Chapter 6: Someone different

Zyra POV

My jaw dropped as I beheld the figure before me. My imaginings had not been in vain; the Lycan standing in front of me was as breathtakingly handsome as I had always envisioned. But his presence also emanated an eerie intensity that sent shivers down my spine.

"Territory?" I managed to stammer, my voice trembling with unease. "What are you doing here?" he retorted sharply, his voice cold and rough.

Caught off guard, I struggled to find my words. "Uhm, I... I'm sorry," I blurted out, hoping to defuse the tense atmosphere. His scoffing response only deepened my anxiety. "Sorry? Does that even answer my question?" he replied, his tone dripping with skepticism.

Feeling a surge of fear, I instinctively took a step back, creating a bit of distance between us. It was as if every survival instinct within me screamed to escape from his formidable presence. However, curiosity still gnawed at me, urging me to uncover the reason for his unexpected appearance.

"Uhm," I cleared my throat, trying to gather my courage. "I apologize if I've intruded, but I'm genuinely curious about your purpose here."

His penetrating gaze remained fixed upon me, intensifying the unease I felt. I couldn't help but wonder if he harbored any intentions of pouncing on me like some wild beast. Suppressing these thoughts, I reminded myself to remain calm and composed in such an intimidating presence.

"Are you supposed to be asking me that, or should I be asking you?" he snapped, his voice growing harsher. "Young lady, you are in my territory," he repeated, his tone leaving no room for argument.

Realizing my mistake, I quickly responded, "Oh, yes, you're right. I'll just leave." I turned to walk away, but before I could take a step, he swiftly moved towards me, blocking my path. With a forceful grip on my shoulders, he pushed me back against a tree. Pain shot through me, causing me to let out a weak yelp.

Bewildered, I managed to utter, "What? You're hurting me." Surprisingly, his expression softened as he registered my words. It seemed that he possessed emotions like any responsible person would. Slowly, he released his grip, taking a step back while I fell to the ground, gasping for breath. Although I could still feel his gaze upon me, I chose to ignore it.

"You should leave and go back to your people," he said dismissively. I raised my head to meet his eyes and replied, "I... I can't go back. If I do, that thing would kill me." My voice trembled with fear and desperation.

Sighing, he crouched down to my level, his demeanor showing a trace of remorse. "I caused it, I made it. You should leave. It's too dangerous for you here," he conceded. Rolling my eyes, I retorted, "Oh, so I should go back and be considered what? A killer? Do you have any idea what Alpha Cade would do to me when he finds out his members are dead?" My frustration bubbled over, and I couldn't help but raise my voice.

He squeezed his face at me, clearly exasperated. "I saved your ass, young lady!" he fired back. I couldn't hold back my anger any longer. "No, you didn't! You only added fuel to the fire!" I cried out, gripping my head with both hands. The sheer weight of the situation weighed heavily on me.

"You didn't do it, I did. And he should believe you," Marcus shrugged dismissively. My scoff was filled with bitterness. "Easy for you to say. But let me tell you, Cade is not human. He has no human feelings, and he will never agree to it. He hates me, and you should hate me too. So why are you still standing here with me?" My frustration turned into a torrent of tears as I collapsed onto the ground, unable to contain my emotions.

As I sobbed, I confessed, "Cade rejected me as his mate. I know I'm not supposed to tell you this, and I'm not seeking sympathy from you either. I just can't go back after what you did. He will never believe me, and Cade is my living hell." The weight of my words hung heavy in the air, a painful reminder of the torment I had endured.

"Oh, sorry about that," he replied apologetically. Shaking my head, I responded, "It's nothing for you to be sorry about. I'm the one who should be sorry. And you know what? You're right." Wiping away my tears, I gathered myself and stood up from the ground. "It is dangerous for me here, and I should go back before I get eaten by wolves," I admitted with a scoff.

"You can fight back," he offered. Rolling my eyes, I retorted, "A wolfless creature like me?" I began to walk away, dragging my feet slowly along the ground. But then he asked, clearly surprised, "Wolfless?"

I paused, turning my back to see his face. I expected him to laugh or smile, but to my surprise, he showed no signs of amusement. "Yes, duh! Go ahead and hate me, abuse me like everyone else does. I'm used to it already. It's not like I chose to be this way," I bitterly replied, expecting some form of negativity from him. But he remained silent.

Curiosity getting the better of me, I stopped and turned back around to face him fully. I wanted to gauge his reaction. Would he mock me or offer some kind of sympathy? When I looked at him, I found that he neither smiled nor laughed. His expression was serious.

"What? Isn't it funny?" I forced out a laugh, feigning indifference. He shook his head gently and replied, "No, it's not. Not at all." His voice, once cold, had softened and taken on a low tone.

Surprised by his unexpected response, I fell silent, unsure of how to react. It seemed he saw beyond the surface, beyond the labels and judgments that others placed on me.