My Fated One

WHY ME

ABELIA (POV)

The soothing sounds of the cicadas, or were they crickets, chirped out a lullaby of the night as I tried to keep my eyes open. While my jumbled mind struggled to put the pieces together. Yet, like a mirage, each time I felt like I was close to understanding and making that needed connection, it would quickly vanish inside a sea of my own exhaustion. Leaving me once again adrift between reality and fantasy. However, as I squirmed in my little cocoon, I could tell the one that held me tightly was a child, and that the lover I had once yearned for had been nothing more than an illusion crafted by my lonesome mind.

“Did I wake you?” Thomas said, as he looked down at me with a hint of worry. When was the last time someone gazed at me in such a way? Even if he was a child, maybe the fact that I was now one too, was why I could not keep my emotions in check. "Wait, are you crying?” He said, alarmed, as I clung to him, saying the only thing that made sense.

“Why me?” I sobbed.

“What?” He gasped, as tears streamed down my face, while my heart screamed out the same question over and over again.

“Why me? Why me?” I repeated, causing Thomas to stop as I shook my head in anger and heartache. Why me? Why had he picked me and then chosen to break and shatter my tender heart and mind? What did I do to deserve to be left with so many regrets and words of frustration that I could only yell to the heavens? Since his ears could no longer be reached.

"Ugh, are you really going to be like this?" Thomas said, with a shaky nervious voice.

“Listen, I did not want this either.” Thomas grumbled under his breath. "You think I truly wanted you to be my mate." He growled. "Your nothing special, I...I just didn't have choice." He muttered. "You know your brother. If anything happened to you, I don't even want to imagine the hell he would unleash. So you just stop that crying, right now, and accept this is your new life." He snapped, causing a horrible realization to hit me, one that I had very much been trying to ignore. The notion that if I did not let this go, if I did not move on, I was destined to face a lifetime of denial and pain. Thus, was he worth it? Was Alec's love worth me living out the rest of my days pinning for something that could never be?

No! Absolutely not! I was better than that, I deserved more than a loveless relationship that had been twisted with misunderstandings and sacrifice. Which meant it was over. I could now finally end it cleanly and confidently. So, with the last of my strength, I squeezed out what remained of my tears, and said my goodbyes. Goodbye to the old me, my first love, and any desire to ever find either of them again.

THOMAS (POV)

I could feel her small body stop shaking as her breathing finally steadied, causing her to begin to drift in and out of consciousness in my arms. Had I been too harsh? I did not want to hurt her, I just didn't know what to say.

“Don't worry Abelia, I will be alright” I said softly, not really sure if she could hear me. For the truth was, it had to be. There was no one else here that could protect, comfort and nurture her but me. Yet, as we edged closer towards my childhood home, I could feel my stomach twisting up in knots. The kind of knots you get when you know you have broken a cardinal rule and no apology can right that wrong.

"Young Master!" A guard shouted in surprise, as he opened the gates for me and tried to get a look at the bundle in my arms. Her white silver hair was slipping out between my dark cloak making it look like I was carrying a sword. He let out a whistle of alarm, causing another guard to appear, just as my nanny came racing out of the house. She was a stout woman with coffee brown colored hair and hard dark eyes that took one look at me and melted into worry.

"Master Thomas, where on earth have you been? Do you have any idea the trouble you have...." Yet, she stopped. For Abelia had twisted her head around and was now gazing at her with those big golden eyes, causing my nanny to take a step back and cover her mouth in shock. "So it is true, there were two of ...." Quickly, she reached for my arm and tried to pull me towards her, but I moved out of the way.

"Don't touch her." I growled.

"But Master Thomas, she is not supposed to be seen." My nanny said, in a quivering voice that I chose to completely ignore.

"I see you are awake." I said, as I looked at her, hoping she was still not upset with me. "Do you want me to put you down?" I said calmly, as I turned my attention to Abelia, praying she would agree to my request. Since it would send a clear message that she belonged to me and was under my family's protection, if she walked into the Alpha's house of her own accord instead of being carried in.

"Yes, please." She said softly, causing everyone to pause as I carefully placed her feet on the ground. Instantly, her body straightened and in doing so, the hood covering her head fell back revealing her long silver locks. No one spoke, let alone breathed. It was as if we were all under a spell and the only thing we were allowed to do was watch. Watch as she took small sure steps, almost proclaiming ownership of the land with each subtle movement, as her eyes scanned her new surroundings with a questioning but arrogant look. Was she really a child, no older than my baby sister? If so, how could she act and display a nature that made me feel like she was sizing us up and judging if we were worthy of being in her presence? Suddenly, the clouds parted, causing the moonlight to bathe my cloak draped about her shoulders and transform it into a mantel of dark glistening silver.

"Kneel before your Queen!"

I could feel my knees starting to buckle, as a voice echoed inside my head, demanding my obedience. I could not tell from wince it came, just that it was powerful, primal and causing a part of my instincts to stir. It only took a second for the guards to be at its mercy. I watched as, one by one, they hit the ground, heads lowered, and their right hands bunched in a tight fist as they hit the spot above their hearts three times. No, it couldn't be. Were they giving Abelia the royal family's salute? How could this be happening? However, I was unable to make sense of the situation, for I had to make sure that, no matter what, I did not follow suit. For the ramifications would be disastrous, since the sole reason I was still standing upright was due to my Alpha blood refusing to bend. Yet, as sweat dripped into my eyes and my body fought my mind, I knew it would not be long before I would be kneeling before her too.

"Thomas."

Damnit! Who was that? Who was calling out to me and trying to break my concentration?

"Thomas?"

No, stop! If I bow to her now and my father sees, he will surly kill her to regain my honor. Since the only one an Alpha, or a holder of alpha blood, could bow to was the Lycan King. Which meant, no matter how I felt, bending a knee to a child without a drop of lycan blood in her would be viewed as treason. So, please. Please don't make me...

"Thomas! Thomas!"

Suddenly, my mind cleared as I felt a small hand in my own, guiding me to look down. Her head was craned up as she stared at me with confusion and slight impatience, but it was gone. The overwhelming desire that had consumed everything in the vancity to bend to its will, was nowhere to be found. Had it been a trick of the light? A strange manifestation of our tired, stressed-out minds? Or something else entirely.

"Trust me, you’ll understand my warning the moment you really see her. But by then it will be too late! And you will forever be caught in her web.”

"Thomas, are you coming." Abelia said, waking me and the guards from whatever spell we had been under. As Abelia's nanny's warning began to resound in my head.

"Of course, did you think I would let you go alone." I hissed, trying to cover up the swirling mess of thoughts racing through my brain. Yet, as we walked past the guards, I knew things were different. Though they were no longer planted on the ground, their eyes dare not look at her. Was it fear? Respect? Whatever it was I needed to make certain it never happened again, or at least away from the prying eyes of my father. Who I knew, would not take kindly to seeing his own men bewitched by a child.

Hurriedly, I pulled up the hood on Abelia's cloak, covering her hair from view, while I sent an aggressive mindlinked to the guards ordering them to keep their mouths shut.

"Not a word!" I hissed, causing them to nod their heads, as the delicious scent of tonight's dinner began to waft through the cool crisp air. Energizing and calming my rattled mind into thinking only one thought. When was the last time I ate?

“Are you hungry?” I said to her, as both our stomach's grumbled out in unison. Her cheeks flushed in embarrassment, as I hoped the mouth watering scents were distracting enough for her ears to not hear the irate voices of my parents, that were getting ready to serenade us at the door.