Chapter 50 Followed
ZORA
It's like I flipped the wrong switch.
And I regretted it almost instantly.
Ryker's body went stiff, rigid like a concrete pole. I knew the question was sensitive and would still affect him even if she wasn't his real mate.
What I didn't know was how much it was going to affect him.
Perhaps it was such a stupid thing to bring her up in a rare good moment like this, but I was really curious, and I didn't know how close they were.
It ruined the atmosphere, I could feel it shift from pleasant and sweet to irritated and bitter. The warmth I felt in his arms dissipated into an iciness.
"Ryker..." I tried to remedy the situation, but it was too late. He brought the horse to a halt and got off it.
Regretting my stupid timing even more and afraid that he'd walk away from me, I jumped off the horse recklessly and bent my ankle when I landed on the floor.
"Oww!" I gasped and hissed at the pain, but it was more painful when Ryker offered no helping hand.
With one hand leaning slightly on the horse's side, I raised my head to look at him. I didn't think it was possible, and I would have laughed at the suggestion of it, but it was real and freaking tangible.
It felt like my heart literally tore into two, I reminded the night of the mating ceremony randomly. The night he had rejected me, and I had lost whatever little I had been content with.
His back was turned to me and his gaze away as he stared at nothing that was of any fancy. He was avoiding me. Rejecting me again.
I breathed in deeply, but it felt like my airway was clogged. I wanted to leave but I wanted to stay. I wanted to make things right. I wanted to revert everything back to a few moments ago. I made an attempt, moving close enough to place a gentle hand on his shoulder. If an apology was what I had to do to fix it, then why not?
"Ryker..."
"Don't touch me!" He snapped. It was the cold, emotionless type dished out in a low dead tone and brushed my fingers off like it didn't matter as much as a speck of dust would.
He turned around, without looking at me, to take off the horse's reins.
In maddening silence, we approached the Luna suite. He tied the horse to a post and escorted me to my room. I lingered. Hoping. Waiting for him to assure me that things were okay between us even if he wasn't going to answer the question.
Uncertain that I'd like what his expression was like, I did not make full eye contact, but I did at that moment, and the pain in my heart only deepened.
His green eyes had turned into a hard dark glare, and all the hints of amusement from moments ago vanished without a trace.
Ryker turned away and left while I watched his retreating back until it could no longer be seen.
It didn't take too long to fall asleep as soon as my head hit the pillows. All my energy was drained by the sudden turn of events, and all I wanted to do was bury my head under the sheets and get sucked into the dream world where that never happened.
It was the most radiant yellow garden I've ever been to. All the sunflowers perked their heads proudly as if they were engaged in some face-off contest with the sun. The air was crisp and refreshing. I felt carefree as I ran my hands through the flowers, and I soon broke into a playful run until I stumbled upon a house.
Big, old, and abandoned. It had overgrown weeds, a dull brown color. A rusted iron gate shielded the house from intruders. A figure emerged from the back of the house, wearing white.
Thi should be my cue to run, but instead, I moved closer to the rusted gate. Closer towards the woman. I stood in front of the gate, peering through the bars into the house, but there was no other figure.
I shook my head and turned over only to run into Grace
I screamed, staggering back.
"Why are you here?!" I demanded as soon as I got my breathing back to normal.
She said nothing. Instead, she hovered behind me. This time I could see her without the need of a reflecting substance. I left the abandoned house and started walking back.
Grace continued to follow me silently. I ignored her until I couldn't take it anymore.
I stopped and looked Grace in the eye. "Tell me why you are here, giving me a company I didn't ask for??"
Grace pursed her lips, and, from her expression, I expected her to shrug and be stubborn.
Imagine my surprise when she actually talked.
"You need to unlock your powers."
My eyebrows snapped towards each other in a sharp frown,
"You need to unlock your power, Zora, and fast."
"That doesn't answer my question." I protested.
She ignored me and continued like I never spoke.
"You need to unlock your powers, Zora. It's very important. You need to do it fast."
I grew infuriated.
What powers?? Why does everyone keep associating mw with powers??
"I don't have any powers, Grace. Leave me the fuck alone and Go!!!" I yelled at the top of my lungs.
My breathing came short at the outburst.
I glared at her, expecting her to take the hint and just leave or disappear to wherever it is that she came from.
Grace stared at me, her eyes sad and full of pity.
I hated that look!
I could feel my anger bubbling to the surface.
As if knowing I was going to have another outburst, she turned on her heel and left.
I watched her float away from me until she disappeared into nothing.
Her pitiful look stayed with me, though, up until I woke up.
It made me grumpy.
I saw Grace’s sad and pitiful eyes everywhere I looked, but I knew that what really made me grumpy was the mention of powers I knew didn't exist.
It felt like they were all projecting what they want me to be, ignoring that I'm nothing. A nobody.
All I had were eye color changes with the worst timing and a glowing tattoo. That was it.
I couldn’t even hear things that were far away like the weakest of wolves would.
Ryker’s mother had died due to my inability to unlock said powers! If it really existed, Lydia wouldn't have died.
I rolled my eyes. I was getting grumpier by the minute, and in order to clear my head, I decided to take a walk, managing to escape the bloodthirsty Lunas.
Yet, as I walked the grounds, I couldn't help but wonder, if I really did not have any powers, then why would Grace appear in my dreams to constantly haunt me? She wasn’t my favorite person, and neither am I hers.
I hated her guts.
I screamed internally, frustrated and angry,
Then I heard it, a snap!
That wasn’t me, I had not taken any step forward when that twig snapped.
The hairs at the nape of my neck stood, electrified.
I did not need to turn around to know that I was being followed.