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S E P A R A T E D

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The boy was clawing at the Rogue's arm, trying strenuously to escape from his captor. However, his efforts were futile. Lucas struggled to breathe as Kaleb further tightened the hold he had around his neck. The two males were equally bruised and battered by this point in time but since Lucas was human, there was only so much he could endure before he'd finally crack. "I told you to stay out of this, didn't I? Fucking humans. Always trying to play the vigilant hero," Kaleb snapped menacingly.

Barely conscious, Lucas was lying on the floor. He thought that this was going to be the end for him but he didn't want it to be. He still had so many things to do, so many things to say. Black specks were appearing in his vision when he felt oxygen infiltrating his body. His lungs vacuumed the air in hungrily and a few seconds later he felt himself being dragged up to his feet by Kaleb.

"Stop it!" Irina shrieked, terrified. Lucas's eyelids were beginning to feel heavy, like they weighed tons, and he locked gazes with the girl before him. The image shattered his heart as he watched tears slipping from her eyes and then tumbling down her cheeks. She was crying because of him and that alone caused him a great deal of emotional pain.

"Kaleb! What the hell are you doing? Let him go!" Xavier shouted as he stood at the door.

"Why should I?" Kaleb growled darkly, placing his fingers around Lucas's slender neck yet again. "He should die. He deserves to die for trying to defy me." Slowly, Lucas's feet began to leave the ground as Kaleb lifted him into the air. Xavier wanted to intervene but was stopped when a hand pulled him back. He glanced at the woman who just shook her head, telling him that this matter did not concern him. But seeing Irina so torn and scared made him grit his teeth in frustration.

She reminded him so much of Lyra and that killed him inside.

"No! You can't do that to him!" Without thinking, Irina rushed over and clung onto Kaleb's free arm. "Please let him go. I'll do whatever you want," she sobbed pleadingly and out of desperation. She couldn't let her mate die. No, not like this. Not when there was still so much more for them to do together. She didn't even get to introduce herself to him properly. This was all so overwhelming and abrupt for Irina. However, she knew that she didn't want a tragic love story like her sister had with Xavier.

She wouldn't settle for that, never.

Her touch sent bolts of electricity streaming into Kaleb's body and he couldn't help but look back at her. His heart faltered when her face, filled with nothing but misery, came into sight and then it unexpectedly drummed out of rhythm. The anger pooling in his stomach began to disintegrate as well as he continued to stare at her. His eyes were emerald green and hers? They were golden auburn. It was obvious that both of them were undergoing stress and he could feel himself setting Lucas back to his feet.

"I won't kill him," he began. Irina tore her gaze from Lucas and looked at Kaleb, her breath hitching from the sobbing. "Only if you go back with me and do everything I say," he declared. The girl's mouth fell ajar as she released his arm. She stumbled back and shook her head in disbelief. Why was he so keen on taking her back to the forest? He didn't even like her. So why couldn't he just leave her alone? Irina didn't understand him at all. Not even the slightest bit. "It's either that or I'm going to snap this guy's neck in half. Right here, right now." Kaleb watched Irina tremble and although he didn't like witnessing her in such a frazzled state, there was nothing else he could. This was the only thing he could do. Well, that's what it felt like to him.

"D-Don't d-do it," came Lucas's faint and weak voice.

"Shut up!" Kaleb spat, not even looking at him. "Come on, Irina, you're running out of time. What will it be?"

Irina shifted her attention from Lucas to Kaleb before she clenched her eyes shut and bit back her cries. "Okay!" she agreed brokenly. "I will return with you and follow your orders as long as you let him live!" Having him alive was better than having him dead, she was certain of that fact. Yes, her acceptance of the compromise given meant they would have to part ways, but Irina was okay with it as long as he was still breathing. If he lived to see another day, that was what counted. She didn't want to be the cause for Lucas's premature death. She would never be able to forgive herself if she allowed her significant other to get murdered, especially not when she could have prevented it.

Her answer seemed to sit well with Kaleb as he smirked and brusquely tossed Lucas onto the bed. When the two were separated, Irina rushed over to his side. She carefully lifted his head up and her lamentation grew louder as she grazed her fingers over the cuts and bruises littering his angelic and handsome face. "I'm so sorry, Lucas. I didn't mean for this to happen," she whimpered. "I'm so sorry. You weren't supposed to get hurt." Her tears fell onto his skin. With the last bit of strength he could muster up, Lucas moved his hand and placed it over hers.

"Don't go," he whispered. His gentle plea made Irina want to stay. It made her never want to leave his side. However, she knew that if she was to do so—if she was to follow her heart—Kaleb would follow through with his words in return. The princess was stuck between Hell and Purgatory. She had just lost everyone she had ever loved and now, now she was going to lose the one person she could love. The options provided were unfair, Irina knew that. No matter what route she decided to take, the outcome wouldn't change. It would be the same.

She was going to end up losing Lucas one way or another and it was unfortunate. If she heeded to Kaleb, though, at least she wouldn't lose him to death. "I have to," she murmured as she began to hiccup due to the excessive crying. "I'm so sorry that I never got the chance to love you." She caressed his cheek and leaned down. Letting her eyes flutter shut, she placed a chaste kiss against his forehead as another tear escaped. "Goodbye, Lucas."

* * *

All Lucas could feel were warm lips against his bare skin. For a second, he couldn't remember anything, not even the person who was causing his heart to hitch in such a manner. He couldn't recall where he was or what had happened until he heard her sweet yet doleful voice speaking to him from somewhere amongst the dark abyss. "Goodbye, Lucas." Those two words caused his chest to tighten and Lucas felt like he was being suffocated. His face scrunched together; the expression he was currently sporting an unpleasant one.

It was as though he was being physically tortured, when in reality, no one was even harming him. Well, at least not anymore. The boy was not capable of seeing anything but he could hear her voice clearly. He picked up on the trembling and shaking as his mind replayed her words and then from a distance, he saw a white light. He approached it cautiously, uncertain of what it could actually be. It was only when Lucas was less than three yards away from removing all the distance that stood between him and the light that he realized the light he was seeing was actually not a light at all. It was, in fact, a girl.

Since he was standing behind her, the girl's identity remained a mystery to him. He had a hunch as to who she was. She was decked in a beautiful white dress that swept the floor with lacey sleeves that reached her wrists. Her hair was braided to the side and he could see flowers sticking out, almost like they were being used as accessories. Hesitantly, Lucas stretched his arm out to touch her but then he heard soft whimpers. She didn't have to turn his way for her body language said it all. The way she presented herself, with her slouched posture and all, told him she was crying.

In this sort of situation, the boy didn't have a clue to what action he should take. His heart ordered him to embrace the girl and when he took a step forward, ready to coil his arms around her petite body, she vanquished into thin air. "Goodbye, Lucas," she said again. Lucas wanted to call her back, her name resting on the tip of his tongue, but then a sharp pain pierced through his heart, almost paralyzing him.

The boy dropped to his knees as he gritted his teeth, fighting the pain. The feeling was indescribable but if there was any word close enough to explain what it was that he was experiencing, it would definitely be excruciating. It felt like someone was literally ripping his blood-pumping organ right out of his chest and before he knew it, he shot up out of bed, beads of sweat trickling down from his forehead. "Whoa, relax there, Lucas. It's just me," a familiar voice stated.

At the moment, Lucas's head was thrashing. His vision was also slightly impaired by black dots. He waited a minute or so before he shook his head. When things were visible to him again, he was greeted by the worried face of his cousin who was the same age as him. "Gabriel?" Lucas ran a palm over his face and winced, feeling all of the injuries he had obtained during his brawl against Kaleb. Then, the memories all flooded back and Lucas's eyes rounded. He snapped his head left and then right, only to discover that he was in his room. "Where is she?" he exclaimed frantically.

"Where is who?" Gabriel questioned, bewildered. "Lucas, stop moving so much. The physicians said you have to rest," he ordered but his cousin simply ignored him.

"Where is she? I have to find her. I can't let them take her away. Not like this," Lucas spluttered out, not really making sense. Next, he threw the blanket covering and keeping him warm off and quickly swung his legs over the side of the bed. He was about to stand up when nausea attacked him ruthlessly, followed by a sudden wave of fatigue. The room felt like it was spinning and just before he was about to collapse onto the floor, Gabriel caught him in the nick of time.

"What is wrong with you, you idiot?" He scowled, helping the taller boy back into bed. "I don't know who the hell you're rambling on about but you need to think of yourself first. You're still in the process of recovering," Gabriel reprimanded as he walked over to the nightstand and picked up the bowl of warm water. "Just what were you doing back in Collier so early? You weren't supposed to return until the winter."

"That's not the important part," Lucas growled, his head throbbing more violently now. It felt like somebody was beating his skull in with a sledgehammer. "How did I end up here? The last person I remember seeing was her."

"You ended up here because some of the guards found you barely conscious outside the palace. You don't even understand how enraged your father was when he saw how badly you were beaten up. He is definitely going to kill whoever did this to you. They're searching for the bastard who did this as we speak actually," he informed, wringing the excess water from the towel. "Here, wipe your face with this. You'll feel more awake and refreshed."

Sluggishly, Lucas took the cloth. "But what about her? Is she all right? Did you guys manage to find her?" All he could think about was Irina. He didn't care about his condition. No, all he cared about was her well-being and safety.

"Lucas, I honestly don't know who you are referring to. You were the only person found. There was nobody else around when they located you," Gabriel pointed out.

"But that's impossible. I-I don't remember being anywhere near the palace. I was in a room with her. She—she was crying and holding me. Gabe, I have to find her; who knows what that beast could do," he muttered desperately.

"I think you're still a little confused," the other boy sighed. "But I guess that's what happens when you've been asleep for a week."

"What?" Lucas shouted in shock. "No. This can't be happening. They're probably gone by now! She could be dead!" he panicked.

"What in the name of God has gotten into you? You're scaring me. I'm going to go fetch the doctor. Stay put or else I'm going to beat the snot out of you for not listening to me," Gabriel threatened as he made his exit.

"I can't stay here. I'm sorry, Gabe. She needs me." Rebelling against his cousin's command, Lucas stumbled out of bed and staggered over to the door. He didn't care about getting properly dressed either as he entered the corridor in his sleeping clothes. He glanced right then left. He made a right turn and held onto the wall for support as he moved slowly. His body was still weak and fragile since he had been unconscious and inactive for the past seven days. But the more he moved, the faster he regained his strength. His face and head still hurt like hell but that didn't matter to Lucas. Only she mattered to him. "Please wait for me. I'm coming for you."

* * *

Empty. That would be the only word to describe Irina at the moment. She felt completely empty and void as she on the bed she had been acquainted with for almost two weeks now. Her mind and heart were long gone and she was nothing but a soulless body. That's what it felt like to everyone else around her. She might have been there with them physically but mentally, emotionally and spiritually speaking? She was a lost cause. There was no way to get her back. It was practically useless.

With her head resting against the wall, she stared at nothing in particular and zoned out. Something she's done nearly every day since their return. Her legs were bent so that her knees were touching her chest. She was still wearing the dress she had left Collier in. Her hair was tangled and disheveled. Her eyes were bloodshot and huge black bags circled them. She hadn't washed or bathed properly in ages because she had no reason to. She didn't feel the need to do anything anymore to be honest. That included eating and sleeping as well.

The princess had, in other words, locked herself in the room.

She didn't speak to anyone. She didn't look at anyone. She just shut them all out. At first, Xavier tried to talk some sense into her. Convince her to bathe, eat and sleep but he got nowhere. It was as though he had better chances at conducting a meaningful conversation with a brick wall. That was how passive and unresponsive Irina had become. She hadn't uttered a single word to anyone. Not to Xavier, not even to Kaleb, the boy she had a burning hate toward. When they left the borders of her kingdom, she remained silent just as she was now.

Irina was incapable of experiencing any type of emotion. It was like when she had been forced to leave Lucas behind, what little remnants of humanity she still carried had been entirely destroyed. Her sanity was thrown in there as well. It was already too much that she had lost her whole family to death but now to lose her mate as well? There was no hope left for her. Irina was certain she would never be able to see Lucas again. And even if she did, by some miracle, run into him again it could be years from now.

By then who knows if he'll be in love with someone else. Someone who wasn't her. He'd probably forget her altogether. She was no one important to him. She was just a female werewolf he had taken in during a storm. A girl he had decided to accompany on her journey. Soon she'd fade away from his memories but he, he would forever stay etched in hers until the day she inhaled her last breath. She knew that for certain because he was her soulmate, her one true love.

He might not know it but she did.

- - -

Author's Thoughts: I don't even know where to begin  :( Just a heads up, you will learn a little more about how mates work in this world and among different races/species. This might be a spoiler, but Kaleb is still a main lead even though Lucas is her mate. There was a little hint in this chapter.

Be warned that the next chapter will contain mature content, which is why the book is rated m.