing the members of my

mother's pack was a good start. At the same time, I wondered if Draven knew about the Moon Lake

Pack members working as slaves for the Scarlet Valley Pack before we got here. If so, I would have

been pissed at him for not telling me sooner and using me to get all of them on his side.

After an hour-long shower, I became more emotionally balanced. I processed my feelings, sending

prayers to the higher powers to take care of the souls of my mother and Ezra, with the promise that I

would take time to mourn them properly after the war was over. At that time, I needed to focus on the

upcoming battle against the Southern Woods Pack. The mere thought of standing in front of my father

again filled me with rage. I wanted him to suffer, at least as much as all those people he had harmed.

Once I blow-dried my hair, I put on a loose T-shirt and hopped on the bed to relax. Only then did I

realize how tense every muscle in my body was. I lay on the bed motionless for fifteen minutes before

my limbs were able to work again. It helped. It was yet another time when I was grateful for my

regeneration abilities.

Mobilizing my lazy joints, I reached for the phone, which welcomed me, flashing with information about

ten missed calls. I snorted, thinking that Martha must have been worried sick again, but once I

unlocked the screen, I saw that the notifications came from… Sariel.

An electric wave rushed through me, reminding me that his name was still deeply engraved in my

heart. I debated with myself whether to call him back. My hesitation increased as I thought of that

unnamed something that was between Draven and me, surfaced in my mind. Should I feel guilty for

letting Draven kiss me and hold me in his arms the way he did? Of course, the other part of my heart

scoffed at my sudden strike of guilt, reminding me of how Sariel treated me and that I shouldn't feel

morally burdened over opening myself to the relationship with my allegedly destined mate. On the other

hand, I couldn't just switch the "love for Sariel" button inside my heart, especially considering that time

began healing the pain he caused me, making way for a more cold and rational explanation, which I

began to understand.

I took a deep breath and, telling myself that it was only natural to call someone back, I picked Sariel's

number. I swallowed, listening to the long waiting signals before I heard his velvety, deep voice.

"Lilith?" Coming out of his lips, my name sounded sweet and sensual.

"Hello…" I breathed hesitantly.

"You called me back." I heard relief in his voice.

I blurted out, quite hysterically, "I wondered why you called me so many times."

"I needed to know that you are safe. I had to hear your voice," he explained, his tone smooth and

alluring.

"I'm all right," I stated, fisting my hand.

"You don't sound all right at all." His words pierced right through me.

I gasped and froze. How could he notice something I tried to cover so well? Everyone, including

Draven, believed me when I said I was fine, even when I spoke through agonizing exhaustion.

"What happened, Lilith? Tell me," he commanded softly.

I pushed air into my lungs as if I wanted to boost myself with courage. "I learned that my mother

challenged my father to fight for leadership and my father killed her. I learned that my teacher and a

friend had been tortured for I don't know how long and died, most likely a painful death… and I killed

someone…" I swallowed salty tears I didn't know I shed. "I took someone's life."

"You knew the one you killed," he said as if he knew.

"Yes," I confirmed, taking another sharp breath, "I killed Derek… He was the one who tortured Ezra," I

explained nervously.

Sariel stayed silent for a while, then he whispered to the phone, "I wish I could be there with you. If I

were, I would have held you tight and let you cry all the anger and pain you carry in that precious heart

of yours."

The stream of my tears painted wide lines down my cheeks. It felt strange. I always tried to hide my

pain in front of Sariel. I could be angry and frustrated, but I didn't want to show him the weak, emotional

side of me. I had never imagined myself telling him anything that had bothered me or hurt me, and the

fact that I told him everything so easily surprised me. Nonetheless, the fact that he was willing to

embrace this fragile side of me was so much more unexpected.

"I wish to hold you until you know that you have done the right thing, and then I would let you know how

much I regret pushing you away from me," he continued, "It is killing me that I cannot touch you this

very moment. I want to feel your skin against mine. I want to prove to you that your heart was right to

choose me, just as my heart knows that you are the one I have waited for my whole life."

I took shallow, insufficient breaths that forced my heart to race. Sariel's words, the way his voice

sounded, I knew it was sincere. I knew that he meant it. I covered my mouth so he wouldn't hear my

heart calling for him in a desperate moan.

"The degenerates are gathering close to Greystoneville. It is our destiny that pushes us to be together.

We will see each other in less than a week. Wait for me." Raw emotions surfaced in the tone of his

voice, making my reality painful.

I stood up from the bed and walked to the window while gathering my courage to speak.

"Sariel…" I muttered with my chest squeezed. "I have to tell you something… Draven and I-"

"Do you love him?" he asked restlessly.

"I…" I rubbed my chest as if I was looking for an answer, "No," I replied.

"Then just wait for me, Lilith," he said, clearly smiling.

"Sariel…" I breathed, hoping to find the right words to say.

"Trust me, Lilith. Once we meet again, it'll all become clear," he claimed, confidently.

"Fine…" I agreed shyly, my lips curving into a warm smile.

"See you soon, Lilith," he purred, making my whole body shiver.

"See you soon, Sariel," I responded with a soft giggle as I finished the call.

My face was blushing, and a stupid, teenager-in-love kind of smile couldn't leave my face. I turned

around to put down my phone and froze. Draven was standing on the threshold of my room. His pupils

were blazing red, his jaw was tense, and everything in his expression screamed that he had heard at

least the last part of my conversation with Sariel.

Glaring at me, he stepped inside my room and closed the door behind him.

"Is this fucker trying to make his way back to you?!" he roared, sending a terrifying vibration through

every surface in the room.

I gulped.