by Jennise K
River seemed oblivious. He moved, pulling me along with him, to stand a good length away from Romanov, whose eyes stayed unblinkingly on mine.
“Stop. Touching. Her,” he warned.
River, on the other hand, took no notice as he held me protectively around my waist and moved us further back towards the front door of the house. “You stop harassing her! Get your ass off of Prue’s property!”
I watched, petrified, as Romanov chuckled, showing his sharp white canines in a threatening way. Slowly, he directed his attention to River then, still chuckling, looked down, shaking his head.
Suddenly, the chuckle stopped, and his head snapped up. Both River and I gasped at the sight. Suddenly, Romanov didn’t look human anymore. In place of his straight teeth were now sharp, deadly canines. His eyes now glowed golden. His jaws were now so sharp they could probably cut a diamond in half. And his forehead and neck showed more defined veins. He looked every bit an animal.
“Stop. Touching. Her. I say.”
“Why should I? Y-you’re a monster! N-no! I won’t e-ever!” River stuttered, and I twisted in his arms, a part of me seeking to soothe Romanov while another wanted to run and escape the situation.
Romanov snarled as he took a step forward, and River froze behind me, his arms still around me. I didn’t know who was doing the protecting now. I sighed as I touched his arm.
“River, just let me go,” I pleaded. He looked at me like I had lost my mind. “Trust me on this, please,” I whispered as I tugged on his hand.
Still frozen behind me, River debated on the matter for a second before he finally let go. Romanov extended his veiny arms towards me.
“Let’s go.”
“No! Olivia isn’t going anywhere with you, you monster!” River said, taunting Romanov.
I cringed when I saw the golden light in Romanov’s eyes dull down.
“She’s mine, you imbecile!” he gritted out, taking a step forward. River scoffed, and I wondered if he was feeling slightly suicidal.
“In your dreams,” he retorted.
Snarling, Romanov turned towards me. “Olivia, come here, or he dies.”
I almost sighed. Although Romanov’s face stayed animalistic, I could now slowly see his human coming back. It wasn’t like I wasn’t scared. I was. He had saved my life before. More than once. I was just scared for River.
Looking back, I gave River a small look before walking towards Beasty. Immediately, his hand gripped mine as I came within his reach and pulled me against his chest, both of his arms now wrapped around my middle.
River lost it.
“I’m going to call for help! You’re crazy! I’ll save you, Olivia!”
Running towards the street, he began yelling out for help, looking almost hysterical as he ran his way onto the busy night street.
“Help! Emergen—ahh!”
It all happened so fast. In a blur of black and brown, Romanov held me against him and with his other hand, pulled River away from his death.
The car sped its way along the lane that River had been standing on only seconds ago. I watched, breathless, as a shocked River sat on the sidewalk, heaving as he watched the car speed away, while Romanov, who now looked more human than beast, still held him by the back of his shirt.
Chapter 13
“Avelphisashee.”
“The English translation to ‘avelphisashee’ could not be found.”
“Avelphisashee!”
“The English translation to ‘avelphisashee’ could not be found.”
“Dammit!”
“The English translation to ‘dammit’ is ‘dam—”
I gave up, exhausted and frustrated. A long, tired breath left my lips, and I slumped my head down on the books I’d been trying to research the cursed word from.
The large desk was scattered with books all opened to pages with missing information since all of the books were missing a number of pages—some carefully cut, the edges clean and sharp, while the others were ripped, like in a hurry, giving the books a dilapidated look.
Somehow, I knew they had information about the very thing I was looking for. But what I didn’t understand was why someone would rip the pages out and what for?
The books in the library were clearly of no help, so I went to local bookstores searching for them but to no avail. Neither did modern technology give any clue.
I groaned, frustrated, as I rubbed my forehead on the old pages of the book Tier.
The lights around the room were dim, and despite the lamps on the low tables and the bright moonlight peeking in from the open window, the room was in slight darkness.
One glance at the grandfather clock, and I cringed at the time.
3:01 am
Glancing at the Chinese takeaway Romanov had gotten, which was sitting on the table untouched, I sighed, and my empty stomach growled at the thought of food.
After the River accident that almost happened only a few hours ago, I hadn’t been much into eating. But now, I was starving.
Eyeing the takeaway for a second, I finally gave in, and reaching for the fork and box, I slowly dug in. My mind, however, still lingered on the word Abigail had told me about.
“Avelphisashee.”
“Avelpisashee.”
“Alvelphisishee.”
“Alvelphisyshee.”
A groan left my lips, and I shook my head. Was I ever going to find out what the ripped pages held? And what did avelphisashi even mean?
I sighed. Would I ever know?
~
Under the pelting showers of morning rain, people rushed, their umbrellas bobbing up and down in their hurry, trying to get to their work.
Red, orange, blue, black.
My bright yellow umbrella leaned against my booth bench as I sat in my favourite restaurant, patiently waiting for Drew to get me my usual.
Sleeping last night had not been an easy task. Waking up to find River gone, Letty beside me in bed, and Romanov on the couch in the living room, I tried to take the day as positively as I could, but what happened last night kept popping up in my mind, rendering me distracted and just out of it. Still, I thanked God for the hundredth time that River had come out safe.
It seemed strange, though. What sort of man was Romanov to save the very man he clearly liked the least?
Having been nearly on the brink of death, River was quite shaken for the rest of the night. So much that he bunked in the guest room while Romanov decided to stay. Or maybe it was the effect after seeing Romanov’s other form.
I couldn’t blame him. Even Prue was stunned when we had told her. The shock on her face was something I didn’t think I could easily forget.
Accidents are very serious matters in my family. They had very well nearly depleted most of our line, after all.
My eyes narrowed as I looked through the fogging glass, trying to make out the people on the streets. My fingers ran along the hem of the only sweater I had in my closet at Prue’s. I leaned further into the seat, stretching my feet out in front of me.
“Steak and egg with chips,” Drew announced and stood at the side of my table, pulling me out of my people-watching session.
I looked and smiled at the amused and awkward expression on his face with curiosity. “Thank you, Drew. Is something wrong?”
Drew’s awkward expression remained on his face. Looking away from the plate I was already digging in, he shook his head and met my gaze.
“Sorry. It’s just that…steak and egg and chips? Honestly?”
A grin immediately flashed across myself, and deliberately plopping a chip into my mouth, I replied, “It’s an amazing combo, honestly. Wanna try some?”
A wacky smile slowly crept up on Drew’s face, and shaking his head, he placed the glass of orange juice beside the platter.
“I believe you.” He smiled before turning away and walking back into the restaurant’s kitchen. Happily, I went back to my meal.
“I’m surprised I’d catch you here!”
Looking up, I almost did a double take when my gaze landed on Dominic’s dazzling hazel ones.
Dressed up in a blue suit jacket and pants and a plain white shirt, he looked extremely out of place from all the more casually dressed customers in the quaint little restaurant.
I grinned as he slumped down in front of me and stole a chip from my plate. Giggling, I feigned a pout. “Hey! Give me my chips back!”
Dominic let out a deep chuckle, and I was mesmerised as the greens in his eyes brightened and the light browns turned almost yellow.
“Your London accent makes everything you say sound like a serenade.”
I was about to smile again at the flattery, but when he suddenly leaned forward and stole another chip again, I gasped. Looking accomplished, Dominic plopped the chips into his mouth and licked the tip of his finger in enjoyment. “Also, I’ll pretend I didn’t understand what you just said because we call chips fries in America.”
Right…
Rolling my eyes, I went back to eating and happily ignored Dominic, but his eerie silence—just sitting right across me with unbelievable patience—started to niggle at my senses; his very presence suddenly made me feel uncomfortable. I placed the fork and knife neatly on the plate.
“What are you doing here anyway?” I asked him. My curiosity spiked higher when I suddenly noticed at how bright and happy Dominic looked today.
Maybe he’s waiting for a date?
“Heard they made great fish and chips here.” Dom shrugged, a smile still gracing his lips.
I looked at him curiously in a new light. I realised that I didn’t know much about him at all.
“So, where in America are you from?” I asked.
Dominic’s eyes met mine, and he settled his hands on the table as he leaned onto it, his fingers inching their way into another chip.
“Seattle. And…you’re from London, aren’t you?”
I grinned, grabbing a chip with my fingers too and quickly plopping them into my mouth. Looking at Dominic doing the same, a glint of amusement in his eyes, I realized it wasn’t that bad eating with bare hands.
“Correct for three points!” I exclaimed, adopting the voice of a live commentator. Another chip and a bite of the steak found their way into my mouth.
“So, Olivia, have you found your soulmate yet?”
I froze. Soulmate?
Wide-eyed, I looked up to a curious-looking Dominic, one eyebrow tilted up as he waited for me to reply.
Something felt like it fell and crashed in my chest, and I almost gasped as the realisation hit me.
“You’re his adelfí psychí, Olivia. His only adelfí psychí.”
My insides began fluttering, and cold dread slowly sneaked up in my gut.
Ask him. Ask him.
“Olivia?”
My eyes snapped to Dom’s.
“That’s what avelphisyshee means, doesn’t it? In Greek?”
Dominic frowned, his eyebrows furrowed as he regarded me silently for a second or two before he replied.
“Yes. Olivia, is something wrong?”
Yes…Yes…Yes…
“Olivia!”
I blinked, my blank eyes back on Dom.
Yes…
Soulmate…
“Who’s your soulmate?” I spouted stupidly. Dominic’s eyes hardened, and both he and I didn’t even glance at Drew when he came to place Dom’s order on our table. Dominic just remained seated with a strange sombre look on his face while bafflement washed over mine.
“I never said that they—” He stopped short like it was choking him.
No, Dominic. Don’t lie to me…
Slowly, his intent eyes left mine and moved to the plate in front of him. He took his time, breaking a piece of the fish apart, pairing it with an ample amount of chips before dipping it into ketchup and devouring the tasteful duo in one sweep.
It took another eternity as he drank down the food before he finally answered.
“Her name was Emily.”
His name is Romanov…
“You must really love her,” I commented.
Dominic froze in front of me, and I blinked, still dazed from the newfound knowledge of that word.
“Since the very moment I laid eyes on her.”
I chuckled to myself. Romanov barely tolerates me…
Suddenly, there was a tiny word that I had brushed over from what Dominic said. It came back with a dead silence, and I found myself freezing. A sharp chill ran down my spine.
My eyes, which were already tearing up, snapped to Dominic’s. “Was?”
This time, Dominic blinked and shook his head, looking away with a faraway smile on his face. Anyone who could see him from a distance would think Dominic was happily recalling a shared memory, but seated here only a few inches away from him, I noticed how the spark in his greens died down a little and the yellows turned back to brown.
“Emily was my younger sister’s best friend. I met her when she was fourteen. I was fifteen. It was love at first smile,” Dominic recalled and as if witnessing that smile again, Dominic let out a soft smile of his own before he continued, “She was smiling the first time I saw her. That was my first memory of her. But then…”
Dominic seemed to almost slump down, shaking his head. Another piece of fish and chips entered his mouth. “But at sixteen, while I vowed to win her love, she had already made her own promises.”
I stilled. “Wait! She was married?”
Sighing, Dominic shook his head. “She loved someone else, Olivia.” When he saw the hurt and shock on my face, he was quick to explain. “She loved him. She waited for him for ten years. And when he finally got back, she waited some more. But the part that made me back out wasn’t that. The rude bastard loved her back.”
Oh…
“So, you’re n—”
Dominic cut me off, shaking his head, his serious eyes looking straight at my foggy ones. “No. We’re not together. But all that matters is that she is happy.”
Looking at me again, he sent me a sad smile, and I felt myself tear up more.
“But you’re soulmates…” I whimpered. The significance of this word’s meaning seemed to be dangling by a string now in front of me, and I re-evaluated its actual meaning.
How could someone just look past their soulmate?
Dominic smiled that broken smile again and quickly straightened in his seat. “You didn’t tell me who your mate is.”
Beasty…Romanov…Alpha King Romanov…
A loud sigh left my lips, and I looked straight into Dominic’s sad, unblinking eyes.
“I’m mated to the alpha king, Dominic. I’m mated to the alpha king.”
~
Today was one of those days. No part of the blue cloudless sky was visible, and while the rain earlier only lasted for about an hour, it seemed like it was not about to let up; the sky continued to look dark. It seemed relentless. I was sure it was going to rain all day.
Large puffy grey clouds covered the sky above us, some even going so low to reach the ground. Midday fog. I silently watched we passed a row of trees in a blur of light green, dark green, and some even red, abundant in its blossoming flowers.
“You’ve been very silent ever since we got out of the restaurant,” Dominic commented.
Releasing a breath, I shrugged, turning to my right.
“I’m just so confused. And shocked. I can’t believe Romanov’s my—my soulmate! And that you’re a royal too! I can’t believe you know him! I can’t believe how everyone whose seen this mark and understood its meaning knows I’m—I can’t believe there are so many royals out there! I can’t believe not all of them are kings! I can’t believe royals can’t see which king a mark belongs to! I can’t believe they can take any girl marked but not ‘really marked’ whatever that means! And I can’t believe Romanov hasn’t told me anything! I mean—does—doesn’t he want me?”
The car stopped and was now parked on the side of the highway. I continued to heave after my tirad
e while a wide-eyed Dominic stared at me.
“That was a lot,” was all he could say.
I sent a bitter look Dominic’s way before turning towards my lap. “I can’t believe I won’t wake up tomorrow in a mental institute and that all of this—” I moved my hands around me “—will all just be my delusions.”
A silent second passed before Dominic’s fingers found my chin. As my gaze lifted and met his, I realized he was frowning. He rubbed his thumb softly against my chin. “Why do you say that?”
I felt my eyes steel over, and I shrugged.
“Because stuff like this doesn’t belong in the real world,” I mumbled slowly.
Surprising me, Dominic smiled, and for the first time, I noticed that his browns didn’t turn yellow this time. Instead, they turned bright gold, tiny flecks of darker gold dusting around his iris. I realized that only happened whenever he smiled or seemed happy.
“And yet here we are, Olivia, as real as you. As real as everything else you see.”
I knew that. I knew they were real. Everything was real. Giving in, I nodded.
“I just—don’t know what to do now,” I finally admitted in a low voice, looking at my fingers. A loud chuckle rang around the car, and I looked up, surprised, just as the car was started again and Dominic drove it back onto the lane.
Chuckling again, he squeezed my thighs in a comforting manner.
“All you do now is wait for him to crack. Because trust me, if the idiot didn’t want you, he wouldn’t keep you in that Lord-forbidden castle,” he said and assured me with a smile.
“We’re here! Alright, trust me and stick close. Pretend like we’re best friends. Romanov is home,” Dominic whispered hurriedly as he pulled back a few strands of my hair behind my ear under my beanie and ran his eyes over my face like a mother usually would. Before opening the car’s door, he motioned me to hurry. I nodded and rushed out of the car, and at once, his arm found my shoulder.
Oh no…
I gasped and looked at Dominic when I realized what he was planning to do while I “waited for Romanov to crack.” I shook my head desperately. “We can’t!”
Dominic smirked, his grip around my shoulder tightening as he led us towards the entrance of the castle. “Oh, Olivia, but we must.”