Realisation

Chapter Four

Kira's POV

My phone lit up again and I saw a message from Leila, my best friend. She had already given me five missed calls in a short period of time.

"Let's meet at our regular ice cream spot. I have someone you should meet. -Leila."

I got up from where I was, kissed my father on both cheeks, grabbed my bag and checked my dress, making sure I didn't look anything short of pretty.

I heard him grumble under his breath about something relating to me but I ignored it and instead refocused my attention to the beeping phone in my hands while I strode out of the room.

  

This was exactly how Leila made me meet Declan two years ago, or sorry on this day but the last time I lived it. 

At first, my body froze; I hesitated for a while as I didn't want any mistake to repeat itself but I quickly shook it off by deciding to go with the flow just so that I do not mess things up this time.

***

Declan was beaming with all smiles when I arrived at the ice cream spot. His smile had been what had drawn me to him in the first place.

Leila was sitting opposite him and she urged me to sit beside Declan, which I did.

"Emm…what is this for? Who is he?" I asked, trying to avoid any eye contact with Declan.

"A friend from school. Feel free. I will go get some ice cream for all of us," Leila disclosed and left me with him.

Declan shifted his gaze from Leila to me. I couldn't stop clinging onto my bag as I was feeling uneasy.

"Leila told me everything about you. I must say, her words didn't do justice to how beautiful you are," he whispered.

I visibly cringed at his choice of words because it was the exact same thing he had said all those years ago; the same thing that my young mind had found sweet, but now I knew better.

“Thank you.” I said dryly, not wanting to drag this conversation any further.

He moved his finger and ran them through my skin. I flinched at his action and I felt a clutch of panic in the pit of my stomach.

I didn't bother looking out for Leila. I already knew she won't be back. She had left me under the care of a monster that would devour me. It was their plan, to make me fall helplessly in love.

"Can you please keep your fingers to yourself?" I gritted at him, but instead of keeping his distance, he gave me a captivating smile.

"You know what? I would love to give you a call. I’d like to get to know you better." he winked at me. Two years ago my heart had melted at this gesture, but now I only felt tense and numb.

"Sure, why not?" I shrugged and was about to hand my phone to him with my phone number displayed when a sudden strong scent assaulted my nostrils.

It was so intoxicating that it almost had me springing out of my chair; even my wolf was suddenly restless and prancing around in my head.

My nose sniffed from one place to another, trying to find where that sweet smelling scent was coming from, but I just couldn’t find it.

"Mate!" Ayla howled, jumping with so much excitement and I sprung to my feet.

"Are you okay? You look confused," Declan pointed out but I couldn't answer.

"Mate! Mate!" Ayla continued yelling.

What was happening? This isn't right? In my previous life I wasn't able to smell my mate and had almost thought I had none. 

How come I'm able to do that now? Besides, who could my mate be?

Everything was happening so fast. The eyes of some people around us were now on me. My heart was throbbing and beads of sweat gathered around my forehead. 

My legs were trembling tremendously and I had this feeling that something was wrong somewhere.

I felt a hand wrapped around my waist and my eyes popped out. The smell of his perfume was fresh and spicy.

"Do you have anxiety? You look like you are about to pass out," Declan said, holding me tighter but that was not helping matters.

"I need to go. I have some things to catch up with," I said and slowly pried his hands away from my body.

He wasn't the problem this time. Something else was the problem.The scent was coming stronger and stronger. The only option I had was to trace it. My eyes began moving from one end to another of the place, scanning to see if I would see my mate.

  

All efforts to find my mate were fruitless. If only he could find me too. I followed the scent, with my body shaking at every step I took.

My eyes were elsewhere when a guy bumped into me and my head spinned around. His body was as strong as a rock.

"I'm sorry for that. I was just looking for…," his eyes rested on me and he stopped talking.

"Mate! Mate!" Ayla yelled. "This is him." Ayla yaps and tries leaning closer to Xander but I push her in.

"Xander?" I asked, widening my eyes, “No way!”

I couldn’t believe it; of all people why Xander?! Was this some sort of sick joke and a way of being punished for being mean to Xander?

"Emm…Kira. I don't know what is happening but…" he tried touching me but I pushed his hands away.

"Of course you don't know!" I cut him short, mentally scolding myself for being such an ass. How do I look at him now, especially after I’d gotten him into a series of troubles in the past and left him hanging.

Tears blurred my vision. I couldn’t even bring myself to look up at him. From the corner of my eye, I saw Declan running after me, panting.

"Can we talk this out? I understand how this feels to you," his calm voice was soothing and his dark eyes drew me to him.

"No way! This can't work. You know that," I shook my head the moment memories of how much I had hurt Xander in my past life came flooding in.

I tried holding back my tears. I have done a lot of things to Xander and all the moon goddess could do was to choose him as my mate?

As soon as Declan got to where we were, he stopped to stare pointedly at Xander and I could swear that I didn’t miss the harsh looks they shared between themselves.

“What’re you doing here?” Declan growled at Xander who in turn ignored him, to focus his attention on me.

They looked like they were familiar with each other and I couldn’t help but ask; “Do you know each other?”

I heard Declan scoff almost immediately the question left my lips. I wasn’t ready for the next thing he said though, for it literally had me gasping for air due to intense shock;

“Of course I do!” He snarled cockily, “Xander here is my half brother.”

I could literally not breathe anymore at the realization. It was as if the moon goddess had decided to use me for a sick sort of sport this time around.

"I…I…need to go," I turned away from them and ran out of the place as my legs could carry me.

I didn’t know what to do, I felt like an idiot. Enduring Declan and Leila was more than enough, and now the moon goddess had decided to haunt me with my past mistakes… which was Xander who now happened to be Declan's sibling..

***

I slowly crept into the house when I got home only to find out that my sneaky entry was all in vain because I found my mother sitting in the pack house common room when I entered. 

It was a little strange seeing her there as she always loved being in the chamber; and with the look on her face, it was quite obvious that she wanted to lash out on someone, or something. 

…and I just happened to materialize just in time.

Her hands were folded around her chest and the cup of hot chocolate sitting pretty in front of her was steaming aggressively, You’d almost think that it was just prepared only a minute ago.

"Kira!" She called out as soon as she saw me and I reluctantly dragged myself to where she sat, obviously waiting for me.  

“Your dad wanted to see you earlier!” She snapped angrily, “but you were nowhere to be found!”

I practically rolled my eyes at her and replied; “at least I’m here now, I’m going to see him right away.” She seemed dissatisfied with my reply because she scoffed loudly, and turned to give me the stink eye.

“Well you’ll have to wait until he gets back from his visit to Duke Edmond.” She replied sassily.

My eyes immediately widened in shock as my heartbeat accelerated. This was what I had been trying to avoid and maybe I would have if I hadn’t bumped into Xander and Declan.

“Did he go alone?” I questioned in a small voice and my heart literally shattered at the next words she spoke;

“No, he went with Amber.”

No! This was repeating itself and I didn’t know what to do. This was the exact same way he had died two years ago… in an automobile crash with Amber.

“Call him mom! Ask him to come back now!” I yelled frantically but she only stared at me like I had lost it.

“What part of he went out do you not—”

“Call him!” I yelled, and at my tone of voice, she immediately rose on her feet to scurry out of the room in search of her phone.

My heartbeat quickened and even my mouth became dry, because I knew that if I wasn’t fast enough, I would lose both my father and sister today, the exact same way I had lost them two years ago…