by Karen Ruth
“Wow,” I muttered in complete disbelief as I walked in a circle not getting enough of the room.
“It’s a bit much isn’t it?” Lucas asked looking at my facial expression in case I decided to lie.
“No, it’s beautiful,” I said awestruck.
“Are you sure?” He asked me not quite believing what I was saying.
“Dude, if you don’t believe me just read my mind. I am completely positive it is beautiful.” I told him.
He exhaled loudly causing me to look at him.
“Good, I was worried that you wouldn’t like it.”
“Why would you be worried?” I asked him.
“Because your opinion matters to me.” He simply replied to my question.
“Anyway, I better get changed in the bathroom and then go find Cassie. Do you want to remain in here?” He asked me as he started sorting through his drawers for clothes.
“Sure, I will stay,” I answered him.
“Ok, make yourself at home.” He said as he entered the bathroom.
He must have another door that leads to the hall for the fact that I heard another door open and close and didn’t hear any more signs of Lucas giving off the impression that he left the room. I looked around his room some more surprised by how clean he kept it. Most guys make the biggest mess you could believe. Oh, wait, he probably has someone who cleans his room for him, I thought to myself. It wouldn’t surprise me, I mean Cassie’s friends come over sometimes to clean our house as well and bring us fresh clothes. I admitted to myself that I was excited to see Cassie again. She knew exactly how to make me happy with how kind and nice she could be. Feeling tired and bored waiting for Lucas, I decided to crawl into his massive bed, hoping that he wouldn’t get upset if I got my hair on his covers. Being that his covers were already white though, it would be hard to see my fur on them in the first place.
I wrapped myself in a circular position and closed my eyes intending on only resting them. Instead, I must have fallen asleep for the fact that I was awoken by the sound of a knock on the door. Only a few minutes must have passed for the fact that Lucas wasn’t back yet. Curious, I went to go answer the door to tell whoever it was that Lucas wasn’t here. When I got to the door I realized opening it was going to be much harder than I originally thought. I jumped up onto my back legs and used my front paws to try and push the door open. After a few tries, I successfully got it. As I opened it, I was not expecting this werewolf to be here. It was a woman with gorgeous long blond hair and green emerald eyes. She was petite around the same size that I was, dressed in a long diamond-encrusted dress that flowed all the way down to the floor. By the look she was giving me, I assumed she wasn’t expecting me to be there as well. “Who are you?” She asked me in a sharp icy tone.
“Nina,” I answered her, extending a paw, trying to be nice.
“What’s your name?” I asked her.
Instead of shaking my paw, she pushed it away causing me to raise my eyebrows in shock. Wow, this girl really could be cruel.
“It’s quite insulting that you don’t know who I am.” She said pretending to give me a sad face. “Anyway, my name is Adelina and I believe you stole my fiancée.” She said flat out to me.
My mouth fell open and I shook my head.
“What?” I asked her surprised.
“It’s alright, I’m over him. I just came to tell him that I was heading back to live with my grandparents. I’m done with this creepy ugly place.” She just turned around and walked out the door, “Oh and you shouldn’t have messed with me,” She said as she turned her face to give a devilish smile. “Watch your back,” She said as she turned back around and disappeared around the corner.
I shook my head in confusion and shut the door. What was that all about? Why should I have to watch my back? I crawled back in bed and closed my eyes once more, but after a few minutes, I was interrupted by two voices entering the room. Lucas’s and Cassie’s voices to be exact. I blinked my eyes rapidly trying to see what was going on, not ready to wake up by the way my eyes stung from the light in the room. I yawned, my mouth opening very wide.
“Hello sleepyhead,” Lucas said to me as he walked into the room in his human form.
“Sorry if I messed up your bed,” I told him jumping off the bed and onto all fours.
“Don’t be,” He said to me. “Did you sleep enough?” He asked me.
“I believe so,” I told him.
“If you need more rest it is ok.” He said to me and I was thankful for the offer.
“It’s ok Lucas really,” I told him walking up to Cassie.
“Yay! My favorite werewolf, Nina! I’ve missed you so much! Cassie said smiling.”
I licked her palm showing her my gratitude and that I missed her as well.
“I brought you these.” She told me with a kind tone to her voice. “I’ll just put it on your back so you can go change in private in the bathroom, I know that you like your own privacy.”
As she set the clothes on my back I brushed against her leg and headed into the bathroom to change. In moments I was back in my human form and changed into the lovely plain jeans and t-shirt Cassie brought me.
I opened the door and went back to Lucas’s expensive room. I saw Cassie trying to clean Lucas’s room while he was politely declining saying “Cassie, you do enough for me. I don’t want to make you do extra work. I really do appreciate it, plus shouldn’t you be helping Adelina instead? Isn’t she the one that you were assigned to?” He asked her being very friendly.
A frown started to cover her face as her happiness disappeared.
“Yeah, I probably should be helping her.” I leaned against the wall not wanting to disrupt Lucas’s and Cassie’s talking.
“Is something wrong?” He asked her concerned for her well-being.
“Sort of, but it doesn’t matter. I will not be one to complain about anything. I owe you guys so much.” She said.
Lucas answered, “Cassie, your like family to us. You don’t owe us anything. Now please tell me what is wrong.”
She exhaled, her voice shaking as she spoke, “I just don’t know if I can stay with Adelina much longer, I’m not happy anymore. She wants so much from me and never thanks me for it. She is too demanding for my taste, but I will continue on with her to make you guys happy. I will not let you down.” She said to Lucas.
My heart ached for her as I wanted to help her. I guess Rafiq was right when he said that I was a bleeding heart.
“Cassie, you don’t have to help her anymore if you don’t want to. You are the most respected help we have here. You were only given Adelina because she was supposed to be my bride and she demanded the best help she could get. You were the only one who would be able to put up with her, but now that she isn’t going to become royalty at this household, she doesn’t need to be taken care of 24/7. Of course, she is a female, so the werewolf rule does still apply to her for the fact that she is supposed to be treated like royalty, so she still does need someone to take care of her. That person will no longer be you, I will make sure of it.”
“Oh thank you, Lucas!” She exclaimed giving a huge hug that made his eyes widen in surprise.
“You are very welcome.” He calmly replied. “Is there someone who you have in mind of which you would like to help from now on?” He asked Cassie with a crooked smile.
“Of course!” She exclaimed and then ran over to where I was standing and wrapped her arm in mine.
“Can I have Nina?” She asked a smile exploding on her face.
Lucas laughed, “I thought you would ask that.” “What do you think Nina?” Lucas asked me.
I looked over to Cassie and smiled right back at her, “I would be honored to have Cassie help me,” I said to Lucas not taking my eyes off of Cassie.
“Alright, it is settled then. Cassie is Nina’s new personal helper.”
Cassie jumped with joy and spun me in a circle making me laugh.
“Oh thank you, thank you! It is such an
honor to be able to help such a wonderful woman. Especially since she is the woman of legend.”
“What do you mean by that?” I asked her.
“Oops, nobody told you did they?” Cassie said to me.
“Only time I heard about this was when I was almost torched alive,” I retorted.
“Lucas?” Cassie asked him wondering if she was supposed to tell me or not.
I waited for him to answer, my brow furrowed, wondering what everyone was talking about.
Lucas exhaled and said, “Well I guess the cat is out of the bag. We do not know whether it is true or not, but we do think that it is you. We think that you are the one that the legend talks about.”
I gave out a small laugh and said, “No pressure their right?” I asked both of them.
“Nina, we don’t really have any proof that it is you that it is talking about. We aren’t completely positive, don’t worry about it just yet alright?” He said to me.
“Hmmm ok,” I responded. “Oh, and by the way, Adelina stopped by when you were gone,” I said casually to him going to lean against the wall again as Cassie scurried away as she heard me mention her previous subject. “
"She what?” Lucas coughed as he was caught under guard.
“She stopped by looking for you,” I said to him plain and simple.
“What did she say?” He asked me prompting me to speak.
“Just that she was going home to her grandparent's place instead,” I told him as I got the feeling not to mention anything about the whole watching your back thing. I decided to keep that a secret for I knew that Lucas would freak out about it and overreact.
“Hmm alright.” He said. “I’ll have to tell my father later. He may not be the happiest person about her decision.” Lucas rubbed his eyes in frustration.
“What’s wrong? Why are you frustrated? It has nothing to do with you.” I told him.
“He will blame me for her leaving for the fact that I called the wedding off. He is afraid that without the treaty of our marriage, it could lead to a war in the future.”
I was shocked by the news I just heard.
“I’m so sorry Lucas. Maybe you should get back together with her. Maybe it is the best thing for you guys. I’m tired of making all of your lives more difficult.” I lowered my head in sadness.
Lucas slowly walked up to me and put my face in between his palms of his hands.
“That is never going to happen, I will never cause you that kind of pain again. My father will just have to live with the decision that I made.”
“Are you sure?” I asked him looking deep into his golden eyes.
“Of course,” he said as he slowly lowered his face towards mine and gently kissed my lips.
“Oooh!” Cassie squealed loudly in the air causing me to jump backwards in fright.
My face blushed as Cassie said, “oops I didn’t mean to interrupt you two.” She said covering her mouth.
Lucas contained his patience and laughed. “Hmm it seems no matter where I am with you, we always get interrupted. "
I laughed along with him as Cassie’s face turned red as well.
“Sorry!” She exclaimed.
“Don’t worry about it Cassie, it’s alright,” I said.
Lucas was just about to say something before he was broken off by Reed.
“Hey, guys? I think you can come back if you want but I’ll be careful. Your mom crashed asleep in your room and Catherine feels terrible for what she said yesterday.”
“Ok we will be there soon,” Lucas replied to him.
“Are you ready?” He asked me.
“I believe so,” I said as butterflies floated in my stomach as I was struck with nerves going in the house again.
“Ooh, werewolf business!” Cassie exclaimed. “You two go have fun and I will be over at your house later to clean.”
I walked over to her and gave her a hug. She returned the favor as I said to her “Thank you, Cassie, you really don’t have to do this.”
She beamed “I know but I want to, now go you two.” She said as she began pushing me out the door.
“Goodbye!” I called out to her and walked down the hall to where my room was located.
I lifted my small hands into the air right in front of the large door. In a fist position, they began to shake. I was nervous about what I was going to do. I did not want to face them after what happened. I still felt as though the whole incident was my fault. Obviously, my mother felt the same way. I felt Lucas put his hand on my shoulder. I put mine on top of his and let out a huge sigh.
“It’ll all be ok Nina.” I heard him whisper in my ear as he dropped his hands to his side.
All I could do was nod my head as no words would escape my mouth. Pound, pound, pound, echoed from my door as my fist hit against it giving them a warning that I was entering. I slowly grasped the handle of the door and twisted it. I pushed it open ever so slowly causing the door to creak.
“Cath? Mother?” I said not too loudly.
By hearing my own voice, I could tell that I was nervous. Apparently, Lucas could as well as he grasped my hands in his. I looked up to him and smiled grateful for the reassurance. He smiled ever so beautifully back at me. It caused my heart to flutter and give me the confidence that I needed to face my family after the disappointment I caused them.
I heard footsteps coming towards me from the kitchen. My heart began to race worried about who it would be. I really didn’t want to face either of them, not after what happened yesterday.
“Nina?” I heard someone call from the other room.
Slowly I walked over to the kitchen holding my breath. I saw my sister standing by the stove a worried expression evident on her lovely face. She was staring at the stove in what appeared to be lost in thought.
“I’m so sorry, it’s all my fault,” I said quietly to her my face looking at the ground.
I was so quiet that the only reason she could have possibly heard me was because of her sensitive ears. Just days before I know she wouldn’t have been able to hear what I had said. Quickly, she spun around. She jumped up and ran over to me and grabbed me in a tight hug. I couldn’t help but to make an “oof” sound as I was getting squeezed to death. Evidently, Cath wasn’t used to how strong she is now, but I ignored it.
“No!” She yelled in my ear causing me to flinch. “Don’t be sorry! It was my fault. You told me not to go there. You warned me. I was the one who was arrogant and refused to listen. I should not have said those words to you in front of mother. I have no idea what came over me!” A tear fell from her shining eyes and onto my shoulder. I hugged her back as I held in my tears.
“Thank you,” I said back to her not knowing what else to say.
“What mom said to you was very wrong as well. She is asleep right now but I will try to explain to her everything that happened. Don’t worry about it, everything will be ok soon. I promise.” She said to me acting like the caring big sister she was.
“Thank you. You have no idea how much that means to me, Cath.”
She squeezed me a little tighter causing me to yelp.
“Umm Cath?” I questioned her.
“Yes?” She responded back to me.
“Could you please loosen your grip? You’re a little bit stronger than you use to be.” I told her squeezing my eyes and refraining from pushing her away.
“Ooh! Sorry!” She yelled as she jumped backwards.
I rubbed my numb arms where she was squeezing me so tightly. If I didn’t know better, I would have assumed she was a boa constrictor, not a werewolf.
“How is that going anyway?” I questioned her.
“What?” She questioned back confusion popping up on her face.
“The whole heightened senses, strength, all that,” I said to her pointing in her direction.
“Oh, all that.” She shrugged. “Everything is so noisy and I can’t help but smell everything as well.” She confessed to me.
“Don’t worry it will get
better,” I reassured her. “It was pretty hard on me as well. Just remember if you ever need any help with anything werewolf related I can help you, or at least I will try. I’m still learning things myself.”
My sister laughed at that.
“Thanks.” She said still giggling.
“Aww isn’t that sweet?” I heard Reed say from behind me.
I jumped forward straight into my sister who caught me. I was so involved in the moment that I forgot anyone else was there.
“Jesus Reed! You scared me!” I yelled as I grabbed my chest, my heart pounding so loud my ears could hear it.
He laughed at me and said “calm down Nina. You don’t gotta be such a baby.”
I walked over to him and punched him in the arm.
“OW!” He yelled giving me a fake hurt look. “
Come on, guys. Be nice.” Lucas said to us as he walked over to me and grabbed my arm.
I smiled up at him and said, “Me? Never.”
He laughed at me and just shook his head.
I stood up on my tippy toes and reached as high as I could, smiling at him. He bent down and gave me a quick luscious kiss. As his warm lips met mine a lightning bolt exploded in my body. It caused me to shudder. As we pulled apart we looked into each other eyes and smiled.
“Hey! Get a room!” I heard Cath yell.
I gave an exaggerated sigh and focused my attention on her crossing my arms over my chest.
“I don’t like seeing my younger sister like that.”
“Come on don’t be jealous Cath.”
“You can have Reed if you want. I mean he can be immature at times but hey they can’t always be perfect.” I said shrugging my shoulders.
Immediately I saw my sister's snow-white cheeks turn a bright red hue. “Nina!” She yelled at me causing me to burst out laughing. “That’s not funny!” She yelled at me again refusing to look in Reed’s direction.
“Don’t worry babe. I’ll treat you right.” I heard Reed say.
