The four-wheeled drive drove through a narrow, gravel road–ending at a large, rusty metal gate. Selena and Orion got off to open the gates before the jeep could pass. A small piece of land in the mid of woods, where the sun shone bright despite being surrounded by trees. No doubt this place has a wealthy mix of wildlife, with birds chirping, colorful butterflies are seen everywhere and multiple bee colonies stand around the property.
A small wooden house, painted white, possibly covering 10 feet by 10 feats of space, nestled in the middle of flower gardens, vegetable patches, and fruit trees. A thin lady and a fat one were working at the farm, scouting down to pull weeds and another one picking red, ripe tomatoes into her apron. An old lady with glasses sat on the entry, knitting in her rocking chair. She narrowed her eyes at the figure approaching her at a high speed.
“Grandma ma…” Selena shouted, making her realize who it is in front of her. She tried her best to stand up but Selena caught up to her first and kneeled in front of her, giving her a warm hug. The familiar Grandma smell recalls her mother’s embrace since she used to visit her with Daisy all the time.
The specialty of grandmothers is that they are extremely tender to their grandkids, more than their own children. Grandma Genesis is no exception, as she takes pride in spoiling Selena.
“Oh my dear Bambi… I thought you have forgotten me. How long has it been? How are you?” the sweet but shaky old lady voice asked her, filled with excitement. She fumbled for her glasses and wore them.
With newly gained clarity, she noticed the 2 men approaching her. A hot and dashing young man, another, who is probably about 10 years younger than her, but the fact is, Grandpa Kai is already 248, triple her lifetime.
“Oh, I see you finally found someone!!! Oh dear, he is so yummy” Grandma cupped Zaden’s cheeks within her palms, making him pout, and with his wide eyes, he looked like a goldfish. Selena grabbed Grandma’s shoulder and opened her mouth to explain but Grandma Genesis didn’t spare anytime to give the most embarrassing comment.
“But he is so huge!!! How is my tiny Selena supposed to bear you in bed?” Selena’s eye widened spontaneously as she shut her own mouth with her palms and Zaden, who had been released from Grandma’s grip, started running his fingers through his hair.
“Grandma ma, he is not my boyfriend!!!” Selena exclaimed when Orion walked from jeep to them
“So, is he? He is smaller than him but sti–” grandma’s word got cut off
“This is Zaden, Orion and Grandpa Kai. They have been taking care of me when I got lost on a mountain hike. NO BOYFRIEND here, grandma!!!” she exclaimed towards the end of her sentence and Grandma Genesis pursed her lips in frustration. Orion and Zaden felt a little odd at the word she used to define her stay at the mountain–take care of. Did she genuinely felt that way after being kept ‘room-arrest’ for a day and a half–not to mention–later threatened to rip her friends apart?
Grandma Genesis makes the best oatmeal raisin cookies and they were served with a hot cup of milk. They talked a little about some other pieces of stuff before Selena hesitatedly brought the issue about Elisa Mitkoi.
“Grandma ma, you remember a bedtime story that you use to tell me? About The King of Beast? How did you… or… where did you get that from?” there was a moment of silence as they anticipated the answer but Grandma Genesis gazed at Selena, longer than necessary, making things uncomfortable–debating whether she should pass on the legacy or end it right here.
“My grandma Carol used to tell me the story and I passed it on to you. She used to say that it is based on a true story but I don’t buy it” she let out a small giggle.
“Where is this Grandma Carol originate from?” Grandpa Kai
“Serchembet, a small village outside what is now known as Makoya City” It was far away from where Ozrain and Elisa used to live but makes sense since the bedtime tale says Elisa’s daughter was taken away to south and they are not sure Coral is Elisa’s daughter or not.
“Grandma, is there any chance you remember who the parents of your Grandma Carol were?” Selena asked with her chin propped up in her palm. Orion’s eyes kept darting back to Selena every minute or so. Grandma Genesis frowned deeply trying to recall anything, any clue for their name but none found.
“No… but your mother used to keep a family tree drawing and some other things that were handed over from Grandma Carol. I didn’t pay close attention to the content, neither did your mother. Still, she kept it as a heritage, so to say” Grandma Genesis finished with a casual shrug.
As much as the 3 of them–Zaden, Orion, and Grandpa Kai–wanted to run back to the house and look for the drawing, they had to stay put when Selena wanted to cook dinner and eat with her grandma. They settled at a wooden picnic table, behind the house, had their dinner and stayed chatting till late in the evening. Selena sat in the middle of Orion and Zaden while Grandpa Kai and Grandma Genesis were next to each other since they needed the space to stretch their feet. Selena felt so stuffed and sweaty, snuggled in the middle of 2 gigantic, warm-blooded werewolves, both serving her dishes when she is already as full as a stuffed turkey. Sitting opposite, Grandpa and Grandma can see that both the guys are actually competing to please the little thing in between them, staring at them in amusement.
“Damn, Selena you can really cook” Orion complimented her, placing his hand onto her lap.
“Agreed!!! I thought you said you cook occasionally but these taste like done by a well-seasoned cook!!!” Zaden slightly turned his body, sliding his arms around her waist.
“Great!!! Would you like to eat some roasted chicken?”Selena offered politely, although such a dish was not presented at the table. The boys shook their heads ‘NO’ since they are full
“Then move, or I will be the roast chicken!!! I’m stuck in between two ovens!!!” she pushed them both earning a little space before fanning her t-shirt. Grandpa and Grandma ended up giggling.
They arrived home at about 10 pm and Selena went straight to her room while the others stood baffled in the corridor, outside the room. She seemed not interested in investigating what her mother had inherited. Orion ended up sharing a bed with Aaron, Grandpa Kai and Zaden shared Selena’s bed but Zaden couldn’t shut his eye until 1 am due to Selena’s strong scent woven in her bed.
He had a hard time controlling his mind, as images of Selena and her smile flashed in his mind, again and again, and again. Finally, he had enough of the torture and grabbed a pillow before departing to the ground floor to sleep on the couch. To his surprise and blowing his irritation, Selena was already there, sleeping on one of the couches. It was dark and the moonlight shining through the front window gave a vague view of inside the house but for Zaden, his alpha wolf eye made it clear that she is also ‘trying’ to sleep. Footed at the last step, he juggled his options. He could pretend not to see her and go back to the torture chamber or he could cross her to get to the other couch, next to her head since the couch is arranged in L-shape. Within the next minute, Selena stired and caught Zaden staring at her.
‘Great, there is no escape’ Planning aborted.
“Hey…” he said
“Hey…” she replied
“Couldn’t sleep?” she just nodded with a hum. Her eyes didn’t follow Zaden. They were frozen, observing a rocking chair on the opposite site. Zaden became curious, but at the same time, he didn’t want to disturb her as well. So he sat there on the edge of his couch, near to her head, crossed his arms across his chest.
It took her about 7, long minutes before she uttered a word.
“When I was little, every time I had a nightmare or it is raining with thunder, I used to sit on my mom’s lap on that chair. She will read me stories and sing lullaby and rock me till I fall asleep” there was a stabbing silence before Selena shuffled around to face the couch’s back.
“She died in a car crash about 5 years ago… She was always there for me but this past years…” a tremble and subtle sob caressed his ears and immediately, he melted like an ice cube on hot pan.
A pair of hand slipped below her shoulders and thigh, scooping her up from the couch, flipping her towards a hard chest. Selena was stunned.
“Oh, I hate being small. You are nothing different from Aaron” she slapped his chest while a chuckle escaped between her dreadful sobs. He smiled in return and sat on his couch. Zaden didn’t talk anything for a while, just hugged her to his chest while he slugged against the couch. After some time, he broke the silence.
“You don’t have to look through her stuff if you don’t want to…” he blew softly at her forehead, removing one stray hair out of the way. His hand had slipped from her thigh to her arms, pressed her into his warm chest.
“We have to…She was obsessed with my moon marking when all of us accepted it as a normal birthmark. Now, I feel like I owe her, thanks to your Grandpa Kai” she rolled her eye but he can’t see since she has her head tucked under his chin. Zaden playfully smacked her arm with a bite on his lower lip, punishment for mocking his grandpa
“Is that your mother’s room?” he asked and she nodded. She couldn’t understand till this second why Zaden never failed to make her comfortable, why is it so easy to open up to him even though she had known him for 1 week. For one minute, he comforts her with his warm nature, soft touch, and gentle smiles. The next minute, he is this Alpha of a wolf pack who would threaten her, being plain cold to her or have her detained in a room–A package of contradiction.
“I haven’t revisited her things in a long time. It brings back memories that is too painful to deal with, you see…” she said
“Then think of something that makes you happy before going through her things,” he said while shuffling back to lay flat on the couch, placing Selena on top of him. The first thing that came to her mental image with Zaden’s words was her dream crush and his bronzy chocolate eye. She yearns to touch him one more time. She took out the chain from her jacket and run her thumb over the stone. Zaden peeped over her head to get a glimpse of the locket.
“Ahh, the precious locket!!! I wonder what it’s doing in your hand and not on your neck. Who gave it to you, by the way?” he said with a hint of sarcasm
“No one. But it reminds me someone…” she said low
“Someone special, I guess?” Zaden, curious of what her answer would be
” Sort of…”