I Klaus Chase, reject you Ramona Tragon as my mate" Klaus words sliced through like a knife,I watched his back as he retreated slowly away from me,all my life I had held on to the hope that finding my mate would be chance at finding a genuine connection and the end of my loneliness and ostracization but not even my mate wanted me, why wasn't I good enough for a happy ending,the tears came down in full force, maybe what the pack folks rumored seemed to be true,bad luck seemed to follow me like a welcoming badge wherever I went, nothing had been right for once in my life.
"Ah,curse the skies" I screamed at the empty, kicking a nearby stone away, it felt like there was a gaping hole in my heart leaving only a cavernous void,I squeezed my eyes shut giving into the despair, the life I had envisioned with Klaus had been nothing but a fanciful dream the thought that another woman would be the one to stand by his side wrenched something deep in my gut,I would never be the one to hold his hands nor will I be the one to birth his pubs,the one person who was supposed to love me unconditionally no matter what thought me a weakling.
I felt peltering little drops on my hands,it was raining,it has been so long since the last rain fell, normally I loved the rain because it brought me a sense of calm and ease but not today, I could easily catch a cold as I was not immune to these things without my wolf but I refused moving from my spot,I don't know how long I stayed out there curled in a ball shivering like a fish being pulled out of water while my teeth gnashed furiously.
"Oh my... Ramona what in goddess name are you doing out here" Krian's voice reverberated in the distance as he rushed towards me, placing his hands on my forehead he sighed
"At this rate you could easily get a fever" quickly he took off his large coat draping it over my shoulders, he tried taking my hand so he could pull me up to my feet but when he saw I didn't bulge he sighed exasperated
"Ramona Tragon get your ass up right now or so help me I would have to haul you up like a sack of potatoes" but I wasn't listening, his next action did however seem to shake me from whatever loop I was in. I let out a surprised yelp as he pulled me into his arms bringing me close to his chest which oddly felt comfortable and suddenly I was taken back to the night when he found me bloodied and severely injured in the ditch where he had uttered the very word dulcetalia what did it mean,I hadn't seen him since I was in the infirmary but he made sure to drop in notes through the pack doctor explaining his absence and enquiring if I was well but I never wrote back, apparently his brother's beta ceremony was due soon and he was expected to help out in the preparations.
I felt a gradually thumping coming from his chest recognizing it as his heartbeat I listened to its slow rhythmic pattern, the opening of a door brought back my mind from wandering, my eyes widened as saucers and body stiffened as I realized I was in the Chase's abode with Krian currently leading me through the stairs
Was he taking me to his room, my panic mode set in as beads of perspiration formed on my forehead.
"Relax dulcetalia I have no intent on ravishing you, at least not tonight" he smirked slyly and my cheeks heated up at his insinuation
"There was it again, that word dulcetalia" I thought on entering his room he set me down on a stool and began putting some chunk of wood in the fireplace to keep me warm, getting a towel he helped me wipe my hands and feet, then he replaced the already wet coat with a much drier on before disappearing from my sight,he returned in about fifteen minutes later with a bowl of hot soup to which he placed on the table,"this would help" he said gesturing towards the bowl, why was he so nice,no one has been nice to me I contemplated
"Thanks" I muttered taking a sip, the hot broth burned my tongue and I winced slightly,sensing my discomfort he gently reached over,his hands coming to rest on my wrists as he took hold of the spoon, blowing softly over the soup,his warm breath mingled with the steam and I watched with a mixture of astonishment and gratitude at the gesture, after a few moments he handed me the soup now perfectly cooled, I brought the spoon to my lips and couldn't help salivate at the sweetness of the flavour that I accidentally let out a moan but when I caught myself it was too late I could feel my face turning beet red as Krain had a shit eating grin plastered on his face and I knew whatever he was going to say next wouldn't be good
"There's no need to be embarrassed dear,I have been told my culinary skills has the tendency to bring out food induced ecstasy" he stated deviously to which I smacked him on his shoulder "Ouch" he exclaimed making a fake hurt expression,I couldn't help shake my head,he was definitely really shameless.
The colour palette in the room was a fusion of cool neutral and warm accents adding a touch of sophistication to it, the walls were adorned with a subtle dove gray serving as a versatile backdrop that allowed other design elements to shine. The furniture in Krian's room was a seamless blend of form and function,a minimalist oak designed desk sat against the wall it's smooth lines and high gloss finish look reflected the room's aesthetic, however something else on the desk caught my eye on it sat a flawless translucent structure sat a sort of profound darkness seemed to swirl within it's core, the abyss soulstone I named it mentally because of semblance to midnight,the gem sparkled as light streaked into the room at the opening of the curtains there was some about it I couldn't place and no matter how I tried I couldn't look away, the soulstone matched the exact shape of the hallowed hole at the heart of the enigma prism, I had a strong conviction I had finally found the missing piece and I was willing to be that the soulstone would fit right in the prism precisely and if it could,it meant that the soulstone and the prism were intertwined somehow.
Following my gaze Krian prattled filling me in
"Oh that,my grandmother gave it to me before she passed on" intrigued I enquired
"Did she say where she got it from" he shrugged nonchalantly, "I mean she did make me promise to protect it even if it would cost me my life but there again I was not surprised it wasn't the first time she had acted strange other than that she never spoke about the gem again"
"Strange, how so" I pried and at that Krian winced it seemed like this was a difficult topic for him to discuss
"You know if you don't want to tell me it's fine, I would understand"
"No, I do want to tell you" he agrued
"It's just that every time I think about my grandmother,I feel some sort of regret. '' His eyes held a certain vulnerability in them, this was a side of him,he wouldn't dare show that the pack as he was supposed to maintain the strong immune royalty facade.
"My gran was a bit odd,in fact most people thought she was mad, her speech was a torrent of gibberish,she was always talking about realm's that transcend time something of a void,gran loved anything shiny she would spend her days collecting trinkets and storing them in jars for safe keeping but above all her collectables she did love this particular gem for no apparent reason at all" he said pointing to the soulstone
"Maybe she did have a reason" I stated
"Maybe she did but you never know with her,I still find it unsettling though that she would ask me to risk my life over an insignificant gem, I mean did she literally mean that gem is worth more than my life" he bellowed
"If you think it is insignificant why didn't you just throw it out in the junk then"he sighed wearily as if merely talking about his grandmother was draining him
" I made a promise and I am not one to back down on my word" I nodded my head solemnly
"I don't think she meant it that way"
"What" he asked confused
" I don't think she valued the gem more than you,I mean you said it yourself she wasn't all that right in the head so whatever she had said doesn't mean anything, I think she loved you very much, you said she cherished that gem so much have you ever asked yourself why she didn't give it to your brother instead, it's because she trusted you enough to give you something which held so much meaning to her and the best proof of love is trust" when I looked to stare at him there was a genuine smile on his face not the half baked smile which he puts on for appearances sake
"I knew there was something different about you" he proclaimed
"Huh" I stared at him cluelessly
"You know my gran had a fondness for talking to her pet parrot, Mr Chatterbox, as if he were a human companion. They would engage in lengthy conversations, with Granny Bea eagerly waiting for Mr Chatterbox's replies, even though they were simply squawks and mimicry. I think deep down she was lonely, grand father had died few years ago so it was just her, the pack they didn't understand her and labeled her delusional, my father was too busy with the pack activities while Klaus was trying to hard to be my father and live up to his expectations,mum was too wrapped up in a world of her own and that left me,I was as the only one who watched as the desolation crept in eating her away and I did nothing,I would sit in the corner watching her as she played chest all by herself but if I could go back in time I think I might have done things differently,I would want to know more about the woman I called my grandmother" he divulged
"We all have regrets and struggles but wherever she is, I'm she won't hold it against you"
" Dulcetalia, thank you"
" For what"
" For everything"
" Hmm okay I guess" I muttered even though I had no idea why he was thanking me,there were a few minutes of lingering silence,then a wave of whispers began to ripple through the space,it was as if an invisible current had ignited a cascade of secret conversations
"Do you hear that" I asked startled
"Hear, what" he said perplexed
Looking around I noticed the whispers coming from the soulstone I was able to make out the words even though and they were said in hushed tones Romona,Romona,Romona.
It was beckoning onto me, quickly I dashed like a lightning bolt, I was so bent on reaching to the soulstone that I unintentional collided with the with a potted plant ahead and I found myself hurling towards the ground with no time to react,In that instant the feeling of abject horror washed over me as the veil which had guarded the one secret I had hidden all these years came crumbling down.