Loving and Loathing Thy Mate

Chapter 1 Penny's POV

This isn't a love story of two foes that, one day, lock eyes on each other and then decide to risk it all.

This isn't where they choose to love one another, and then they let love conquer everything. Nothing like that at all.

For as far back as the history books on both species go, they have hated one another. Despised and plotted each other's demise. They were raised and taught that the other was the enemy. Over time, some have let that go, some packs have decided to let the battle go unless the battle was brought to them. Some covens have declared that their enemy was unworthy of their efforts to even try to kill them.

This time one had decided to let it go, and the other had not, which side was at fault for the destruction and the death that happened. I had been impartial, I had not even given them a thought. But now that hatred lay strong and deep within my gut. I understand the history now. I understood why we hated one another.

Cold and heartless, cruel without cause.

As that lash hit down on my bare back I gritted my teeth and refused to let out the scream that wanted to burst free from my mouth. This story was dark and twisted, it wasn't just deciding to love, it was the fact there was no choice but to. It was so easy to loathe him , loathing came easy, it was the love that came hard.

The next lash hit and the same questions I had been asked since I came here got thrown at me again.

" What sorcery is this ? What trick are you playing, mutt ? No goddess or fate would ever bestow this, you must have used some sort of trickery " his voice rushed through me, a shiver went down my spine. I wish he would shut up talking. I wish he would just end me. Why was he prolonging this ? I refused to talk, like I had since the day I was brought here.

My blood should be seeping into the earth, my body should have been cooled by the night, like the rest of my packs. My spirit should have been taken back to the moon goddess.

I closed my eyes and brought up the faces of the ones I loved.

My mother, my father, my brother and Brendan.

A single tear fell from my eye and rolled down my cheek. I couldn't bring my hand up to wipe it away. My hands were chained to the ground.

Another lash, another white-hot stripe of pain down my back. I threw my head back a silent scream ripped from me. Then the warmth from the trickle of my blood as it descended down my back.

What would be the point in me telling them? That I had no such powers to do any trickery. I was just as mortified that they would do this. This wasn't how it was meant to be.

The thud of the whip hitting the ground had my shoulders sagging with relief. My body ached after being so tense for so long.

" Why are you still messing around with this ? Why haven't you just killed her yet ? " A male voice said from behind me. That voice didn't make me shiver though. The male voice was met with silence. Tension was thick in the air. Then the male voice that didn't make me shiver spoke again.

" Are you keeping her alive because if it is true ? For if this isn't some sort of trickery ? Xanda, even if it is true, you can not. They'll rebuke , you will be killed along with her. Is it not best to just kill her and take someone else ? " A growl was emitted around the room. That growl rolled threw me, and made my heart race. Brought the shivers back, I wish he would go back to whipping me, him talking or even making sounds, so it seemed affected me. At least his whip helped me keep hatred in place.

" Get out, Kalen, this is no business for anyone but me. Anyone who talks about it gets their hearts ripped out. I will solve this issue myself in my own time, I don't need you breathing down my neck or interfering. This matter is not a worry for you, I will deal with her. As my longest friend, I have told you why I brought her here. But if word gets out, do not think I won't rip your heart out too. For the rest, she is here because I wish to do nothing but break her. The child pays for the sins of thy father, as they say. Tell them I have already killed her. If that makes them shut up, they do not need to know she is still alive ,for now ". For now, I prayed that meant he was considering ending me soon.

The door opened and closed, and I knew it was just me and him now, the footsteps marching out were heavy and hard , sounding p*ssed off. Then footsteps as soft as they were, and as quiet as they were, I still heard them as they walked around me. Then he appeared in my vision.

" You will have to talk eventually" he stated.

That voice, I closed my eyes and brought up the last images of my loved ones, and it quashed any stupid feelings that were bubbling up from that looking at him and hearing him speak would rise. I opened my eyes back up and looked at the man. Now I had the images that would protect me from him were at the forefront of my mind. Tall, thin but muscular frame. Brown hair shaved at the sides of his head but kept long on top and pushed back. Golden brown eyes, a thin nose and a chiseled jaw and thin lips. Even if his face set my blood on fire with need. With those images as my tool, it also made it boil with hatred for this man.

" What is your name ? " He snapped angrily. I still didn't talk. Didn't utter a sound. I just glared at him. He moved like a flash of light, his hand gripped my neck, and then he quickly pulled it back hissing. I understood why. This was the first time he had actually laid hands on me. And although short and fleeting, the feeling of his touch for the short second sent my nerves into a frenzy. I gasped a breath and then tried to choke it back. No, I will not act that way. I wasn't able to let myself think this way. This man was my nemesis, pure evil. It was obviously a shock to both of us as he was looking at his hand like it had grown legs, when he saw me watching him he snatched his hand back.

" What is your name ? " He asked again.

I lowered my head and kept quiet.

Out of pure anger and frustration, he grabbed me again and this time he didn't pull away. The feeling of his tight grip on my neck should have me feeling fear, as any normal person would have felt. But his touch did not install fear in me, it did other things that made me feel disgusted. I tried to pull back, but his golden eyes bore into mine, and his grip just tightened. I felt myself start to pant. " Let me go" came out of my mouth without me even thinking or processing the words.

I didn't want any feeling besides all the hatred ones towards him and his touch didn't allow that. His eyes flashed, and a smile crept up one corner of his lips.

" Your name and I will "he stated, and I inwardly cursed. I had just revealed a weakness, a crack in my armor, and he would use it now. I had a choice now, grit my teeth and do my hardest to ignore the feelings his touch ignited. Or, concede and tell him. Regather and regroup for his next attack and be stronger then. Now I know I can be more prepared.

" Penny " I hissed. My eyes, if they could kill, would have. I knew my glare was vicious.

" Penny "he repeated, and I almost moaned at the sound of my name on his tongue. To stop myself, I bit my own tongue. The coppery taste of blood entered my mouth. It worked until he took a step closer. My eyes widened in panic. Why was he coming closer ? As he did, I noticed the color of his eyes flickered, a redness took over the golden brown and then flickered back as he slowly kept moving closer.

When he was so close, our breaths mingled. I did one of the things I had wanted to do since getting here, inflict pain on him. I reared my head back quickly and dropped it back forward, headbutting him square on the nose. I heard a satisfied crack as he stumbled back. I went slightly woozy for a second because of the impact. Then I felt a sting across my cheek. He slapped me. Now in the paranormal world, given how strong we are, in a fight there was no such thing as gender. Having power in your community for some it might still be a factor , but when it came to war it wasn't.

I felt blood trickle from my lip, sticking my tongue out, I licked it off. His eyes followed the movement flicking to red again. A hunger entered his eyes and he hissed as all of his attention was on the blood. His nose flared. I spat the blood at him , the blood that had pool from my tongue and from the spit lip. I landed on his face, splattered. The blood there just made him look more dangerous.

" Blood sucker "I hissed in disgust.

But he smiled at the insult and when he did, I saw he now had thangs and his eyes stuck red. He swept some of the spit , mixed with blood off of his face and looked down at it on his fingers. I expected him to put it in his mouth, but he didn't. He wiped it off on his clothes and looked back up at me. " That's right, and I could drain you like my own personal blood bag right now. What agenda do you have for this sorcery ? " He asked and I rolled my eyes.

"Do you think I would really want to be connected to one of you ? I am no witch, nor would I seek one out to bestow this torture on myself "I told him. " Do as that other blood sucker said and just kill me already. You hate this as much as I , so what are you waiting for ? ", I then snapped at him.

" You wish to die, not escape ? " He asked. One eyebrow was raised as he studied me. I dropped my head again. I didn't like the fact I felt if those eyes looked at me long enough, he would see into my very soul.

I wouldn't justify him with an answer to that. Why would I wish to escape when I have nothing left?