Page 69 of Malcolm

“What if I don’t?”

Eliza paused and looked back at him.

“What?”

He grinned, closing the space between them. “What if I know exactly who you are and what you’re capable of?”

She glared at him; she didn’t like how he made her feel. She balled her hands into a fist at her side, “I don’t know what you’re trying to imply, but I suggest you think twice about what you say next.”

Even if she felt the crazy urge to run, she wouldn’t. Something told her that any form of retreat on her end would be seen as weakness, and the male in front of her would pounce.

“Beliel,” he suddenly said, straightening.

“What?” she said, her brow lowering in confusion.

“My name,” he said, “remember it." He licked his bottom lip. “You’ll say it a lot once I defeat your Alpha.”

“You’re disgusting,” she snapped, finished with the conversation.

Turning on her heel, she moved to leave.

“You know—” She paused at his words and half-turned to look at him again. He leisurely strode towards her. She wanted to retreat, but again, she didn’t. “I can’t shake this feeling that we know each other.”

Eliza didn’t confirm or deny; she was sick of talking to this asshole. He lifted his hand and pressed two fingers to his forehead. “Wait, I’m sure…ah. Yes, Phen. We have the same friend named Phen.”

The sound of waves crashed into her ear as her eyes widened. Chest tightening, Eliza tried to inhale, but it didn’t feel like she was breathing. Everything she wanted to say she didn’t as her consciousness dived. Her skin goose bumped as if she could feel the splash of cold water. The phantom sensation of fingers dancing delicately along her skin made her fight or flight kick in. He was here again, assessing and inspecting her. Phen was always eager to improve her, his cold eyes searching for something new to remove.

Pain shot through from the bottom of her feet to the top of her head as she felt the phantom sensation of being torn apart down to her soul. A terrible experience of it being yanked from her body and perverted till she didn’t know what her memoryand someone else’s. She shuddered, staring at the man’s gleeful gaze and stepping back from him.

“Stop.”

Eliza staggered as she took a step back.

Like a small animal, she curled forward and whimpered a soft “No.”

Right after, she turned and ran.

These stranger’s vile laughter followed her as she returned to her lodge.

Ripping the door open, she rushed in, not saying a word to the others in the room. Entering the bathroom, she closed and used magic to keep it closed.

“Eliza?”

“Ignore it.”

“Eliza!”

“IGNORE IT.”

She covered her ears and felt her Magic slip from her body, making it feel heavy. She wanted it all to stop. Go away, she prayed. She wanted them to leave her alone.

Inky black surged at her feet, the abyss-colored water rising to drown her.

“Why couldn’t she be normal?”

The blood in her veins had ruined her life, and now it wasn’t just her blood but her existence.

Where was the god her mother had prayed to?

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