The Alpha King's Nemesis-Chapter 213: To Each His Own Difficulties ()

Askel’s teeth grazed over Zariah’s sensitive skin and Zariah’s heart sank, despite the electrifying jolts that spread delightfully through her veins.

’He is going to mark me... strengthen the bond so I will be incapable of severing it.’ Zariah thought to herself in horror.

What did this mean for Zariah’s mission? She was already so close to gaining Caedmon’s trust, so close to finding out who the mastermind truly was by Caedmon’s influence.

Would everything she did so far become for nothing? There was little time left before the unfortunate day of the massacre, would she be left with no answers?

Caedmon was the only source Zariah had. The only link to the mastermind, the only part of the mastermind’s plan that Zariah had in her grasp.

If Zariah failed to track down the mastermind in time, would the past repeat itself? What would become of her people back home?

A thousand thoughts ran through Zariah’s mind in that split second as she struggled against Askel’s firm hold, but he did not budge.

"You cannot escape me... be good..." Askel warned, his tone still deep and animalistic.

"Askel, let go of me! Let go of me this instant! Don’t you dare do it! I do not consent!" Zariah screamed, struggling violently but it was to no avail.

Zariah felt Askel’s canines trail the length of her neck down to the crook of her shoulder, seeking a preferred spot to place his mark.

Zariah’s heart dropped to the pit of her stomach, with Askel’s mark on her, it would be over...it would all be over.

"Askel, this is not you...you will regret doing this when you are yourself again, so do not do it... I know you are there, Askel please..." Zariah pleaded in a shaky tone.

"I will not let you hurt me again, Zariah... I will make you incapable of doing so." Askel vowed in a low tone.

Zariah could hear it in Askel’s tone, he would certainly go ahead with it and wherever the Askel she knew was, she was also not in his good books.

"Askel, please... I do not mean to hurt you. You do not understand, I have my reasons. So many lives depend on this, I need you to trust me... please Askel, Please!" Zariah shrieked as Askel’s canines pierced her skin.

"Get away from her you bastard!" Darren’s familiar voice roared.

It was at that moment that Askel’s weight was forcefully and unexpectedly pulled away from her.

Zariah crumbled to the floor, clutching her bleeding neck. She glanced up to find a fuming Allen and Darren.

Askel had been flung across the cave and crashed into a rock by the side but he was already up on his feet again, his hands clenched and his eyes murderous.

Lucas was also present and he was quick to intervene before a fight broke out.

"I will take him away, you two must calm down!" Lucas said urgently.

"Like hell I will!" Darren snarled.

"Askel is not in his right mind! None of you are a match for him in this state and any further signs of aggression will push Askel’s true consciousness further away from reach! Just please stand down!" Lucas hissed.

"Listen to him..." Zariah said as she slowly got up to her feet.

Darren quickly hurried over to Zariah’s side while Allen remained in place, glaring down Askel.

However, Allen had eased his aggressive stance and it seemed to calm Askel too.

Though Askel’s eyes were still pitch black, his gaze moved to settle on Zariah and for a moment they just stared, Zariah held his gaze too, her eyes communicating her rage.

It took a moment, but Askel’s eyes slowly returned to normal and it seemed like it was in that moment he realized what he had just done.

"Zari, I..." Askel began to explain, taking a step forward.

A warning growl from Allen kept Askel in his spot.

"You were going to mark me without my consent." Zariah completed Askel’s statement in a blank tone.

Askel winced visibly, guilt reflected in his eyes.

"Tell me objectively that you had no hand in that. That none of it was you and there was not an ounce of your influence in that moment." Zariah asked directly.

Zariah hoped Askel could say that, that he had completely lost his mind to the darkness and the Askel she knew had no such thoughts or intentions.

But instead, Askel’s gaze moved down to the floor, he could not meet Zariah’s eyes and Zariah knew her answer was in that reaction.

"You wanted to...it only happened because it was what you wanted to do. In that moment, you were acting on your previously conceived will." Zariah murmured, chuckling derisively.

"Had my wolf been present...had I not exhausted my strength in the Sea Kingdom, had I not been injured by rogues, would you still have dared to force your will on me?" Zariah asked in a dark tone.

"Zari... I know I was wrong. I just... I do not know what came over me, I thought about it for just a brief moment..." Askel admitted,

"And I could not control myself." Askel finished, his tone thick with guilt.

"In my most vulnerable moment, you were going to overpower me with your strength... do you understand, how much you have dishonored me? I am an Alpha just as you! You deign to rob me of my will?!" Zariah hissed.

Askel had no words, he just stared in silence, his fists clenched at his sides. It was Lucas who spoke up.

"Alpha Zariah, Askel would never hurt you...he has his difficulties." Lucas tried helplessly.

"Just as I do mine. I believe it will be best if we each focus on our own difficulties... I will speak no more of this, I share my own blame and will accept the responsibility for being this weak." Zariah said blankly.

"Zari... listen to me..." Askel tried, his gaze alarmed at Zariah’s words.

But Zariah did not wait to hear what Askel had to say, she turned her back on him and strode out of the cave.