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Acacia/Ciarán - Age 14

Meliorist Sanctum

"What happened?" I ask Sinéad while we are sitting in the dorm room. She is cleaning the blood that had left a trail down the sides of her neck as she had refused for medical care when Dante offered. Fae flutters closer, looking over our friend while Sinéad's face is filled with irritation.

She releases a sigh and explains, "Niamh had issues with me winning the last race and accused me of cheating."

"She thought that was worth making your eardrums bleed?!" Fae exclaims with concern as her nerves become uneasy.

No...

...that sounds like a cover-up for the real reason.

"Our fighting has gotten out of hand in the past under the water's surface..." Sinéad's voice trails off as she cleans the last of the blood before stating, "...it's a lot more deadly underwater as the waves amplify the siren's song much more so than on land."

"So...you two have a history?" I question while sitting on the edge of her bed. She stands to her feet, pulling her top over her head before walking into the bathroom and throwing it in the tub. Filling it with water, Fae flutters closer to me, folding her wings against her back once she touches down on the covers.

Sinéad calls from the bathroom, "I'm sure not any different than you and your brother?" She comes into the open door frame and nods at Fae, "You and your sister as well?"

Ciarán has hurt me in the past, physically and emotionally...but I would never think to try and fight back with him that way...it would be stupid of me to do so. The way Nyx is, I can't see Fae and her fighting to the extreme of drawing blood.

Though...Fae never answers that question.

Sinéad arches a brow and states, "Uh-huh, that's exactly what I thought," she pauses a moment as she checks her top before she says, "I never thought she'd do something like that though while at Meliorist Sanctum...she had to have known she'd get in trouble..."

There is a sad note to the end of that sentence, and I ask, "The end of the year ball?"

"I shouldn't have fought back," Sinéad shrugs her shoulders and nods, "Mr. Matz was correct in punishing us both since he doesn't know who started it and he'd assume both of us are liars if we tried to argue back. It's a logical decision, but now I'm just upset I won't be able to have fun with you girls!"

Fae smiles and excitedly says, "Well...I don't need to find my prince just yet," she moves off the bed while zipping through the air. She flies so that she comes to Sinéad's shoulder, hugging the side of her face with her tiny arms while saying, "I'll stay with you and keep you company."

I feel embarrassed and sad that I can't even do this for my friend...not that I want to go to the end of the year ball anyways...

"I wish I could stay..." my voice trails off while looking away, "...I'm required to be present."

"You're the Hybrid Queen's daughter," Sinéad laughs as if me having a choice was ever an option, "of course you will need to be there," she offers me a smile and says, "don't worry about me, you go be the royal princess you are. Fae and I can make a nice dessert we can all share by the time you get back and have the after party in the common room."

Fae excitedly mentions, "I'm sure there are others who don't want to go, especially attending every year for some...we can throw a party!"

Sinéad shakes her head and sarcastically says, "That's what I just said silly."

Fae is already flying around in the air, pointing at things here and adjusting things there with her magic. While she mumbles to herself about how everything is going to look, Sinéad comes closer to me and smiles, "Have fun for the both of us."

"I doubt it'll be 'fun,'" I roll my eyes, but just as I'm about to say something else, there is knocking coming from the open door frame. One of the girls who rooms on the dorm level right below us glances around the room, her eyes following the quick and sharp turns of Fae before her eyes rest on me.

She says, "The student council president is looking for you."

"Bryant?" Sinéad furrows her brows quickly looking from the girl to me and asking, "No offense Acacia...but why is a senior looking for her?" She directs the last part of her question to the girl while she shrugs her shoulders and shakes her head.

"I'm just the messenger," she points down the stairs and says, "he's waiting outside the building and didn't say anything other than he wants to talk to the Valentine Princess."

Really...

Why is everyone coming up with these ridiculous titles and references for Ciarán and me?

After a couple of minutes of silence, the girl taps her fingers against the wooden frame while saying, "Uhhh...were you going to meet him? Did you want me to tell him you're busy?"

"No...no, it's fine," I snap out of my daze and nod at the girl, "I'll speak with him."

The girl nods and leaves back down the stairs, Fae stopping to flutter in one spot for a moment before asking me, "What does the werewolf want?"

"Your guess is honestly as good as mine at this point," I release a sigh, waving goodbye to my friends before heading out down the stairs. Heading down until I reach the bottom landing, I cross the distance in the common room to the main door. A few girls are watching a movie while another is making her dinner in the kitchen. I receive a few curious stares before they realize I can see them and they quickly avert their gazes with slightly red cheeks.

Opening the door and closing it behind me, I glance down the stairs and see Bryant's brown hair as he is standing off to the side of the stairs just past a post. Furrowing my brows, I take a few steps down the stairs before he turns and sees me, his green eyes capturing my own.

"Hey, Acacia," he motions for me, and I arch a brow while taking the last step onto the concrete. Bryant walks off to the side, so we aren't in the way as another girl is walking up the stairs...though her eyes follow our movements until she's caught staring.

We are near another building, on the side, and under an overhang. Tilting my head to the side, I look up at him and ask, "What is it?"

"I was wondering," he glances over my head for a moment before he asks, "would you be my date for the end of the year ball?"

Did I just get hit with a door?

I'm standing there stunted, unsure of exactly why a senior would be asking me to be his date...

...though I allow my mind to click everything together.

Releasing a sigh, I shake my head, "Does your asking me connect to my brother in any way?"

Bryant turns his neck, the muscles tensing for a split second as he doesn't think I can notice. I see the way he begins to show slight tells, and I analyze those...it's been awhile, but all clues point to yes.

"Look...I don't know what you want, but I'm not interested," I turn away from him.

"No...that's not it," I feel his fingers wrap around my upper arm, preventing me from leaving.

Turning to see his eyes, I notice the way a golden glint reflects off them, but before I can say anything else, he tells me, "I did want to ask you something about your brother...but me asking you as my date isn't related."

I see...

He doesn't fumble this time, realizing that perhaps his response to my back worded question had him slipping up. It's like dad taught me...asking questions that can produce multiple responses and also reveal an individual's personality.

Bryant shakes his head and releases his hold on my upper arm before he breathes in to recollect his thoughts. Exhaling deeply he finally says, "In regards to your brother...I wanted to ask as I'm sure you know about his thoughts toward altering the way the school structure is seen...why does he want that?"

"Are you asking me this because I'm human?" Arching a brow, I question his motives.

"No..." his voice trails off, "...I'm asking you because you're the closest to him and might shed some light on why he wants pretty much a dulled down version of the Code of Conduct brought into the way the social structure is run within this school."

An excellent response...

...though he has one thing wrong.

"I believe you are confusing me with Mercury," I tilt my head to the side while stating, "I'm a convenience...Mercury is his friend and idol."

Bryant tenses again and snorts out, "Figures...hanging around Taft's son is no benefit to anyone."

"So...you don't..." my voice trails off as I'm not sure how to ask this.

He chuckles and states, "I'm not a fan of those involved in the deaths of my ancestors and apples don't fall too far from their trees."

A sly smirk makes its way onto my face when I state, "So...you don't think I'm dangerous because I'm..." oh wait...I've only been allowed since the second day of school to go by Valentine.

"I figured you were Cormac's," he winks at me, and I just go red in the face as he states, "for all he did to go against the rest of the council...I believe you being his daughter is the greatest gift given to all of us."

"Uh..." I don't know how to respond to that accurately.

Bryant's hand suddenly cups my cheek, and I feel how embarrassed I genuinely am because my skin is so hot against his. He chuckles and says, "You're cute," he pauses a moment before I see his irises shift golden before saying, "and the reason why I wanted to ask you to the ball is because ever since my mate was killed by a rogue wolf this past summer, my wolf hasn't felt as at ease as he does whenever your presence is near."

"I...I'm so sorry," I can see the past pain that lingers in those eyes of his and the sadness his heart has been filled with. To have your soulmate taken away from you at such a young age...he probably just had found his mate too...

He shakes his head and says, "No one knows the plans the Moon Goddess has...so I have to accept that my childhood friend who turned out to be my mate is now in a better place and that her death is not meant to be in vain."

For some reason...Taron's face flashes through my mind, the way everything...

"I can't," I say while feeling my heart picking up speed within my chest. His hand lowers away from my face, and I see the confusion on his features as I shake my head.

"Have...I offended you in any way?" He asks with concern as I can see the way his wolf is ready to take on the primary role. Bryant continues to search my features when I don't respond, and he asks, "Did someone already ask you?"

"No...it's not that," I shake my head as tears come to my eyes, forgetting how kind and caring the werewolves truly are. When the tears slide down my cheeks I try to steady my breathing while I explain to him, "I've been hurt once before by allowing myself to believe in the signals I was receiving...come to understand that they were mixed and I should have stayed away in the first place like I was supposed to."

Bryant's eyes search me, seeing the hurt I feel as I have the memories of reliving the end of that summer to remind myself. After a few moments he says, "I'm sorry..." it appears he is also trying to analyze me because he asks, "...was it a..." he can't bring himself to question me further as I hiccup a very soft sob back down.

Nodding I blink the tears back and say, "Yes...he's a werewolf."

"The mate bond..." he releases a sigh as he comes to understand, "...I'm sorry...I truly am. A mate bond is quite different an-"

I cut him off, "No...I wasn't hurt because of his mate bond. I was hurt because he's promised to fulfill a pack merger by choice bonding with another," I shrug my shoulders as my stomach becomes sick at the thought, "who knows, maybe she could end up being his true soulmate anyways."

Bryant furrows his brows before asking me carefully, "Wait...are you talking about Taron Regan of the Crusaders Pack?"

"How'd y-"

It's his turn to cut me off as his wolf is all riled up and on edge. He lifts his chin a little and states, "Alpha Chris has been disputing territory with my father's pack for the past year. What the Crusaders Pack reflects in strength...they lack in judgment and wisdom..." his voice trails off before he says, "...we'd heard a rumor about him attempting to merge his pack with another...I didn't think it was true."

I'm standing there a little lost when I ask, "Who are you...exactly?"

He shakes his head and formally introduces himself as, "Bryant Church, son of Alpha Bryson Church of the Primordial Snare Pack," he pauses and I see a shift in his demeanor when he continues, "we're not aggressive...we just know how to protect what's ours."

"And you are going to this school...because...?" I ask as he again gives me a definite answer.

"My father thought it would be best to learn from all species by living among them, not just hearing or theorizing..." Bryant's response is commendable because I can tell from this that his dad must be a smart man. After a few moments, he says, "Anyways...let's try this again..."

"Uh..."

He asks while holding out his hand, "Acacia Arin," I can't stop the blush that creeps up onto my cheeks again, "will you be my date to the end of the year ball?" After a short pause of my debating, he reminds me, "You know I won't be running off for an unexpected mate, so what's the harm?"

True...

Nodding, I extend my arm, placing my hand in his as I reply, "Yes, I will be your date."

My dads are going to kill me over my continued selection of werewolf boys...

💫--To Be Continued--💫
-Updates on Thursdays-

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