Vindictive Love

#3

Shawn’s POV

Lyn and I continued to walk with each other and I heard the faraway rumble of the jeep slowly fade away.

Silence befell between us both but neither said anything to break it. It was one of those moments when it was peaceful the way it was. It felt like the tranquil blue sea that you didn’t want to disturb because the tranquility held a magic in itself.

We walked farther into the town with the company of the breeze and each other.

I peeked from the corner of my eyes to see her looking at the trees. Her eyes held a depth in them; as if somehow, she was able to decipher what the moving trees were telling.

This town was a little far from Florence but along the River Arno. The river modulated the climate pretty well. This was one of those towns which were long forgotten by the mainstream crowd of humans ever since bigger towns came up.

I had been there and saw it getting abandoned in front of my eyes.

A new town had come up which was closer to Florence and held way more luxuries than this place. Within the short span of two weeks, this town had been left deserted. Only stray animals would be found loitering around here at that time. Even they died shortly due to the lack of food.

It was during that time that Queen Ira made this place our military practice base. As much as she would insist that it was because of the strategic location of this area, I knew that the main reason was the close proximity to the river.

Her fondness of rivers went deep. I never really got what she found so calm about staring at water. Every time that I would voice my query, she would smile at me and say, “There are some answers, Shawn, which can be heard only in silence.”

I was quite young then. She was my mentor. I remember wondering aloud once that if she found answers in silence why didn’t she just lock herself up in a cave. She would always laugh at that and ruffle my hair while replying, “Grow big, my lad, the answer is held there.”

I let out a quiet sigh. Those times used to be so felicitous. The King, Queen Ira and I. We were later joined by Jordan. We roamed the world together; marking our territories; making our marks. The only werewolves and she wolf in the world. We enlarged our pack by taking in the hopeless humans who had given up on life.

It was a great time. The king’s charming ways of doting on the Queen and the Queen’s merry laughter.   

A soft smile slipped onto my face as the good times flashed by.

“You seem really happy.” Lyn remarked.

I looked at her with a smile still plastered on my face.

“Maybe I am.”

She hummed an agreement at that.

“Quite a change, don’t you think? A little while ago you were all frenzied about the attack.”

“Well, there are times when I like to keep the present aside and think of better times. Don’t you like to do so too?”

She smiled at that and simply replied, “There are times.”

We looked away from each other’s faces while we continued to walk in the same relaxed pace.

Our feet came to a stop as we reached the grassy slope that gently dipped into the river. I sat down on the grass and patted the space beside me at Lyn.

Lyn sat down on it.

“Will you tell me why you wanted me to stay back with you?”

I looked at the calm river in front of me and the flowers that grew round its edge while I pondered about the question.

Maybe Queen Ira used to do the same thing. She would look into the water while searching for answers. As I grew big, that was what I started to do. The slight sounds of water against the rocks geared my thinking speed. It soothed my mind when it was just playing a pointless tug of war between right and wrong.  

After some time of pondering, I shrugged.

“I don’t really know. Maybe I just wanted some quiet time with you before doing anything drastic.”

She played with the grass while reflecting back on what I had just said.

“Oh.”

“Lyn?”

“Ya?”

“Promise me something.” I said as I angled my upper half slightly in her direction.

“What?” She asked absent-mindedly.

“Be safe, okay? During the attack, I mean. I don’t want anything happening to you.”

She looked up from the grass to directly meet my eyes.

“Shawn, I will be safe. Don’t treat me like a small kid. I am tired of being treated like that by everyone. Is that why you asked me to remain here with you?”

I was taken aback.

“Sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I know you will be safe. I don’t think you are a kid, Lyn. Just… I can’t see you hurt.” I told her sincerely.

She looked into my eyes as if searching for something and after a few moments, her bitter gaze softened. Whatever it was that she saw in my eyes, I was thankful for it.

“I will be safe. Promise.” She said.

I found myself whispering a thank you back at her.

We stared into each other’s eyes for a few seconds. Sadly, I remembered at that precise moment that I had to take her back to the hotel.

I broke away from the eye contact and quickly got up.

“Time to go.”

She nodded with acknowledgement and followed my movements.

We walked back to my jeep. In the way, our fingers found each other good company.

***

When I dropped her to her suite later that evening, my lips gave her a peck on the cheek out of their own accord. I froze for a while fearing her reaction, my eyes wide with the shock of what I had just done. However, when she blushed and smiled shyly, I felt my shoulders relax.

“See you within an hour.” She said and closed the door of her room.

I scratched my neck as I walked along the hallway to mine with only one thought playing across my mind.  

I just had the best hour in a really long time.

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Filler chapter. Short and sweet.

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The real dramaaaaa is coming soon. That will actually start off my book in truth. *sigh* I cant wait!!

Your writer,

the one who likes to stare into the river.