“I wish I could meet him, you know.” Xenia said with a shy smile, staring at the flowers around them.
“Who?” Stefanos asked gruffly, picking up the flower crown he just made and placing it over Xenias head. 
Xenia rolled her eyes playfully, her scent turning sweeter, as she giggled at Stefanos flower crown. “The owner of the garden of course! I wish I could thank and tell him how grateful I’m for all the flowers he had gifted me.”
“He didn’t gift you those, you basically stole them from his garden Xenia.” Stefanos replied with a grunt and begin walking away, until it hit him about what he just said.
“I never told you I stole them, Adriano.”
---
Alpha Stefanos was driven away by his own family. Now he lives in a dark tower by himself, (his only friend a dragon.)To keep him company, he grows flowers in his garden. One day a young omega shows up and steals some of the flowers. Enraged, Stefanos swears to punish whoever the thief is. His anger diminishes when he learns more about the Omega and who she really is. Her presence suddenly causes Stefanos ice cold heart to melt. But why is she there and what does she want?
But what if his fate rest on his ability to make a special flower bloom, Will he be able to do it? 
Can he bloom a flower that can't be bloomed, in a dream that can't come true?  
------
Inspired from an old Italian tale.


Smeraldo

The walk back home for Niccolo was not that of a pleasant one. Thoughts of his conversation with the man in the flower field kept replaying in his head, bringing in a new wave of emotions every now and then. 


So entranced in his thoughts, it took Niccolo a while to realize that he was already home, light escaping from the windows as he heard the low chatter of his friends inside. Night had already taken over and Niccolo was exhausted, but the thoughts of his encounter remained a constant companion to him. 


With a heavy sigh, Niccolo walked forward and pulled the door open, the chatter inside the house coming to an abrupt halt as the young men inside noticed Niccolo’s presence. 


“And now, he finally decides to grace us with his holy presence! Welcome, Sir Niccolo!” Vittorio announced sarcastically, standing up from his sitting position and bowing mockingly, grinning like a fool only to earn a smack on the back by Jecopo. 


16. THE POCKET WATCH