I pause for a moment, looking at him, and then smile, thinking, why not? I reply,
"Sure, that would be fine." I pull up my contacts on my phone and hand it to him. He inputs his details, and I text him to ensure he has my number. Once outside the hall, we part ways, but only for a fleeting moment. To my surprise, I found him at my locker, opening the one right next to mine. He glances over at me with a grin, saying,
"Looks like we meet again! That was quick, what, a full thirty seconds?"
I chuckle and respond, "Sounds about right! What a coincidence that we end up next to each other; I guess it’s because we’re both new here." He then asks, "You’re the other new student the teacher mentioned?"
I nod and reply, "Yep, I started today just like you."
As we compare our schedules, it turns out we share every class together, except for Art Class, where he has a Free Period. We find ourselves walking to class, relishing each other's company. I can't quite explain it, but I feel incredibly at ease around him, effortlessly sharing my truths. Throughout every class, we engage in conversation, completely distracted by one another. When the school day finally comes to an end and I'm about to leave, Ezikle gently grabs my arm. I turn to face him, and he says,
"It's been wonderful getting to know you; see you tomorrow." I nod with a smile and reply,
"Same to you!" I then walk towards the car where Kevin and Jay are leaning, waiting for me. In the comfort of our living room after dinner, Tracy glances at me and asks,
That night, as I drift into slumber, I find myself waking once more in the fog-laden woods. I sit upright and glance over to the place where I spotted the red eyes in my previous dream. There they are again, observing me intently. I raise an eyebrow and remark,
"So, you're just going to watch me without revealing yourself again?" The enigmatic figure chuckles and replies,
"Darling, you'd be terrified and flee if you saw me in this form." I retort, "What, are you some sort of grotesque monster?"
A full minute of silence ensues before it responds, "Yes, I'm a creature you wouldn't dare to gaze upon."
I recall our last meeting and remind him, "Didn’t you call me 'Mate' last time? Also, what did you mean when you said I’d know who you are soon enough?"
Suddenly, I am engulfed in utter darkness, his glowing red eyes now nearer to me. He whispers,
"You belong to me, and you know me; you just haven't realized it yet." I tremble, squinting in an attempt to discern him in the shadows, but all I can see is the crimson glow of his eyes.
Hesitantly, I inquired, "Are you the one bringing me to this dream realm?"
He replies, "No, I am drawn here by you; the force that binds us pulls you in search of me, even without your awareness of it."
At this point, I am utterly bewildered and have no clue what this mysterious figure is talking about. But then, a pain so intense it feels like a knife stabbing into my head overwhelms me, and I collapse into the fog, screaming.
I hear, "MATE! ...." before everything fades away.
Suddenly, I find myself back in my bed, my birth mother gently brushing my hair. It feels as though she is truly present. Tears cascade down my cheeks, and she pauses to wipe them away, saying,
"Sweetpea, I'm not really here; I wish I could comfort you, but my time is short." I gaze at her, my heart shattering anew, and I sob,
"Mom, I love you and miss you every single day!" Tears stream down her face as she replies,
"I am always with you; never forget that."
She wipes her tears and adopts a serious expression, gripping my shoulders and looking me directly in the eye.
"Listen, honey, I didn’t share everything with you because I thought you were too young, but I failed you!"
My eyes widen, and I open my mouth to ask what she means but she begins to fade away, and I can't make out her words. I sit up abruptly in bed, drenched in sweat and disoriented. As I look around, I realize I'm back in my room at the Darkmoon mansion. Overwhelmed, I collapse onto the floor, illuminated by the moonlight streaming through my patio window. I gaze up at the moon, weeping uncontrollably,
"Mother, Father," I murmur, reaching out as if I could draw them back into this world with me.
"How can I continue without you? What were you trying to tell me?"
At this point, I practically scream at the moon, as if it holds the answers to all my questions. Suddenly, my door swings open, Jay and Kevin, who share the same floor, must have heard my cries. I glance at them, but in my state of despair, I ignore them and turn back to the moon, cursing it for taking my family away. Arms wrap around my waist, and Kevin steps in front of me, gently holding my face.
Jay leans in from behind, pulling me close. "Felicity, I'm here, shhh, take a deep breath for me, with Kevin."
Kevin encourages me to breathe alongside him, and I start to mimic his rhythm. I lean back into Jay's embrace, finding solace. I drift off to sleep like that, my brothers caring for me as if I were truly their sister.
As I sat in the living room, contemplating my meeting with my mate at school tomorrow, I suddenly felt her calling me once more. I closed my eyes, allowing the bond between us to draw me into her dream world. She can't perceive me; there's an almost impenetrable veil that prevents me from reaching out to her. The darkness of the woods shadows my every step, keeping me from getting close enough to reveal myself. And honestly, I wouldn't want to show her this side of me; my beastly form would frighten her, and she's not prepared for that yet. I can sense my mate's despair and curiosity; the bond allows me to feel everything she experiences, and all I long for is to wrap her in my arms and shower her with love and kindness. We've been conversing for a few minutes, but my responses are vague, and I can tell she's growing frustrated and confused by my words. Yet, I'm not ready to divulge more, and she isn't prepared for those truths either. When my mate suddenly collapses into the fog, screaming, I call out to her, but I can feel the dream fracturing, and I'm being expelled from it. I sense her pain just before my eyes snap open to the reality of my living room. I rise, clutching my heart; my mate is in terrible agony, and there's nothing I can do! In a fit of frustration, I grab the table and hurl it against the wall, shattering it into pieces that scatter across the floor. I storm outside, snatching my car keys, and drive towards the Darkmoon mansion, determined to ensure my mate's safety. I park down the street and slip into the woods, cloaking myself from human sight. I teleport, letting the bond guide me to her location. Standing outside her patio, I see her sleeping peacefully, her brothers keeping watch over her, and I feel grateful to them. Releasing a sigh of relief, I teleport back to my car and make my way home.
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