Forbidden Mate: Awakening

My father was the first person Adrian wanted to see. I didn’t know why but I took him to my dad without questions. My father’s reaction was as expected. Shock, disbelief and a hint of fear.

“Adrian … you’re not dead?” The way he said it as if he was asking a question almost made me giggle but I knew better and kept a straight face.

Seeing my dad walk to Adrian and put a hand over his shoulder made me recall the visions I had about both of them. I had already planned to ask Adrian about them when he was fully settled in.

Next, we went to my mom’s room. Adrian felt worse than I did when he saw my mom’s condition. I sat beside her, holding her hands, while Adrian stood beside me.

She saw him and simply smiled. Then with a frail voice she said, “I knew you were also alive. ” She paused then talked again, “I know how both of you feel for eachother. I can’t speak for your father but I know anyone who can take care of my daughter and make her smile so brightly as she is now is the right one for her.” She raised her other hand to Adrian and he took it quickly. Her other hand was held in mine.

She passed glances at both of us then spoke, “Both of you. Go and be happy.” Then she smiled at me and tears were in my eyes.

“Leave now. I want to sleep.” I kissed her forehead and both of us left the room. As he shut the door, I wrapped my arms around his neck and started shedding tears. They were tears of both joy and sadness. I understood what just happened. She finally gave us her blessings but she did so because she knew she didn’t have much time left.

Adrian rubbed my back and spoke softly into my ears, “Now your mom has given us her blessings, I’m sure we’ll grow old together.”

I giggled in between my tears.

He pulled me back and rubbed the tears off my cheek with his thumb.

I finally got myself together, “I’m sorry.”

“Why are you apologizing?” He asked a rhetorical question and linked my arms with his. Then we went upstairs.

I didn’t know so many people knew and remembered Adrian until I saw the swarm of pack hunters who surrounded him in his chambers. I waited for him outside and watched as more people entered and left.

It took almost an hour before he came out to join me.

“I’m sorry for taking long. I didn’t know so many people remembered me.” He blushed and rubbed the back of his neck.

“Me neither.” I held his hand and we walked on.

“Sarah and Theo. Where are they?”

“Oh…Theo’s not really in his best shape now. Sarah’s with him.” I said averting his gaze.

“What happened to him?”

I didn’t want to tell him anything about what’s been happening till he was settled in neither did I want to spoil his mood.

“A vampire attacked him and Sandra a few days ago.”

He immediately stopped and looked at me knowingly.

We started walking again to the health center but the front door opened and I saw Tyler walk out. As our eyes met, I felt a type of way. Seeing him at this moment, after all that had happened between him, Adrian and I was unsettling. I tried to just continue walking with Adrian and not look his way but he had already seen me and called to me.

“Lily.” His voice sounded uncertain. Adrian stopped and we both looked at Tyler who was staring at Adrian as if he had seen a ghost.

Adrian looked at me and then at him. He went forward and extended his hand to Tyler who was still shocked, “Hi.”

Tyler hesitated then shook him, “You’re alive.”

Adrian nodded and Tyler cleared his throat. “Yeah.”

Things were already awkward. Tyler then looked at me, “I wanted to see you, Lily. It’s important.”

He gave me a look and I went to Adrian to inform him, “It will take a few minutes.”

My hand was placed on his chest and he rubbed it softly and smiled, “I’m waiting.”

I could feel Tyler’s judgemental eyes on me but Adrian went to stand afar in the room as I walked up to Tyler.

I knew he wanted to say many things but he tried not to make it so blatant. “So, he’s back?”

What did he mean by that? “What did you want to tell me, Tyler?”

“I know I came in the wrong time so I’m sorry if I intruded anything.” He stated.

“Tyler,” I sighed, trying to keep my voice steady. “It’s fine.”

He nodded, his eyes darting between me and Adrian.

“So about the journal. I need to know how it can help us defeat the vampires,” he replied, hesitantly.

I took a deep breath, trying to gather my thoughts. “The journal,” I began, “According to my father, it contains powerful information about the ring and its connection to the ancient powers that once protected our world.”

Tyler’s eyebrows furrowed as he tried to process the information. “So, what does this mean for us? How will it help us in battle?” he asked, his gaze still lingering on Adrian, who was now tapping his feet on the ground and glancing at us.

“It means that with the information in this journal, we might be able to find a way to defeat the vampires,” I explained. “Also, the ring can help us in the war, but we need to understand its true capabilities and how to use it to our advantage.”

Tyler nodded slowly, “And do you know where this ring is?”

I hesitated for a moment, not wanting to reveal too much. “The person who can wield it has it now.”

“And who’s that?”

I couldn’t explain more than that at the risk of exposing myself to him, “Tyler, I don’t have all the answers myself, okay? As time progresses we’ll see.”

“I know, but if there’s anything of such great power existing right now, it’s best we get our hands on it before those bloodsuckers do, don’t you think?”

“Yes, I do believe so…but let’s see how things go.”

Tyler wanted to say something else but stopped. He glanced at Adrian again, “I don’t mean to insult or offend you with this question, Lily, but I’m just really curious. Do you really trust Adrian that much? Do you really think he’s on our side? He’s been gone for months and -”

“And so was I.”

“But Lily that’s -”

“I believe he wants to do the right thing,” I said carefully and impatiently. “He’s been through a lot, and he’s shown that he’s willing to fight for our side.”

Tyler’s eyes darkened, and I could see the conflicting emotions in his face. “I just don’t want you to get hurt,” he said quietly.

I stepped back from him a little, “Neither does he.”

He reached out to touch my arm and I felt the warmth of my skin under his fingertips, “Lily…”

I looked down at his hand on my arm, and for a moment, it seemed like he wanted to say something else. But before he could, Adrian approached us with a straight smile on his face so Tyler quickly removed his hand from my arm.Contentt bel0ngs to N0ve/lDrâ/ma.O(r)g!

“Sorry to interrupt your convo,” he said and turned to Tyler. “I hope you don’t mind, but I wanted Lily and I to catch up with Theo and the others. We have a lot to discuss.”

Tyler nodded reluctantly and gave Adrian a curt smile. “Of course,” he replied.

Adrian nodded back and took my hand in his, walking me out of the way of Tyler who still stared at me as I walked out of the room.

This wasn’t the time for all this… not now…. not now.