Catalyst

Indrik

For someone who had had to give up on a lot of things, among which were my respect as the first son of the Alpha, my place as a wolf, my place as an elder brother to mention just a little, I wasn't exactly enamoured by someone who did not know the right time to give up. I know all about the difference between love and obsession and I was willing to bet my least favorite robe that this woman was becoming obsessed. I hated obsession. And besides, there was that other matter.

I had barely stepped into our quarters when her unmistakable fragrance wafted over the air to me. You could never miss the mix of flagrant spices which I loved when they were used in appropriate proportions. Rosewater, Lavender, among other scents that I couldn't place. Seriously? Now, I didn't know all that much about female rituals but I was pretty certain there were some rules about mixing these scents. This was clearly a total violation of all of those rules. I tried not to think of my room continuing to smell like this long after she had left. I immediately picked up my pace knowing that the sooner I could get her out of here, the better.

Opening the door, I was enraged to find her lying in my bed and wrapped up in my bedspread like she owned the place. I gritted my teeth in anger as I imagined my bed reeking of that sickly sweet smell.

"Veronica!" I growled, trying to hold myself back from rushing to her and dragging her out by her hair.

"Hey, Indrik!" She cooed, lifting her back off the bed and smiling at me. She looked red. That was the first thing that came to my mind. She was wearing a red dress, red makeup, red finger and toenail paint. Everything about her seemed red. "Where have you been? I've been waiting for you all day!" She continued, like she hadn't noticed the scowl on my face.

"What are you doing in my bed?" I asked, my voice dangerously low. It was all I could do to not tromp over and turn my bed upside down with her in it.

"Waiting for you, of course. How do you like my look today?" She ran her hand over her body, winking seductively. I turned up my nose in disgust.

"Get out of my bed, will you?" Somehow, I managed to not scream that at the top of my lungs.

"Why don't you come join me instead?" She pushed, adjusting her dress.

I gritted my teeth so hard, I was surprised they didn't shatter. "GET OUT OF MY BED!" I growled, forcing my hands into my robe to avoid putting them somewhere that was not as safe. Her neck.

"Oh, alright, I get you." She laughed softly. "You are mad that I didn't get up to come and welcome you. Sorry." She got out of bed, pouting. Her lips could have been pretty if I hadn't been so disgusted with her. "Jeez! You are no fun. I was planning to surprise with these!" She gestured to somewhere beside her which the bed hid out of sight. My expression did not change. "I guess you don't want to see it then? Then I will just take them with me." She sneaked a look but my expression did not soften, rather, I narrowed my eyes, wishing I could chase her off. "Don't you even want to know what I brought?"

I narrowed my eyes even more as I wondered if she was both blind and stupid or just pretending to be blind and stupid. Any self respecting woman would have already given up a long time ago but Veronica seemed to just not know how to take hints. "Veronica!" I sighed in exhaustion. "I believe I have already clarified what we are to you. I don't love you and will never love you. This path you are choosing to tow will bring nothing other than pain and hatred and I really don't want that for us. You are a great woman, trust me, you really are and I am certain that you would find someone who loves you for who you are soon enough. Just not me. So, please, help me to help you." Even as I uttered the words, I felt like a broken record. I couldn't count the number of times that I had made a speech to her only for her to shake it off and just continue being a pest.

She stared at me with a smile on her face for so long that I started to feel nervous. I was about to tell her to quit it when she approached me and raised a hand to my jaw. "You are the best man out there, Indrik. I don't want anyone else. Only you." And there we go again. I grabbed her hand, stepping away from her. I was about to give her ten bits of my mind when the door opened and Luna came in bearing a tray. I dropped Veronica's hand and made my way to her.

"Hey, Tulip!" I grinned, tugging her cheek.

"Please!" She cried. "You don't know how much trouble I had to go through to get this food so, do not let it pour. Not unless you are intending to starve. And, don't call me Tulip." She complained, as she shouldered past me. She stopped before Veronica and bowed before making her way past her.

"Oh, the horrors." I cried as I also moved past Veronica. "Have you no sense of taste? The name is record worthy. You should be glad that I address you by the name fit for queens."

"Queens?" She gave me an 'are you serious?' look.

"Of course." I grinned, puffing out my chest in pride.

"Indrik?" I heard a soft call behind me but I ignored it. The next thing I heard were pounding feet and the door slamming shut.

I exhaled, feeling equal parts glad and bad. I shrugged. Perhaps, that would prove to be the catalyst she needed to move on.