Reprimanded
1532 Words
Seraphina's POV
I sat uneasily on the sofa as my mother began her litany in front of me. I should have been able to get away with it if I were the little me, but since I am now 22, I am obligated to listen without excuses since it is one of her rules. I was fiddling with my nails trying to escape her crimson eyes, which were staring at me as I felt the heat. If I was an ordinary she-wolf I would have been toasted by now, but my own power is dealing with mum.
"How many times have I told you that punctuality is important, Ember Seraphina?" she exclaimed.
"I told you it was traffic in town, mother, that's why I was late," I grumbled in annoyance. Besides, I don't even think my presence was required earlier. I should have been in Crimea right now having the best night of my life, but if I had stayed there I wouldn't have seen Dane either.
"Is that what you get from traveling the world, Ember? You've already learned to talk back?"
I've unconsciously facepalmed my face. I'm quite irritated. She was asking me a question earlier and I just answered it. Mum is so complicated. I'm so done with her.
"Phyra, that's enough...let Ember breathe. Let's be glad she still comes home," Dad said as he walked up to mom and calmed her.
"Let's go back downstairs."
I shook my head as I watched my parents walk away. They were on their way back to the main hall, where the celebration was taking place. Everyone is now in a celebratory mood, dancing wildly on the dancefloor as if there is no tomorrow.
I heaved a sigh as I got up from the couch and walked over to the balcony. I'm quite stressed.
I took a deep breath then reached into my purse for a lone Sobranie cig. I lit the cigarette in my hand after releasing some flames through my index fingertips. The night is cold but my thoughts run wild. I blow a couple of smokes as I delve into the serene atmosphere. I wouldn't have to worry about anything if life were this simple and my heart was this calm.
"So...you smoke?" I flickered in surprise when somebody spoke. I looked around and noticed the silhouette of a man on my right. I thought I was alone. I did not bother to give him an answer and decided to mind my own business. Besides, I am not in the mood to entertain strangers.
"I thought you detested it when people don't respond," the man said, causing my brows to wrinkle.
"Well, why are you asking the obvious in the first place?" I asked, annoyed. He had already seen me taking the cigarette, so why bother asking?
"You also asked me the obvious an hour ago, yet I still answered you." Who is he?
I unconsciously unleashed a fire in my palm to lighten up the dark balcony. I wanted to see who I was talking to. However, when I saw the person I am with right now, my eyes quickly expanded.
"I thought you were going home?" I inquired. Well, that's what he said earlier.
"I thought so," he replied while shrugging his shoulders.
"Then what made you change your mind?"
Dane didn't say anything else, and he didn't respond. He has a knack for irritating me. He's an ace with this push and pull thing and I don't like it.
I take one more puff from the cigarette before placing it in my hand and burning the remains of it before tossing the ashes into thin air.
"Good girls don't smoke," he said, seemingly out of nowhere. So personality is based now on whether someone has vices or not?
"Hypocrite," I suddenly blurted out. Well, I won't take it back. What I said was reasonable. People who think that good people are untouched by vices or whatsoever are plain hypocritical — idiots.
I've seen people who have a decent exterior but are horrible on the inside, as well as those who have a lot of vices but angels on the inside. You see...you can't just categorize someone based on their exterior habits. I can smoke and still be good, just like I can't smoke and still be evil. We are often so misled by the ideals that we fail to notice the realities of life.
"Why do you smoke though?" he added, facing in my direction.
"Why do you care though?" I asked a rhetorical question. I was so heartbroken earlier, but somehow Dane is pissing me off right now. I love him, but at the same time, I hate him.
"Where's your mate?" he asked again after a prolonged silence. Why is he now trying to start up a conversation after previously ignoring me? He sure got the guts to irritate me to the core. If only I didn't love him, he'd probably be cremated by now as my fire is more than ready to take his annoying a*s.
"He doesn't like me," I responded, trying to get myself busy with my flame.
I noticed Dane staring at me through my peripheral vision. I was holding fire in my palm, and he was watching me play with it, his face engraved with an unknown emotion that I couldn't name.
"What's his name?"
I kept the flame in my palm steadily as I turned in his direction. I am not going to filter my words right now, and I certainly don't have a reason as to why I should. For now, I'm going to give him the benefit of the doubt.
"His name is Dane," I mumbled blandly. Dane blinked his eyes after hearing the name. As though he felt something, perhaps a deja vu. Later, he suddenly burst into laughter like a freaking weirdo.
"We have the same name, ha?" he whispered, shaking his head in amusement. It's you, i***t.
I rolled my eyes while shutting the fire in my hand. He doesn't feel it. Unconsciously, tears streamed down my cheeks and I couldn't control it. Having a one-string connection to our superior mate is tragic. Dane, you promised me.
I struggled to keep my sobs from coming out. When I turned to go away from the balcony, I was halted in my tracks by a hand.
"Hey, are you crying?" he asked, but I stayed silent.
I shoved his hand for the last time before I went to our private room. After this, I am going to chase you down Dane. You should be ready for that. I'll make sure you fall head over heels for me. I'm going to burn you with my love until there's nothing left for you to do except love me.
"Did you cry?" Kia said as soon as she entered the room. Because my eyes had become swollen, I couldn't deny it. I simply pouted and chose not to respond to her. In any case, she'll still know it. Kia is a skilled observer who can tell if you're telling the truth or not with a single glance. So, I'll let her judge.
"Who made you cry? Was it your mother? Did she nag you again?" she asked worriedly while walking in my direction.
I was ready to reply no, but I'm afraid if I claim mother isn't the cause of my tears, she'll pursue the matter further. Since my mother had nagged me earlier, I merely nodded.
Kia immediately rolled her eyes after getting my response. "I know you're lying. Who made you cry?" she asked after sitting next to me.
Despite having a 5% chance of escaping my sister's observant a*s, I tried to reason out, "Got some dust straight to my eyes, it's painful."
She smacked my shoulder, clearly unsatisfied with my response. "You still don't trust me, don't you?" she said, using an emotional appeal question. She uses this all the time to deceive me into telling the truth. Even if I am physically stronger, Kia's strength lies in her intelligence.
"Fine, it's Dane," I grumbled, giving in to her scrutinizing glare. As though I committed some grave mistake.
"How? You still remember what happened earlier?"
"No, Kia, he's here. We had a conversation on the balcony," I said quietly, causing her eyes to widen in surprise.
"Didn't he already go home?" she inquired, perplexed. That's exactly what I was thinking earlier. I shook my head, humbling myself on the couch.
"I've confirmed it: he didn't recognize me." Kia gave me a concerned look as she tapped my shoulder twice.
"Pain is a natural part of love, Sera, but if it's torturing you, you can always sever the tie, right? That's one of the advantages of being a hybrid."
I'm not sure if I could love anyone else aside from Dane. Besides, the only way for our mating bond to be broken is if I fall in love with someone else, which seems impossible. I've traveled the world and met various men, but I've never found anyone deserving of my love. In this lifetime, I vow to love only one man, and that's Dane.
- Writer
