"Run Diesel!"

Onyx paws pounded harshly against the frosted ground. Breaths came in short pants that crystallized in the cold mountain air. In the distance, the black and brown speck sprinted to the slope. His cries became a sinful symphony in her ears. Khalia screamed, but a combination of snarls escaped. On autopilot Parasita steered them, exalted at being free.

"After I kill your pet, we'll go search for our Fated!"

The taunt billowed in their shared mind. Khalia growled. It was her now, in the fog, naked. She watched Parasita gain speed on Diesel. She could feel the wind ripple against her flesh, smell the cold mountain air. Yet, when she tried to stop, nothing happened. Like waking during a dream, the willpower to control slipped her grasp. Growling she screamed into the void.

"Bitch you're delusional! If you fucking touch him-"

"I can feel him, close by. He yearns for us."

"Cunt I'll kill you before you make it there. Give back my body!"

Diesel's shape grew closer. Khalia watched him take a tumble and he paused to clear his face. Seizing the opportunity Parasita pounced. Khalia screamed, closing her eyes as tears ran.

BOOM!

Parasita grunted and crashed into the snow. Khalia clutched her side falling to a knee. Looking down, a bruise was already forming. No doubt something was broken.

"Shift, now!"

The familiar voice demanded. The harshness it held made Parasita snort. Khalia watched Diesel run by them, stopping behind Diem and cowering. Patting his head, she sighed relief when he ran down the mountain.

"Or what you sucker-punching pussy. You kick like a weak bitch."

Diem's piercing glare never faltered, and she wanted to hide the fur that grew in patches over her body. The painful hairs continued to sprout from the tender flesh. Her muzzle hadn't yet grown to completion, feeling a throbbing sting in the center of her face. Agonizing to say the least, she had to be a grotesque sight.

"You're very shameless. Khalia wouldn't be too fond his death. I hear you should never come between a human and their pets."

"Pfft, her grief is temporary. Once I'm unite with my Fated, she won't need companionship elsewhere. He's near. I can sense him."

Diem sneered then started circling.

"Good, you can watch when he dies."

Parasita snarled, kicking chunks of snow his way. Khalia observed through her eyes Diem stalk closer with agitation and intrigue. Deliberately he brought his hands up to his shirt collar, pulling it over his head. When their eyes broke contact, Parasita charged.

"Diem look out! Parasita stop!" Khalia recoiled, intent on shielding her gaze but unable to look away.

One second, she saw the shirt fly in the air, the next, a brindled beast grinned menacingly at them. Recoiling Khalia screamed and fell to the ground. Larger than her, it caused a falter in Parasita's step. She hit the ground head first.

Rushing to stand a hand grab the scruff of her neck. Another took her right arm and twisted it behind her back. Parasita yelped as his claws dug in. Pressing against her backside Diem shoved her face into the snow.

"Shift!"

Roaring, he snapped his jaws next to her ear. Parasita's tail whipped against his abdomen. The more she struggled the deeper she sank.

"Shift Khalia!"

This time his words echoed in their mind. Surprised, Khalia whipped her head around while Parasita released a whimper. His aura was alarming. Feeling her lungs constrict, she realized he'd kill her given the chance. He had no problem with demonstrating that.

"Give me back my body damn it!"

"Ah, alright!" Frustrated, Parasita let out a muffled cry.

The painful sound of bones shifting mingled with the high wind. With gritted teeth she growled, "You won't always be here. Remember that."

Undaunted, Diem stayed silent until the recognizable figure of Khalia emerged. Enervated, she wheezed on the ground, the snow underneath becoming a bed of rubies.

"Fuck....fuck."

Pressing her cheek into the cool earth, she swallowed harshly to catch her breathe. A stabbing pain lingered from where he kicked her. She heard the soft rumble of Diem shifting back.

Fixing her mouth to say "thank you" his scowl stopped her. Disappointment consumed her causing tears to spill. Furrowing her brows, she held her breath. It was a strong emotion, but it wasn't hers. In fact, the only thing that she could attest to was guilt. She came close to ending more life.

"Enough with the pity party. You'll freeze down there." Diem spoke softly.

In one swift motion he wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her out the misery. Diem forced her to look at him, and she was taken back by the nocturnal shimmer.

"Come on, let's head back and get dressed. Diesel will stay with Caleesi for the time being. You're going to explain how you met Theo."

His mouth...it never moved.

Bewildered, Khalia stumbled back, tripping over her feet.

"Diem, how did you-? Caleesi said-"

She furrowed her brows as he ran both his hands through his hair. The deep sigh he released forming tiny crystals in the air. His shredded sweatpants hung in ribbons at his waist. He glared at the fabric catching in the wind before focusing back on Khalia.

"That's Beta Diem....Luna Khalia."

"...No. No! No!" Parasita screamed.

Throwing her hands up, Khalia covered her temples, knees buckling.

"Him! Why him! Bound to a fucking Goblin!"

Her breath shuddered. The abhorrence she felt for the man standing near her was wicked. Parasita wanted him dead. Immediately.

"D-Diem I'm..."

Powerless to finish the familiar cracking began. Parasita ravaged on. Between the nonstop cursing and unbearable changes, she didn't know which was the most awful.

"Both of you are beneath me, especially you! You valueless ass bitch! I've seen your memories, your hopes, desires. You're nothing, you've done nothing, and will stay nothing! A human! An utterly useless ass whore of a fucking human!"

Her wrist cracked loudly as it elongated, and the black fur grew again out of already torn flesh. Lost in suffering, Khalia almost missed the cold hands that touched hers. A warmth soon enveloped them. It travelled deeply in her bones, causing her to grunt at the intrusion.

When the sensation reached her head Parasita's wails muffled. Becoming soft murmurs, then ending entirely. The silence was tremendous. Her shoulders popped back into their original positions. Astoundingly, she couldn't feel it this time. The fog cleared her mind, leaving a green meadow in its place.

"My same sentiments. I should have gone further. Not stopped here, stayed down south. Twenty years, twenty fucking years and you appear."

Khalia studied him while he mumbled on. Picking up his shirt he growled then tossed it at her, which she gladly obliged. Opening her mouth to inquire about his incoherent babble, she only sighed. Whatever he did, it rendered her blubber. Only experiencing a serene calmness.

Stolen from Royal Road, this story should be reported if encountered on Amazon.

Did he drug me? This feels so amazing.

When he grasped her chin and directed her gaze on him, Khalia moaned.

"You ask redundant questions," Crouching in front of her Diem maneuvered her on his back. She flushed when his arms looped her legs, securing her tightly.

"Did I drug you? Do you not remember our first encounter? I told you to behave. Is that word not part of your vocabulary?"

Ignoring the growl by his ear, Diem scoffed, beginning the trek to the cabin.

How did he even find me out here?

Frowning she looked pass his hair, becoming memorized by bright town lights. A speck in darkness.

"Wheels are spinning but the hamster is dead I see?"

Diem chuckled when she tensed. He stopped when a quick slap went across his head. The calmness evaporated.

"Get outta my head and be fucking for real!" Finding her voice, Khalia bellowed in his ear making him wobble.

"I'll be serious when you start being grateful for the aid Cruel-Mane is providing you." Diem countered; his eyes narrowed.

"Who the fuck said I wasn't!"

"Probably the fucking drugs in your system!" He tapped at his nose in response to her surprised silence.

"You were informed of the laws and agreed to obey them. Why did you lie? This isn't your world, Khalia. Repercussions are severe in many Dominions."

"You're a grown ass man letting other grown ass people tell you how to act. How is that working for you? I don't give two shits about Dominions."

Hearing it aloud, Khalia understood why he dropped her. Yelping, she made a face at the man who loomed over her. The rapid loss of heat brought a rattle to her body. Crouching, Diem sighed. Rolling her eyes, Khalia blocked his genitals from her vision with a hand.

"You tell me. She promised you a solution and you took it? Without so much as a fucking clue to what would happen! Why would a parasite help its host? That is her name, right? Parasita? Your beast is not your friend."

Once again, he rendered her mute. Khalia saw a darkening in his eyes. His jaw tightened and he furrowed his brows, a sneer on his lips.

"Tell me chatterbox, how good do you taste to amass scars like these? Your Fated must find you delectable."

Diem jerked his eyes to the many bite wounds on her thighs. Scowling, she pulled back her leg and went for his jaw. Catching it, Diem wrapped his hand around her ankle, doing the same to the other before sliding her to him. Snarling, his eyes became a Dijon yellow as a black mixed in them. Biting her lip, she huffed and looked at the ground.

"Do you think Theo will show you mercy this time around? Think he'll see you as equals now that you're fucked and marked? If he has you again, death will be a welcome reprieve. I promise that."

Squeezing her ankles, he pushed off her, then started down the mountain alone. Khalia stayed still as a mouse. Taking in every word from his tongue-lashing. She wanted his words to anger her. Instead, only humility found her.

"Is that who gave you your scars?"

The words came out a whisper. She hoped he didn't hear as she wasn't in the mood for another tongue-lashing. Diem stopped and glanced down at his body, getting lost in the many harden slashes that decorated them. His face softened.

"No...but he's a large part of it. Come, Caleesi notified me that she has Diesel. He's safe in her dorm."

A cry of relief left her, and she snatched the hand he held out. Soon they hiked down together. Khalia kept hold of his hand, the heat making the cold bearable.

They should add that to the movies. Werewolves are walking infernos.

"...Parasita promised me a way to get rid of her. I would kill to be free from her. I don't want this life, these fucking changes. I'd jump at any opportunity for freedom."

She could feel his eyes on her but she kept facing forward.

"Your freedom grants her continued existence. Being born a Lycan and becoming one are vastly different experiences. The more you shift, the more you lose yourself. You'll become a prisoner in your body. Unless you two come together, you're on the Kirma to Feral pipeline."

A quietness settled between the two, a new seed of horror implanted.

"Earlier, I was stuck in fog. I could feel everything, see everything. It was horrible."

"Fog?" Diem scoffed, then snickered. "She put you in fog, kind of cliché for a mouthy bitch like that. Next time ask for a mansion."

Khalia tried to wipe the smile off her face, hearing a faint growl in her ear. Her feet felt like Jello when they hit solid ground, and she leaned onto Diem's arm as wind blew past them. Rubbing her cheeks she hesitated when he draped his arm over her shoulders. The motion made her stomach somersault.

This is for heat. Heat. You better not be in my thoughts creep.

Facing him, she arched her brow as he sighed and shook his head. When they reached the driveway, she frowned seeing the door ajar. The residue that caked body left her tacky. The snow cleaned off a good amount but nothing topped a shower. Diem on the other hand, wasn't too bloody. In fact, his skin had a healthy glow to it.

About to question, he jerked his head right and led them around back. There, a small worn path lead into the trees. Khalia sucked her teeth, and her heart picked up its pace.

"I know a place in the woods, if you don't mind."

"Wait, what did you say?"

He looked perplexed by the sudden fear in her voice.

"I said my place is in the woods, if you don't mind. I have, uh, nicer accommodations. Unless you want to stay here tonight. The choice is up to you Luna Khalia."

"Please don't say that."

The word sent a wrinkle between her brows. He gave her a small smile before heading towards the trees. Hastily she pulled her hand from his and stepped back. Placing her hands on her knees she took a few rapid breaths.

Fuck, fuck, fuck.

"Lia? What's wrong."

His hand found the small of her back. Huffing Khalia sucked as much air as she could through her nose. Her body convulsed and she tried to steady her hands. Turning to Diem, she watched him grimace. More likely startled by the hot tears streaking down her face. The reaction surprised her as well. Wiping her face, she sniffed.

"I met Theo in the woods."

*~*~*

"He left you for dead?"

Diem stabbed at the 12 oz sirloin on his plate. Taking a bite, his eyes rolled in the back of his head. He'd level cities for this.

"Honestly, I think I did die. At one point, the pain stopped. Everything just went numb, and I was ready. Ready to join my brother, my friends...unfortunately, here I am."

Throwing her arms up, she gave a little pose before scoffing. Shortly after her panic, he found himself in a pickle. Not wanting to worsen her situation but he couldn't just leave her there. Ultimately, settling on carrying and sprinting through the forest. Effective it was not, but they made it.

He smiled when she gawked at his cabin. Identical to hers but updated with the times, he snorted when she asked where the bathroom was. Urging him to shower first so she can test out the recently installed wall jets.

Once they were clean, she headed to his kitchen. Raiding the cabinets and pulling out scarce ingredients, the plates were made in record time.

"I don't trust her." Dee growled, pacing in their shared mind. He rolled his eyes at his beast.

"I'm pretty sure she's expressing her gratitude. How about you enjoy it."

"...You're trying to fuck her aren't you? Clap some Luna cheeks? We're going to catch a disease one day and when we do, I pray the Gods take me home."

Diem coughed, smacking his chest to dislodge the audacity of his dramatic ass counterpart. Quizzically she stared at him before picking at the veggies on her plate.

"Survivors guilt."

"Is that it?"

He eyeballed her while she chomped down on her steak, chuckling at the blood that squirted on the table. Sheepishly she wiped it with a paper towel. The two jumbo cornrows she put in her hair whipped with her every movement. Sun colored shorts matched the tank top she wore. While he's no stranger to the opposite sex in his home, they usually stayed bed bound.

"H-how did you become that demon's Beta?" Khalia hesitantly asked, scooping up some potatoes.

With her retelling, he remained quiet. Smiling when she did or asking few questions about her friends. When she broke down, he waited till she was done with a look of forlorn. In the end, he did pity her.

"Born into it. Theo's father, Alpha Theron, passed under...odd circumstances. Propelling Theo to ascension at 18. My father was Alpha Theron's Beta at the time. Theo suggested he retire early. Saying it would bring glory and pride to our lineage to have me ascend. A Beta, at ten fucking years old."

The tone came with bite. Abruptly he rose, collecting the plates, and setting them in the sink. Setting being an understatement, as one of them shattered. A honied aroma soon wafted around him, and he inhaled heartily. Looking back at Khalia, he frowned seeing she was shaking. Her eyes were glued to the floor, a glossy reflection in them.

"Relax Dee. She's not use to that."

He waited, sighing when she stopped shaking.

"Apologies. Dee isn't fond of the past."

Biting her lip, she nodded while standing. Before she finished her yawn, he was already leading her to the bedroom.

"He dedicated his entire life to that position, my father. Seeing it handed over casually to a 10-year-old, he became a laughingstock. Our relationship soured after that. The ceremony took place, I became Beta, then-"

"Happily ever after?"

He gave a bitter chuckle, heaviness settling inside him.

"The reason Alpha Theo wanted a child to ascend was just that, I was a child. I didn't grasp the concept of the job title. It gave him free reign over Cvengros. Because of that we suffered deeply."

Clearing his throat, Diem pulled a pillow off his king-sized bed.

"I'll sleep out there; you can sleep in here. Caleesi would die if she knew I gave up her old room."

She gave a small smile, then climbed into the comfy center. Walking to the door, he was about to close it when she waved at him.

"Why do you think it's your fault?"

The question momentarily stunned him. Glancing he noticed the melancholy in the downturns of her mouth. The look of concern she bore into him with caused a flutter in his heart. He wanted to capture it, to hold on to that feeling of being cherished. Maybe that's why he continued.

"...Three months into my duties, I was heading to his office. The pack finances were a mess and we needed to resolve it. I heard screaming...her screaming. She wasn't supposed to be there, Esyin, my sister. She married into another pack, came to surprise me because of my promotion."

From the corner of his eye, he watched her perk up at the mention of Esyin. Her head tilted and he watched her eyes dart back and forth. Pursing her lips, he saw the spark of realization.

"I'm sorry Diem, you- you don't have to say-"

"I rushed in on him raping Esyin."

She flinched when the words left his lips.

"When I saw her....I reacted. Before I could reach him, my father tackled me. He had been watching from the corner."

This time she gasped and her mouth flew open.

"I- I'm so sorry. I'm so fucking sorry!"

"Don't be. In the end Theo sentenced me to public humiliation, then exile. Esyin...Esyin returned home. She took her life shortly after. Years later I heard my father ascended to Alpha and Theo's Fated became his Luna. I'm unsure of the details around that. But-"

Diem flicked the light switch.

"Enough of my history."

In the dark, he heard a shaky breath leave her lips. Hesitantly, he stepped forward, ignoring the warning growls from Dee. Reaching out, his fingertips found her cheek. Slowly he traced over the branded flesh, narrowing his gaze at the tears that touched him.

"Don't cry for my past Khalia. Instead, harden your heart with this telling. So that when his death comes, you feel no remorse. Not for him. Never for the likes of him."