"What were you thinking?" Eli barked, "I locked you in this room for a reason, Lowena. You need to remain pure until your birthday. You're too important."
Lowena rubbed her aching temples, groaning as he continued to ramble on. He's acting more like her father than a potential mate. When she returned yesterday, Eli was sitting on the bed in her room, angry and upset about her leaving. He was still there when she awoke, ensuring she didn't go again.
"Look," Lowena sighed, "Nothing happened. King Caspian eased the burning hot lava flowing through my veins."
"You need to"
"Remain a virgin until my birthday two nights from now," Lowena interrupted, "I know. Arcana informed me of my mother's side and my father's side. The fact that a hybrid like me is rare, and I can choose to marry whoever I choose, not you. I choose."
Eli's jaw clenched, and his fists tightened, "Tread carefully, Lowena."
"What if I don't?" Lowena taunted. If they choose me, I can select Kage, Caspian, Arcana, or God themselves."
Eli's eyes went from narrowed slits to shock, "Arcana told you about that?"
"Yes," Lowena confirmed, "There wasn't anyone there, though I did feel an eerie darkness."
Eli anxiously rubbed the back of his neck. "Why would you do such a thing? Is the thought of being a werewolf so bad? Do we repulse you that much?"
"No, of course not. This is all so new to me. I'm still learning myself and what I'm capable of," Lowena explained, "Knowing this world of myth that I had only read about in books and heard about in legends is true. I'm sorry if the thought of being able to choose what I was to do with the rest of my life inconveniences your plans."
"It's not my destiny I'm worried about. It's what you're destined for. You can achieve greatness and your freedoms; no laws apply to you. They never made laws because more hybrids are too dim-witted to need them. Your intelligence alone makes you desirable to any creature," Eli said.
Lowena backed down, guilt now flooding over her.
"I'm not going to do anything until I'm ready," she exhaled, "That might not even be on my birthday, who knows?"
"Whether you like it or not, you are part werewolf; you'll go into heat the night of your turning. It'll be suffocating, intoxicating. Nothing will satisfy you but the thought of someone shoving their dick in you or you ripping someone's throat out and tasting the thick copper of warm flesh and blood."
Lowena's cheeks flushed red, and her heart quickened with each word. It was like she was doused in a mist when she broke out in a chilling sweat.
"See?" Eli confirmed, approaching Lowena with lust-filled eyes, "Even my words excite you."
Eli pounced on Lowena, planting his lips on her, seizing the opportunity. His right hand grasped the nape of her neck as he shoved his tongue inside her mouth, devouring her innocence. He released a small amount of pheromones, causing her heart to quicken in her chest, the heat rising with anticipation. They stumbled back onto the table, Lowena eagerly wrapping her legs around Eli's waist.
Before they could continue, Kieran seized Eli's shirt, jerking him back from Lowena.
"What the Hell do you think you're doing?!" Kieran hollered.
Cade and the rest of the pack stood at the entrance and watched as Kieran and Eli began to fight. Eli swung his right fist, landing its blow on Kieran's jaw, followed by a kick to the chest, causing Kieran to stagger back.
Kieran crouched like a wolf, baring his teeth, his nails growing, and scratching at the floorboards. Within the blink of an eye, Kieran tackled Eli to the ground, punching him in the face.
"Stop!" Lowena's voice echoed in everyone's heads, including the packs.
Anger arose within Lowena, where the passion once was, as Kierana and Eli continued to fight. She could feel it boiling over into a fit of exploding rage, her eyes glowing red, baring her teeth, the alpha in her exerting its dominance.
"I said stop!"
Lowena's voice was so loud that everyone held their ears, nearly cowering in fright. It wasn't just the werewolf in Lowena showing its dominance; it was something else. The red glow in Lowena's eyes turned pitch black.
The house began to shake, with pictures falling from the walls and lamps falling to the floor and shattering upon impact. Lowena couldn't understand why, but she was angry. She was furious at everyone for trying to tell her what to do and not telling her the truth. Everyone was trying to pull her every which way. Everything.
The pack began to whimper and panic, and the house felt like it would come tumbling down.
"Lowena! Stop!" Kage warned, pushing past the werewolves. "Lowena, you need to calm down!"
Kage tried grabbing Lowena's hand, but with a jerk of her wrist, Kage flew back into the pack, knocking them down like pins being hit by a bowling ball.
"Lowena!" Caspian rushed in, "You're going to kill them if you don't stop!"
Lowena's eyes widened. She tilted her chin to the window, and Caspian flew through the glass to the ground outside. A cold darkness began to grow within Lowena and the room itself.
Unexpectedly, Melisandra cautiously hovered into the room.
"I don't mean you any harm," Melissandra reassured, "I just wanted to see how powerful you are.
The more Lowena's anger grew, the blacker her blood turned, her blackened veins exposing themselves beneath her pale flesh, matching the color of her pitch-black eyes.
"You are beautiful," Melissandra hushed.