ONYX✔️

Chapter 4

"I can walk on my own, you know," I told Thane, who hadn't released me from his grip since he first picked me up.

He looked down at me in amusement, his mouth quirking to the side. "Yes, Onyx, I do know. Did you know that you're far too slow and we won't cover enough ground if you walk yourself?"

I huffed at him. "Okay, rude! I'm not a completely incompetent wolf. I've survived as a rogue for like a decade and a half."

His striking green eyes softened. "I know, little one. I'm sorry you had to live this life. While we're on the topic though, why did you become a rogue? I'm assuming since you were so young it wasn't your choice?"

I cringed at the memory of destroying Killian's arm. "I don't want to talk about it," I mumbled.

Curiosity deepened in his gaze, but suddenly he jerked his head to the side and stared into the distance.

"What are you looking at?" I asked him, confused by his behavior.

"There's someone coming. Not one of my men. A rogue, likely," Thane didn't sound worried, only vexed, as if a rogue was just a slight irritant rather than a legitimate threat.

He set me on my feet. "Don't move. I'm going to go neutralize the threat."

"You're leaving me alone?" I asked, slightly panicked. Despite my Gift, I always felt anxious being alone in the woods. I knew that I wasn't a very strong wolf, and it would be easy for someone to incapacitate me if they caught me off guard.

Thane gave his signature crooked smile. "Don't worry, little wolf. This won't take long. Plus, my men are stationed all throughout the woods. You'll be safe, I promise."

I nodded, but felt uneasy. Thane sprinted into the distance. As a rogue, I knew what kinds of things went down in the woods. Rogue on rogue violence was common, but I also knew that the Reaper could always come too. His slayings of rogues were always gruesome. I came across some of the bodies while I would travel through the woods with Greyson.

Greyson in particular had a vendetta against the Reaper. He wouldn't tell me why, but any time he was brought up, Greyson would get incredibly angry and distant.

I stood in place, looking around the woods, not wanting a wolf to sneak up on me while Thane was gone. Despite what Greyson said about him, I felt undeniably safe when I was with Thane. Possibly because of the mate bond, but also possibly because I couldn't think of any wolf that would be strong enough to take him on. He exuded power and strength.

Suddenly, I felt a hand grasp my shoulder. I jumped, and was about to scream when a hand was placed over my mouth.

"Relax, Nyx, it's just me," I was relieved to hear Grayson's voice.

"Stop doing that! You're going to give me a heart attack!" I whisper yelled at him. I knew if Thane heard me he would come running back.

"Sorry, sorry. I just had to apologize for what I said earlier. You know that's not what I meant. I don't think that death follows you, Onyx. My issue is with Thane and Cain, not you," He said, and grabbed the side of my face so that I was looking at him. His thumb stroked my cheek. It was a familiar gesture that had been comforting over the years.

I nodded. "I'm not mad about the comment anymore. I just don't understand why you hate them so much. The Blood Alpha, sure I guess he sucks. But you haven't seen the way Thane is with me. He's gentle and sweet. Not at all a deranged, power-hungry Alpha."

Grey continued stroking my cheek. "Oh, Nyx. I know that's what you truly believe. But I have been around more Alphas than you, and believe me when I say that they are all the same. Full of rage, jealousy, and most of all, violence. You hate violence," he pointed out.

I frowned. He wasn't wrong. I cried when I saw him kill a rogue for the first time, even though the rogue was trying to kill us. Since then, he always waited for me to leave until he killed a rogue.

"Nyx, we can run East and stay in uncharted territory. There won't be too many rogues, and you don't have to go with Thane. You have options here," Grey pleaded, and his hand dropped from my cheek and grasped my wrist. "Let's go before Thane gets back."

"I'm beginning to think you don't want that arm," Thane's bored voice called out from a few yards away.

Grey's eyes didn't leave mine. "Fuck off, Thane. Onyx is an adult. She can choose who she goes with."

My eyes darted back and forth between the two men. I hated making choices. Being indecisive was one of my greatest weaknesses.

"She is going with her mate. That is final," Thane's voice was cold, calm, and calculated. "If you try to stop me from taking what's mine, I will rip your heart out from your chest and feed it to my prisoners."

I passed out.

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I woke up to the sound of Thane and Greyson arguing. My head was swimming as I struggled to listen in on the conversation.

"She can't handle violence, you idiot! She hasn't been exposed to the same kind of brutality that you packs live by," Greyson hissed.

"She will learn," Thane bluntly said. "It is her destiny."

"No, it is her choice. Mate bond or not, she will always be able to make her own choices," Grey argues.

"I don't disagree, pup. I have no desire to control her or do anything to her against her will. The only flaw in your logic is that she does want me. She will always want me. It's not some adolescent crush like you have. This is a mating bond, pup. You will understand once you find yours. Until then, stay out of my way or I promise you that I will kill you. The only reason you're alive right now is because I don't want to upset Onyx." Thane coolly spoke, but I could hear the threat in his tone.

"You're confident because of the mating bond, Alpha," Grey sneered at him. "But she was starting to fall for me even without some weird magic Moon Goddess bullshit. She is forced to be attracted to you. I don't need her to be forced." I could tell how smug he was, even with my eyes closed.

"Oh yeah? She's awake now and eavesdropping. Let's ask her," Thane didn't sound any less confident, despite Grey's comment about me falling for him.

Wait a minute.

Ah frack. Busted.

BOOK 3 OF THE GIFT CHRONICLES IS NOW UP.

TITLE: LETHAL.

PROLOGUE AND CHAPTER 1 UPLOADED.

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VVITICUS