Antonia's POV
"This stuff tastes great" I said after taking a sip on the cup of blood Gretchen passed to me.
This was the second time I tasted blood ever since I woke up from my coma since I was part were wolf and a vampire, I didn't need to take blood all the time but I took it whenever I felt like I needed it.It was surprising how I was taking blood yet a few months back the thought was gross.
"Says the dog who eats flesh"Phil replied
"Oh shut it blood sucker, I wasn't even talking to you"I said after gulping down the entire cup
"Don't forget you are a blood sucker too in fact you drink blood and eat flesh at the same time.I don't even know what you are" Phil said to me
"Come on guys would you atleast get along for once"George said
"Just let them be George, I have noticed that these guys are having a cat and dog relationship but they will be fine"Gretchen replied winking at us I just rolled my eyes at her.
"There are types that you haven't tasted yet but I'm positive you will like them"She added
"Oh really, the next time I need the cup, you will give me another type so that I could decide which one tastes better"I told her.
"Sure thing.I will be waiting"She said smiling at me.
"Well ladies, my brother and I have got stuff to handle, we will see you later"George said standing up then followed by Phil.
"Okay, you guys take care"Gretchen said kissing his husband in the lips and gave Phil a peck.
George have me a peck on the cheek while Phil just gave me the look and the left us at the table.
"I swear he is not that bad, it's just that he almost got killed by a were wolf when he was still young that is why he hates wolves and lycans alot but I know he is starting to realize that you are not a bad person and you two will get along quite soon"Gretchen said referring to Phil.
"I don't see any sign of Phil and I getting along" I replied
"That's because both of you have alot in common"Gretch said
"Like?"I asked
"Both of you have a lot of pride, everyone wants to show the other that he is a better person and none of you is willing to let the other step on you and walk freely which is a good thing but one of you gas got to be a bigger person and let it go sometimes"She replied
"Well, I am used to him being that way and I am fine with it"I replied shrugging.
"See, that's the pride I just told you about"Gretchen said with a laugh.
Just then, Jessica came in quietly with her head looking down on her little hands that she was holding together and walked towards her mom.Gretchen carried her on her lap and gave a her a kiss.
"Hi baby, did you sleep well?"She asked her and Jessica nodded her head.Gretchen looked at her and then at me.She was not in the usual happy mood, she was mad about something.
"Hi Jess, are feeling okay?"I asked and she nodded her head in agreement
"What is wrong honey?"Gretchen asked make Jess look at her.Jessica reminded me so much of me when I was a kid and since I was one child my mom and dad showered me with all the love that I could take but I was no longer a supporter of parents giving birth to one child because of the things that happened to me, if at least I had a brother, I wouldn't have been forced to marry that bastard Rodrigo.My brother would have ruled as I waited for my mate.
"Auntie lied to me"Jess replied pulling me from my thoughts.
"I lied to you, how when?"I asked her
"You said you would come and play with me but you never came, I waited until mommy told me that you went somewhere, I did not see you at dinner and you did not read me my bedtime story"Jessica stated shooting me daggers.
Gretchen laughed silently at her daughter's grievances making sure that Jess doesn't see her or she would be added to her cold shoulder list.
"Ohh, I am so sorry Jess, I had an important meeting and I failed to come back on time.I came back very late when you were already asleep"I replied but it didn't soften her up, she still looked like she could explode any minute.I sighed and quickly thought about what could check the little girl's mood.
"How about this, I will make it up to you today.I will organize a play date for us, if you finish having your breakfast, we will go out and play for as long as you like and I will take you to bed tonight and read you two bed time stories.Is that okay?"I asked and saw a curve form at one end of her lips.
"Really?"She asked with a smile.
"Yes.Would you like that?"I asked her again.
"I would like that"she replied
"Well then, finish your breakfast and then we will get started"I told her.
"Yay"She cheered and happily started eating her breakfast.
When she was done, Jess and I said goodbye to Gretch who had to some work to do in her office and we went out to play.
"So what are we going to play?"She asked me.
"I don't know, what would you like us to play"I asked her.She put her little finger on her lips as she thought about what we could play together.She looked so adorable.She made me wish I had a pup of my own but not with that bustard Rodrigo, with the mate who I never met.
"We could play hide and seek or we could play babies with my doll"She suggested.
"Or we could play both"I suggested and she grinned at me.
"Yes, let's just do that"She replied
I set everything that we needed and started on my mission of making Jess happy.By the time, we finished, it was lunch time, she had her lunch and since she was exhausted she fell asleep and Gretch took her for a nap.
********
After having lunch, I informed Gretchen that I was going out for a horse ride and she agreed.
"Go to the stables and you will find a man called Charles, he will help you with everything you need"she directed me.
"Thank you"
"Be careful and don't go too far"She advised
"Got it"I replied
I then went to the stables and picked a white horse.It had been long since I rode a horse, I did it with dad when I was still fifteen and I felt like doing it, I guess I wanted to connect with him but since he was not around, I had to do it alone.I looked to my right and I saw a guy.'He must be Charles'Erica said
'I will go and confirm'I decided to walk towards him to confirm if he was the one.I needed him to give me permission to ride the horse.Although Gretchen had permitted me, I wanted Charles's approval too.This was something that always made my people love me, treating them nicely and respectfully not caring about their ranks and statuses something Rodrigo never had.
"You must be Charles"I said when I reached there. He was feeding the horses hey.
"I am, how may I help you miss"He politely asked and I explained to him what I wanted.
"Have you ever rode a horse before?"He asked
"I have"Was my reply
"And you are well conversant with it?"he asked again.
"I am but it's been long since I last rode it but I will be okay"I assured him.
"Take these, you need them"He said giving me cowboy boots, cowboy hat and the protection gears.
"I don't need these"I said handing him the gears."I will just use these thank you"I replied putting on the boot and the hat.
"Are you sure"He asked
"I am sure charles"
Charles then helped me climb and sit on the horse.
"I'm not sure if you are well familiar with horses ma'am but please be careful"He advised
"I will, thanks again Charles"I said and stormed off.
It was a good feeling of doing this again and although I wasn't with my dad this time, I felt like he was here with me and I loved the feeling of my hair being blown away due to the speed of the horse.
I had been riding for thirty minutes now when I heard the sound of another horse running the sound got more and more clear meaning that it was near me.I heard to reduce the speed and look back only to see Phil on the horse.
I increased the speed of my horse, I had nothing to say to him and here he was coming to irritate me again.He had come to do nothing but disturb my peace.
Phil being Phil increased the speed.of his horse too.
"Stop Antonia"He yelled
"What do you want?"I yelled back at him.but not reducing the speed even one bit.
"Gretchen asked me to come and check on you and watch over you"He said
"Well now you know that I am fine and I am not a baby.I don't need a baby sitter and I don't need you of all people, as you can see I can handle myself just fine"I said to him.
Just then, my horse made noise and lifted it's front legs.I knew what was coming next, I was going to fall and I wasn't sure if I would survive this.
I closed my eyes and prepared myself for the mighty fall but instead of the fall, I felt a hand around my waist as I moved in the air and I was sitting on another horse.I opened my eyes to see that it was Phil who saved me.Iwas sitting on his horse and he was sitting behind me.My heart was still thumping hard in my chest.
I was now going to eat all the words I had said minutes ago.
"Do you have something you want to say to me?"I heard Phil ask, I knew he had a silly smirk on his face and I wished I could rub it off.
"Thanks for saving me"I swallowed my pride and said.
"You are welcome"He replied
I looked down to see what had made my horse react that way and found out that it was a snake.I asked him to stop and put me down and he did.He also got off from his horse.
I then held the white horse and led it towards the river to drink some water with Phil doing the same with his.We walked silently as I didn't know what to say.I was at loss of words and Phil never said anything.
There was this one question that I had on my mind 'If he hates me like he shows then why did he just save me' When I didn't find the answer, I decided to ask him.
"Why did you save me yet we both know that you hate me"
He was silent for sometime then he replied.
"I had to do it"I had opened my mouth to ask why but before I could, he beat me to it.
"We should probably go back"Phil said and I nodded my head.Maybe he knew I was still going to ask.I let the issue go and I stood up.
"Please don't tell them what happened here"I begged and he nodded his head.'The Phil I know would never save me or do me a favour, who was this new Phil?'
I climbed my horse and he climbed his and we headed back home.When we reached home, It was already getting dark.I took a warm bubble bath, had dinner and went to Jessica's room to read her the two bedtime stories I had promised her.