It felt as though I was being strangled once more, but Dustin's attack couldn't compare to the way I felt right now.

I felt as though there was cold water clouding my lungs and swimming in the back of my throat, creating a tight feeling in my body as I begged for air.

My back was arched as I fought the feeling of suffocating and dry drowning, I couldn't hear anything other then a popping noise in my ears and my eyes were shut tightly as I fought the fire burning in my lungs.

My stomach hurt, and I felt as if my hips were being stabbed continuously making me want to hurl, and cry out at the same time.

As I fought, hoping that someone could bring me some air or get the water out of my system, I felt my body being pushed sideways, while someone pressed a hand in the middle of my back roughly, making my back arch as a wave of salty bile rose up my throat.

The hand continued pressing against the middle of my back, pushing the bile forwards — but soon after I realized that it wasn't bile that was being pushed but the cold water from the stream.

I coughed harshly as water traveled out of my mouth and nose; my lungs were still tight but not as tight as before as I heaved and spit out bits of water. Soon after, my body was laid back onto my back.

I gasped, the water was no longer in my system but I couldn't breathe, nor could I open my eyes which were squeezed shut as I continued my fight for air — my body thrashed aggressively, as if I was a dying fish.

And all too quickly something was pressed against my lips, sending sparks throughout my whole body and cool air into my mouth.

I gasped for the air that was once again all too quickly taken away from me only to be replaced my hands over my chest that pushed heavily into my skin, making my back arch hopelessly.

I coughed, and spit out more bits of water that was floating around in my mouth, and soon after the same thing was pressed against my lips once more — sending more of the helpful cool air, and this time I managed to inhale it, while finally exhaling some of my own.

The air was taken away from me as I began breathing on my own once more — my chest heaved up and down, while I slowly started opening my eyes.

My vision was blurry once my eyes opened but as soon as I focused my vision, my gaze was glued on only one thing that sat right before me — one person, my savior.

I gasped loudly as my chest heaved up and down, trying to keep up with the change of pace in my heart.

The person that sat beside me was Dustin, the person that saved me from the stream was Dustin — he's my savior.

"D-Dustin." I let out breathlessly, my voice hoarse as I spoke and scratchy against my sore throat as I gazed at the man who saved me — the man who was wet from the top of his head down to his feet, with his tight shirt sheer from the water and his pants darker then they were before.

"Celine." He stated, his words were calm, but I sensed a slight tremble in his voice as I listened closely to him. His stormy blue eyes roamed my whole face, almost as if he was checking to see if I really was awake.

"Dustin." I lamely repeated, my chest continued heaving up and down as I gazed at him through glossy vision, the cool feel of the rocky floor below me made my eyes widen; so I turned my vision to see where I was.

It was the inside of the waterfall, the place I was in the last time I was here, at the stream — which was after being chased by Niall's Beta's.

I gulped at the memories before listening in to the barely audible waterfall behind me, my gaze finding Dustin's intense one once more.

"Dust-" I was going to actually say something to him but he stopped me by placing a single finger over my lips, sending sparks shooting all throughout my body — calming and yet increasing the pace of my heart.

"Don't speak, let me talk — it's my turn to talk." He paused to look at me warningly, I inhaled deeply before slowly nodding — he warily removed his index finger off of my lips, easing the sparks that flew around us.

"Are you an idiot? You could've died, but not only could you have died, the child that you are baring could have died along with you!" He stated angrily, his brows furrowed as he glared at me, I jumped at the sound of his loud voice echoing in the cave. I felt like a child being scolded for her wrong actions, but I couldn't help but hear some genuine concern in his voice and not only for the child he mentioned but for me.

"I-I-" but once again he stopped me from speaking, and this time by placing both of his palms on my cheeks — I gasped lowly in shock at the sparks and the sudden gesture.

"I'm still speaking Celine, do not make me punish you for talking when told not to by an Alpha." He warned, one brow raised as he gazed deeply into my soul sending shivers down my spine, I fisted my hands over the cool rocks below me while nodding unwillingly.

"You are not a child Celine, you do not need to beg for attention and you certainly do not need to risk your life any longer. You need to learn how to be strong, and how to grow a backbone, because now you're just letting everyone walk over you." He explained sternly, his jaw clenched tightly as he watched me for a reaction — I just gulped, taking his words to heart.

Is he trying to call me weak like before? Is he just trying to walk over me once more?

I angrily pulled away from him and stood up from the ground numbly, groaning when my jelly-like feet held me up, he just watched me in confusion.

"Do you just want to hurt me some more? Is that what you are trying to do Dustin? Because I think you've done enough, and like you said, I am no longer a child and I no longer need anyone to tell me what to do." I stated, I tried to stay strong but my voice kept cracking every time I spoke, he stood up and once again we were face to face, and like always his eyes were too intense to look at so I averted my gaze.

"Listen to me Celine, you've disobeyed me once again — but this time I won't punish you, because you are proving to do what I want you to do; you are growing a backbone. I-I don't mean to hurt you with my words, they are just the honest truth — do not deny them." He claimed lowly, his voice husky and deep as he spoke, but it managed to break my heart even more because I keep looking at what he says the wrong way.

I gulped while shaking my head, a lone tear trailing down my eye as I looked directly at him and nothing else, trying to express everything that I am going through with just one look.

"Dustin, why? Why are you doing this to me? Why do you always make me hate you, when all I want to do is love you? Why do you always have to hurt me, when I try to do my best to help you? Why do you always push me away with all your insults and beatings, when I am the person you are destined to be with? Why do you hate me so damn much? Doesn't it hurt you as much as it hurts me?" I asked softly, needing some answers as to why he suddenly wants to act as if he cares, when all he's done in the time that we've known each other is the opposite. He fisted his large hands, while looking completely tense as he gazed at me.

"You don't want to know why, nor will you ever understand why. These traits that I have are what I have inherited from the men in my family that came before me. I have a choice, to accept you and allow you to deal with all the hatred that being my Mate brings — or push you away, for you to find another. It is obvious what my choice was, but we are Moon Written and sadly, I have no choice now, but I can not accept you, I just won't allow you to deal with me." He explained slowly, his words were like a delicate whisper in contrast to what it usually sounds like and as I processed his words, they just continued to hurt me because he doesn't even allow me to make a choice.

"B-but isn't that my choice, whether I want to deal with you or not? Also, don't I already deal with you? You might as well have accepted me in the beginning because you aren't acting any different then expected." I stated angrily, my brows raised as I narrowed my eyes into slits to glare at him — he chuckled dryly in amusement, as if my words meant nothing to him.

"If only you knew what comes with being my Mate. I was born to be a leader Celine, and a leader doesn't do equality; that is how I was raised. I saw a side to the men of my family, that Marina never has and she has probably told you a different story about them or she probably hasn't even told you about them at all. But they were feral and dangerous, bipolar men whose blood increased with every chance of power they gained-"

"-the men were power hungry and it was all they wanted, their Mates were just there to be there — they were a necessity to their power and in the end my fathers obsession caused him to accidentally kill my mother in front of my very eyes and then himself because of the pain he felt soon after. I do not want that Celine, I don't want to accept you just for you to be a necessity and then to accidentally kill you; my bloodline has tainted me and I fear that it could taint you as well. Hence the name of my Pack — BloodLine." He explained, his eyes opened up a new storm filled with complete horror and pity — I swallowed roughly, as my heart clenched tightly under the wet layers of my skin.

"But maybe you could be better then them. Maybe you can change and be different, if you just try. You can't just push me away and beat me because you are afraid — it makes no sense." I stated softly, my gaze trying hard not to melt pitifully under his own because I knew that everyone hates pity, he just scoffed.

"Change? If only it was that easy. To change takes more then just trying, it takes emotions that I do not know how to feel and I do not think you are ready to face the person I truly am when every emotion strikes me at once. I am a dangerous man, and I've pushed you away for your own good. I've beaten you because I wanted to prove to myself that I could live without you, and because that's what I've seen all my uncles do as a kid — I thought it was right. But I know it isn't, it can't be." It was like he was breaking before me, and my heart couldn't process everything at once. My eyes welled up at his painful words and honestly, I could see myself understanding why he's become the man he is today.

"I could help you. I want to help you, and maybe I can if we try. You can't be scared anymore because you are not the men in your family! You are Dustin Cadman, your own man and your own person. Your choices are your own and I myself won't fear them." I claimed strongly, using my hands to wipe away the tears that lingered on my already wet cheeks — his eyes were hooded and his jaw was tightly clenched as if his memories were hurting him.

"You can't Celine! Don't you understand that?! Goddess, do I always have to repeat myself or are you just that idiotic?!" He yelled out, his booming voice shook my whole body and sent me stumbling back in fear, my hands trembled as I wiped at the tears that were now pooling out of my eyes.

I just wanted to help. I nodded my head hesitantly and his eyes widened, as if he just processed his angry yelling.

"Okay, I-I'm sorry." I whispered hoarsely before turning around to face the waterfall, needing to be away from him before he hurts me.

Once I walked a foot away, I felt him grab my forearm and spin me around making me cry out before covering my head with my hands for protection — I came in contact with his hard chest and let out a sob like groan before slowly pulling away my shaky hands.

"Celine, I-I'm sorry. Don't you see? You don't deserve this." He whispered apologetically making my heart stop, I looked up at him from under my wet lashes and his eyes made me gulp lowly — they were two dark blue orbs that expressed their apology genuinely and I could feel my heart start thumping crazily; no doubt he could hear it.

"Okay." I nodded slowly, not wanting to agree but I didn't want to force him into doing something he clearly was too tainted to do — his eyes were extremely intense as he gazed at me and I felt my poor heart skip a beat.

He moved his large, calloused hand from my forearm and placed it over my waist, which was covered by a soaked baggy shirt that was glued onto my body like second skin — his hands burned through my shirt and sent sparks everywhere, I inhaled his calming scent deeply.

I placed my hands directly over his chest which was also covered by a soaked shirt that was glued onto his toned body, I knew for once that my touch affected him because once my hands touched him his eyes darkened. I internally squealed.

Everything around us was mute other then the soft sounds of the waterfall, the floor below us suddenly felt wet and I remembered that usually water seeps into the cave — I smiled softly at the memory and looked up; the red diamond was still there.

Dustin's hands enclosed completely around my small waist, pressing me against him more making me gasp before locking gazes with him — once I did, I found our lips connecting sending sparks all around us.

As we moved rhythmically, I couldn't help but feel my heart break at the fact that I will miss this moment with him because I know it'll be my last — I felt his other hand press against my stomach as we pulled away for air before clashing again and smiled into the kiss.

I truly do want to help you Dustin, but I know you'll want to hear what I discovered.

When we finally pulled away, I placed my forehead against his cold chest before exhaling deeply, his chest rumbled with soft laughter making my heart warm up, I sobbed out when I remembered what the Moon Goddess had told me I could do and that he indeed wanted this.

"What's wrong?" He asked softly, his hands subconsciously rubbing against my slightly round stomach, sending shivers up my spine.

"I know you want to break our bond, and I know how to." I whispered breathlessly, and once I did all of his movements stopped and all I could hear was the final crack of my heart.

•
Hey Guys!

So, it's the hundredth chapter and I can't help but look back to my first one and be completely shocked at the growth in reads.

All I can say is thank you all so much and trust me, we have more coming in store for Dustin and Celine.

This chapter took a turn but was it for right or wrong? I don't know, we will have to see.

Other then that, thank you all for over 2,000 reads and 400 votes, I really appreciate it <3

Please remember to continue voting and sharing, it means so much to me, thank you!