Chapter 22

Chapter 22
CHAPTER TWENTY TWO

LYRIQ’S POV

How I found myself in a little kid's park was far from my own understanding, but I did know I wanted to get away from it all.

The Academy.
The Sanctum.
The Pack.

I just wanted to not be seen .It was alarming how Aries’s words still clung to me, the more I thought about it, the deeper they hurt.  We had said many things to each other in the past, worst statements were made so why did this bother me so badly?

Was I—somewhat changing? I scoffed at the possibility. Changing for what exactly? I pressed my hand against my chest and listened closely to my heart beat. Funny thing was, it wasn't only mine I felt.

I felt Valtor’s hard but steady pound, Gage's racing, probably because he was teaching shadow art by this time, and Indigo's, always light and fluttering.

It was kind of hard not to change being attached to ‘people’ you claimed to despise and somewhat, it didn't bother me. I couldn't believe I was the one spitting this out but it felt safe, it felt reassuring.

It felt like I was a little stronger.

Was this what Aries meant by making my people feel among?

I couldn't deny that maybe my distance was getting a bit out of hand, I was always at the Academy and just dealt with pack matters when needed or sent representatives, the wolven knew nothing about who was leading them. Damn, I was certain Aries was more of a leader than I was.

I clenched my fists by the side of my arms. It was infuriating, how was I supposed to change out of nowhere, being cold and distant was the only way I knew how.

“Lyriq?” 

The soft call of my name drew me out of my thoughts. I looked down, her sweet scent enveloping me, her luscious red hair lying quietly on her shoulders.

Indigo.

My heart skipped. It had been a while since I saw her.

“I don't see why I should still give it a try.” I unconsciously rubbed the back of my neck nervously, feeling the warmth of her small hand over mine.

“I'll let you in on a secret.”

“A secret?” 

“I was insanely miserable back in my pack, there was never a bright day in my life. My own father and sister mocked me as soon as I could form words, the now Alpha rejecting me in front of everyone for my sister.”

Alpha Kymir of Southside, ‘Lone Alpha' was the name he was known for by many nowadays. I was cold but he was vile. He manipulated his people, isolating them from every border, skeptical that the rest of the regions were jealous and would attack any moment.

If that was where Indigo spent most of her life, I already felt bad.

“But despite all the pain I went through, do you know what kept me going?” Her tone was slightly cracked, she might cry.

I listened intently, not able to hide the concern in my eyes.

“I looked at all the little things, being deprived of–a lot showed me the power and magic of gratitude. The Goddess has made an incredible world here, we just have to look really deep and grasp it.”

I didn't understand at all what she was saying, I had my fair share of hurtful events and I never once saw anything to be grateful or happy about.

“I don't understand.”

“Can't you see Lyriq? It's not about what's there or what isn't there. It's about the feelings attached to it. You could either make something special or not and that power lies in your mind.”

I still searched for some kind of explanation, some kind of meaning to those words but they didn't quite hit me. I could see she noticed my hesitance.

“I'll show you then.”

“Show me?” 

“Look!” She pointed at the sky, little flakes of snow began slowly falling from the sky.

The first snow.

“It's the first snow–” I turned back to announce but before I could even finish my sentence, Indigo cupped my face and placed her lips against mine.

It suddenly felt like everything was going in slow motion. The silence and smell of ice all around us, as  snow dust fell, her lips warm and soft against mine.

I took them, I salvaged the kiss as long as it could last. When she drew away, her face was a light pink and she shone her brightest smile.

How could someone who's claimed to have gone through so much pain still find a way to smile that brightly? It was unbelievable, but I think I understood what she meant now.

“I bet you'll never see snow the same way again!” She giggled and she might've been right.

We went on a walk.
Because of the mate boy I could read her off even better and she was in a pretty bright mood. Was it because of the kiss? Or just because of me? Were these acts outside of the mate bond?

“It's not because of the mate bond.” She suddenly spat out and I stopped in my tracks looking back at her.

How did she—

“I don't know,” she rubbed the back of her neck. “Just got a hunch I guess. I told you that this is a truce didn't I? From now on I want to live happily and that includes just doing things and saying things that I mean I guess. Also thank you.”

“For what?”

“Saving me. It was wrong for me to just assume that you hated me, you might've had your reasons and I didn't even bother to actually know. Oh and again I need your help. It just feels as though I'm getting worse and worse at practice.”

I chucked.

“Is that so? I'll teach you then.”

If this was anything that Aries mentioned, love, compassion. This warm feeling that wrapped around my heart. It wasn't so bad. Maybe it was time I changed my ways.

With Indigo by my side.