His Knight, His Mate

Chapter Three

"Mireya."

Mireya stood up and frowned when she saw her surroundings.  Why does she seem to be in a paradise when she recalls sitting in front of her Mother's tomb?

 "Mireya."

 Mireya froze and tears welled up in her eyes when she heard that familiar voice from behind her.  Impossible.  Her hearing is only playing with her, there is absolutely no way she's hearing her.  Because of her great desire to see her dear Mother one last time, she's having an illusion.

 "My dear daughter."

 Her lips quivered and she twisted around so fast, it made her dizzy for a second. And there she is standing behind her, her beautiful Mother, the one who loved her like no other. Martha never treated her like she's not her flesh and blood.

 "Mom!" she exclaimed and closed the distance between them to wrap her shaking hands around Martha.

 Oh, please. If this is a dream, I never want to wake up from it.

 She pressed her face to her Mother's chest and cried there just like how she used to before. Mireya heard her heartbeat and she felt the heat of her hands hugging her back.

 "Don't cry, my love. You know I hate seeing you cry." Martha gently pushed her away and wiped her tears. "My beautiful Mireya."

 This time, in this dream, it is Mireya's hidden beauty she's seeing,  and not her face in reality. 

 "Is this just a dream? How come it feels so real? If it is just a dream I don't want to wake up again, Mom. I want to stay here next to you."

 Martha smiled sadly at her and caressed her hair lovingly.  "Mireya, it's not your time yet. You don't deserve to be where I am now. But I assure you, I will no longer suffer in pain here, my dear. Even if I suddenly disappear, I am still happy to be with you.  I am happy to stand as your second Mother. I am blessed to have you as my daughter."

 Even Martha could not stop herself from crying.  "It only took me a while, but I want you to know that I love you so much and I will never consider you different. Please take care of your Father and sister for me. Take care of yourself, hm? You're the strongest person I know. "

 Mireya shook her head one after another and hugged her Mother again.  "I don't want to. I don't know what will happen to us now that you are gone."

 "I know you can do it. It's not hard for me to leave you because I know someone will protect you."

 Mireya's eyes widened as she saw Martha slowly disappearing before her eyes.  But when she looked at her Mother's face, she saw a peaceful smile.  Though her heart felt heavy, she knew she had to let her go.

 "I love you so much, Mom. Thank you so much for the love and care you gave me. I will take care of Dad and Jessica. And I will never ever forget you."  Although it hurt, Mireya found herself smiling back at Martha.

 In her blurred vision, Martha's smile gradually disappeared from her sight.  Mireya felt a pull and she slowly opened her eyes and saw the cemetery.  If she had been sitting before, she found herself lying down on top of the grass.  She frowned and sat up slowly while trying to think of what just happened.

 So it was just a dream.  But why did it feel so real?

 She held her aching chest and her eyes still wet with tears. What just happened?

 "Had a great sleep?"

 Mireya almost jumped in the air when someone spoke and she saw the old woman who is also sitting and laughing. "Are you so tired that you fell asleep on the grass? I can't even lie here."  Her body is still shaking while grinning.  "Who's to say that a dog urinated here or a man? Yuck." Grandma scrunched up her face in disgust.

 Mireya is amused, but confused at the same time.  She then remembers her question earlier and her holding her hand before she lost consciousness, but she could remember nothing after that.

 "Grandma, what happened?"

 "This child, you fell asleep is what happened. I stayed with you because I was afraid a demon might take you away."  There is something behind her smile that Mireya could not read.

 Mireya just blinked before she stood up. She dusted off her pants and hoped that no man or dog peed where she laid. "It's time for me to go home, Grandma. Thank you for staying with me."

 "Take care, child."

 When Mireya is far enough, the smile on Reina's lips automatically disappears.  "Satisfied?"  she asked while staring ahead.

 "Yes, thank you, Grandma. I will leave my family to you, please take care of them."

 Hold the tea.  Who says I'm going to take care of your drunkard husband and b***h of a daughter?  My only priority is Mireya.  Reina answered inside her head but smiled nonetheless.

 Reina's eyes shifted to the reaper standing next to her.  "Thank you for letting me borrow her soul."

 The male reaper only nodded his head and together, they vanished into thin air.

 Because of her Mother's request and because Mireya's heart is naturally golden, she did everything to help her father and sister.  But how do you help people who instead of becoming better just got worse as time passes by?

 Because of their addiction to alcohol and drugs, they are now deeply in debt.  The money that Martha had saved and accumulated for years was simply wasted by her Father in a short span of time.

 Mireya could not help but tremble with anger and she could not stop herself from confronting him.  "Mom spent her whole life working just to save that money and what? You're just going to waste it all? Did you even think of Mom, Dad? Didn't you think of everything she went through? Didn't you think while you were having fun, she's working her ass off for us?"

 It was too late for her to avoid it before his hand landed on her cheek.  Mireya's ear rang and she could feel the pain of his big palm hitting her right cheek.

 "How dare you speak to me like that! Everything was given to you, food you swallowed, clothes and roof above your head. It should all be ours alone! Get out of my sight or I might kill you."

 Mireya did not cry and she did not look at him anymore. She returned to her room and sadly looked at the picture of her Mother. "I'm sorry I failed you, Mom."

 A week after that incident, Mireya was shocked when she arrived home from school, she witnessed her father being arrested by the police and handcuffed.

 "What happened, officer? Why are you arresting my Father?" she asked the police officer holding her stepfather who did not even bother to look at her.

 "He smuggled tons of drugs, child. Some were also found in your house."

 They are about to take her Father again when he speaks. "A curse." 

"What's that, Sir?" 

"A curse is what happened to us because of you, Mireya. Since you came, nothing went right anymore. My wife died because she loved you, and now I'm like this because of you. You are a curse! A curse!" he roared, loud enough for everyone to hear.

 "Now, now." a voice said behind them. Everyone looked at the person who spoke and saw the crazy old woman who's resting her chin on her cane.  "Don't put the blame on an innocent person simply because things didn't go your way."  she told her Father before laughing out loud and whispered to the side.

 The police shook their heads before pulling Bobby inside the vehicle.  Mireya was left helplessly following the police mobile with her eyes.  She wouldn't be able to do anything with father's case because it was heavy.  Mireya felt a headache coming and massaged her temple. Even her sister Jessica did not return home for three days now.  When she tried to call her, she did not answer.  But recently, she saw her at school with her friends.

 Mireya looked up at the sky.  "I'm sorry about Dad, Mom."  she said with a sigh and with her head hanging low,  she entered their now empty house.

 The following day she received a text from Jessica. She told her to meet at the Mall because she has something to give Mireya. Seeing no harm with it and wanting to see and talk to her sister, Mireya agreed. 

 Just like before, Mireya ignored the scrutinizing looks of the people around her.  They will point at her and laugh. She is hurt that she is being ridiculed, but she simply prefers to ignore them. 

Jessica texted her that she's in the department store, so Mireya went straight there. When she got there she saw her older sister holding a bag. "Jessica."  She grabbed her attention when she's close enough. She twisted around and Mireya could not trace any sadness or anything on her face.  "Jessica, about Dad, h---" 

"Oh, I already know. In fact, I'm the one who called the police." Jessica stated nonchalantly. 

Mireya's jaw dropped and her eyes widened.  "You what?!"  she whisper-yelled.  "Do you know what you did? Jessica, that is our Dad. Do you know what could happen to him now? His case is serious and there is a possibility that he will not be able to get out again."  Mireya could not believe that she could do that to her own Father.

 "Oh, whatever, Mireya. Anyway, this is what I will give you."  She handed a bag to her and Mireya took it.

 "What is this?"  She opened the bag and examined the contents of the bag.

 "Shoplifter! I found a shoplifter!" Jessica suddenly yelled out of nowhere.

 Mireya's eyes widened. "What are you doing, Jessica?"  she hissed at her sister.

 "Correction, ugly b***h. He's my Dad and not yours." she told her with a laugh and ran off.

 Mireya was supposed to follow her, but the guards and employees of the Mall approached her.  No matter how she refused, they did not believe her and chose to judge her because of her appearance. But she convinced them to look at the CCTV and there they saw her coming and Jessica handing her the bag so she was released.  But nevertheless, she still received a judgment and disgusting look from them.  It was as if she had an infectious disease, as if she had committed a great sin.

 When she came out of the Mall, she did not expect that Jessica was waiting for her with a smile, as if she did not just set her in a dangerous situation. 

"I knew you'd make it out alive, you always do." Jessica said with a hit of bitterness in her voice. 

Mireya opened her mouth to answer when Jessica's friend came closer and took hold of her. Together, they force her inside a van, ignoring her screams and pleas.  No matter how she struggled, they did not want to let her go. "What else do you want to do to me, Jessica?! Aren't you satisfied yet?!" 

"No. Earlier was just a taste of what I will do to you, dear sister. Don't worry, I'm certain you'll like what I'll do next. You should be grateful that you'll experience it before you die. Because with that look, it's impossible for someone to do it."  Jessica's words brought terrifying shivers down her spine.

Mireya couldn't believe that the sister she grew up with can do this to her.  They did not get along and they often fought but Mireya still considers her as her sister. 

 "Let me go!"

 "Wow, Jess. This sister of yours is really ugly, huh? You should double the fee because her face will definitely give us nightmares."  Mireya's body grew cold in horror because of what the man holding her said.  "What can you say, ugly? We'll bring you to heaven, even if you look like hell." He said and his friends laughed.

 No matter how much she begged, he ignored her and just laughed.  They stopped outside a warehouse, and they carried her whatever kick and fight she did.  Upon entering, she was thrown into the middle where there is a dirty mattress.  At that moment, Mireya trembled with fear until she lost consciousness.

 But before they could touch Mireya again and get close, they flew all over the deserted building.

 "What happened?!"  Jessica screamed in shock when she saw her friends flying everywhere. Some landed on top of a pile of trash and bleachers.

 "Boo."  Jessica screamed in fright.  "Crazy old woman ?!" Jessica exclaimed in shock.  "What are you doing here?" she demanded.

 Reina's eyes widened at Jessica's stupidity. "I flew, stupid. Like pigs, you know?" she teased. 

"I—you did?" Jessica asked stupidly.  

"Oh, your tiny little brain simply can't get it. Be gone, bitch." After she said that she clapped her hand to make her unconscious. She also wiped off what she witnessed and saw from her memory to avoid trouble. "God, I did not harm your precious humans, first." Reina said above and shrugged before raising Mireya's unconscious body in the air.

They teleported to her little sanctuary and laid Mireya on top of her bed. The bed where she first laid her when she was an infant. "This time, I'll take care of you. This world is too unsafe for you, Mireya."