Alara

Speeding past blurs of towns had calmed me down ever so slightly, I felt the adrenaline pumping through my veins as the metre rose in speed. I made sure to stay on isolated roads despite my clouded judgement I wouldn't risk hurting anyone else in the process.

The secluded road I drove down turned into thick forests, an open road leading to nothing, I had no idea where I was going, I was just driving until my legs gave out.

I rolled down the windows revelling in the wind brushing past my hair, and I had the sudden urge to scream into the deserted road.

I just wanted to shout out all my anger, to have it dissipate where no one else could hear it, have the chance to manipulate it to their own whims. A secret between me and the wind.

For a moment, I closed my eyes, which was stupid I know. Dangerous beyond belief, but I knew there was nothing else here, no one else here to harm.

The road was open, and long enough forward that if I closed my eyes for a few seconds nothing would happen. I closed them and just felt for a moment, the rough leather beneath my palm, the wind whispering sweet nothings in my ear, the skid of rubber against tarmac it's distinctive burning smell invading my nose.

And then I opened them again.

And I was back to reality, to me running away from my problems.

"Fuck, what am I going to do?" I cursed out hoping that some answer would just fall into my hands.

Wishful thinking I know.

That was when my phone rang, it was connected to the car via Bluetooth so my jovial ring tone sounded throughout the car.

I pressed the answer button on the console, seeing Cameron's name flash up on the screen.

"Hey," my voice was softer than it had been when I was shouting at no one.

"Alara, thank God, where are you?"

"I just went for a drive," I replied which was the truth in part.

"At least you haven't been kidnapped again," though the statement was supposed to be one of humour there was an undercurrent of relief in his voice.

It was then his voice wavered how I had never heard it do before, "Alara can you come home, we need to talk?"

At those words, I felt like I was being unravelled. Talk. About what?

The words 'we need to talk' never ended well and my mind began to race, maybe he was breaking things off. Maybe he realised I wasn't worth it.

I felt tears prick at my eyes.

"Talk, ok, yh I'll be home soon."

Before he could respond I ended the call, and let out a frustrated breath of air. I slammed my palm against the wheel feeling a fresh feeling of dread brew inside me.

A thousand possibilities coursed through my brain, this was definitely it. Cameron had realised I was far more trouble than I was worth. This was it. I wasn't enough for him and he had finally realised it, seen through the thin veil of a person I had presented to him.

I just wasn't enough.

I skidded to a stop at the end of the road, and began to cry, hot angry tears spilling from my eyes as I remembered every word that we had shared. Only a few days ago I had made him promise not to break my heart and now here we were.

He didn't need me anymore. He didn't want me anymore. I was just nothing.

Worthless.

"Shit," I wiped the tears from my eyes and grabbed the clutch putting it in reverse and turning the card around before speeding down the way I had come.

It didn't take me long to make my way home, and nerves ignited in me the moment I pulled into the driveway. For some reason the house looked far more solemn then it usually did, the lights were dimmed and there was little to no movement.

I began to wring my hands as I made my way to the door, the light that usually shone on the porch had a bused bulb so I had to fumble in the darkness to pull out my keys. In my rush they clattered to the floor I bent down to pick them up but couldn't find them.

Letting out a breath of frustration I pulled out my new phone that Cameron had bought for me and turned on the flashlight but by that point the door had been flung open and there Cameron stood.

I lifted myself from the ground clutching at my keys and when I rose to face him I was shocked by his state of disarray.

There was blood all over his shirt and staining his fingers.

"Oh my God," I gasped rushing forward and takin him in my arms, I pulled at his sleeves to see if their were any wounds, "What happened? Are you ok? Cameron, Cameron?"

I called his name out several times but he didn't answer, his face was clouded and it caused a knot to form in my stomach.

"I'm fine," he gritted out, he pulled away from my grasp and turned away from me. My heart sunk into the pits of my stomach at how distant he was being. I was right. He wanted to get rid of me.

This was it.

"Cameron?" my voice was a broken whisper pulling at threads of our relationship trying to hold on for dear life but he still wouldn't face me.

He walked into the living room and calmly spoke, his tone devoid of any revealing emotion, "Come sit down Alara,"

My breath stilled at his words. Alara?

No darling? No sweetheart?

Something was definitely wrong.

"Alara?" my voice was defeated and his back stiffened.

He said nothing in return, just sat on one of the chairs opposite the sofa.

I sat down, pinching at my hands out of nervous habit I didn't like this at all.

"When were you going to tell me?" his voice was a cool timbre, no ounce of anger or forgiveness just pure monotone speech.

"Tell you what?" my voice was shaking as I ground my shoe into the floor, my nails digging into my palms and my lips being pulled into my mouth.

"When were you going to tell me that it was my father who attacked the Wolfsbane ball?"

My eyes widened at the revelation, my throat constricting as I struggled for an answer, "I- I didn't know how."

"Did he say anything to you?" He stood from his chair stalking over to me a dangerous glint in his eyes and I couldn't ascertain whether it was towards me or his father, "That day when you burst into his office you were going to tell me then, why didn't you Alara?"

I never thought I would hate my name coming out from his mouth. But I did, I hated it so damn much. I wanted him to tease me beyond my wits end, to call me darling or sweetheart or anything else, just not my name.

"I-I"

He rose a brow, his gaze scrutinising my every movement, as anger flared in his voice, "Did he threaten you?"

In a way he had, "I- he did kind of I don't know what to say?"

"The truth would be appreciated," he had drawn closer so I could see very muscle feathering in his face, every glace he threw my way, the way he stood, his stance of power, "You know how much I hate liars."

"Cameron, I, I was going to tell you and that is the truth, but what you don't understand is that your father had something over me."

"What did he have?"

"Our marriage contract, did you ever read it?"

He didn't answer and my attitude shifted at the silence, "Oh my god," I rose from my seat as he looked away.

"You fucking knew!" I had never cursed at him before and the word felt acrid on my tongue, it almost burnt to say, "You knew about the clause that said I would basically belong to you. And you did nothing to change it. How could you? Do you really want to control me that much?"

"That was before I knew you," he tried to justify but the roles had been reverse it was my turn to be livid and hurt.

"You knew, you damn bastard," all the curses were coming out now as I pushed against his chest, fresh tears pooling at my irises, "And you're making me feel bad for not telling you about your father!"

"That's different," he gritted out but I wasn't having any of it, "I would've told you if your father didn't have that to hold over me. This is more your fault than mine. Do you even care? Did you ever care?"

"Care?" He spit the word with venom, "You think I don't care? If I didn't care why would I be angry? Why would I worry whenever I don't know where you are? Why would every waking moment be spent thinking about you and only you?"

My breath stilled, "You don't mean that. You don't need me. You don't even want me anymore."

"Alara-"

"Stop, stop calling me that!" I yelled. Another hot tear spilling down my face.

My hands shook as I grasped his shirt, "Whose blood is that Cameron?" I raised my voice once more.

He stared into my eyes, the green of them flickering between vibrant and dull, "Whose blood is it?"

"You knew I was a monster when we first met," he spoke deathly quietly his eyes never leaving mine, "Your first question was 'are the stories true?' well this is the proof, and I told you I never lie. This is who I am Alara, this is how I became the person I am. I take what I want when I want, I get the information I need through any means necessary and this," he clasped my hand pulling it so my palm rested on a dried patch of blood, "And this, this was what was necessary."

"So is this it," my voice wavered, "Do you want me to leave?"

His brow furrowed at the statement, "Why would I want you to leave?"

"Because I lied to you, I didn't tell you when I found out it was your father, and now I know you knew about the contract, how can we carry on? We're a mess, you clearly don't want me anymore."

"Alara, that's not true,"

"I thought you hate liars, don't become one."

"I'm not lying, I need you. I want you."

"No you don't..." I whispered fully believing every word that was spilling from my mouth, I tried to break away from him but his grip was far too strong.

"Do I need to prove it?" he asked his tone softening from the rage that previously filled it.

"You don-"

"Fuck it," he stated before he pulled me closer his lips capturing mine in a searing kiss.

They were soft against my own, I felt my eyes flutter close as he pressed more firmly a hand snaking around my waist and pulling me ever closer, the other hand warm and cupping my cheek. I could feel a stray tear fall from his eyes and land on my cheek before it became consumed in the kiss itself.

It seemed to be forever binding as both our tears mixed in with the long awaited kiss mixed into a promise that could never be broken.

A vow that could never be stolen.