Two girls sat in a beautiful garden.
“I miss you, Asena.” Lilah started.
Asena, a girl with dark brown hair and nut-brown eyes seated before her, replied. “I miss you more. You have no idea.”
“Then why can’t you come back to us? If you miss me so much, why can’t you come back to me?” Tears filled up the space in Lilah’s baby-blue eyes.
“You know that is not possible. No medicine can work after death. This is the only way we can meet and communicate and I choose you because you are my only sister. If I had the power to come back, I would have done that without second thoughts. As you can see, I am in peace.” an exasperated sigh escaped Asena’s lips. “I want you to take care of my mate. He’s going through a lot. Take care of mum and dad. They’re over me already, but I can still feel their burden.”
“I will,” Lilah answered.
A small smile formed on Asena’s lips. Tears rolled down her eyes, and she wiped it off. “And Asher. It’s unfortunate, a brush with death always helps us live better, but it’s a distinct case with him. Death is a bitter pill we all have to chew. Tell Asher to stop worrying about me. Every time his heart aches, I feel the pain as well.” Her hand crawled to hold her sister’s. “Lilah, my dearest sister. Help me tell him to move on.”
Lilah held her sister in a hug as she cried silently onto her shoulders. While held tears, her eyes felt sour and heavy, just like her heart was that very moment. But Asena tapped her younger sister gently at the back.
“It’s okay, stop weeping for me,” she begged.
“I will do all you ask of me, sister. Even though it’s difficult to live without you. I promise to calm them down.”
“Okay.” Asena smiled, and they held themselves in another soft hug.
‘Knock! Knock!! knock!!!’
Someone came tapping at the door. Lilah jerked up from the dream and her eyes opened to a red rose placed in front of her. It always appeared anytime she dreamt of her late sister, Asena.
‘Knock! Knock!! knock!!!’ The knocking came again.
“Lilah! Lilah Wulfric!” Her mother called.
“Are you still there? It’s 9:00 a.m. already! Won’t you go to work?”
Lilah turned over to the other side of her pillow with more tears in her eyes. She sighed heavily on her breath as tears rolled down her red eyes.
‘Knock! Knock!! Knock!!!’
“Please, get up and prepare for work. You don’t want to get sacked, do you?” her mother’s voice echoed from outside her room.
‘Knock! Knock!! Knock!!!’
“I won’t beg your boss to accept you back if he changes his mind! Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” She hissed and walked away from the door.
Lilah buried her face in her palms, weeping. She choked on the running tears, burying her face in the soft pillow. Later, she stepped out of her room. The house was gravely silent and Lilah knew that definitely her mum must have gone to work. Her dad, Rafael traveled a week ago for a business trip in Korea.
She took a colossal frame of Asena’s photo at hand, thinking about their childhood days.
“My dearest Asena. Why do you have to go? Why do you have to leave your only sister, your best friend?” She sniffed, hugging the framed photo to her chest. “I miss you so much, sis. I miss you so much, Asena. When will you come back to me? We still have a lot to do together. Why can’t you come back, Asena?”
The door opened, and Lilah looked up. It was Benita, her mum. Her jaws dropped to the ground, seeing Lilah in this state.
“Goodness! You’re still on this?” Benita snapped in total shock.
“I feel lifeless, mum. How would she get sick and die just like that?” her voice came out low and painfully hoarse.
Benita walked up to her daughter and collected the framed photo from her. Placing it on the middle table before them.
“If you need a shoulder to cry on, then here. Cry on my shoulders, Lilah. I am your mother.” Benita muttered as she gently rested her head on her mother’s shoulder. With her arms wrapped around her waist.
“I also miss Asena, my dear. We all do. But you have to be strong, okay? Come... Let me take you to your room.” Benita muttered. “I don’t want any guest to meet you like this. Have you eaten today?”
She nodded her head in disapproval.
“Get a bath and come downstairs. I’ll feed you if you want me to.”
“I’m... I’m not hungry.” She stammered.
“I can hear your stomach grumbling from here and see how slim you’ve gotten. Please, go in, take a bath and I brought key lime pie and peppered steak from the restaurant for you.”
“Really?” excitement laced in her dull voice.
“Yes, dear.”
“Okay then. I’d go in.”
A small smile formed on Benita’s lips as she watched Lilah walk in.
About thirty minutes later, Lilah came out of her room. Dressed in a yellow knitted dress, and her wavy blue-black hair was left to the back, almost touching her waist. Lilah brushed a strand of her hair behind her ears, holding a small, black purse.
“Where are you going?” Benita asked worriedly. She was watching her favorite evening programme on television.
“I’m going to Asher’s house. But before going, I’d branch to the restaurant to get him dinner.” She pointed out.
“But you have eaten nothing since morning. Is it fair?”
“I would eat when I get back.” Lilah gave a calm smile. “I promise.”
“Why do you worry so much?”
“You know his mum traveled? I called Eliana, and she told me he hadn’t been to the office since last week. Don’t that worry you, mum?”
“Of course, I’m worried. Why would he skip work?”
“That’s why I need to see him, at least, to know how he’s faring.”
“Ugh...” An exasperated sigh escaped Benita. “That’s good of you, Lilah. Because Asher is also your boss, it’s okay. Just be careful, okay?”
“I’ll be back.” Lilah gave her a soft hug before stepping out.
“Don’t be long. So I won’t worry too.” her mum added.
Mr and Mrs Wulfric, Lilah’s parents, own a fast-causal restaurant down the street where they manage. It isn’t the biggest in the streets of California but they could raise their daughters from its source.
Lilah took her mum’s black Nissan Versa car. She just started working with
Sure West Communications. It is a holding company, operating through subsidiaries, that provides a range of telecommunications, digital video, Internet, data, and other facilities-based communications services in Northern California. Sure West was founded in 2002 by Lucian Rhys, the former Alpha werewolf who was Asher’s late dad. However, the company is headquartered in Roseville, California. Where she works. It was through Asena, her late sister, that she could secure the job to work as his secretary.
When Lilah drove into his compound, she listened to the silence around. It was as if no one was in. Lilah took out her phone from her purse and dialed his contact.
‘Ring! Ring!! Ring!!!’
It rang, but there was no reply. He should be around. She dialed his phone number again and again.
'Is he avoiding me now?' The words gave a rumble of protest in her throat.
Lilah pushed the front door, and it opened. A frown formed on her face. She knows how well-secured the place used to be. She gazed around, then sniffed. Something different was lingering in the air. An unfamiliar smell. She rushed to the kitchen and found the purple-flowered plant. Perceiving it, she rushed upstairs.
“Asher!” Her heart sank into the hole of silence that followed.
“Asher! I can smell you. I know you’re in.” Her blue eyes widened listening to his breath. He was in there, somewhere.
Silence.
“Alpha Asher, where are you?” A solemn tear rolled down her cheek, and she quickly wiped it away with the heels of her hand.