"It's so weird to see you resembling Misty a bit in some way. The cheeks and the lips. . ."
I blinked softly, observing the red color of squash she just made for my first breakfast here. The grilled sandwiches were laid neatly on the plate.
Seven hours had passed since Axel stopped the jeep at the wooden fence of the residential area behind the thick rows of trees. Never had I thought, I would see the boy I thought who hated me to the core, holding glossiness in his eyes while letting me go away from him.
He begged to follow me. To walk with me fifty more meters and leave me at Gran's door. But Alpha Pete's orders had to be followed. His inner wolf cried in conflict while not removing his arms from around me. The last goodbye kiss described all of his sadness and fear of uncertainty.
"Just how the tables turn. Don't they?" He had said while holding my waist possessively. "I thought I had been successful in stopping you from going to the city, leaving me here. Now, I am the one bringing you here."
The empathy for Pete was fighting with sadness in his eyes. I could observe him wanting to stay with me. But we were helpless.
"I am just seventeen, " I had said to calm him down. "There's a whole life waiting to be spent with you."
He had started at me blankly. "It is the same place your mother ran away to, " he had said, gulping slowly. "To run away from her mate. I don't like what is happening, Natalie." His icy blue eyes were so angry and helpless. "Misty is gone there forever. She won't return."
We stayed quiet. Because we knew that I would have to live with Gran until she would get fed up with waiting for Misty and would understand that she was never coming back.
"I will be here only." Axel had said while crossing his arms across his chest, leaning against the door of the jeep while I had started to walk away, glancing back at him in between. "I love you, Natalie."
The very memory would make my heart smile.
But now, I was in the house where my mother used to live with another man. Where Misty was brought up.
Gran's accent reminded me so much of the Misty in her early days at the pack. Completely sassy and unforgiving. Yet so admirable. Adorable.
I had never felt so cozy in a house before other than the one my father owned. The doors were white unlike the dark brown ones back at home. The curtains were lacy white with pink flowers over them. The windows were modern with slide glasses. The walls were so clean white and decorated with little showpieces and art paintings.
I couldn't believe how humble Misty was all this time despite coming from such a superior modern home. It was smaller than ours but so homely. Every corner gave the vibe of Misty and Gran decorating it themselves with all of their hearts.
"Why?" I asked while looking at her wrinkled face. Her grey-white hair was bob cut till her shoulders. Though, they weren't that silky and straight. But wavy and natural. Her grey eyes were turning greenish because of her old age. But she was beautiful with that straight nose and blushed thin lips. "You knew about us from the beginning."
She wasn't eating much. It felt like she was full of all the desires. The curiosity to know about Misty was so obvious in her eyes and expressions. She just watched me eating the sandwiches with an amused smile.
"I did, " she said while nodding in understanding. "But never saw you. Only that handsome brother of yours would arrive on her birthday. Is he good? Getting bulkier? The last time I saw him was when he furiously gave me death threats. And he took Misty away."
She chuckled sadly as if remembered something from her memories.
I gulped while looking at her. If only she knew, he not just took Misty away from her but threw her in a territory from where she would never be able to return back.
"You never met Thomas and Eva?" I asked, passing a small cheeky smile to distract her.
She rolled her eyes slightly. "Ah! Thomas. I know him, " she said, raising her surprised tone. "The kid never entered the house. Always guarding against far. Never got to talk to him. He would always smile cheekily and wink at me from the far."
The squash shifted from my food pipe to up my nose. A chuckle escaped me while hurriedly taking the tissue from the stand. "He is a joker, " I said while glancing down at my plate. "My twin brother."
She smiled widely. "I know, " she said, observing my face. Her smile faded slowly as she suddenly asked, "How is Misty doing there?"
My eyes moved all over her face as slowly my heartbeats started to risen. I gulped while observing the desperation and curiosity on her face.
I could see the fear of losing her granddaughter forever in her old eyes.
I bit my tongue, stopping myself from bursting out in tears. Because lying to someone I had just met and within some hours who had shown me the motherly love enough to melt my heart, would be sinful.
How could I give her the false hopes that Misty was as bright and healthy as she had seen her going away with Pete the last time? When all of us were hopeless ourselves.
'Your job is to accompany her and keep her busy enough to not let her worry about Misty's absence.'
Whatever Pete was planning to bring her back, would end up worsening things. We all knew it. But no one could deny it on his face. Especially, when everything had been left scattered after Misty was thrown.
'You will live with her and be a grand-pup to her just like the human pup was.'
That was an order from father. All the hate and bitterness I deserved, this was a way for me to redeem. To send relief to some of Misty's stars up there.
And by the looks of it, I had started my job from right now.
My lips curved into a small smirk and gaze moved up at her face holding patience.
Taking a bite of her sandwich, I moaned to pass her the silent compliment.
She smiled back, observing my face, looking fascinated by the features I inherited from my mother the most from any of my siblings.
"Want to see for yourself?" I asked goofily.
Her eyebrows raised and she nodded.
"Definitely."
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With each press on the next button, the gasps of awe and surprise would escape her mouth.
While I was busy admiring the walls and privacy we had in this moment and house, Granny was surprised to see Misty laughing and dancing in the photos of the three nights of the Ceremony.
"Those dresses look expensive. I wonder what your father does to afford them, " she said while munching on the popcorn.
I ate some from my own bowl while shrugging my shoulders. "He owns lands and mountains. It's not that hard."
Granny nodded while I observed the framed photographs. They were of Misty and her. Some were with her cousins and husband too. Misty's grandfather was a reputed man it seemed. There were photos of him being surrounded by his colleagues in suits.
"An advocate, " said the old woman sitting beside me. She glanced back at the screen and sighed heavily. "We met at a mutual friend's birthday party. His soft behavior despite being a ruthless advocate caught me. He had been a good father to Andrew."
Her eyes turned glossy but her smile at seeing Misty dancing with Thomas didn't fade. "It was shocking and equally relieving to be treated softly by someone who used to get paid for advocating matters."
"Misty got that from him, " I said my thoughts out loud, making her chuckle briefly.
"Glad you observed that, dear." She said while giving a light pat on my hand. I showed ten to twelve pics more of the first night when the guests hadn't even arrived yet. It was just our pack getting clicked at the venue. "That's your elder sister. Isn't she?"
My eyes moved up to the screen.
Eva looked drunk already. Though, she looked pretty and fit Misty into her tall club beautifully. While I looked like a puppy in my father's arms, smiling at the camera to hide the fear of Lycans in my eyes.
"She is."
"Guess how did I recognize her?" She asked while sending me an amused smile.
I blinked while looking at her. "The features?"
The maturity turned intense in her old eyes as she smiled slowly. "Do you see that little skin bud near her last finger of the right hand?"
My eyebrows straightened in shock. How did she know it?
Granny smile at my expressions. We both glanced at the screen.
Eva was looking at the camera with her one arm around Misty's shoulder and right one holding a glass. The skin bud was right there beside her pinky finger.
"Malina told me one day how her daughter had six fingers. Your father wanted it cut, " she said while I nodded in agreement. "It's not that bad to have an extra finger, I told your mother. Veins, arteries, even a bone is present too. When you get it cut, the body tries to reform it, and being unable to do it properly, it leaves a small bud."
I gulped while she sighed sadly. "Malina didn't want it cut. I told her it was lucky to have an extra finger, you know. One of my classmates had an extra thumb. He grew to be a member of a board of directors of some big company now. When Malina heard those words, she cried."
My lips parted in surprise.
"Your mother said that her world called it a deformity and a sign of bad luck. Something like being related to a witch."
I blinked in helplessness. "They do. They all believe so. They can't handle the less or more. They just need what they want, " I said while starting up at the screen. Eva looked like the one I had seen growing up. The one I wanted to be like.
She didn't know that the next day she would end up falling for Leo more than ever and almost losing him the next night. "It's rubbish but when they put faith in a false thing, it starts becoming true," I said quietly.
Granny looked impressed by my words. "It saddens me to see that bud instead of a grown tiny finger. But this doesn't mean, she lost her luck. I am sure, she is as powerful as your parents have been."
I sucked in a breathe while Gran pushed my popcorn bowl in front of me. "She is, " I said while pushing two chunks in my mouth and chewing slowly. "Father always listens to himself at the end. No one can change his decisions. No one can influence him. I have always been taught, he has reasons behind his decisions. But sometimes, I just feel, he does what he wants."
My nostrils flared at the pain I felt from being pushed away like this my father and Pete. Even mother hadn't called me yet.
Gran gave me a surprised look. Observing my sadness, she shook her head. "Never thought I would get this kind of emotion from his children. But I forgot that at last, all children go through this phase." She chuckled amusingly. "Sometimes, we just focus more on our young life and pain than our parents' intentions. And it's completely fine. Because thing settles slowly one day."
"You hate him. Don't you?" I asked quietly.
She stayed silent. "More than anything, " she said while looking at the screen. "Not because he killed my son. Deep inside, I know his soul would cry for that sin someday. My son was innocent, he knew this. I hate him for forcing me to lie to Misty about her father being alive only to abandon her. He breaks her heart."
Silence followed afterward.
More photos were shown.
I sighed tiredly while she chuckled lightly. Changing the photo, I was about to take a fist full of popcorn when the bell rang thrice.
"Ah! Who would it be in this silent afternoon?" She whined while shifting on the bed.
I cleared my throat and said, "I'll go and check it."
"Ah. . . thank you, " she said, looking surprised and giving me a warm gaze. I handed her the remote while getting off the bed.
She started changing the photo while I walked out of her bedroom to reach the dining hall. Walking across the drawing-room, I sniffed in the air. The scent was of baking. My ears perked up and I could hear the person standing patiently. Not ringing the bell again. Not knocking it.
This one knew that an old woman lived here.
Gulping slightly, I twisted the knob to pull the door open.
Brown eyes and a cheeky smile came in my sight. But it faded just as the girl noticed me. She smiled again.
"Oh, Hey. Who are you?" She asked politely.
My eyes narrowed immediately. I tilted my head and clutched the door, not opening it for her. "Who are you?"
Her eyebrows raised while orbs moved all over my face. Her gaze lowered to observe my yellow spaghetti top and floral pajamas. I myself observed her baby pink plain dress till her thighs. Her dirty blonde hair seemed too straight to look real.
Recognition hit her mind slightly as she asked, "Are you one of Misty's step-sisters?"
My eyebrows straightened and I sighed restlessly. "Half-sister."
"Ah! Right." She chuckled briefly. "Well, hi. I am Lexi. Her best friend. Wait. Has Misty arrived?" Her eyes widened and she looked at the door curiously.
I bit my tongue while seeing her smile fading at my silence. "She is enjoying back there with our mother."
"Oh." The sadness got so obvious on her face. She gulped slightly. "I hope, she is truly enjoying there. Because with the way, she left her phone here and didn't contact her best friend since childhood in the last two months, it's quite weird. Are you sure, you guys didn't bury her somewhere at your village?"
My lips rolled inside to cover my lower teeth as I gave her a raise of eyebrows. "Why don't you go ask Police to make an investigation?" I taunted while giving her the stink eye.
Her eyebrows raised in shock and lips parted. But then, she laughed nervously at me. "I am sorry for being rude and so blunt. I understand. Misty always told me how you guys have no towers there. Quite the village. Huh? Well, my mom made these sugar free vanilla cupcakes for Mrs. Brown. She loves them."
I took the basket from her hand immediately and was about to close the door.
"Wait. Would you like some if I bring the sweet ones for you too? Now that I know you are here. For how long you're going to live—"
"Until Misty gets satisfied with her holidays there," I said while looking at her blankly. "I don't like sweet things. I like spice, " I said while squinting my eyes.
Her one eyebrow raised while her lips parted. "Well, sure. I'll remember that. If you need or want something, or wanna go to any shop, I'll be happy to give you the company." She offered with a nervous and polite laugh.
"No, thanks. I am not going out any soon, " I said while passing her a tight smile. "Now, must I go and give her these. Say thanks to your Mommy. Would you?"
Flipping hair off my shoulder, I closed the door and sighed heavily.
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"Wow!" I said while observing her bookshelves. "She really is a nerd."
Gran chuckled while roaming the cloth over the pen stands I just handed her. "She loves reading. Not just novels. Her course books too. She would end up reading them more than thrice in a semester. Though, she wouldn't behave like a book worm. She has her moods. She would whine over not studying too."
"I know right. This one time, she whined over how broken her writing would become after spending time there with no classes around." I said while controlling the urge to cry at the old memories I would have to relive to describe them to Granny. "She is looking forward to going to University too. But not that soon."
"Ah! I am glad, she is having a break." Gran said while waving her handoff. "She craved for that time with her mother, her whole life. Even if she asks for a drop year, I wouldn't be surprised or have any problem with it."
"Don't you miss her?" I said while opening the cupboard. My eyes moved over her jumpsuits, dresses, uniform, jeans, and tops. She had a funky taste, no doubt.
"Is that even a question?" Granny chuckled sadly. "Ah! Some of those clothes, she has never touched them. Those first two blue and green t-shirts were her usuals. Count one pant too. That's it. Only Lexi would come and make her change the tops. Misty didn't care at all about appearances."
My eyebrows narrowed when I found something inside the lowest drawer where her shoes were kept along with some slippers. But a box caught my attention.
"What's this?"
"What?" Gran asked curiously while I opened the box and gasped.
"The skates?"
Gran waved off her hand. "She never wore them after her first fall. Must be from her eighth grade. But I keep them shining. Won't let these belongings fade like that. The size can be modified. You know skating?"
I was already wearing them and got up. My mouth parted in excitement as I slid away slowly.
Gran gave me a blank look. "Careful, child." She pleaded while looking at me shaking terribly. "If you fall, your father would come and. . ." she yelped in fright as I had almost lost balance.
But I was already out of the room, skating away.
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The path at the backyard was smooth with marbles tiles for twenty meters. Then, in the end, the little garden was shining colorful under the evening sky.
I had been practicing for two days now in the house. But today, I wanted more space.
Granny had gotten the vibe that I liked the drinks. She was inside, making a strawberry shake for me, despite me asking her to not do the efforts. Because she was diabetic. I couldn't just flaunt and eat or drink sweet things in front of her. But she would always be so lovely and sweet herself.
I felt like Misty had been complaining about not living back there with us for no reason.
I would be ready to take Misty's place to be here and grow up with Gran. She was the nicest and thoughtful person I had ever met. Her sass was something I knew had influenced Misty so much for her own good.
Skating from left to right, right to left, I kept enjoying my time.
The phone rang inside my pocket, making me take it out immediately from the denim shorts I was wearing.
"My love."
The blush crept my cheeks as I skated away to the right. "Hey."
"What's that sound? You are running? Driving?" Axel sounded worried already.
"No. I am learning to skate. It's kind of cool, " I said, giggling hard when he sighed in relief.
"I wished I was there to see you do it. After ages, I have heard that true sinister laughter of Natalie Arche." He said, making me chuckle. "I miss you, " he said quietly.
I stopped sliding away and started at the papaya tree. "Why don't you pick up my call at nights? I can't believe you just give me a two-minute call every day and that's it. This much only, you miss me." I said while lowering my eyes.
"Hey, " he murmured through the phone. "Alpha has put me on patrols at night. While in the day, half of the hours go in sleep. The rest go in cementing Nick's home. Alpha and all of us giving a hand one by one. Nick has gone twenty. He needs privacy now."
I sighed heavily. My jaws clenched at his excuses. "Well, you are twenty too. Why do you act like being all possessive in front of all those boys when you can't even give me an hour of the day?"
"Natalie?" Axel started sounding desperate and it disgusted me more.
"Just leave it. You aren't even that bothered by the full moon while I am here trying to ignore the burn in my heart by skating and sliding."
"Natalie!" The growl was faint and possessive.
"Call only when you have hours to talk to me!" I said angrily and hung up the phone.
Wiping the tears off my cheeks, I breathed hard to calm myself before a sob could even escape.
But the balance went off all of a sudden and I was taken away by the wheels to the edge of the marble floors. I fell right into the brown mud of the freshly watered plants.
A yelp escaped me followed by an immediate thud.
The skates had hit my thighs from the bottom. I winced and whimper hard while trying to get up.
"Are you okay?" A sudden male voice came, making me alert.
The footsteps occurred and the person came right into my view, bending down in front of me. Bright blue eyes watched me whimpering while I had started to calm down in a sudden embarrassment. But then, it occurred to me.
My eyes narrowed just as he dared to grab my arms. "Don't touch me!" I said abruptly.
He immediately moved back, surrendering his hands and giving me surprised eyes. "Woah! I am just trying to help!"
His sides were shaved go the bare minimum while the middle portion of the head had long silky raven hair, falling on his left side. The jawline was sharp and slick. The blue hoodie looked so cool and matched his eyes.
"Stay back!" I said while he narrows his eyes and passed a goofy smile.
"I didn't know, Misty had a hot sister too."
My mouth parts at this human's advances. "You don't know what territory you are stepping on to," I warned him while flaring my nostrils.
He smirked slightly. "Oooh, what enchanted territory it is? What's the name?" He asked while observing my face.
"It's 'fuck off, stranger'," I said while getting up with the help of a nearby pot.
Stabling my balance, I twitched my lips at the mud that had pasted at my knees and legs. My hands had gotten dirty too.
The pain was there under my thighs but it was healing too.
"Seriously, do you need me to walk you to that door?" He asked again while I skated away.
"Jump back to your house," I said while giving him the narrowed eyes.
His eyebrows raised and a smirk curved his lips. "Fine, " he mumbled while tilting his head, looking at me up and down. "How's Misty doing?"
I huffed briefly while dusting off the mud with a spare cloth near the door before going inside. "She's doing great. Because you know, our neighbors don't creep us out with the peeking secretly."
Now I could realize how I had felt his gaze during the whole conversation with Axel. He might have heard everything because I was loud and angry.
The boy was taller than Thomas. He chuckled slightly while walking towards his wall.
"I am Ryan, by the way."
"Bye Ryan. That way." I pointed towards his house with a taunting smile on my face.
He smiled to himself and shook his head. Climbing on the wall with the help of an old tap, he sat on the wall to look back at me.
"Natalie! Your juice is ready!" Gran yelled from inside the house.
The boy passed me a smirk. "Nice to meet you, Natalie. If you need anything, I am just a window away." He winked while my mouth parted in shock.
My teeth gritted. "I am sure, you are the one who needs something first. A slap or worse, a mirror."
He chuckled while I shut the door after entering the house.
He jumped off to his side of the wall while I ran to the nearest bathroom.
"Coming!"
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"Has it ever happened before?"
I shook my head while breathing hard. Wiping the sweat off my forehead, I twitched my lips. The restlessness was growing every second.
"I shouldn't have been out. It's just the full moon acting on me. Because I have met my. . ."
Her eyes furrowed in confusion. "Your boyfriend?"
I blinked in agreement and took long breaths.
"Are you sure? Because you have turned scarlet. Marina used to behave like this when she felt restless to transform into her monster." Gran asked while shuddering visibly.
My lips parted and I saw the hidden fear in her eyes. "Don't worry, Granny. It's the last thing that could happen to someone weak and coward like me. I am not of an achiever like others. I am late. Too late." I said while looking up at the ceiling.
"Do you want me to call your mother?" Granny asked while I turned my head to look at her wrinkled face.
"You don't have to. I'll be fine. You sleep here while I'd go take the sofa."
"No!" She said lovingly. "Misty's bed is all cleaned. There is an extra room for guests. Lay easy."
"I will, " I said while getting up from her bed and limping towards the door.
"Goodness. You want me to take you to the hospital. Are you going to faint?" Gran shrieked out in extreme worry.
"No, I am fine," I said while breathing hard and wiping the sweat off my face.
Walking towards Misty's room, I kept rubbing my burning chest. When all of a sudden, I sniffed the air.
Something felt weird.
A sharp pain occurred in my chest before goosebumps risen on my arms.
I couldn't take risks.
I just needed the moon.
Grab didn't have a terrace and I didn't like the backyard when that boy would not leave a chance to peek at me. He had been coming to give cupcakes and fruits for all the stupid reasons. Thankfully, Gran opened the doors those times and he didn't come inside the house.
Maybe, I could just get out of the house for a moment. But the neighbors could see me.
Walking towards the door, I twisted the knob and opened it. Closing it after me, I hurriedly walked towards the left to reach the wooden fence where I could hide under the trees and look at the moon peacefully.
But before I could even reach the fence, a faint sound of someone walking came from behind.
I glanced back and there was no one.
Rubbing my chest, I kept walking when the sound came again.
I turned around completely to check if the human guy was pranking me.
My eyes turned glossy as the restlessness increased. Breathing harshly, I walked from between the broken fences and observed the dark trees.
Walking under them, I looked up at the sky. When the open area came, I sighed in mercy as the full moonlight engulfed me slowly. The heart calmed down while the hands were still shaking.
All of a sudden, a hand cupped my mouth, pushing me against a tree. Before I could even push the intruder away, a pair of lips caught mine in a possessive kiss. I fought for two seconds until the familiar scent calmed my senses.
My hands reached for his hair while happy tears slipped off my eyes. I kissed back with all of my love.
Pulling away, Axel observed my face and growled lowly. He snuggled his nose into the crook of my neck. He sniffed hard and let out another growl.
"People might hear us." I choked out while he carried me in his arms immediately. My legs wrapped around his waist as he walked us away towards the insides of the dense forest far from the residential area.
Opening the back door of the jeep, Axel laid me on the seat, hovering over me immediately.
"I missed you so much," I whispered while cupping his face.
"Don't you ever hang up my call again, " he growled while squeezing my waist, making me nod. "I am here for you. For hours. For this night."
Looking in my eyes, he gave me a possessive look. While I smiled through tears.
"Is everyone fine at the pack?" I asked softly.
"How could anyone be when Alpha is chained inside the dungeons to not lose himself to the borders?" He replied while I let out a soft sob.
"Do not worry, all will be fine." He said while hugging me close.
"Thank you, " I whispered while closing my eyes. "Thank you for coming."
"I would die rather than abandon my beautiful mate." He mumbled while pecking my lips.
"I love you," I whispered while he leaned again for another kiss, smiling to himself.
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"What do you think?"
Please vote and comment, all the readers.
(I updated early.
*gives you puppy eyes*)
This chapter is long to give insight about Natalie's life taking a new turn. I hope, you'd enjoyed this.