The Alpha's Blind Fate
Chapter 174: His All

Chapter 174: His All

The Damned

Definition: A group of people or organization or pack that have been declared to lack the status to be entitled to their life.

Synonyms: Outcast.

Once declared a Damned, the Damned must be executed at sight, regardless of the time and place.

While practice of the Damned has been abolished in most regions, the Iron Coast of the West still practises it fervently.

ZINA

"I’ve also learnt the reason behind your screams..." Daemon looked unsure even as he said the words. Almost as if he knew very well that Zina was scared to know about her origins.

She swallowed. Feeling thirsty all of a sudden. She was reminded that she had ridden nonstop back to the castle and it was just adrenaline that kept her awake.

"So you learn about it." Zina finally said, chuckling nervously. She would be lying if she were to say that scream didn’t bother her. In her dreams painted in blood, she could hear it there, and it further inflated her nightmares.

That was one thing she was unable to speak to Sybril about, because truly, she was afraid of what it could mean, what it could be.

Cold air washed over and she hugged herself, suddenly feeling self conscious. If anything, she wished the ground would open and swallow her whole that moment, but she knew her cowardice was unwarranted. Not when she had all but asked Daemon of her origins before as if she was almost accusing the man of keeping the knowledge away from her even when he informed her that the knowledge he possessed had holes in them.

When Daemon said nothing but kept staring at Zina strangely instead, Zina played with the waist rope of her clothes nervously as she asked hesitantly. "What about it? Last time we spoke about it, you made it seem like the knowledge you had was half truth at best."

Daemon broke the stare, nodding as he rubbed his face as if trying to rub away sleep. "Yes, until you screamed. That changed everything I thought I knew...."

Zina didn’t know what he saw on her face, but he trailed off, concern coloring his features. "Are you okay? Are you sure you want to hear about this?"

Zina laughed awkwardly. "Of course I want to." She said, and even the words didn’t sound convincing at all to her own ears. Because the intensity of his stare made her highly uncomfortable like he was tearing away at her defenses, she started pacing about the room, desperate for an escape which Daemon wasn’t generous enough to give her.

"It was the Matriarchy that dropped you at the forest where the WolfKnights finally found you as a baby."

The words seemed like an explosion that happened in water. No matter how impactful it could have ordinarily been, the sound was numbed by the water that surrounded it.

Zina stilled by the window, holding onto it for support lest she falls.

The Matriarchy abandoned her? Did that mean they were one of her parents? But they took a vow of chastity and even went the extra step of circumcision, surely there was some mistake somewhere?

Not like the circumcision prevented them from having children, but they were well known to carry their vows with an intensity that could destroy the world if that were remotely possible.

Zina regulated her breathing. "Is that why you manipulated the rogues to kidnap me? Because you were confident the Matriarchy would come for me?"

Daemon took grim steps towards her, his eyes shining with something quite foreign. It could be intelligence, it could be pride... Zina was too shocked to know which it was.

"Indeed." He answered, confirming Zina’s suspicion.

The goddess, was it really true?

Zina struggled with the words, and Daemon simply watched her struggle, not coming for her rescue. She knew what he was doing, leaving her to the torture and not aiding her to ask the question he probably had the answer to.

"Are... are they my parents?" She finally managed to force the question out, just the mere fact that the words were outside stunning her into stupor.

All her life, she had imagined that she ended up in that stupid forest because it was beyond the powers of her real parents. That was until Modrich had cruelly revealed to her that the people that abandoned her paid money to the WolfKnights.

That fact tortured her.... The fact that her parents would rather throw away money than raise her. That fact drove the last nail of abandonment deep into her heart, making her feel forlorn all over again.

"So I thought," Daemon answered, "that was until you screamed."

Until she screamed? What was Daemon on about? She didn’t need to ask him for he explained further.

"There is this Western Pack that was eliminated thirty five years ago. They are the only ones known to possess the ability to scream with their wolves."

Zina gasped. "It’s an ability?" She asked.

Daemon looked her over with renewed interest, moving around the now darkened room to light the candles.

"They were called the Screamers Pack. During the old times, there was much debate about whether they should be called a Pack or an organization. It wasn’t until thirty-five years ago that the powers unknown that ruled the West decided it was time for them to disappear. The true line of the Pack was already thinning out so executing them was easier than it would have been centuries ago."

Zina stood in a daze, collecting the information that sounded way too foreign to her. The fact that she was the product of a pack that was eliminated thirty-five years ago was too dramatic a concept for her to accept.

Forget the fact that it wasn’t remotely possible for her to be a descendant of the pack if they were truly executed thirty-five years ago, but the fact that she originated from a Western Pack? That was a truly hard truth to swallow.

Zina shook her head, as if trying to avoid Daemon’s words. It was all too confusing for her to take in.

If she was from this Screamers Pack as Daemon was alleging, then what does the Matriarchy have to do with her? It was all too confusing... and honestly, too scary.

Zina didn’t know she was falling until Daemon’s hands darted out to save her. Stormy eyes greeted her blue ones and she just wanted to be in his hands, forgetting all about everything.

Shame washed over her just as the thought crossed her mind. She was the one who was eager to know of her origins, and now, she was the same person who was running away from it.

The fact that she wasn’t rootless was a thing of joy... truly. At least, she had a pack. But what added to her fear was the grim expression that Daemon wore, an expression Zina was sure she mirrored.

His expression said there was more to the story. Way more.

Zina cleared her throat, standing upright with his help. She stepped out of his embrace, hating the vulnerability she showed.

"Do you know more?" She asked tentatively.

"I am afraid that is all I know. But I am almost sure that you’re from the Screamers Pack. They are the only ones known to possess such a deadly scream."

Zina nodded, her hands shaking terribly. The implication of Daemon’s words settled with her. If she truly were from a Pack that had been mass executed, then....

"The Screamers Pack must have been declared as the Damned, right?" Zina inquired carefully while Daemon’s eyes confirmed the same.

If they were the Damned, then naturally, if any were to hear her scream, the entirety of the West would come for her head.

Daemon saw through her thoughts just as they formed in her head. His expression darkened dangerously like he was out for blood.

"No one has the right to your life, Zina." He growled deathly.

The words were a velvet promise that wrapped around her, guiding her to his leading halo.

His fingers tipped her trembling chin up while Zina asked in a hoarse, shaking voice. "And why is that? What makes you think they won’t come for me?"

The man smiled darkly, the expression brutally stealing her breath away like she was beholding a touch of darkness itself.

"Because I intend to claim you, Zina. As mine, my mate, my wife, my Luna, my all."