~It’s my fate
Don’t smile to me
Light on me,
Because I can’t get closer to you
There’s no name you can call me~
-(BTS) The Truth Untold
____________
STEFANOS
"You shouldn't have said that."
"I am aware Wraya. You have made it quite clear in the last forty minutes."
"I can't believe you said that."
"Stop rubbing it in my face."
"You are terrible at socializing."
"Wraya-"
"You could have just stayed quiet if you-"
"Wraya if you don't stop this instant I swear to the Moon Goddess I will send you back to your mother once and for all."
Silence.
"Yes sire."
I sigh in frustration, watching as the huge figure of Wraya retreated with his wings folded behind him. Messing up my hairs and grunting to myself, I looked down at the garden below, the bushes blooming with new flowers that he had planted.
Just why on earth would I say that to her?
To the flower thief.
To Xenia.
"Xenia. My name is Xenia."
Her beautiful and melodious voice echoed in my head as she stared down at her feet with her long luscious eyelashes dusting her tear stained cheeks.
Unlike the first time she spoke to me, her voice was soft and sincere, as if she was grateful to me for what I had done. Her voice had been soft in our first encounter as well, but the suspicion in her voice had given her a haughty vibe as if she was challenging me.
She sounded so sweet and fragile, like she was asking to be protected.
And like the fool I am, I said the cruellest thing in the history of cruelty.
"So?"
Xenia's head shot up as she stared at me with wide confused eyes. "B-beg your pardon?"
"What should I do by knowing your name?" I asked with as careless a tone as I could muster and gave her that look through my mask that could have scared the living hell out of her if she saw my full face.
Xenia blinked rapidly, her mouth opening and closing in an attempt to say something, but no words came. She was as dumbfounded with what I said as I was myself.
Without waiting for her to say anything, I walked away like a real life moron, trying to pretend like I had said the most logical thing in this world when in fact I was cursing myself for being such a...never mind.
Anyways, the point is, I just lost my one chance at confronting my thief.
Great.
I groan again, wondering why it was so hard for me to just say that one single word called 'Okay' at least. I could have just ended it there, but I made a big fool of myself. Wraya is right; I really have no idea how to socialize.
But I converse just fine with the Grocery man, so why is this proving so difficult?
It’s because you don’t have a mate and neither does the omega, which is bringing out these reactions.
"What is that supposed to mean?" I question my wolf who sounded like a good old grandpa with dementia.
My wolf sighs in exhaustion, making me frown.
You will soon have your rut, and maybe she will have her heat. It's the pull of the attraction for not having a mate already.
"Our mate is dead to us, you know that." I deadpanned, my mood turning sour all of a sudden.
Yes, and that’s why you are feeling this attraction.
"I am not attracted to her!"
Yes you are.
"No I'm not!"
Yes you are.
"No I'm-never mind. I'm done with you."
So saying, I stand up from my seat and exit the room, closing the link between my wolf and I.
-------------------------
What in the name of the Moon Goddess am I doing here?
I ask that question to myself for the nth time today, as I stand before Xenias cart while she explains me the different meanings of her flowers that she is selling.
Selling them after stealing from me.
She is explaining my own flowers to me.
Oh but that’s not the concern right now is it? The main concern is how I ended up before her stall the very next day after ditching her politeness like a fly.
Simple. She forced me.
As in, pulled me-no, dragged me to her stall and asked if I would like any flowers. She was all the smiles and so cheery, that I couldn't bring myself to walk away.
As if yesterday's events never happened, Xenia acted like a social butterfly, smiling and waving to every passer-by that didn't even bother to help her yesterday, giggling to the compliments thrown at her.
I'm so confused with this girl. How can she act like nothing ever happened? How can she smile so sincerely at them after what they did? Why is she being so nice to them? The world is not deserving of it. And especially not girls like Xenia.
"And these Hyacinths had bloomed only this morning! They are so fresh that you can even keep it for more than two days! And these— are you listening to me, milord?"
Xenia suddenly says, bringing me back to my thoughts and making me stare at her. Her eyes were huge and doe like as they stared at me to answer, the hat on top of her head shading her beautiful face.
It takes all my will power not to continue gazing at her as I finally said what I should have said earlier.
"Apologies, but I'm not interested."
Xenias face fell, but she quickly lifted a radiant smile, making my heart skip a beat.
"Are you sure? These are really good flowers sir. None of my customers ever complained about them."
Of course they didn't. I grew them myself.
"That is good, but I don't need flowers for any reason."
Would it hurt if I just bought one damn flower? No it wouldn't.
However, my stubborn self wouldn't allow it. And once again, I walked away, cursing myself all through the way.
Maybe I will just steer clear from her. If I don't see her, I might not need to embarrass myself. I just need to stay away from her and hopefully after what happened today she will stay away from me too.
But boy, I couldn't have been more wrong.
"Milord! Are you on your way to the herb store? Me too!"
That same voice which I somehow grew to love and at the same time hate, exclaimed cheerfully from behind me, making me shut my eyes and grit my teeth in annoyance.
It is the third day now, and I was on my way to the herb store and look who decided to follow? Of course Xenia herself.
Taking in a deep breath, I turned around to face her as she giggled up at me like an angel.
Okay stop that now.
"Lady Xenia, we meet again."
"Oh! You remember my name! You remember my name! But you seemed like you didn’t care!" Xenia, as a matter of fact, is too loud and cheery for her own good.
And she was giggling like a fallen angel again.
Focus!
"Which way are you headed Lady Xenia?" I ask with my voice void of any emotions, but Xenia does not seem to notice as she points to the right, leading to the herb store.
"Well then, good day to you."
Her smile disappears, followed by shock as she watches me walk the opposite direction from where she had pointed, but she made no attempt at stopping me.
However, I knew this wasn't going to be the end. That her chase wasn't over yet.
And true to my predictions, Xenia followed me every time she saw me, making up some sort of excuse for being there. And every time, I would say something to get her off of my back.
The cycle continued for a whole week, until one day, Xenia begins following me again. But unlike usual, she did not make up any excuses for being there or for following, she just walked behind me with her head down.
People stared at us, but she didn't seem to care. But I was finding this sudden amount of attention quite...disturbing.
So leaving the market place behind, I begin walking away, with Xenia on my tail until I reach the familiar ally were Xenia first confronted me.
My abrupt halt in steps had Xenia crashing into my back before she winced and stepped back, apologising to me.
"Oh I-I'm sorry I should ha-"
"Why do you keep following me?" I cut her, my voice laced with annoyance.
Look how the tables have turned.
Xenia didn’t reply immediately, that made me even angrier.
"Answer me! Why are you following me Omega? Which pack are you from? Who sent you?"
My words made Xenia flinch, but with all the bravery she could muster, she looked up at me with determination in her eyes. "No one sent me. I am where I am because I want to be."
"Oh so you want to follow me?" Why am I being so rude?
Xenia didn't reply after that, and I take that as my queue to end this once and for all.
Stepping in front of her, I say, "Listen to me, Lady Xenia. I don't know what reasons you have for doing this, but I suggest you stop this instant. For if this continues, I will not take responsibility if something were to happen to you because of your carelessness. Keep this in mind, and don't follow me anymore."
So saying, I pass by her and begin walking away, until her soft voice stops me dead in the tracks.
"It's because I feel protected."
I halt immediately, my eyes turning a little wide in surprise, while I turn to look at her, who was already staring at me.
"It's because I feel lonely, and being around you makes me feel protected. That’s why. That’s why I follow you around. In this whole week, no one has come to bully me, because you were always there with me."
My voice is gone. My eyes are stuck. And my ears can only hear her beautiful voice.
I'm stuck in a trance as a small sad smile appears on her soft red lips, her eyes trained on me as the words leave her lips, turning something new in my heart.
"No one has ever stood up for me like you did."
-Zohara