by Jennise K
“Why did you ditch the lunch?” a teenage Alexander asked his young cousin. Beside him, his best friend Derrek also looked at the young boy with worry.
“Uh…what are you doing, dude?” Derrek frowned when his eyes caught Romanov’s hand grasping the little girl’s.
“I didn’t want to sit there around fake people who wouldn’t even think about us for the rest of the year!” Romanov spat out, and Derrek noticed how the young girl tilted her head to look at the boy, not at all concerned about why he was holding her and not letting her go to her family.
“You might want to let my granddaughter go before I create a scene, young man.” Primrose tugged at the girl’s arm, and surprisingly, the young Romanov let go.
“Your granddaughter?” Romanov sneered out the word your as his eyes snapped at the young girl again, her eyes wide with curiosity. This time, even Alexander noticed how the young boy’s eyes softened when he watched the girl. Immediately, he nudged his best friend.
“Take the girls to the car,” Primrose whispered to Pompy who stood beside a stunned Elisabeth. Alexander thought that she must be the little girl’s sister; their faces were almost identical, after all. She also looked around Romanov’s age.
Hearing her order, the other woman slowly began leading the two girls away. Derrek and Alexander watched as the younger of the two sisters turned and gave Romanov a small wave. “Goodbye, Beasty!”
Immediately, Romanov made a move to get to the girl but stopped when the old lady stepped in front of him. Instantly, he sneered at her, surprising both his cousin and his cousin’s best friend by his hostility. Usually, Romanov was much more respectful towards elders.
“What? Are you not happy already?” Romanov sneered at the woman, making a move to walk around her and towards his destination—the girl.
“What are you talking about?” the older woman asked, looking confused by his accusatory look. This only made Romanov even more furious. The further Olli went away from him, the angrier he felt. His emptiness was back, and so he wanted her back.
“You said my mother would die! Last year at the mall! Well! She’s dead!” Romanov yelled suddenly, exploding at the old woman whom he selfishly accused was responsible for his mother’s death.
If only the old gypsy lady had not said that! If only she had not said anything, maybe his mother would be here with him!
“What are you talking about? I was trying to warn your mother, child! I heard the—”
“Stop it! I don’t want to hear your explanations! Now let me go!” Romanov snapped at the old lady, seemingly getting more and more hostile as he made a move to go around her.
“Stay away from my grandchild,” Primrose warned the boy, her voice firm as she stood blocking him.
A taunting smile spread across his face, and he took another step forward. Alexander and Derrek knew not to interfere until needed, so they remained standing behind.
“You can’t keep her away from me.”
“She’s not your soulmate,” Primrose Elizabeth blurted out loud, stopping the moving boy in his steps. He turned towards her, his eyes narrowed.
“Why?” the boy asked, looking surprised about something. Derrek wanted to roll his eyes. Had the boy really not thought about the possibility of the girl being his mate? What was the use of educating him about this at an early age then? This idiot couldn’t even spot his soulmate while she was in his arms.
The old woman’s placed her hands on her hips, and Alexander frowned in suspicion.
“Because you don’t have a soulmate in your lifeline!” Primrose Elizabeth snapped back, cringing at her own words. She knew she was sinning. The guilt was already beginning to eat away at her conscience, but the need to protect her grandchild, to give her the option to choose was something she could not compromise. Her little Olivia deserved to choose like she had.
“Lies,” Romanov spat but was still stunned. His wide eyes stared into the old woman’s, and Alexander feared that despite her not providing any explanation as to why, he was already beginning to believe her.
Primrose Elizabeth’s heart thundered in her chest, and she silently asked the young man for forgiveness before she spoke again, “I—I was right once before, wasn’t I? Hear me well, young man, and tie a knot around my words. You do not have a soulmate. None in this lifeline.”
~
Present
“You’re…you’re the gypsy, aren’t you?
The whole room stood in silence as Grandma Liz and Romanov stared at each other.
The gypsy?
“I wanted Olivia to have a choice! I wanted her to decide how she lived her life herself!” Grandma Liz shouted, taking a step forward towards me. Immediately, Romanov’s arms wrapped around me, and my breath hitched with the strength he held me.
“You lied to me! You told me I didn’t have a soulmate! How could you lie about this? It’s a sin to keep soulmates away from each other! Don’t you know that?” Romanov bellowed at my grandma, pushing me behind him as he fumed.
“I was trying to protect her! She was only six, for God’s sake! You wouldn’t have let her have a choice! She would have been married and with children by now!”
“No, you foolish woman! I would have courted your granddaughter until she would pick me! I was only a kid for fuck’s sake!” Romanov yelled back. I could feel him shaking against me as he stood in front of me. I couldn’t even see the rest of the three people before us right now.
What’s going on? What are they talking about? Grandma Liz is a gypsy? What bullshit is this?
I couldn’t breathe. I couldn’t understand a single thing they were talking about! What had happened between Romanov and my grandma? My accelerating heartbeat had begun to hurt, and I almost screamed out loud in frustration. I felt angry! I felt confused! I felt so heartbreakingly upset! It was all too much. Too much was happening in a short time!
“I really think you should leave Olivia here for now, Grandma Liz,” Theia spoke softly like a soothing gust of wind in the presence of an ongoing hurricane.
“Olivia, please understand Grandma. Please leave with Grandma! I’m not separating you two! I just want you alive!” Grandma Liz’s weak voice pleaded out to me, and I felt myself crumbling behind Romanov.
What’s going on? What’s happening?
I couldn’t help but let the panic spread over me. My fingers found the back of Romanov’s shirt as I felt my legs give away. Immediately, I felt the room fall silent once again just as I finally began being engulfed by darkness. I felt my grip on Romanov’s shirt loosening as I fell, but still, I willed my hand to reach for my soulmate.
“Beasty…”
~
Cold. I was so cold.
A groan left my lips as I tried to turn and reach for some warmth. I tried opening my eyes, but I couldn’t. Another small sound of distress left my lips, and I twisted again, trying to find peace.
“Cold. So cold,” I whispered. To what or whom—I didn’t know. I needed warmth. It was so cold.
“She’s already covered in three blankets,” a soft voice of a woman whispered somewhere in the darkness.
“Romanov, get in there with her,” a man with a deeper and more authoritative voice spoke in hushed tones somewhere in the darkness, and I frowned, twisting uncomfortably again.
“What’s wrong with her, Doctor?” an elder woman’s voice asked, her voice clear and loud for a second before it became a distant echo but bearing the same desperation in her voice.
“She was simply overwhelmed with all of Romanov’s emotions and hers. She must have been too overwhelmed and passed out. This often occurs in the case of a human soulmate,” a new voice spoke out loud gravely just as I felt a strong arm slide over my waist and a stronger chest settle itself behind me, pressing against my back.
This was nice. This felt warm. Finally, the sense of safety washed over me, and I shuffled back, closer to the warmth. The storm in my mind that prevented me from thinking clearly began to die down, and I w
anted this person to stay—to stay with me forever. My fingers found the person’s skin, and I grasped onto whatever it was. A content sigh left my lips.
“She’s happy!” the soft feminine voice whispered happily.
“Do you really believe she’ll be happier without him, Elizabeth?” the deep, authoritative voice spoke again, but I was too content with the person who held me to pay any more any attention to anything.
“I love you,” a new voice whispered into my ear. This voice I remembered. The familiar feeling of warmth washed over my chest, and I turned, trying to get closer to this voice. Snuggling my face against his skin, I sighed contently when I breathed in his scent.
“Beasty…”
~
“I think she’s finally waking up!” Hushed whispers once again filtered into my mind, and I groaned as I tried to get closer to the familiar body that held me.
I rubbed my cheeks against Romanov as I groaned again, willing my eyes to open.
“Roooome,” I groaned, pulling at the man, trying to bring him closer as I finally began opening my eyes, trying to see him. My eyes snapped open, and my surroundings began to come together by the second.
The familiar naked chest I had my face pressed against was the first thing I clearly saw. Immediately, I pulled back and looked up at the man’s face. My brown eyes found his dark ones, and the deep pools held me frozen. I couldn’t look away.
Still looking into my eyes, Romanov brought his hand up and softly twirled my hair away from my face, and I felt myself blush.
“Feeling better?” he asked softly, leaving his thumb lingering against my jaw, unconsciously caressing my skin.
I nodded, still not able to break away from his gaze.
“I think we’ll be outside then,” Theia said, her cheeky voice bubbling up from somewhere in the room, and I tried to turn towards the audience when Romanov’s thumb and index finger found my jaw, and he softly turned my head back to him. His dark gaze found mine again, and once again, I felt myself being captivated by those dark pools.
“Just let me look at you for a little while longer.” His gruff voice seared through my chest, and I smiled at the man staring back me. I nodded, smiling at him.
“I’m glad I found you again,” Romanov whispered as he looked intently at me.
Again?
“Have we met before?” I frowned, suddenly very curious.
A wistful smile spread on Romanov’s face, and he nodded.
“Once, fifteen years ago on a damned spring day.”
~
“So, Grandma Liz left for Sydney on the very same day?”
Abigail and I sat on the couch of her living room, and I nodded at my best friend. It had been two days after the huge fight. Grandma Liz had left right after. “After the whole commotion and me fainting from being so overwhelmed, she gave in and just left. She left me a letter, though. We talked on the phone, too…last night.”
“I can’t believe you and Romanov had met when you were kids.”
“I know.” I sighed. “I can’t believe Gran told him he doesn’t have a mate.”
“I can’t imagine how he lived after being handed with that kind of knowledge. Soulmates are really important to us wolves,” Abigail mumbled, then shook her head as if clearing the thoughts away.
“Can you please not mention that? I feel so guilty!” I groaned, smacking a cushion over my face.
“I’m sorry. I know! I’m just terrified thinking how Romanov lived these past years. You’re sure he’s fine, right?” Abigail shuddered on her side of the sofa, and I sighed.
“He’s still getting used to this new piece of knowledge. I can’t help but feel guilty, Aby.”
“That’s normal, to be honest. You just need to be there for him. He’ll get used to it soon enough. After all, you two did end up together, didn’t you?”
“But is that enough, Aby?” I asked, glancing at my best friend. “I won’t leave Romanov, but I won’t remove Grandma Liz from my life as well. We don’t have many of us left after what happened to Mum and Lizzy. And I want to keep everyone who are left to be close together. They will have to meet. They will have to talk. Do you think they will be able to do it?”
Beside me, Abigail sighed and leaned against me, resting her head on my right shoulder. I let out a sigh of my own and let my head rest on hers.
“For you they will do it.”
Just then, the sound of my ringtone screeched around the apartment’s living room, and Abigail and I immediately straightened up before she reached for my phone and handed it to me.
River calling…
“Thanks,” I whispered before swiping ‘Accept.’
“Hello!” I said into the phone, smiling automatically.
“Olli! Listen to me carefully! We have to meet! Where are you right now?” River said in a rush. He sounded frightened and extremely stressed. It automatically lit the red lights over my head. Something wasn’t right.
“Wait! What’s wrong? Are you okay? I’m at Aby’s!” I asked, putting the phone call on loudspeaker. Immediately, Abigail moved closer, and we both leaned over my phone, anxiously waiting for River to say something.
“We have to meet! I have something important to tell you! You must be careful, Olli! Promise me! The curse! The curse! It’s not who we think it is at all! I can’t say more! I’ll get there in fifteen! We’ll talk then!” River spoke in a hushed voice, pausing every now and then so he could catch a breath. My heartbeat was hammering against my chest as I tried to analyse this situation. My mouth opened to press him more, to ask him if he was okay, but before either I or Abigail could say another word, the line went dead.
Chapter 36
“What the hell just happened?” Abigail shrieked, both of us staring at the phone that now lay on my lap.
“I don’t know, but I don’t feel so good about this. What do we do?” I ask her desperately. Every sort of red light was going off in my head. I almost wanted to get up and run out to my car and drive over to River’s.
“I think we should wait for him here. Don’t worry. I’m sure it’s nothing.” Abigail tried to console me, knowing my mind was running crazily. Scooting over, she wrapped her arm around my shoulder and pulled me close. “He’ll be here in no time.”
He’ll be here in no time…
I desperately wanted to believe her. I wanted to believe that River wasn’t in trouble. But why couldn’t I?
“I’m calling Rome.” I shake my head, refusing to just sit here and do nothing. “I’m calling everyone.”
“Okay, okay, relax! I’ll call half of the guys, and you call half. Cool?” Abigail said between her teeth as she quickly leaned towards the table and grabbed her own phone.
Without losing time, we both began dialling Romanov’s and Matthew’s numbers.
Nothing could happen to River. Nothing would happen to him. This fear in my chest was wrong. It had to be.
~
River never showed up.
I didn’t sleep at all last night.
My anxiety and worry for River’s safety trumped the need for sleep, and I could only sit on the sofa with Abigail and everyone else, dialling River’s number over and over again.
My rational brain tried to tell me that I was only overanalysing things. I was just beating myself over like a very concerned mother would, building up every sort of worst-case scenario in her head until their child reached home safely.
But rationality couldn’t stop me from panicking. I still thought of a million different things that could have happened to River on the way.
Did he have an accident? Crashed into a tree? Had he been kidnaped? Or had he tumbled off a ridge?
I tried his cell phone for the hundredth time. My insides churned when the message came saying that the device must have been switched off.
I had been getting the same answer since I had tried calling him last night.
River could never turn his cell phone off. He didn’t even turn it off when he want
ed to charge it.
This was unlike him.
Despite my worries, though, everyone was clearly more positive than I was. Everyone was sure that he was just somewhere blowing off some steam.
“Maybe be had a fight with his girlfriend,” Matthew surmised. To which everyone agreed on.
I wanted to believe them. I wanted to be just like them and not worry as much. I wanted to think that River’s glass was half full rather than half empty.
But I couldn’t do it. The itching feeling in my chest was too strong to ignore. So, I kept pushing Romanov and everyone else all night, and they hadn’t reached home yet.
In desperation, I had called the police and River’s parents around one in the morning. Although initially both refused to believe that River would be in danger, after explaining the whole chain of events, both agreed that this was not how River would normally behave. My worry made sense.
River’s parents had the first flight back to Berlin today in the morning.
The police decided to take over Romanov’s search. Surprisingly, Romanov let it be. I suppose he was right. River was human after all.
The clock on the wall ticked loudly, and my eyes snapped to it automatically. A loud sigh left my lips, and I turned away.
11:00 am
I had not slept for almost twenty-five hours now.
“You should go freshen up.”
I turned my attention towards the voice and smiled ruefully when my eyes landed on a worried-looking Abigail.
“Any news?” I asked despite knowing there wasn’t any.
I would have known had there been any. Still, I couldn’t help but ask.
“None.” Abigail sighed, shaking her head as she placed the steaming cup of hot chocolate on the coffee table in front of me, while she held one in her hand. “You haven’t slept all night, Liv. You should freshen up and come downstairs to have this chocolate and breakfast. I’ll bring some breakfast now, okay?
“I can’t help but worry about River, Aby. I can’t take the urgency in his voice out of my memory. You heard it, didn’t you? He knew something about the real killer. Did he…is that why he got into trouble? Because of me?”