Dying rose

Elijah’s Point of view

I pushed Clarence on the bed. Excitement was visible on her face, watching me stripping down to my underwear. Without breaking our eye contact, I threw my long sleeves off the floor and climbed on top of her.

"Devour me, Elijah. Make this evening enjoyable for both of us!" she uttered in her seductive tone.

As I tried to pin her beneath me, I removed the blanket which covered the upper part of her body.

"You don't need this anymore. The heat of my body is enough to keep you warm tonight,” I remarked and leaned down to claim her lips.

She kissed me back roughly, as if a rabid monster devouring her prey. I was astounded, as Clarence had never been aggressive like this before. Desperation could be felt with how her lips claimed mine. I reached for her hands and placed them above her head. I withdrew from her kisses and tied her hands to the headboard using the blanket.

"Oh my goodness . . . this is something I genuinely missed about you, El. Do whatever you want to me. I’d be happy to be your submissive object . . .” Her eyes were filled with lust and desperation as she uttered those words to me.

I let out a sigh and made sure that her hands were tied enough so that she couldn’t make any other move. I got off the bed, grabbed my clothes and started wearing them.

I heard Clarence huffing out of frustration. “Elijah! Can you tell me what you're doing?"

I breathed sharply and rubbed the bridge of my nose with my left hand. I couldn’t deny that she was a real headache to me. I thought high of her; she had a smart mind and outstanding personality that made me want her in the past. However, seeing how she acted right now, I had to say that it was unexpected and intolerable.

“We shouldn’t meet anymore. Have a great night, Clarence,” Was the only thing I said as I didn’t want to further offend her.

I did hope she’d be able to understand me, but the moment she started screaming like a lunatic on the bed, she only fueled my rage even more.

"I don’t understand why you’re choosing that garbage over me, Elijah! I was there when you needed someone to tend on you! I am the only one who can understand you the most and the only female werewolf who can satisfy your needs! Why can’t you choose me like what you did in the past?!” she asked.

"To my judgment, you don't deserve any further explanation from me. We've reached the end of the road. Atasha will become my Luna," I replied firmly, and didn't waste much time to provide answers to all her questions.

It was not part of my obligation to explain it all to her. Sure we had a relationship in the past, but my feelings for her had ended for a long time. Moreover, I still wanted to give her an ounce of respect despite the improper behavior she had shown me tonight.

I thought I made myself clear but she screamed once again and bursted into tears, which I found extremely repulsive.

“That's crap!” She laughed hysterically. "I will never agree with that. You haven’t found your mate yet! I’m certain that she’s not even your mate!” Then she laughed sarcastically.

My jaw clenched with her remarks. I wanted to keep myself under control but Clarence pushed me to my limit.

“Does it really matter if she isn’t my mate? Because I believe it is no longer important,” I responded as I looked at her warily. “I will tell you again, in case I need to repeat myself, Atasha is the only woman I want to become my Luna. Not anyone else, not even you, Clarence.”

I didn’t want to sound rude and offensive at all but this was the truth I wanted her to understand. I wanted to put an end to her fantasies — that our relationship was significant and needed to be rebuilt — when in fact I had forgotten it a long time ago.

She made me experience how it felt to have a girlfriend for the first time and volunteered to be my escape route when my father started to set me up into an arranged marriage to different shewolves . . . she made me feel in love for a brief moment, but it didn’t go any deeper. Perhaps I thought I loved her so much before, but I realized it wasn’t the case now anymore.

“Elijah, you don’t love her at all! That means there’s still a chance available for me.” She gazed at me desperately. “Please, just choose me and take me away from this hellish life. I don’t belong in this place!”

My eyes narrowed as I watched her breakdown. Was she even for real? I couldn’t listen to all her whines anymore. I didn’t know where she got the audacity to act this way. I recalled how Atasha told me that she valued Clarence as a friend, a second family . . . but I bet Clarence didn’t feel the same thing toward her from the very start.

“Do you know that Atasha treated you, Leo and the rest of the people who lived here in the East land as her family? How could you do this to her, Clarence?” I said, full of disgust. “And this place you call hell, Atasha calls it her new home! I don’t understand why you said it is hellish.”

If it weren't for Atasha, I would not have wanted to dance with this imbecile in the first place. Even though I was tempted to have an affair with her right now, I had always been able to maintain my emotions and lust in check. In order for me to liberate my soul from temptation, I had to swear to Moon Goddess that I would not associate with any other she-wolves unless it was Atasha Greene, because I had to admit that I would not want her to be in a situation where she’d enter a relationship or would be open to other male werewolves out there too.

"I didn’t want to live in a powerless community, Elijah. I’ve done a lot of great things and I deserved to get more because I’ve worked hard for it. I deserve many greater things in life, and being a member of the Silver Moon pack didn’t give me any of it. I just wanted to have a life I could be proud of, someone I could be with and when I met you, I felt that my dreams became true. Elijah, I'm worthy of someone like you in my life. I've done everything in order to be capable! I have intelligence, beauty and strength and I am confident that I have what it takes to be a Luna!”

I shook my head as I looked at her in disbelief.

“Clarence, I apologize. No matter how much you try to become my Luna, I am afraid you’ll never get what Atasha has. You’ll never be like her.” I turned around and headed toward the door of the room.

"So, what is it that she has that I don’t? Please tell me!" she shouted. I turned my gaze on her for one last time.

"She stood up against Alpha Gregory, completely aware that she’s unable to shift into her wolf form and still risked her life to be with me even though my father threatened to kill her.” My breath stopped in my throat. “Something that you were unable to do because you’re selfish and weak.”

Tears began to flow from her eyes, jaws fell down and lips quivering. I regret hurting her feelings with my offensive words but that was my last straw to make her stop.

I reached for the doorknob, and as I opened it, I was surprised to see Atasha standing there outside. She was bewildered, and I noticed that her eyes were drawn to Clarence, even more shocked to see her friend naked.

I did feel that I was caught off guard and a slight feel of panic hit me inside. I could see the dismay in her eyes. She then moved away from me and even apologized for the trouble she may have caused. I attempted to give her an explanation, that what she saw was a simple misunderstanding.

But then, the emotions in her eyes changed, and when she spoke, I felt that it wasn’t her. Her voice was cold, and every word had a point, which made me feel overwhelmed up to the point that I didn’t know what to say in response to her statements.

Regardless of the rationale, anything she said made me devastated. Even though I understood that we hadn’t reached any sort of agreement of not seeing anyone while we were in this mutual partnership, the fact that she thought it was fine with her if I entertained she-wolves and slept with Clarence, it was just truly absurd.

I wanted to assure her that there was nothing going on between me and Clarence. However, when both heard a shout from Clarence inside the room, Atasha became colder. I groaned inwardly, annoyed with the fact that Clarence had done it on purpose to further inflict conflict between me and Atasha.

“Get inside. She’s waiting for you,” she said, which made the situation worse.

I struggled for words to say. When she turned her back on and walked away, all I could do was watch her. She ran fast, as if I had an infectious disease that needed to be kept away from. When she was gone, a nurse approached me and inquired if everything was okay.

“Do you mind if I stayed a couple of more minutes with Clarence?” I asked.

The nurse shook her head. “I don’t mind at all. You can call me in the nurse station if you ever need something.”

I thanked her and then she headed to the nurse station.

“What the fuck is wrong with you, Elijah!” I sucked in a breath and instantly punched the wall behind me. “What the hell did you do . . .”

I stayed there for a minute, trying to calm myself down as if I didn’t do it, then Moon Goddess would’ve known what I would do with Clarence for messing around. When I felt a bit calm, I went back to Clarence’s room and without saying anything, I untied her hands.

“Get dressed,” I commanded her in a cold tone of voice.

"No way in hell am I going to do it," she stated, then stood up while she licked her lips.

I snarled at her, my hands immediately gripped her neck and eyed her angrily. "Quit playing, Clarence! Put on your damn clothes!"

“Elijah!”

I gritted my teeth, continued to gripped her neck, wanted to tear her apart but still managed to release her when I saw her battling to breathe. She caught her breath and got dressed instantly out of fear.

"You know what, El? I missed how you used to choke me so hard while you were grinding on top of me.”

“I don’t give a fuck, Clarence. I’ll take my leave and please, do not ever follow me.”

"Elijah, it is not too late to reevaluate your decision. You may count on me, I promise. I’ll be there if you need me, or if you need my body . . . I can provide you with whatever pleasure you might need, which Atasha cannot.” She expressed herself with her seductive voice.

I decided to ignore her as the more I speak with her, the more she’d only try to say a lot of nonsense things, which I’d never want to hear any longer. I exited the room in my black suit, which I had brought with me. A nurse came and so I requested to keep a check on Clarence.

I dashed out the front door of the clinic and returned to the coliseum, where I was hoping to see Atasha immediately. I walked right up the stairwell and as I approached the front door, I noticed Veronica, who seemed to be searching for someone.

"Hey, Veronica. Why are you here? Where’s Atasha?”

“I don’t know. I’m looking for her too. She just disappeared from the ballroom earlier. Zach tried to find her and guess what? Both of them are missing now!” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath. “Let me use my auditory ability and find where they are lurking.” She stopped for a moment, opened her eyes and looked at me. “I could hear the worry based on our heartbeat.”

My brows furrowed. “And so?”

She smirked and crossed her arms on her chest, giving me a malicious stare. “Is there something going on between you and Atasha?”

“Do I have to answer that?”

She raised a brow and looked at me intently.

"Elijah, if you truly care about Atasha, you need to work on resolving your feelings for her," Veronica remarked. I was completely baffled about what she was talking about.

Did I even have any feelings towards Atasha?

"She’d become my Luna so I think I have a right to be concerned about her. It's simple as it is. I don't know what you mean about resolving my feelings for her," I stated.

I didn’t even know if those things I said made any sense but she didn't say anything and simply rolled her eyes at me.

"I was merely teasing you, and you're getting all worked up about it!” She grinned. “Anyway, I could feel them. They are just near this place.”

“We better go where they are then.”

“She’s with Zach. Just so you know,” Veronica remarked.

I pressed my lips together to form a thin line. My sister just chuckled and then headed somewhere. I followed her lead and minutes after, we found Atasha and yes, she was with Zacharius. Damn it! They were sitting on the swings from the park, and I noticed Atasha's face was glowing while she looked at Zach, which made my chest feel heavy.

My jaw constricted, and I squeezed my teeth firmly.

"Don't they look adorable together?" said Veronica as we made our way towards them.

“What? No way in hell," I said.

"Sure they are! Once we get home, Zach will become Atasha’s new master and you will have to spend your life with me in the dungeon for several months. So I advise you to say goodbye to your contracted Luna.” She wiggled her brows and chuckled afterward.

Even though I was fucking annoyed when I heard those words, I had to keep my emotions concealed as my sister wouldn’t stop telling nonsense litany.

"I'm confident that I can turn things around, Veronica," I responded calmly after a few seconds.

“Whatever. You’re still stupid, Elijah.” She shrugged her shoulders off.

However, I had to say that I was a bit scared about the thought that Atasha would be separated from me throughout the six-month detention period that we would be subjected to. What if she’d fall head over heels toward Zach? What would happen to us by then?