CHAPTER SIXTEEN

                                                 

"hmm" She hummed, not in the mood to talk.

The drive to the office was quiet. While Lancelot wondered what caused her change of mood, Bellona on her own kept thinking of what she saw.

It was brief but she was able to recognize two children playing with each other, a boy and a girl. 

Though she couldn't see the little boy's face properly, she was able to recognize the girl.

Who wouldn't be able to recognize themselves? The little girl was her.

"I'll get married to you" The boy said.

"I'll wait for you" The girl replied with a smile.

Bellona was confused, she couldn't remember any event like this happening. Besides, she didn't have any childhood friend. She spent her childhood under Nimue's care.

Nimue was very strict. She didn't permit her to socialize with the other children so she didn't know where this memory was coming from.

She needed to tell Nimue about this.

Soon, they reached Zephyr's company and Bellona alighted almost immediately.

"Let me walk you up" Lance came down from his car.

"You don't have to. I told you I'm fine" Bellona raised her voice a little.

"Alright. Alright" Lance raised his hands in surrender and retreated. "Take care of yourself"

Bellona nodded and walked inside the company. She took the lift to the Zephyr's office. When she got there, she knocked on the door and was immediately greeted by Zephyr's dark face.

"You're two hours late." He said. He didn't try to hide his anger.

"I'm sorry" Bellona apologized. She wasn't in the mood to banter words with him so she quickly apologized to soothe his anger.

Zephyr was surprised. He didn't expect her to apologise immediately. He had expected her to make up some excuses or even try to banter with him. What did Lance give her?

"There's a bunch of document waiting on your table. Review them and bring them to me." Zephyr ordered, his eyes never leaving her. He wanted to catch even the slightest change in her features.

"Yes, boss" She said and turned around and left.

All Bellona wanted was to go home and lay down but she got herself together quickly and began reviewing the documents.

Zephyr was confused. Was she okay? This was the first time he asked her to do something and she didn't give any reaction.

Most times, she'd let out a wide fake smile which she thought would manage to convince him that she was excited to do the tax while other times, she'd complain. But this time was different, her face was void of any emotion and he couldn't help but worry.

Also, the way she was quick to apologise made his guilt from before to return. He really needed to apologise but how?

After work that day, Zephyr waited a while for Bellona. He knew that she wouldn't be clocking out early because of the work he gave to her.

He had purposely given her so much work that would take at least two days to complete to punish her for her tardiness.

He heard her office door open an hour after clocking out time, then he rose from his chair and quickly adjusted himself and walked out.

He increased his pace to meet her and when she saw him, she greeted him which he responded to with a nod.

She then walked to the employee's elevator and pressed the button. After a while of waiting, she pressed it again and then again and again but it still didn't open.

"It won't open. It's locked." Zephyr suddenly said. "The employee's elevator gets locked by 7pm and it's already 8"

Bellona muttered a thank you and then she started walking towards the direction of the stairs.

"Where are you going to?" Zephyr asked.

"To the stairs." She looked at him, stating the obvious. It was clear that she was heading for the stairs.

"I know" Zephyr said. He knew she was going to the stairs but why?

"Use this one with me" He suggested.

"It's reserved for the CEO" She said, reminding him of what he told her on her first day of work.

"You wouldn't mind going all the way down sixty one floors, will you? Because I don't mind it" Zephyr smiled.

Bellona knew she couldn't use the stairs. No matter how strong she was, taking the stairs was a hell of work.

She swallowed her pride and walked into his elevator. Zephyr smiled to himself and then pressed the button to close the lift.

The two of them didn't speak to each other through out the side. Infact, it was very suffocating for Bellona. She just realized how much she hated this man that she didn't want to be in the same confinement with him.

Zephyr looked at her and saw how she stood very close to the wall of the lift, leaving a very wide space between them.

'Does she hate me that much that she doesn't want to be close to me?' Zephyr couldn't help but wonder.

Finally, the suffocating ride came to an end and Bellona quickly dashed out as though there was something chasing her and Zephyr just let out a deep sigh.

Lucian brought the car to Zephyr and be entered. He ordered Lucian to drive slowly till they got to where Bellona stood waiting for a taxi.

"Hey, get in" Zephyr called out to her from inside his car.

She heard him clearly but pretended otherwise.

"Miss Hart" He called again and this time Bellona had no choice but to respond because his car was right in front of her.

"Is there a problem, sir?" She let out that fake smile which Zephyr hated. He wanted to know her true feelings and what was going on in her head.

"Get in. I'll drop you off." He suggested.

"I'm okay. My cab will soon be here" She said.

"It's better if I drop you off. It's late and definitely not safe for a lady to be wondering in the streets." Zephyr was shocked at himself. Where did he get that from?

Lucian was also shocked. What was wrong with his Alpha? Can't he get the hint that the girl didn't want to join him? Why was he still persistent?

Bellona rolled her eyes. The best thing this man would do for her is to continue acting like he doesn't care about her existence. Seeing him acting like a good person which he isn't, only fueled her drive to kill him.

"I swear, I'm going to be alright" She tried to convince him.

"Get in" He said leaving no room for arguments.

Bellona nodded and then walked to the other side of the door, opened it and entered. She sat very close to the door, giving him the same distance she gave him in the lift.

"What's your address?" He asked and she told him a wrong address. She didn't want him to know anything about her. 

Zephyr told it to Lucian and the ride continued in silence. Nobody spoke, each of them had their own thoughts in mind. Zephyr was thinking of how to apologise without looking weird, Bellona was thinking of how to get away from him while Lucian was wondering why Zephyr was giving Bellona prefrencial treatment.

She wasn't his mate, right? 'No!' he quickly answered himself.

Werewolves were known for showing off their mates, if she were his mate, Zephyr would have let the whole world know by now.

"We're here" Lucian said and Zephyr looked around. The place looked like a slum. Was this were she lived? He felt a faint pain in his heart.

"Thank you for the ride, I'll be going home. Goodnight" Bellona quickly said and when she was about to open the car door, she felt Zephyr's hands on her.

Zephyr didn't know what made him touch her but when he did, he felt a current that was hard to ignore. He momentarily forgot what he was about to say.

Bellona withdrew her hands from his immediately. "Is there any problem?" She asked, bringing Zephyr back to reality.

"I -uhm I" 

Bellona narrowed her eyes at him. Whatever he wanted to say, he should say it quickly.

"I- I am sorry" Zephyr said and Lucian almost choked on his saliva but managed to remain calm.

"Huh?" Bellona asked. She was also confused. What was he sorry for?

Was he sorry for killing her parents? She scoffed. No matter how much he apologized for that she would still kill him.

"I'm sorry for how I treated you yesterday" He said those words with much difficulty. One could tell he wasn't used to apologizing.

Oh, that. She had even forgotten about it.

"Okay" Bellona didn't know what to say. "Then" She said and opened the door and left.

"What was that?" Lucian asked the question that had been on his mind as soon as Bellona left. He was mindblown. He had known Zephyr for a while and he had never heard the man apologize to anyone even if he was wrong. This was all foreign.

"I don't know" Zephyr answered slowly.

He placed his hands on his chest and felt his heart pounding rapidly. 

What was this feeling?