1. Nari Montgomery

Five years later

Bayswater Beach

Lithe and perfectly sculpted, just like a magnificent god, he emerged from the sea. His staggering height and impressive structure enveloped in beads of water, causing his skin to shimmer as sunlight bounced off the liquid spheres. My eyes trailed voraciously over the muscles on his sculpted torso and brazenly my sight moved lower, towards the chiselled abdomen over his stomach, pausing for a millisecond before I dared to roam below his waist, to the narrow plains curving below his pelvis. 

My lips had gone dry and I licked my lips nervously as my eyes travelled over his shorts, completely soaked and clinging like a second skin, hanging precariously on his hips. 

He sauntered towards me, his movements poised and supple. Just like a predator, his eyes never left mine, holding me captive and like a willing victim, I immersed myself in his gaze and allowed myself to drown. I could see a swirl of emotions, lust, desire, and hunger blazing behind his obsidian orbs. My heart drummed in nervous anticipation as my body hummed, yearning and temptation filled me so fiercely that it hurts.

Droplets of water dripped incessantly from his thick, dark hair, splashing as they came in contact with his broad shoulders. The translucent globule glided tantalizingly over every ridge and indentation, winking mischievously at me as it caressed his sun kissed skin, taunting me for my irreverent thoughts. 

I leaned up from where I was lying in the sand, propping myself on my elbows, my shoulders jutting, bust thrusting forward, my slopes on prominent display. My lips turned into a smirk as I saw his eyes drifting lower from my face to my chest, lingering over the small pink bikini that covered my chest, the flimsy material straining over my swollen peaks before they wandered downwards. His Adam’s apple bobbed as his vision paused over my deliciously flat stomach and for a few seconds he appeared indecisive, unsure whether he should continue to traverse my body with his molten gaze. 

He hesitated, a painful expression flickering in his eyes before righting himself, reigning in his emotions and in an instant his composure changed, becoming detached and nonchalant.  

He had closed the gap between us and now stood next to me, his tall, imposing figure shadowing over me, flashing me a wide smile and causing my stomach to flutter. Casually, he flopped on the beach towel beside me, supporting his weight on his elbow, causing his muscles to flex, his sculpted torso facing mine. 

“Hello, beautiful.” His deep voice rumbled as his eyes once again came in contact with mine, causing my heart to quiver in response. I dissolved into a pool of liquid beneath his heated gaze.

“Romeo.” I breathed, flustered. 

My breath hitched, my treacherous heart palpitated at our close proximity. I am suddenly very conscious of the delectable sight of him half-naked, our bodies almost touching. My fingers itched, the urge to touch him consumed me. 

I kept my iniquitous thoughts to myself, biting my lower lip to contain my embarrassment. My cheeks flushed at the ardent thoughts plaguing my mind, causing me to avert my gaze and with a soft thud, I let my body tumble backwards onto the sand.

He followed suit moments later and we both lie with our backs pressed to the sand, faces upturned towards the sky, our eyes trailing over the tufted clouds above. I closed my eyes and allowed the warmth of the sun to cocoon me, the wind caressing my skin softly, carrying the salty air of the sea. 

I breathed in his scent and wondered how it would feel if our scents were to merge. Would it be as beautiful as I imagined it to be?

“My birthday’s tomorrow.” I suddenly declared, my voice hopeful, expectant. Slowly my eyelids fluttered and I turned my head to glance at him. 

“Uhuh.” Romeo replied non committedly, his eyes glazed, immersed in his musings. I can see the cogs turning slowly in his head, a thoughtful look streaming on his face. 

“Do you have anything in mind for your birthday gift, Nari?” Unexpectedly he turned his face to me. Although his voice was soft and inviting, his eyes were cautious, watchful.

“Tell me.” He goaded, his voice merely a whisper, the insinuation in his tone filling me with thoughts that are both decadent and sinful. 

Do I dare reveal my innermost desires?

“Yes, you.” I replied brazenly, my voice sultry as my eyes locked into his, laden with innuendo. 

His eyes darkened as his gaze fell onto my lips and I shuddered licentiously. There was a subtle change in the atmosphere as he advanced, his shadow falling over me as his face hovered near mine, causing my breath to hitch and my heart stopped beating. The air between us swirls with an electrical undercurrent, both captivating and terrifying at the same time.

My skin tingles with anticipation, my cheeks blush, and my heart trembles with excitement. My eyelids fluttered as his lips finally loitered, barely a centimetre from mine, his breath fanning on my face. I closed my eyes, my lips puckered and I waited with bated breath for our lips to meet. 

Time trickled slowly as I waited. 

And waited. 

And just as my eyelids fluttered open, a very loud chorus of male voices cried out very loudly right next to my ears, ”Boo!”

“Arghh!” I screamed, my eyes flew wide open as my body jumped in shock only to find four heads and four pairs of eyes staring widely at me from behind Romeo’s sidelying body. 

My soul almost flew out of my body at the repulsive sight that befell my eyes. 

Arch, Roman, Trav and Jughead had opened their eyes so wide that their eyes almost popped out of their sockets, barred their jaw revealing their canine teeth and stuck their tongues out at me. Their grotesque expressions were a far cry from the beloved face of Romeo that I was imagining seconds earlier. 

The boys convulsed with laughter at my stupefied expression. Even Romeo couldn’t help the tiny slither of a smile gracing his lips. 

I huffed angrily. 

If they weren’t Romeo’s brother and bestfriends, I would have immediately transformed them into useless sandflies. They should know that I am not a witch for nothing, I do have magical powers and I am not afraid to use it on them. 

Narrowing my eyes at them, I opened up my palms and felt tendrils of magic slither out from my fingers, raising each individual grain of sand from the beach and amalgamating them together into a sphere the size of a tennis ball. The boys' faces morphed into alarm as they realised the increasing number of sand balls that had risen from the beach, all poised and ready to strike them all. 

I cackled in laughter, a fiendish sound I must admit, as I raised my palm higher, preparing to strike. 

“Nari, wait!” Arch, Romeo’s beta and second in command cried in alarm, his knees bent and both his palms raised in the air. 

His head was bobbing swiftly from left to right, eyes flitting wildly at the sand balls surrounding them. Even if they shifted in their wolf form, there  is no way for them to escape my sand balls.

“Yes?” I stared at Arch pointedly and raised my eyebrow into a perfect arc, demanding he continue before I lose my patience. 

“Alpha Romeo’s Dad asked us to come here. He wasn’t able to mind-link with the Alpha. He said something about Alpha blocking out all mind-link communications. We couldn’t get to Alpha too so that’s why we decided to check out what got him so occupied that he forgot his own father is coming to the packhouse today.” 

I almost forgave the boys for their obnoxious intrusion until I saw Arch wagging his eyebrows suggestively and pouting his lips, making smooching sounds. Behind him, Jughead and Trav guffawed with laughter while Roman just shook his head, face-palming, covering the wide grin that he had on his face. A rueful expression crept up Romeo’s face, his eyes hooded, embarrassed as he realised that the boys almost caught us in an intimate moment.

Without hesitation, I curled my fingers inwards and the sand balls flew quickly onto the boys, pelting all of them with silt. The boys yelped in surprise and ran away as fast as their long legs could carry them. 

“Duty calls. See you later, Nari.” Romeo quickly pecked me on the cheeks, smiling apologetically before picking up his pace to catch up with his band of brothers, thick as thieves.

Dusting the sands from my body, I decided that now that the object of my affection has left, I might as well head home and supervise the preparations for my nineteenth birthday party tomorrow. 

Just as I was ready to leave the beach, my stride was interrupted by the pitter patter of feet crunching in the sand.

A pixie appeared nearby, eyes too large for its face, pointy ears, shimmery wings flapping lightly as it moved. Pixies are small in stature and this one was only the height of a five year old. Its tiny figure was holding a scroll too large for its body, swaying as it approached me.

And as soon as the scroll lay in my hands, the pixie twirled and vanished, leaving a trail of dust and glitter in its wake.