Jerome smiled as if I opened something painful, but healed. He didn'td hide it as he answered. "I've been foolish. My first mate toyed with and used me before rejecting me." I could hear his regret, but he was at peace. Then he proceeded, saying, "Lucky you, you haven't been marked, which makes the pain bearable, whereas those who were marked before got rejected. But after the storm of heartache, the right one came and healed what once been broken." He stood tall, at ease from what had happened to him, and walked with grace. He waved his hand, adding a last piece of advice. "Patience is always one of the keys in love. Don't rush it. Let the mate bond bloom. At the right time, it'll come before you know it. Just let it flow in you. See you around, Lady Bernila."
As I watched the couple leave the garden, my heart ached with envy and hope that one day I would have it too. Someone I could walk beside me, "Someone like her." I mummbled out of the blue, and I blushed. "You're getting into me."
I closed my eyes and let my mind replay Jerome's words of counsel. It somehow stuck with me, making me grin and feel encouraged. I let the calming breeze soothe me further, but it wasn't long until I felt her presence again. She was sitting next to me, not moving or saying anything, and I hadn't opened my eyes. I merely let our presence exist in one spot.
I broke the ice before asking, "You're done with work?"
"I escaped," Mirxalyn replied in a beat.
My ears twitched. I knew she never ditched work. Then I wondered curiously, "For what?"
"Your mark." She answered, making me look confused. I even touched my temple, frowning at her. She smiled softly before explaining, "Your mark is connected to me. It has been sending signals to me and told me to check on you." Her signature clenched jaw showed up as if she was suppressing her words again. I carefully studied her. She closed her eyes before opening them, meeting mine, and said a simple word that stung my heart, "I heard."
"So? What do you want me to say?" I responded gently. It was direct and maybe sharp to her ears, but I had to. She knew about it already, that's why we had a new rhythm, but there was something left unsaid between us.
"Nothing." She answered quickly before sighing. She grabbed my hand, caressed it tenderly, but I frowned when I felt them trembling. Then she said something that made me listen attentively. "My feelings were locked for years, and I am respecting your boundaries, hoping not to touch something still sensitive to you." She took a deep breath as she stared into my eyes, showing her vulnerability in this moment, saying, "If my words can't draw out my truth, at least you're being the honest one between us. I know it sounds unfair, but I already had my share after living for years. I wish for you to grow on your own, be expressive, and speak up whenever it's needed. I'm not stopping you; rather, let me stay beside you until you're completely ready to share your baggage before I share mine."
Her words held tucked emotions she rarely shared, and being able to hear them personally, witnessing how difficult it was for her, my heart softened. I sighed. I reached her face, touching every corner, engraving them into my memory until my eyes found hers. Then I recalled what Jerome told me earlier.
'Try to look at her soul.'
Mirxalyn might be softening at this moment, but she wasn't fully letting her guard down. She was still the queen everyone feared and respected, but in her eyes, reflecting her soul, there were words kept hidden carefully in the shadows. Longing and hope. I pulled myself closer, cupping her face, letting myself see her from within.
I sighed, giving up the run, and faced this version of her. "Home," I muttered softly, and she flinched beneath my hold. But before she could mask it, I shot my question fast, "Do you seek a home from me, Mirxalyn?"
Mirxalyn was speechless, looking like she was internally panicking. I snickered slightly, finding it adorable, and I pecked her lips. Her expression was epic, animated. Her eyes were wide open, her cheeks were red, and her jaws were clenched, stopping her smile.
"If I had a mirror with me, I would show your adorable face right now." I teased softly. She blushed deeply, looking away as she scratched the back of her neck. I softened, grabbing her hand, entwining it with mine, and smiled, "So, I'll ask again, do you seek home from me, Mirxa?"
I watched her, waiting for her to break her silence. She was not only doing her signature jaw clenches and blushing, but this time her breath was hardly released. Her eyes kept looking elsewhere, avoiding my eyes, thinking about what the right word to say to my question. It was a simple question, but hard when it held meaning.
But looking lost at the moment, I softly giggle before cupping her face and making her look at me. "It seems to me it held meaning to you, am I right?" I guessed, and since she didn't trust her voice, she nodded. I hummed, still smiling gently. Then I asked carefully, trying not to break the moment between us, "Then tell me, do you need me to be your home?"
She opened her mouth, yet no words were coming out. But I kept calm, waiting patiently for her word to slip, and it did. It was faint, barely noticeable if we're not close; I might not be able to hear it. "Yes."
My heart flipped. "See, it isn't that hard." I chuckled, teasing her, making her glare at me, and everything went back on her mask. But I can't stop giggling if she didn't embrace me. Her arms still the same, cold-warm but securing, and every fiber of my being, once again melting. "I didn't realize this one was the one I needed from you."
"I know, as I'm the same." With softness, she whispered as she gently caressed my back, calming me, bringing me back to the ground.
"Wifey, don't break me, please," I whispered lowly, making her flinch, and pulling away, confusing me. "What?"
"S-say that a-again?" Surprisingly, she stuttered, asking me to repeat what I said.
Being confused, I repeated it. "Don't break me, please?"
Mirxalyn shook her head quickly, looking hopeful. "No, not that one." She corrected me, and I was confused. But the way she was staring at me, it finally registered what she meant by repeating. I blushed hard. "Please, let me hear it again."
"Not gonna repeat it." I rolled my eyes, pulling away, but she won't let me.
"Oh, c'mon, just once, please?" she pleaded out of the blue, catching me off guard with her adorable pout.
My jaw almost dropped, hoping I was not dreaming because I hadn't seen her pout like this. Her gorgeous face was pouting, and I was the witness.
"Dammit! How could she?!" I clicked my tongue internally, but it doesn't stop me from biting my lower lip. "How could my wife be beautiful and cute at the same time? This is insane." I sighed, stopping from thinking too much, and let her hear what she wanted to hear again. "Wifey, don't break me, please."
Then there it was, her beautiful, enchanting, rare smile with a tearful gaze, which had never failed to flip my heart. She pulled me close, placing her devoted kiss on my temple. I closed my eyes instantly, savoring the warmth it was giving me.
She rested her forehead against mine before whispering tenderly to me, "No promises, but I'll try not."
I nodded, understanding that there was no perfect relationship. Then I changed my wish, hoping I won't feel the same heartache for the same reason again. "Then, you better not let me go through with the same thing again."
"Speak your mind, anything that bothers you, I always listen." She responded, sounding like a vow that my heart believes she won't break. Not until the school bell rang, breaking our moment. Then she reminded me. "Go back inside. Special classes were different when you're in Elite Rank, but you'll do great in them. I'll always be watching. See you at home."
Like thin air, she dissolved into millions of bats before vanishing completely, leaving me alone beneath the wisteria willow tree. I leaned against the tree before sighing, calming my erratic heart rate.
"She's possessive but dares not bind me and focuses only on her. She wanted me to be free around her." I muttered, looking at the beauty of the tree that witnessed our moment, our new rhythm. And the expression I hadn't thought I would see in her. I found myself smiling, wishing, "I didn't know she could be adorable. I hope to see them more often."
***
By the time I reached the cafeteria, I was expecting the same peace I felt in the garden, but sadly, it wasn't. I walked calmly, trying to be invincible, but their eyes were fixated on me. I could feel them, putting pressure on my shoulders. I even checked myself to see if there was some dirt on me, but there was none. I sighed, because I knew this treatment. They were either fascinated by how well I did at the Physical Combat class, or were envious that I was already in an Elite Rank that they were not.
But I remembered my conviction and held myself a little higher than before. I sighed, straightening my back as I walked toward our table where my friends, old and new, were waiting. Then I apologized as soon as I arrived. "Sorry, I'm late."
Talia and Almira's grins were the same, teasing, "None taken."
I sighed, rolling my eyes at their teasing gaze, and then said. "Nothing happened, but I met someone."
They all went quiet, curious when I quickly broke their teasing. Almira asked first. "Who?"
She sounded like a protective mother, but I get it. She knew my baggage and answered. "Jerome Marasigan." They were quiet, and I frowned. Their reaction was like a secret wasn't allowed to be shared with me. "Spill, do you know him? Or should I terrorize you with my malice?"
"You sounded like my sister whenever she demands answers," Almira commented, amused.
My frown went deep before I refuted. "Who wouldn't when you made the air heavy?"
"Don't worry, Jerome is a good wolf, and married like you. But they kept their marriage a secret and only the family knew about it." Almira answered softly, sounding like a whisper. Then grinned teasingly again, "Just like you and my sister, that's why they were looking at you like that."
"Like she said, what we had is something that doesn't need to be announced or broadcast," I told them as I ate the lunch Allison had prepared for me. But the agitation I felt from their judging gaze made me want to throw up in annoyance. "Can they stop pinning on me?
"Well, the news travels fast here," Agilus answered, smiling proudly at me.
Almira was still not on good terms with him, but she was not arguing with him either, which made it fine. Then she added, proud as well. "And besides, you were excellent for a new Elite Rank. Also, a Knightrose."
It was not long after our lunch when a few students appeared, shyly at our table. But once they were asked, they surprised us with their unfiltered excitement. They were barking about my stunts earlier, or how I remained composed, facing the queen, and I answered them with politeness and genuine gratitude until they grew tired and left our table.
"That's new." Talia reacted in a beat.
"Yeah, I didn't even get that kind of treatment when I topped my class." Almira agreed, but she compared her experience to mine, and we all laughed.
"Next time, learn how to shoo people." Allison softly reminded me.
I nodded, sighing before answering, "I don't want to be rude."
"I know you do, but some people get in the way without realizing you're cornered with pressure." Almira spat louder for the rest of the creatures in the cafeteria to hear. All of them flinched, and I sighed.
"Let it go. It's done." I told Almira that I'm tired of dealing with nonsense and I need books. "What's next on my Elite schedule? Mirxa mentioned earlier that the Elite rank is different."
"It's true, because Elite Rank's class will depend on the person themselves," Allison answered, grinning on my behalf, before adding. "Meaning, you'll be stuck with books."
"Finally," I smiled excitedly, but Almira's expression went dark. "What is it, Al?"
"Afterwards, I have to take you to meet Grandpa." She answered, but her voice was trembling.