“Are you sure that you are okay with going to school today? You can tell Naomi about the recent developments when she comes to pick you in a few minutes' time. You don’t need to go to school.” My mother started, as her eyes made a trail, from my head to the chunky boots which adorned my feet. I had told her that Naomi would be picking me up this morning for school; there was no need for me joining a still furious Lilian in her car. However, I understood my mother’s worries. Tucking me into bed last night, she had asked me why I had kept the bullying from her all these while. I had told her that I hadn’t wanted to trouble her with my troubles. But she had been adamant with the theory of being better off knowing about the situation before it had been brought to the council. “Mom, I will be okay. No one will touch me, not after what the king had proposed. I will be fine. Naomi will be with me too.” I answered, putting my books into my backpack, despite the knowledge that I wouldn
“Maya!” Naomi shouted my name, extricating me from my wholesome thoughts. A smile bloomed on her lips when our gazes met. A smile that wavered the next second when she just realized something—the furrows on her forehead were enough giveaway. I am sure it was because of the news. Her parents must have told her.“Hey babes, good morning.” I greeted her, nudging her by the shoulder when she pouted and looked away. “Come on, you know it’s not my fault. Let’s get out of here though, before they bear holes in your head with their eyes.” I said, dragging her by the arm to her bike which was a few feet away from her. She turned then, chuckling softly when she saw the looks on the faces of my siblings and my father. “I bet they didn’t see the change coming. Their loss really.” She got on the bike, and handed me a helmet. “Yeah, thanks.”I will miss this bike too. I thought, as I hung my arms around her waist. Maybe, I could get mine when I got to the city of humans. Maybe, I could learn h
Why was the time damn slow? Shouldn’t it be time for lunch? I wondered, my eyes catching the square clock that has been hanging in our class, since forever. “You shouldn't have bothered coming to school today if you were going to be this distracted.” Naomi whispered as she brought her head and book close to me like she was showing me something. The professor was looking at us.I shrugged at her question, not knowing what to say. She was right. But what she didn't know was that I had come to school to catch a glimpse of Adam for the last time.It was stupid. It was a lame expectation. Nevertheless, I was yearning for an alone time with him again. “You could have waited for me at your house. You know, spend more time with your mother...” Naomi was saying, and I just nodded along, not having anything to contribute to the discussion. The bell rang for lunch then, and we all breathed out in relief. We, as in the whole class. It was obvious that I wasn’t the only one bored out of my head
Adam’s eyes remained fixed on me as he spoke on the details of the party that had been arranged in my honor. This caused flurry tingles to assail my belly continuously. “Does this suit your taste, Maya?” He asked suddenly, and my cough started all over again.Naomi snickered before handing the water can to me for the second time. She must be finding this very hilarious. Well, wasn't it? And why the hell was I coughing? Was it because he was addressing me in public or what? Jeez, Maya, get a grip on yourself.“Maya..” He called again, ignoring Claire’s rude snort. The girl must be gritting her teeth at this point. She must also be wishing that I was dead and buried, for having gotten the attention of the king. Well, too bad it was only for tonight. I would have loved to torture her the more with this facade that Adam was putting on. I was sure that he was trying to make amends because his father had instructed him to. Naomi pinched me then. “He is calling you, Maya. For god's sake,
The cafeteria was buzzing with hungry students as usual. But this time around, something was different. They were all giving me side glances. Hadn’t they had their full of sly looks this morning? I wondered, still beside Naomi. We were walking toward the queue to get our own food. “So…when are you going to meet him?” Naomi asked, bringing my attention to another topic that had taken residence in my head. Since Adam had mentioned and planted the motion that he wanted to see me during the lunch break, I’ve been spacing out a lot.It was obvious, well at least to me, by the look in his eyes, that the last thing he wanted to talk about was some damn party. He wanted to kiss me, maybe even fuck me. Would I let him? That was the question that had been brewing in my mind all this while. Would I let Adam fuck me?“You have spaced out again. It is good that you are actually leaving really. I don’t know where your mind would have been in if you were actually still staying here. Adam would
The terrace. That’s where I thought we were going to, but seeing Adam take a detour into the garden right after the terrace was a huge stop in the show. My movements slowed until it came to an abrupt halt. Why the garden? What is going on there? I looked around me. There was no student or teacher in plain sight. Everyone was busy eating their lunches and I was here following an ex bully, or still bully—who knows what he has in stock for me—into a garden I haven’t been in since ninth grade. “Coming or not?” Adam questioned with an emotionless face, as he suddenly turned around to face me. He must have noticed that I wasn’t following him anymore. “Where are we going?” I asked him, slipping my hands into the pockets of my jacket. I was nervous; like so nervous. “The garden obviously. Are you blind too?” He piqued an eyebrow. “Stop behaving like a scaredy cat and follow me. I am not going to eat you up, unless of course the eating has to do with the hotness down there.” He laughe
He brought me to the secret lair of he and his brothers? Was that a trick statement meant to make me swoon and drop down my pants or was he really telling the truth? “So, keep it a secret. Don’t tell Naomi even.” Adam said, stepping away from me finally. He turned aside to look at the waterfall. “Sure I will keep your secret. Although I don’t know if it’s because saying it out would spoil your getaways with other girls whom you might have said the same thing to, or if it is because…” I was still talking—still asking myself when I had gotten this brazen—when all of a sudden Adam's lips were on mine. A record time. I thought, before blinking my eyes closed and kissing him as softly as he was doing. It was like he was worshipping my lips. But how fast could he move? It wasn’t his birthday yet. One second I was talking, and the next second or less than that, he was right up here with me. I wish I was that fast. I would have left the pack a long time ago. “You still think I
“Maya, are you okay?” Adam asked, after about five minutes of silence. He must be wondering why I had suddenly withdrawn from him.“I am fine.” “Do you need me to apologize further? I’m really sorry for bullying you. I promise that your remaining days here—in this pack, should you decide to stay—would be peaceful and enjoyable.” Determination rang true in Adam’s voice. I only nodded, not knowing what to say.That’s good? Or that’s noble of you? Noble would have been not bullying me in the first place. Well, all that has passed. What mattered now was that he was trying to make amends. But was I supposed to scrap all the bullying acts he had committed against me because he pleaded guilty and pledged to make amends? I sighed in frustration. When would we be leaving this cave? Lunch break should be over.“Maya..” Adam’s voice jerked me out of my thoughts. He was so close to me. I had been so caught up in my thoughts that I hadn't noticed him walk into my space. But I refused to co
This week has been uneventful. I surmised as I watched the professor summarize her teaching for the day. Even my magic classes that had been slotted on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays had been uneventful. Seeing as I had a better control of my magic, I just did as they asked me, without any extra flourish. There was not a note of extra in me, of having fun whilst doing magic—not with the threat of Adam and his brothers hanging over me. Since the week started, till now, I had been waiting for the drop of the other shoe, but so far nothing has happened. It was like last weekend didn't happen, like my scar hadn't shown itself. And for my neck, all efforts to cover the mark had been futile. So, I had taken to wearing scarfs around my neck, and since it was a cold season, no one had raised an eyebrow at the piece of accessory which had never been equated to me. I had also gotten more friends, than I would have liked, or rather acquitances—people who liked me because I wasn't an ordinar
As I walked out of the Queen’s palace which was now filled with suffocating air, my heart pounded like a drum. I couldn’t shake off the feeling that Adam might have found out who I really was. I couldn’t shake off the fact that he might put two together—the mark and my accurate information on Maya—and conclude that I was she whom he sought. Maya. The thought of this possibility sent shivers down my spine, and my mind raced with fear and uncertainty.For months, I've hidden my identity well, keeping the truth open to my adopted family alone, keeping it tucked away from prying eyes and whispers in the community and the pack. But now, a careless slip, a moment of indiscretion on my own end, and everything had come crashing down—it felt like the walls were closing in on me. Could this be the reason why my significant other hadn’t wanted me to speak to their parents?‘Was it the reason?’There was no response; just the thrumming of energy I felt. She was choosing to keep quiet? Quite unde
Had I dug myself deep into a hole by bringing up the subject about Maya? I wondered, sinking into the tension that had surrounded us after Adam's last statement. Rachel's mouth has never gotten around getting closed, and Raul's grip had tightened on my hand. The triplets all had smirks on their lips, masking, almost completely, the uncomfortableness that the topic on Maya had brought up. I shook my head. Even if I hadn't talked about Maya, the triplets wouldn't have allowed Raul to leave here with me, without making some lame agreement. "Dora, is this right? Did you agree to it?" Raul asked, incredulity ringing in his voice. I hissed from irritation, before I could stop it, causing Noah's smirk to get more prominent. "Why would you think I will agree to such stupid suggestion made by egocentric fools to soothe their egos because a girl turned them down?" "I'm sorry, I just…" "You thought I will be way over my head because three fine ass boys were coming for me." I freed my hand
At my question, I noticed first that the boys became confused. They were still sporting looks that claimed that I was lying, that I was wasting time, but at the same time, I could see the doubt of their own selves, of their own story accounts, like they weren't sure of their earlier stance. I saw it in Adam's jerk, and his subtle staggering back, as if I had dealt him a blow. I saw it in Noah’s lip biting intermittent motions. I saw it in Daniel’s subtle shifting of feet, and twitching hands. Then, I saw Adam dart a glance at his brother, Noah, then at himself—an inward look into his mind—as if trying to recall something that seemed out of his grasp. His brothers were in the same turmoil, and if I wasn't hearing their heart rate, if I wasn't as confused as they are, I might have called them liars. But my ears were attuned to their heart rate, my eyes were attuned to the several emotions that ran through their face in split seconds. The triplets were confused.They were confused abo
I would have said no to Raul's request if we were alone in the hallway, considering the topic I had just bashed Duke for, considering the fact he had been aware of the matter, but for the Lycan boys. Rachel had no place in my thoughts. If I were to deny Raul his request, then the purpose of kissing him in the first place would be defeated. I couldn’t allow that. Not that I regretted the kiss though. "Yeah, sure. I would love that." I managed to say without gritting my teeth, even going ahead to clasp his hand in my mine, when what I wanted exactly, was to slap him for endorsing his family's misconduct. He must have known my thoughts on him, because he instantly made an apology with his eyes. I diverted my gaze, I wasn't going to forgive him that easily, not even with those cute eyes of his. I made no comment as I and Raul walked past Rachel and Adam, not until Daniel called me, right after I walked past him and Noah. "You must think me a joke, if you believed I was going to let y
"So where did I stop with my story?" I asked, ignoring the subtle tap on my elbow—Raul was handing me a lame warning, to stop with it. That would be expected, considering the hatred I was seeing in Duke's face now. I had taken a huge guess when I had mentioned the fact about the throne—it had come up when he had spoken of me after the throne-as if Raul had the potential of being the next one on the throne, even though there was no strand of white hair on his head. It told me that either the Queen had so much faith in her second son, or she had placed the faith on the bethrothed. That brought my attention to Diana, and her former classes with the Queen. Could Diana be the bethrothed one? If she was, then I hoped that Raul had really denounced it. I couldn’t bare the thought of Diana being plunged into this mess of a family. As much she was strong willed, she would be broken. I loved my sister too much for that. I would have taken this incident as a pointer to start speaking to her,
Three seconds into my kiss with Raul, I forgot that I was supposed to disengage from the kiss when the boys went through the bend and came to hallway we were in, I forgot that they were coming, I forgot that I had made a plan like that, I forgot that this was a kiss meant to deliver a piece of information, not for pleasure. When Raul grabbed my ass however, and squeezed, when I moaned into the kiss biting his lips, enjoying the moan that escaped from his, there was an intentional cough that brought reality into my vision again, that brought my attention to the burning mark on my neck. Oh my god. This was good. I concluded, when I remembered myself. Raul was a good kisser. Despite knowing that there were more than three people watching us, I was adept enough to still play the game. I smiled at a Raul who was shocked by my gutsy kiss and smile, but who remembered quickly how to smile flirty. Satisfied with our interaction, I disengaged from the hug. Slowly. With infinite flourish, I
This time around, the shock on the Queen’s face lasted for more than two seconds. It lasted until she croaked out a sound of amazement from her lips, which was similar to one in my head, which was similar to the ones I heard from our watchers, which had increased by the minute. “You…” She stuttered, unbelief in her eyes. She was still holding the offending hair, an offending hair that I vowed to cut when I got home. As I was still cussing the offending hair, the Queen pulled another one, and this time around, it was a little lower than a chunk. What the hell!Without much ado, I pushed her away from myself, held my hair by myself, and swerved to one of the windows of the castle—the windows could do the job of a mirror. My mouth dropped open in shock when I noticed that almost one quarter of my hair was white hair-not together-some were scattered, mixed with my black long hair. It looked like a trend, like a swag, only that it was not. I wanted it gone. It had appeared first when I
The surprise on the Queen's face, however, didn't last two seconds. As quickly as she had seemed fazed by the fact that I could add and subtract flames without needing to make a gesture with my hand, as quickly as the surprise had left. The only indication that she had been shaken had been the slight shaking of her hand as she returned the cup to the table, a shaking that led the cup to spill some of its content. Its content was a blood red liquid. Wine then. I thought, taking my eyes off the cup to her face when she stood up from her seat, dusted her hands on each other, and started walking toward me. "So, it seems that you can control the fire with your mind, at such a young age. That's huge potential, I will have to admit. Let's see how far you can go…" She said, staring at me, from my hair which was tied to a ponytail, to my tennis shoes. My significant other recoiled further into my mind, as if the gaze was scorching her. What exactly was with the both of them? I wondered,