Blood + Tears (all 15)

Chapter 21

OWEN POV

I looked at the woman that barged into our lives just a few days ago. She was in between Victor and Kota with a smile that seemed to brighten everything. When I first saw her in the Forbidden Forest, my first opinion of her was that she was courageous because she saved us although she didn't know our identities, but that also led me to ask myself why was she in the forest when we were attacked. I couldn't help being suspicious about her.

In the two days after we brought her back to the palace, my interest grew despite my suspicious thoughts. I knew that all of us could see the shadows in her eyes. It was a look that all of us wore once upon a time. It was a look that they survived hard times but became more cold and withdrawn. She hid it well but we knew what to look for.

When her Pink rank was revealed, I knew that something in her past was not clear but that she wasn't a direct threat to us. Royal, my djinn, whispered to me that we could trust her. I asked him to tell me how he knew, but he refused to speak other than telling me that we could trust her. It amazed me how she didn't react in disgust at Luke's dark fae form or have a greedy look when she saw Sean, Silas, or even my form. And I couldn't help my heart wanting to burst out of my chest when I saw her bat form. I wouldn't confess out loud, but she was probably the cutest creature that I have seen. Bat shifters were also few in number due to genetics. Bats have recessive genetics, and if a dominant gene is mixed with the recessive gene, that dominant gene will supersede the recessive gene.

In the recent events with facing new and past enemies, I was quietly proud of her. Her show of power showed our classmates that she wasn't one to mess with. I knew that there would be fools who think that they could when against her, but I wouldn't be worried. And when a sudden wave of power almost knocked me to the floor, I saw another side of her. It wasn't the side that we had started to know. She was angry and in pain. She stood with her back straight with tension. She was strong and defiant against her past, and I felt her surprise when I spoke for her. I knew I always seemed closed off and treated her with the usual kindness a person should, but I also knew I didn't act as if we could be friends.

There was something about her that attracted me and my family. It wasn't her power or her looks. It was her view on things. How she can be sweet and understanding while being spunky and secretive. When we were walking away after the fiasco in the hallway, I knew that I had to make a move. I knew that she was waiting for me to make a move first, and I knew that I had to step towards her and try to meet her in friendship.

What I didn't know was that in the future I would look back to this moment and know that this was the beginning for the two of us.

Sang POV

Time passed quickly until it was time for Magic Control class. Leaving the guys in the hallway, I entered the locker room for women. Several girls were in the locker room changing, but when I walked in, their eyes glanced at me before quickly looking away. I huffed in annoyance. It wasn't hard to decipher what their glances were. Hatred for being the only female Pink rank. Distain for being part of Gabriel's guard.

Ignoring them, I pulled out my workout clothes that Gabe had pushed into my arms this morning. Since we didn't have an official outfit for Magic Control, we could wear anything as long as it covers the essentials. Walking into a stall, I started to take off my clothes.

Amara yawned and opened a violet eye at me in a bored manner. Suddenly she perked up. Hey, Sang!

I frowned at her sudden happiness. When my shifter seems really happy, it usually means that someone is going to get hurt. No.

Amara pouted at me. Her violet eyes widened into puppy dog eyes and filling with tears. But...

I sighed. What do you want?