“Yes . . . it was you.”
With those words I stormed out of the house, shifted and soared up in the sky.
By the time I landed in front of Grace’s cottage, it was well past lunch time. All my gloomy thoughts vanished without a trace as soon as I spotted Alina dragging the laundry basket outside. Her hair was done in a simple updo, with locksframing her beautiful face. Her cheeks were glowing and her eyes sparkled when she finally spotted me.
“I... Where have you been?” She laughed when I picked her up and spun us around.
“I missed you,” I whispered in her hair.
“Why didn’t you come home for lunch? I made you something.” She searched my eyes.
You will never know what you are to me. You are my moon and stars, sun and earth, the air I need to survive.
“What did you make?” I cupped her cheeks.
“Eggs.” She grinned, and I could not wait any longer, and kissed her smiling lips.
I love you, I love you, I love you. As long as my heart is still beating, I am yours.
“Come on. Victor is teaching Frid how to make bread.” Alina pulled me toward the cottage.
When we walked in, the whole kitchen floor, and every surface around the counter was dusted with flour. Frid stood by the table, white powder covered her cheeks and hair. Victor looked like he was enjoying himself as he observed the girl in front of him forming the dough.
“This pathetic . . . piece of –”
“You’re doing great, babe.” Victor shifted his eyes to the dough.
“I can’t feel my hands anymore.” Frid threw the piece on the table but it attached itself to her skin and she growled, trying to get rid of it.
“Don’t be so impatient,” Victor gently chided.
“I’m ready to burn the whole place down. Why did I ever listen to you? You said it was as easy as making an omelet.” She hissed.
“It is. In a way.” Victor helped scrape the dough from Frid’s skin. “Do you want me to finish up?” he asked.
There was so much feeling in his eyes. I could not understand how Frid did not see it before.
“No, it’s between me, and this ball of hate.” Frid returned to the dough.
“Need any help?” I asked.
“No, I’ve got this,” Victor said.
“I didn’t know you could cook.” Alina touched my elbow.
“I can’t. I meant burning the house down.”
Alina smiled at me openly, without holding anything back, and I swear it was the most beautiful sight I have ever seen. Suddenly, I was reminded of Sage’s words. The mating bond, how he was mated to my stepmother and the way he described it. I watched Alina’s face as she turned to say something to Frid, and admired her porcelain skin and aristocratic profile. I could no longer envision my life without her. I could not bear the thought that something could ever separate us. I needed her more than I needed anything.
Did that mean that there was a bond between us?
I searched my memories. The way we met, the way I could almost sense her presence, her moods. The way her voice sounded like the sweetest melody. The way I searched for her in the crowd every time we were separated. The way it shocked me when she touched me for the first time. Iremembered how ominous it felt when we spent our first night together, as if fate was telling me there was no way back. The way I could not help biting her neck, as if something primal and dominant was going to awaken and tear me apart from within if I did not.
“What do you say?” Alina turned to face me.
“About what?”
“See, he wasn’t even listening.” Frid laughed.
