AUTHOR'S POV
The mansion no longer looked like a place waiting for a celebration. The picturesque spring soiree wedding Lily have planned folded right before her eyes first thing in the morning. Livid, her fingers gripped the railings of the balcony until her knuckles paled. Invitations were cancelled, and the wedding adornment were slowly dismantled. Workers climbed ladders, untying garlands of fresh spring flowers and drapery. The red carpets were rolled into a massive cylinder. The table scapes, that were curated into perfection of crystal centerpieces, fresh blooms, and lace runners, have gone back to their storage boxes. "Alpha Scott cancelled it all", the coordinator shrugged. Lily watched everything empty out from their designated spaces, along with her wedding dreams dwindling at every strip of the silk drapes, and flameless tower candles. Her eyes, that were once gleaming in enthusiasm to wed Scott Devlin, went frantic staring at every piece being taken down.
Clearly, there's no wedding today.
Ever since she signed a contract Scott, she have started believing that they would go a long mile away to some place where he would look past the pretending. That he would look at her not as some fake replacement, but a woman. His Luna. But when Diana returned, that dream became impossible. Everything that she ever worked hard for fell by the wayside. After smiling through every cold shoulder, learning his routines, sitting through parties... she will be left with nothing. When she thought Scott is furious of Diana, she sees him looking at her like a starving man waiting in the drought. It filled her with every kind of bitterness so sharp that it tasted like blood, questioning why Scott didn't imprint on her instead.
In her butter cream silk chemise night gown under her laced trimmed long robe, Lily stormed towards Scott's workspace room. She held her breath all the way there, thinking of the million words to say why the wedding shouldn't be called off. "Hello darling", she greeted, flew one side of the double frosted french door open. She didn't even bothered to knock as how he've always wanted. She didn't care. Not now. The strong smell of peppermint cigarette made her nose crinkle in one second, before flashing a radiant smile at the man by the cherry executive table. "The wedding... is it no long happening today?", she asked, holding the knob. Barely heard anything, Scott sat behind his desk with his sleeves rolled to his forearms. He was too immersed between making calls, and signing cheques. The smoke of his cigarette between his lips curled over him, as he continue talking on the phone pertaining to the funeral of Priscilla and Damon. Lily went in, and slammed the door shut. Scott still went on, as if he didn't hear anything.
Lily headed towards Scott's desk. Enraged, with hands trembling. She will demand explanation. She will scream for her unfulfilled hopes. At her every step that she took closer to him, every furious word she rehearsed deserted her the moment she truly looked at him. His brows were drawn together in concentration. The veins along his forearms stood out beneath his bronze skin as he turn another cheque. The loose strand of dark hair falling from its usual place, softening the sharpness of his face. He looked relaxedly beautiful, and painfully familiar. The harsh words screaming in her head that were sharpened like weapons came out embarrassingly gentle. "So...", her voice shook as her hands. "Is wedding is postponed?", she said. Scott put down the phone, along with his cigarette after one puff. He signed another cheque, and looked at the woman shaking to just stand before him. "I guess we'll just have the rejection ceremony of your Luna today then", she swallowed, clutching the sides of her robe, blinking her eyes too many times. "The wedding preparations.. when should I reschedule them?", she looked him, with his unreadable expression. "...next week? Next month? I don't mind waiting".
"Of course there will be a wedding", Scott answered, that made Lily's heart leap, hopes high. "But our contract ends today", those words made every light in her face dim. Scott returned the cap to the pen, and placed it on the side. "I'd like you to leave the mansion", he stood from his chair, taking his cigarette from the ash tray. "But should you wish to stay another day to mourn Priscilla and Damon, you're welcome", his voice carried neither anger nor comfort.
Lily tried to stand on her weak knees. Her eyes blurred, but she didn't let those tears fall as she tighten the grip on her robe in a ball. "Of.. of course I'll stay", she said briefly, as Scott walks out of the room, leaving her on her own.
DIANA'S POVLater
A sharp gasp of breath woke me up from a good sleep. Slowly, I opened my eyes to a splitting headache cracking my skull as I sweat terribly under the thick blanket smelling of flowers and sweet wine, with a hint of cedar and peppermint. For several seconds, I stared in the ceiling. Not cement. Not glass. No chains. Just plain foreign white ceiling. It was then I truly relaxed. The vivid hues of orange, pink, and red gleaming through the bare arched windows caught my eye. It was a beautiful sight that pulled me up from the bed and away from the blanket, as I lift my hand towards the dusts drifting lazily through the warm glow.
I am safe... and alive.
That awareness struck harder than the headache pulsing in my eyes. Before I knew it, a tear escaped, then another followed. Soon, they streamed on my cheeks. I dipped my face in my hands, as my hair fall from my shoulders. I pressed my hands against my flushed face, concealing my quiet soft sobs escaping my partially open dry mouth. I let that relief wash through me, as the tightness in my chest loosen.
I never thought I'd ever be saved from that lake. That I would eventually die in that bunker. As my throat burn, I reached to the bedside table, finding a glass already waiting. The water was cool against my cracked lips, soothing the raw ache with every swallow. Beside it rested a porcelain basin filled with fresh water and a folded towel as if someone had stayed long enough to care for me.
Scott, maybe? A small ache in my heart hoped it was him. While that thought settled softly in me, the sight of him with Lily replaced it. Suddenly, a large hand touched my back. "How are you feeling?", I turned to the man owning the deep voice with apparent concern. I couldn't say anything. His hair have gone longer. His glowing skin have dulled. But, he still looked like the friend I knew. We simply stared at each other before we hugged it all out. I buried myself against his shoulder, as he did on my neck. We held each other tighter as we sit on the bed. In that embrace, we shared tears, a relieved laughter and long sighs. "Seb", Sebastian pulled from me and smiled. He carefully brushed my hair back, tucked a few strands behind my ear, and wiped my tears with his hands. "How did you found me?".
A slight frown flickered across his face. "I'm sorry it took a while for me to find you.", his voice barely rose from a whisper. "My men shouldn't have frightened you at the forest, and at the hospital either", he held my hands, squeezing them gently.
"They would've gotten a better luck if they wore something more casual", I smiled.
A small laugh escaped his small lips. "No more suits?"
"And neckties."
"For future kidnappings?"
I snorted. "Especially for those", the humor faded as quickly as it had come. My eyes drifted downward, as I inhale an ample of courage. "I'm sorry about your mother".
There was silence... When I looked at him, his gaze was focused on me. His smile was nowhere to be found. "Did you... see her die?", his jaw twitched, eagerly waiting for my reply.
I nodded once.
"Was it quick? Did she feel pain?", his voice cracked, anchoring his breaths. I lost my remaining moxie to be truthful. I can't hurt him this way. Sebastian closed his eyes. "...who", that single word sounded almost broken, that he could no longer finish his question.
"Tamara.", I said. Sebastian's eyes returned to me. "It was Tamara".
His gaze went sharp. "I need your help. I want to find her", his grief have hardened into a resolve. But, I know in my heart it's not that easy. "I will kill her with my bare hands", before I could find the words, a knock echoed against the door.
A lady in a navy blue housemaid uniform opened the door, bowing respectfully. "The urns are ready".
Those words hung heavily around us. She clearly said urns. Sebastian drew a slow breath, as he stood from my side. "I'll be back.", he gently squeezed my shoulder. "Rest here. No one will bother you. Roman will be back in an hour".
Then, he left.
A hush fell over the room to myself. Suddenly, I felt dizzy as my surroundings started to blur. It's like my eyes were drinking liquor when the room started to swirl. Trying my best to stand on my weak knees, I couldn't bring myself up from the bed. Touching my forehead, the fever has already broken down but my body still feels heavy. Must be the exhaustion hitting my body.
In the corner of the room, tiny motes of silver drifted in spiral. It was shimmering like moonlit dust, gathering above the floor. The temperature softened, and the room seemed to breathe. "How far along are you?", a tiny voice spoke. A slender figure stepped in with his dark button luminous eyes looking at me.
"Ofir!", I called as I breathe deeply, bringing myself up... only my legs betrayed me once more. "How's my favorite lythari? Come here", I welcomed him with my open arms.
"You left me", he sharply said, floating his way to me. "I thought we'll go together!", he crossed his small arms across his chest. "I placed a lot of my energy in those marbles, you're lucky you had them. I'll need three more full moons before I regain those powers.", he shakes his small head, pouting.
"I'm sorry", that's what all I can say. He hovered around me, before placing his hand on my belly. His black eyes sparkled, as his thin lips curved up.
"I don't like the Alpha, but I hope these tiny versions of him are cuter and kinder", he said.
"Wha--", I chuckled weakly in utter disbelief. Pregnant? No way.
"You're pregnant.", he said again. "With two boys", Ofir lifted two fingers in the air.
I froze in outright refusal. It can't be. I held my belly, slowly lowering my head. "It can't be."
"I'll make you a sandwich, the boys seem hungry", humming happily, Ofir disappeared into thin air.
I laid back down, and closed my eyes. I took one deep breath as I bare my thoughts. Worried about the constant blood collections, sleepless nights and all the running, is my body in good shape to carry life? I placed my hand on my belly once again. Am I ready for this? If I'm pregnant, Scott has the right to know… but I don't want to ruin his relationship with Lily. Much more force him back to me because I'm pregnant.
Maybe, Ofir made a mistake. I can't be pregnant. Not at this time. My thoughts were disturbed when someone knocked on my door. Ofir never use doors. Or maybe Sebastian is back? When I looked at the door, it was already open. And the woman I never wanted to see just let herself in. She wore a black mourning dress that barely reached mid-thigh. It hugged every curved, elegant enough for a gala, and provocative enough to draw every eye in the room. It felt strangely out of place, especially in a home preparing a funeral.
I sprung up from the bed despite the lingering dizziness swirling in my head. The click of her heels resounded against the wooden floor. Without taking my gaze off the woman carrying a faint apologetic smile, I met her halfway. Then, she stopped a few feet away where I could smell a strong scent of gourmand floral and smoldering vanilla. "Do you know me?", her eyes swept over me. Narrowing, judging.
"You look better than in the pictures".
She scoffed a little, gracefully folded her arms, cocking her head to the side. "I'll go straight to the point. I'm Scott's fiancé.", she proudly said. "The wedding should've been today, but the plans have changed", I could read the frustration in those glares. Right, the wedding is today. Surely it was delayed because of Priscilla. "Just so you know, if you hadn't come back... We'd probably in our honeymoon by now.", her voice sharpened. It felt like I'm dealing with another Christina and I almost wanted to kick her out of the room and lock the door. "We love each other, and we make each other whole. Scott have always resented you since you left him. Well, he didn't even bothered looking for you", every word was meant to wound, but I just remained still, listening to her childish rants. Because a confident lover wouldn't be as noisy as an empty can.
"I don't intend to stay".
"Good", she lifted her chin. "He will reject you tonight. Make sure you do it, before you leave the mansion", her gaze deliberately drifted over me. "He deserves only a Luna who can shape shift.
I wasn't offended, not even angry for a tiny bit. I have heard that line several times, it no longer bothers me. "I know".
"There's so much death around you anyway. You'll be a good riddance", that was wa painful fact, but I didn't let it shatter the remaining strength that make me stand before her. "Well, that's all I have to say.. Don't ever come back or I'll scratch that pretty face of yours", she left as soon as she said those words. The world must have loved me too much, for making me earn so much enemies in this lifetime.