ENGAGEMENT

//Rose’s POV//

The first time I met him I was blown away by how good-looking he was. I recall dropping my jaw and not realizing it until his slender warm finger moved to dissolve my shock, his smile bright enough to melt the hardest rock.

When we first met, I was just seven and he was twelve but I knew I had fallen for him. His mysterious golden brown eyes contrasted flawlessly with his light-toned face, they were so expressive that you could easily get lost if you stared long enough.

I had concluded that the moon goddess created everyone else and then took her time, so carefully, to build him.

He was supposed to be my stepbrother but I wanted him to be mine. I didn’t want to think of him as family because then it would be wrong to want him the way I do. I went head-over-heels in love with him at first sight and he was fond of me too.

However, Sebastian Knight, my step-brother suddenly became apathetic towards me. He rarely talked to me and whenever he did, he only uttered the vilest words that would cut through my heart like a sharp blade.

I folded my legs and rested my chin on my knees as I stared at the sycamore tree where Sebastian and I used to play. He used to be the nicest guy I know and he showed me genuinely what it felt like to be loved by others that aren't your family.

Every moment that we spent together left me falling harder for him but I couldn’t find the courage to profess my feelings to him, I was scared of his reaction.

What if he rejects me? Does an ordinary young wolf who had not experienced her first shift stand a chance with an Alpha heir?

These thoughts held me back and as I grew older, I could have defeated them if Sebastian’s feelings for me wasn't momentary.

Things started to go awry between us when his sister, Leah, got lost in the woods at the age of 13. I was 14 and we had journeyed into the woods together on one of our many trips away from the pack’s vicinity. Leah had insisted that we play our game in the woods as it was wide enough and there was no one in it. She never liked the guards following us about whenever we played.

We were playing tag and I was to chase her when suddenly a masked man appeared. I had no idea how he reached us but before I could warn Leah, he caught her and vanished into thin air.

For the next five seconds, I stood confused and then I tried to find Leah.

By the time I returned to the pack after my fruitless search, my dress was soiled with dirt and torn in several places, and I was in tears.

My mother who had been worried sick after my disappearance took me in her arms, Sebastian looked the most relieved until everyone noticed that Leah wasn’t with me.

“Where is Leah?” Sebastian asked, his mysterious eyes glinting with worry. “You both went to play together, right?”

“Yes, Rose, where is Leah?” My mother’s voice followed.

“He took her,” were the only words I could crack out after patching my vocal cords.

“Who is he?”

“I-I don’t know.”

Sebastian went rushing out of the house, not bothering to obtain more information from me. Some warriors immediately followed him to search for Leah but just like my earlier attempt, they returned without her.

Leah was missing.

I was in my room, lying upward on my bed and waiting for Sebastian. He usually came into my room every night to read me stories or talk to me until I fell asleep, sometimes with Leah. Today was different, aside from the fact that I was eager to hear his stories, I was also curious about Leah’s whereabouts. It had been two days and she was yet to be found, Sebastian also failed to show up in my room during these periods but I understood.

Just like tonight, for the other two nights, I stayed up waiting for Sebastian.

I was on the brink of giving up when my door was pushed open and Sebastian stomped in. He was always so gentle and if I had been more observant, I would have noticed the anger in his eyes the moment he threw the door open. I would have seen that he wasn’t here to read me stories or talk sweetly to me.

I ignored the signs and flew out of my bed, going to hug him when he pushed me.

“What did you do to Leah?” His voice, usually so calm, hit me like thunder.

I was taken aback by the tone.

“Sebastian-

“Tell me what you did to her!” He growled.

“I would never hurt Leah, Seb, I swear-

“Then why are you here and not her? Why did you show up here without her?”

The anger he displayed showed me a whole new version of him. He wasn’t the Seb I used to know and for the first time in his presence, I sobbed, but it had no effect on him.

“I tried.”

“No,” he shook his head, scoffing, “I was blind. This is who you are all along, I hate you, Rose. You will never be able to replace Leah!”

The words cut through me like a sharp sword but I could do nothing as he turned around and left.

Sebastian hates me. No. I could take those words from anyone else but him. Seb can’t hate me. My aim was to make him love me. He has to love me.

Unable to take the rejection, I ran out of my room to find my mother.

“Rose, honey what is wrong?” She was quick to notice my tears. She quickly sent out the workers in her room to attend to me.

“I love him, Mom. I love him so much,” my voice broke incessantly as I cried.

“Who is him?” She asked, “Tell me who he is and I will do my best to make sure you have him.”

“Sebastian. I want to be with Sebastian, Mother.”

She breathed out, “Do you like him that much?”

I nodded rapidly, “so much. I wish to be his mate.”

“I will talk to Nigel.” Her voice was calm as she comforted me, promising to speak with Sebastian's father.