Missing Guests
1871 Words
CHAPTER 6
Alpha Tharros outdid both himself and his finances for Lyra’s wedding. She was his first daughter and despite his disapproval at the beginning, he couldn’t help it because she was his favorite child nonetheless; the child that groomed him on the practical rudiments of parenting. His invitation spanned all over Ursaria; from Moonstone bay to Havenstead; all the dignitaries of several class, candor and even species. The rumor flew that he extended his invitation to some vampires of high estate hence making the wedding one that graced the night. The vintage castle had almost been fully renovated by the interior designers and wedding planners. Orion was not so familiar with that much buzz but he had sealed the deal to be a sad fellow among elites when Tharros consented to him marrying their daughter. If anything their class stratification heightened the stories for the blogs. Grass and grace, A Tharros affair, Orion’s dream come true, love conquers class, and others. Orion was a gamma under Tharros’s elite troops. He had met Lyra in their stay in the academy and had worked for her father since then. Her insistence not to bend to her father’s choice for her earned him a spot at being Tharros’s first in-law. Back to the wedding of class, the whole estate was flooded with cars of several kinds. The jeeps from Havenstead stood out because the motor company insisted on reserving the model for Havenstead citizens. Also limousines were the taxis of the elites and Ethan was no different. He turned to open the door for his daughter as a proper gentleman. Odessa gold laced fitted gown gave her feminine feature justice, as they found their full expression. Elara insisted on her wearing that gown, she thought it was loud enough to shut the gossips and true to her words. Odessa’s glamorous hand laedc gold gown stunned the paparazzi as focus tilted from Vynessa who appeared to just starting her shoots. Oh my! Wow!, this beats the bride’s gown, pure handpicked gold, see how her skin mixes with it. Odessa’s entrance fed the blogs although not an intentional decision from her but she loved how their hungry eyes. Her eyes caught Luca whose hands were weaved in Vynessa’s for the photo sessions. A spike of jealousy spanned in her chest but she waved it off. Luca also stood in absolute awe, never had he seen Odessa in that shade of beautiful. Her smile lightened up his dim countenance as he untangled from Vynessa’s grip. Odessa paid no heed to interviewers begging for a session. Her legs swayed majestically as she escorted Ethan into the hall.
“Oh! I thought you said you were not coming?”
Whitney hushed, tugging Odessa’s hands. Her body shriveled with excitement.
“Well, my dad changed his mind.”
Odessa reported.
“I owe him one. This party was almost boring me to death.”
Whitney shrugged. It was typical of her no to feel like she belonged.
“Anyway, where is he?”
“I don’t know, he was standing with me some seconds ago. Although I must admit my father has been rather restless and out of character.”
Odessa admitted in confusion. Ethan had not been himself since he saw those blood messages in Odessa’s room and his sole aim of attending the wedding was to seek clarity from Tharros although he hated him with passion. Ethan caught on Tharros’s back as he greeted a few of his esteemed guests.
“Can I speak to you for a second, Maximus?”
Ethan whispered quietly close to Tharros’s left ear.
“What a pleasant surprise to see you, Ethan Atlas. Ladies and gentlemen, permit me to introduce you to my friend and Ursaria’s most renowned business mogul, Ethan Atlas.”
Tharros introduced to his guest rather dramatically. He knew what he was doing and he wanted to spite Ethan mainly for his actions the last time they met. He spent some generous minutes raising dusts for Ethan in front of the guests.
“Don’t make me slice a pound of flesh from you in your daughter’s wedding, Maximus!”
Ethan threatened again in muffled voice.
“Ok, fine. let’s go to my own study this time.”
Tharros expressed as he signaled the waiters to take his glass of champagne away. He walked up the glossy staircase, pressing a brown button that opened the door rather sophisticatedly. Ethan huffed at Tharros’s unnecessary drama even down to his house structure. His study was sparsely ladened with heavy books but rather monuments and antiques of great men, places and wolves. He had several types of swords plastered on his walls and a number of vintage quivers. One of which Ethan recognized. It was Tharros’s most proficient weapon.
“You can have your sit, Ethan.”
Tharros offered as he pointed an office chair directly opposite his table. It was wrapped in wolf’s fur. It was a intentional effort to drive home a message.
“I didn’t come here to sit.”
“So what did you come to my daughter’s wedding for?”
Tharros inquired with a squeak that sounded like frustration.
“I came to ask you some questions.”
Ethan roared.
“Fine, ask away.”
“I had a strange visitor in my home and with the way you stormed my place the other time to ask unsettling questions, I have no choice but to think you have a hand in this.”
“A hand in what?”
Tharros expressed in confusion.
“This!”
Ethan indicated as his hands pushed the picture of the blood patterns he saw in Odessa’s room. Tharros’s eyes widened slightly from the mild shock of what he was seeing.
“You are asking me if I have a hand in sending your daughter the blood bath call. I know we have fallen apart but I never thought you could see me as an enemy of your family.”
Tharros grinned with his expressions down with the tiles. Odessa was his goddaughter and he loved her. He would never think of hurting her.
“I’m sorry but I need to protect my family and I need your help.”
Ethan admitted. Tharros gave the picture another look properly again hoping to decode the messages he didn’t see before.
“The marks appear faint the sender was obviously not in her room. It’s more like surreal magic.”
“Magic?”
“Yes, someone is trying to reach her but obviously we know that anyone using the blood bath means is obviously not trying to reach for a positive outcome.”
“What would anyone want to reach Odessa for?...Why would anyone engaging in surreal magic want to reach my daughter?”
“The prophecy! Ethan, how long did you think it would be before she is discovered?”
Tharros asked although not expecting an answer. He could feel Ethan’s pain down in his spine. He had fought so long and sacrificed everything to keep his daughter safe and now everything was falling apart.
***
“Hey, Odessa!”
The loud voice attempted to be audible despite the deafening music in the ball room. It was Luca, his two piece suit complimented his long legs and broad shoulders, and one could easily mistake him for the groom. Odessa pressed her tongue down preventing her from blushing or giving off a cheap smile. She was still bridled with anger against him concerning the Vynessa bonding thing.
“Hi.”
She scorned. Whitney stood by her side but decided to let them do their thing.
“You look…really beautiful.”
Luca found himself expressing. He pinched himself hoping to restrict himself from ranting uncontrollably about how her body curves were making him feel. He loved how her hair fell on her bare shoulders; he followed it to her peeping cleavage. He struggled to hold the unholy desires burning in his loins.
“Thank you.”
Odessa smirked still focusing or rather pretending to focus on the couples dancing in the center of the room.
“Did you get…my letter?”
He stuttered. He wondered what was wrong with him and prayed no to flap.
“Yes, are you here to interrogate me?”
“No, not at all. I just came to apologize for all the trouble that I caused.”
“Are you apologizing for your sister’s immaturity or for my illness or worse because I was stupid enough to nurse feelings for you?”
“No, not that. It’s entirely my fault. You did nothing wrong Odessa.”
Luca pleaded. His tongue wanted to loose itself and express how terrible his life was without her and how attached he was but he couldn’t find the strength to.
“Oh! There you are, we have been looking for you!”
Axel and other guys from the academy hailed as they spotted Luca.
“Oh it’s crying girl. Good to see you!”
Axel taunted with a weird smirk. Odessa could feel the discomfort in her throat.
“I would have been tempted to say you are flabbergasted by the stunning presence of the human but then I remember that your mate is dressed like smoking werewolf.”
One of the guys laughed. Odessa scoffed from how angry she was becoming.
“Or wait are you trying to double date both Odessa and Vynessa because that would be crazy! A pure revolutionary movement.”
Axel peered in his near drunken state.
“No! What did you drink, Axel. Odessa and I are just friends, nothing more!”
Luca subconsciously yelled. Odessa felt his response pierce her heart, despite all that had happened all through the week, she still had a faint hope that Luca would fix things. But his cold affirmation struck her harder, her eyes felt a spike as the wells shut inside began to flow. She excused herself in anger.
“Way to go, Axel!”
Luca kicked, he didn’t mean it the way it sounded. Whitney walked slowly in front of Axel and let out the frustration, she knew Odessa feared to unleash as she struck him with a slap. It took him unaware as he lost balance, tripping on the floor.
***
Ethan sat in confusion as he attempted to pull the pieces of Tharros’s revelation together when the loud thump interrupted their conversation.
“Who is there?”
Tharros yelled.
“It’s me, Xandros.”
Ethan signaled Tharros to let him in.
“What is it, Xandros?”
“Sorry sir but is Odessa here with you?”
His question sent a million shivers down Ethan’s spine.
“What type of stupid question is that?”
He roared. Xandros held up Odessa’s purse.
“We can’t find her sir!”
“What do you mean you can’t find her? It’s a big mansion, check well and ask my son. She must be in one of the rooms.”
Tharros chirped in. it was his attempt to cool Ethan’s worries.
“We have searched sir and Luca is also nowhere to be found too!”
Xandros reported.
“Shake this place to its root and find my daughter now!”
- Writer
