Kane has a personal dilemma she's bargaining with, and as soon as she opened the door for a man, she has to face her nightmares once again. On the 15th of March, 2019, a realistic woman, a kindergarten teacher at the district of Eli Bethsaida with an artistical intuition, quietly spends time with herself and her work, not until a man showed up in front of the doorway of her classroom, saying he's there to confess an urgent matter and an hour after, things become a mess. With a second thought, Kane heard him, but not fully trusted him for he is Hazel Palejaro Marquis, a person who brought deception in the village of Nol Magno, who has set the Lair Hides Low Sanctuary into its downfall. Days and weeks after, she has embarked herself with the others, reconciled with hope, trust, loyalty, and companionship. With them, she has learned the subtler meaning of their language before the eight-year or the previous mark- when they were in the presence of their youth. When they were promised by April 5th a better 2011. When they were scarcely bemused.
THERE WAS a rustle around the corner.
Kane knew she had to escape, but her feet were soldered on its position, and with the tree stroking her bareback, she hid from whoever was chasing her. She never had to be this far. But then she had no choice.
"Kane!" exclaimed an authoritative voice, huskily untrustworthy. "Kane, it's me. This is Marcus Manhattan from La Cervede. I'm a friend of your brother."
Her breathings discontinued for a swift second, her gaze never left what's in front of her. She didn't respond nor she had the idea to take action. For Kane, that was a better option.
She inspected her muddled white dress. There were no torn parts, however, it was thin that the wafts and the chilliness they provided were exposing her entirety. The perturbed girl caressed herself, arms crossed and enclasping her shoulders as she's keeping sadness inside her.
The atmosphere was miserable that even the clouds, blanketed by its dark mood, weren't that useful to make Kane be a respite. She was deserted with someone she only once met.
"I came here as per Baron's request, and I am here not to hurt you, but to take you to your brother," Marcus gently enunciated with a glint of beguilement. "Tell me, do you understand my language?"
The girl closed her eyes while the wind caressed her murky poise, and sweat caressing her cold face. Her dried lips pursed, a pleat on her forehead.
For the first time, Kane could never listen to anything. There was a perpetual truce, something she sought for the rest of her being. But she learned this perpetual truce could not be sought repeatedly.
It could be interim secrecy.
It could never rid away the chaos subsisting inside her.
"Kane," she heard the man puffed, "please, don't make this hard for the both of us. I came here to fetch you, and Baron, he's concerned about you."
Kane wanted to warn him to stop his lies. Baron was in a hide like what she was doing. She understood his words, yes, even if it's not her language. Hence, that would never amend her decision to not enunciate a phrase at all.
She was cornered. As Kane opened her eyes, let alone discern that the surrounding would never revamp into a solacing niche, hardly breathed, the throbs of her heart were scurrying.
It remained grimy, misty, and terrifying. The trees were everywhere circulated, sprawling lanky and restful on the ground as their silhouettes lurched in spooked and easygoing whizzes.
Rough and hard was the tree that she bent on for her stiff back to rest, while the edges of the tickling hay disturbed her quivering knees. Rest guaranteed Kane could withstand the forest, but she could not withstand the man.
"I hope you can hear me, Kane, at least. If you don't trust me that much, who else would you dare to put that?" Marcus asked, confident, and tamed. "Can you give me one chance?"
She would suspect him at the utmost of her suspicions. The very first inquiry she would tempt to raise a question was that, why was this man the one who had to find her and not her brother Baron? It could be that the man was one of those who put his father's life on the line.
"It's not safe here, Kane," Marcus added, "if you like, you can stay at his house."
Whose house would it be? Kane would interrupt his speech, but she knew that if she pronounced a single word, it's the verge of her. It could have been a lure.
"Kane," said another person, wholly familiar. "This is Mike. You don't need to hide from those goons. Marcus is here to hide you and your brother."
Kane gulped. It was indeed Mike. The help had come to save the day, her dedication, and Will Jacobs' Prince of Hope.
Kane began to squat on the ground, her eyes drowning in her tears, haziness cloaked her visions. Mike was there, and that signified Marcus was someone she could believe that was stating merely but the truth.
She heard a few steps. It went imminent to imminent, cackles tolling in the background, breeze hissing, foliages blurting safety.
There was a halt.
None was to be heeded but tranquil in all corners.
Behind the tree where she was, someone profoundly sighed.
By that, she's aware it was him.
That it was Mike.
"I know it's tough," the teenage boy commenced, "but you know I am here. Mike's always here. I won't leave your side."
Kane retorted with a sob, her pitch trembling in anxiety. Her youth was harsh for it was filled with ironic things she never wished to come to existence. It was not guaranteed the way it should be.
It was Mike that made it easy for her.
"It will soon be over," Mike added soothingly. "Trust me instead."
Indeed, trusting Mike was the clearest decision she would ever bring about. It was never difficult for her to bet her life on this certain guy. If he was that someone who could be the one to offer reassurance, she would never hesitate to seize it.
"The Lair Hides Low Sanctuary will live their normal days for a while until this situation of yours is not solved yet." Mike chuckled, intense and quaint as always, but it had something.
It had unhappiness, a glimpse of it, with evident agony.
"They understand," the Prince of Hope continued. "We all care for you."
Kane made a beam but not as wide as the typical ones. Her lips were shuddering, her eyes tired of the world. The tip of her fingers tickled the bruises on her arm, that even though she could not sight those, their stung was discomforting.
The raw embraces of the hay pinched her skin, almost concealing her from the world's apprehensions, as the thuds in her chest hushed. Stuck at her stance, all right at the very trivial of her expectancy.
"So trust me," Mike mumbled, the affection had never left his accent.
Kane leaned her nape and the back of her head on the hard and rough entirety of the thick trunk behind her, shutting down her gapes to trail the warmth of Mike's covenants.
She could trust him.
But would it be evermore?
Ever since her nonbiological Mom died, she loathed and blamed herself for that. Avery Maureen Del Hera escaped home when she thought her father whom she grew up with wanted her to go to States, and even be with her biological parents, without him fighting for her. Hence, that's the bare part of the story. When she escaped home, she found a place . . . with the help of her own fate. A zone-like place, literally, with its wide and grandeur sceneries, isolated from the world. It's the Zone of Yavanna, or how the Zoners called it as Forest Survival. It definitely comes with names. Yet she eventually held one while being in there, a codename- a new identity: Cosimia. Her tale begins right at that moment. A journey of being the real sleeping beauty, for she's never awakened with the truth that she's been lost all along. She may have sought where she belongs, but did she see where it will lead her? In this forest that bargains life, away from the cruelty of death, one will strive for the betterment of herself, to think of what will become of her. Here's the thing, she's never a Del Hera, yes, but did she know, too, she's never Avery Maureen?
Linsey was stood up by her groom to run off with another woman. Furious, she grabbed a random stranger and declared, "Let's get married!" She had acted on impulse, realizing too late that her new husband was the notorious rascal, Collin. The public laughed at her, and even her runaway ex offered to reconcile. But Linsey scoffed at him. "My husband and I are very much in love!" Everyone thought she was delusional. Then Collin was revealed to be the richest man in the world. In front of everyone, he got down on one knee and held up a stunning diamond ring. "I look forward to our forever, honey."
"Sign the divorce papers and get out!" Leanna got married to pay a debt, but she was betrayed by her husband and shunned by her in-laws. Seeing that her efforts were in vain, she agreed to divorce and claimed her half of the properties. With her purse plump from the settlement, Leanna enjoyed her newfound freedom. The constant harassment from her ex's mistress never fazed her. She took back her identities as top hacker, champion racer, medical professor, and renowned jewelry designer. Then someone discovered her secret. Matthew smiled. "Will you have me as your next husband?"
Marriage was a bed of thorns for Stella. She lived like an overworked and unhappy slave for six years in her matrimonial home. One day, her uncaring husband, Waylon said to her, "Ayla will be back soon. You have to move out tomorrow." "I want a divorce," responded Stella. She left without shedding a tear or trying to change Waylon's stone-cold heart. Days after their divorce, they met again. Stella was in the arms of another man. Waylon's blood boiled at the sight of her looking so happy. "So, you couldn't even wait a while before jumping into another man's arms?" he queried distastefully. "And who are you to question my decision? It's my life, so I call the shots. Stay out of my business!" Stella fired at him before turning to look at her new man with shiny eyes. Waylon immediately lost it.
My name is Katia, and I am just trying to survive until my fated mate arrives. Which may be easier said than done. Rejectection is the last straw. Whispering my acceptance of his rejection. I run through the pack house, out across the manicured lawn into the forest. "I'm sorry, my sweet girl," I say to my wolf. I'm sorry you have been stuck with me and have had to suffer everything I have. She whispers," it's not your fault, Katia. We came to a cliff with a waterfall. The hurt keeps pounding at me. I need it to stop. My sweet girl, and I just want peace, I keep running and leap off the cliff. Spreading my arms wide, with tears streaming down my face, I fall, not making a sound, waiting for sweet oblivion where we feel nothing ever again. "I love you, my sweet girl! Until we meet again, "My wolf replied just before we hit the water, "I love you too, Katia. I have never regretted a moment with you." The Snow Moon pack is having their last barbecue of the summer next to the waterfall on their land. The adults are laughing and joking while watching the pups play. The alpha, beta, and gamma are swimming with some of the older children and playing a game of Marco Polo. Someone yells, "Oh my goddess, someone just jumped over the waterfall!" Everyone is frozen as they watch what looks to be a child falling arms spread wide, no one makes a sound. The small body hits the water like a plane crashing into the side of a mountain. The alpha, beta, and gamma, spring into action, swimming towards the area the person went under. The alpha is screaming his wolf is going crazy repeating, "Find her. Find her...find her!" They dive and the beta surfaces with a small person in his arms. Alpha takes the girl from his beta, laying her on the ground. The men are shocked by what they see. She is covered in scars and injuries. Her body is twisted and broken. The Beta asks, "Who could have done this to someone so defenseless?" Alpha drops to his knees, repeating, "MATE...MATE...MATE!"
Rachel used to think that her devotion would win Brian over one day, but she was proven wrong when his true love returned. Rachel had endured it all—from standing alone at the altar to dragging herself to the hospital for an emergency treatment. Everyone thought she was crazy to give up so much of herself for someone who didn’t return her feelings. But when Brian received news of Rachel’s terminal illness and realized she didn’t have long to live, he completely broke down. "I forbid you to die!" Rachel just smiled. She no longer needed him. "I will finally be free."
Yelena discovered that she wasn't her parents' biological child. After seeing through their ploy to trade her as a pawn in a business deal, she was sent away to her barren birthplace. There, she stumbled upon her true origins—a lineage of historic opulence. Her real family showered her with love and adoration. In the face of her so-called sister's envy, Yelena conquered every adversity and took her revenge, all while showcasing her talents. She soon caught the attention of the city's most eligible bachelor. He cornered Yelena and pinned her against the wall. “It's time to reveal your true identity, darling.”