✔️| The Gift of a Curse

CHAPTER TWO

It is no secret that I have bad blood with Stefan and Oliver. They believe that women’s goal of existing is to cook and clean and conceive children. Even though I hate them for it, I cannot say that I am surprised that they have such beliefs. After all, this is the perspective of the entire werewolf community.

Both of them think that my claim to feminism is nothing more than me being an attention seeker. They cannot understand that this is something that I truly have faith in, they fail to comprehend that these opinions of theirs are destroying uncountable female lives.

I once went as far as arguing with Oliver on this issue. I brought up the most obvious proof of their ignorance: the Amazonian warriors are all females, and they are superior to all alphas. They are legends, idols, and they offer unlimited wisdom and advice to the alphas that need it. All male werewolves respect them almost as much as they respect then, so why cannot they respect all females?

I am not saying they should bow down to us and treat us like goddesses, but they can treat us with equality, they can give us our smallest rights. A she-wolf has the right to decide what she wants to do with her life, she has the right to know the full potential of the things that endanger her world, she has the right to train, and she has the right to shift without being monitored by a male. Alas, all these things are a fantasy in my mind, but I am determined to achieve at least some of them one day.

I already train and shift freely, but that is only because I always have Clay by my side when I shift, and he secretly trains me. If Oliver or Stefan ever found out about that, both Clay and I would be thrown in the dungeons for God knows how long.

My feet keep moving as I think about everything wrong in this world when I notice that my subconscious has brought me to Clay’s house. I contemplate going back, but Clay is the only person who can vanquish my anger, so before I can change my mind I knock on the door. The second the door opens, I curse myself for not climbing up my best friend’s window.

“Shadow…” Jenna Holt, Clay’s mother grimes at the sight of me. She, like everyone else in this pack, hates me.

“Jenna, I came to see Clay. I mind linked him and told him I was coming.” I lie. There has never been any need for fake bonds or love between the two of us; we loathe each other and we know it.

“He did not tell me that…” she mumbles as I walk past her towards the stairs.

“You say that like he ever tell you anything.” I mumble back. I suddenly feel someone grab my arm and turn me around until Jenna and I end up glaring at each other while standing in the middle of the stairs.

“Let’s be very clear, the only reason you are allowed in this house is because…”

“Is because your son considers me the only person worth talking to, I mean when was the last time he even looked at you?” I rudely interrupt her. I take a moment to cherish the pained look on her face before I shake her hand off of me and make my way to Clay’s room.

I roll my eyes once I kick my best friend’s bedroom door to find him sleeping on his king sized bed. I take off my shoes and bury myself under the duvet next to Clay. I wrap my arms and legs around him as if he is a giant teddy bear, and he wraps himself around me in return.

“I know you are awake.” I whisper in his ear with a smirk on my face. He slowly opens his hazel eyes and they stare into my green ones.

“You heard what I said to your mum didn’t you?” I ask avoiding his eyes now. I have no problem hurting people who hate me and seek to hurt me, but Clay is the one person I cannot handle to see sad.

We were not always like this, there was a time when I was like any obedient female and Clay was a social person. Alas, life has a twisted way of changing people. Now, I am this notorious rebellion who people avoid at all costs, and Clay does not talk to anyone but me, and even when he does he only uses the mind link. No one has heard his voice in four years; no one has even been able to maintain his attention for more than three seconds, minus Oliver of course. I am the only person he has an interest in connecting with. Thus, his family is basically forced to have me around.

You would think that all this time would be able to make me forget his voice, but it did not. I would never forget the last time he used his voice, I would never forget the last thing he ever said. Clay nods his head as he puts both of his hands on my cheeks forcing me to look at him.

You know that I do not care about how she feels; I do not care about how anyone feels or thinks. The only opinion that concerns me is yours, you are my sister Shadow. I pull him even closer as I bury my face in his chest.

“I love you Clay.” I make myself comfortable in his embrace.

I love you too. He replies and kisses the top of my forehead.

Now what is bothering you?

“Can we please not talk about it; I am not in the mood to get angry again in less than thirty minutes.” I mutter against his chest.

Shadow Prior, if you do not start talking… he pushes my face away from him so I can see him as he gives me his famous glare.

“Okay, okay…” I untangle our hands and legs and sit straight.

“I went to Oliver’s house…”

Alpha Oliver! Both Accalia and Clay yell in my head.

“You are dreaming if you think I am going to call that asshole that. Anyway, I went to his house and both him and my pathetic excuse of a brother yelled at me and bullied me not that I care. What I do care about is the fact that Oliver actually laid his hands on me!” I pull my hands up in the air.

Hold on a second, he hit you? Clay’s face breaks from its emotionless stance; worry and anger consume his features.

“More like pushed me into a wall and strangled me! When you think about it though, I should not be surprised. He and Stefan have done way worse to other women.”

But you are Stefan’s sister, he should be protecting you!

“I would rather be dead than wait for either of them to protect me. Besides, Stefan would be the one who points the gun at me not the one who would take the bullet for me.” I spit angrily.

“Speaking of which, when can we train? I have not trained in three days; I cannot afford to lose my precious abs.” I joke trying to lighten up the mood and get rid of the negativity on the air.

Do you really think it is wise for you to train now? With everything that is going on I mean.

“People are dying, that should be a motivation to train harder.”

What I meant is: with the meeting being held here, it is going to be more difficult for us to find an empty spot and even harder for me to find the time.

I am about to fight him on the matter when I notice his eyes gaze on the duvet under us giving me a hint that he is receiving a message through the mind link from someone.

“What is it this time?” I wonder once he looks back at me.

The alpha wants me in his house in five minutes; he wants to go over the new patrol schedule that I planned for the meeting. I silently curse Oliver for intruding on this alone time that I am having with my best friend.

Can you possibly stay here until I get back? I have a strong felling I will need your company when I get back. I respect the alpha, but he is not the easiest person to be around especially with him always trying to force me to talk. Clay pulls a face at the thought of talking.

“Yeah, of course, I will lock the door though so that I do not have to face your mother once again. You will have to climb up the window.”

Fine, just do not wreck my room please. He requests before walking out of the door. I immediately get off the bed, lock the door, then hug the duvet once again.

I breathe in Clay’s scent as I think about little things that often overwhelm my mind whenever I am alone. I think about how one day I will fulfill my promise to Oliver and Stefan. I will prove myself to be equal to every male in this world; I will give females the right to do the simplest things they wish to do. If I cannot achieve this globally, then I will definitely accomplish it on the minority. I fall asleep in Clay’s bed as I think about how I will never allow myself to be a victim of the werewolf community.