Chapter 11: Chapter 11

“I had no idea,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry, Elena. I wish I could have…” he trailed off and didn’t finish his sentence. “It’s understandable you don’t want to be involved with vampires. I will give you the space you need.”

He took a few steps back in agonizingly slow motion, turning away from her. His black hair fell over his eyes. Even though he tried to hide it, she could tell he was deeply upset. His teeth fidgeted with his lip ring, and he couldn’t stand still.

“Goodbye,” he said and put his hand on the door handle, opening it.

“Wait,” she called after him, not sure what compelled her to do so. Hadn’t she wanted him to leave? And now that he finally did leave, she held him back? For some reason, she couldn’t unsee the shimmer of pain in his eyes, and the profound understanding that had followed. Something between them had changed today, but she couldn’t pinpoint what exactly it was. All she knew was that her fear of him had lost its intensity.

“Yes?” he said and threw a glance over his shoulder.

“About that date you wanted…” she answered, wondering what the hell she was even doing. “Pick me up on Saturday at seven pm.”

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The evening sun’s golden rays shone down on Elena. She walked along the Ashenveil River, passing other people and enjoying a little peace. Elena was about to meet her best friend, Willow, and her soulmate Mark, who were both werewolves. If anyone could help with her soulmate predicament, it was them. She could trust them; they wouldn’t tell anyone about it, and she really needed to get these secrets off her chest before she went insane. Moreover, she also had some questions she needed to be answered, and she figured that two werewolves surely knew a lot about soulmate bonds.

Elena spotted Mark first. He stood out of the crowd since he wore a bright red jacket that automatically captured Elena’s gaze. Willow waited next to him, her curly brown hair flowing in the wind. She waved at her friend and smiled.

“Hello Elena,” she called and embraced her.

“Hi,” Elena replied and chuckled while she patted her friend’s back.

Willow’s golden eyes were bright, revealing her joy. “It’s been a while since we met. I’m glad you had time.”

“You should visit us at our new home soon. We have finished renovating everything,” Mark grinned. He was sunshine; there was no other way to describe him.

“I will,” Elena replied. She was curious about their new home since Willow had told her about it many times.

“What is it you wanted to talk about?” Mark asked once they followed the path into a small green area where they could speak without being overheard.

“I have to find out more about soulmates, and I figured I could ask you,” Elena said.

“What exactly are you interested in?” Willow smiled.

“How does it work? What does your soulmate bond do? Can you feel it? What happens when you touch?” she burst out, speaking fast like a flowing waterfall. Willow and Mark exchanged a confused glance.

“Slow down. No need to rush,” he laughed. “It’s weird to explain. Willow is the most important person in my life, and I’m ecstatic whenever I see her. She’s so beautiful and smart and—”

“Mark.” Willow interrupted him with flushed cheeks. “You’re not answering her question!”

“Huh? Why not?” he asked dumbfoundedly, looking like a confused puppy. Elena couldn’t help but grin at the sight of them bickering.

“She doesn’t want to hear sappy rambling. Better let me explain it,” Willow said sternly and returned her attention to her friend. “The most essential thing about soulmates is that they belong together for a reason. They are two parts of one whole and complete each other. When they touch for the first time, a spark of warm magic seals their bond. It’s a very special moment.”

“So does that mean you have to stay together?” Elena asked.

“Why wouldn’t we stay together? What a weird question,” Mark laughed and shook his head.

“You have never asked so much about this topic before. Is there a reason why that has changed?” Willow asked with a mirthful spark in her eyes.

Elena sighed and decided to get it over with. The sooner the truth was out, the better. “Actually, there is. I… uh… I kind of… also have a soulmate?” she mumbled.

“Really? That’s amazing,” Willow gushed and took both of Elena’s hands, squeezing them excitedly. “Who is it?”

“His name is Ryder… He is a vampire,” she whispered and blanched. Her tone revealed what she thought of her dilemma—and Willow’s excited smile vanished.

“A vampire, you say?” she muttered as her eyes darkened with worry. She was already piecing things together in her mind, and she understood why Elena looked terrified at the idea of being a vampire’s soulmate. “It’s rare for a witch to have a soulmate, and a vampire no less… I know this might seem bad to you, but since you are soulmates, you can absolutely trust him.”

Elena cringed and avoided Mark’s and Willow’s gazes by staring at the Ashenveil River instead, watching the water sparkling in the evening sunlight. She sighed quietly. “How can you be so sure about that? We aren’t close, and he’s basically a stranger to me…”

“You should spend time with him, then he won’t be a stranger anymore,” Mark said, winking at her. “What is he like?”

“Yes, tell us about him.” Willow urged, leaning closer. She had a hard time containing her curiosity.

Her friend bit her lip, unsure how to start. “He… he visits my shop and talks to me. He does this every day, even though I told him a hundred times to leave me alone. Today he brought me a bouquet of sunflowers after we spoke about the language of flowers the other day... I don’t understand why he doesn’t just take my blood and leave.”

“I think his behavior makes more than enough sense,” Willow countered. “He is pursuing you. And he’s so cute for bringing you flowers. It means he is showing interest in the things you like.”

“Vampires value their soulmates as much as werewolves do. Give him a chance,” Mark added. “Sounds like he’s a good guy.”