BLESSED BONDS

CHAPTER 06

LUCA

The first time I saw Morana Sinclair, I almost threw up.

She was thirteen — a kid.

A stubby little girl. The word ‘cute’ should’ve been the appropriate way to describe her. But no — not when she was dressed like an adult.

Make up on her face, dark hair pinned up, an attire not fit for her age and little pump heels. Jesus f*****g Christ. There were heels like those made for small girls?

Sick.

It was sick.

“I heard you’re in your first year of college this year, Lucian.”

Her mother had dressed her up like a college chic. For me.

I wanted to f*****g puke. The only thing stopping me from spilling my guts was the presence of my parents at my side as our two families were all introduced to one another.

It was 3 months after the discovery that I had a fated bond. My parents were ecstatic, finding out one of their sons was fated to be great —

There was nothing great about this at all.

My supposed fated was still a child. What the hell were her parents thinking it was suitable to introduce her to a nineteen year old college student.

I had to urge myself not to walk out. Or even start telling them off about basically displaying their daughter on a silver platter.

Our parents gave us a moment to get to know each other. My mother shot me a look about boundaries and I was glad I wasn’t the only one who thought the meeting was weird.

I had a hard time looking at her.

Morana was silent, her feet kicking as they dangled a few inches off the ground as we sat on a park bench.

She kept fidgeting, pulling the hem of her skirt down as it kept riding up with how short it was.

I immediately shrug off my jacket, offering it to her. Reluctant at first, she eventually reaches for it and covers her legs, muttering a small, “Thank you.”

Those were the first words she said to me.

It made me feel vile — seeing how clearly uncomfortable she was. With the whole being fated with.

Clearing my throat, I introduced myself like I was told to.

“Hi, it’s good to finally meet you. My name’s Lucian.”

“I’m Morana.” She does a small bob of her head, eyes casted down, “I’ll be turning fourteen soon.” Saying it as if it would make anything different.

“You,” she was mumbling and I gave a soft hum to encourage her, “You have a really pretty name.”

I smile, biting my teeth hard, “Thanks, quite a bit girly, isn’t it?”

To my mild surprise, she shakes her head, eyes glancing over at me before quickly looking away.

“Not really. My mother named me and my sister like we’re witches.” Morana comments, and her tense shoulders ease a bit at the sound of my small laugh.

“I guess we can relate on how mothers are a bit too much, huh?”

“Tell me about it.” She lets out a loud grunt and I couldn’t help but grin at her. She must’ve caught her slip and quickly straightens her back. Poised.

“Uh,” I see her fumbling something on her side, hands pulling it out of her pocket, “I made you this.” She hands it to me.

It was a neat envelope. I take it from her, “What is it?” I say as I carefully open it. She nervously watches me, “I made it during art class.”

I froze a bit. Jesus. Art class. I remembered she was still in grade school.

Continuing to hastily open it to not offend her. Inside was some kind of thick paper.

Slowly unfolding it, my eyes widened at the painting.

A rose?

“It’s just a rose I made.”

Not just any. It was a real life looking one, in fact.

She then continues to explain, “When my parents told me what your name was, it made me think of a rose. Ambrose, right?”

I nod, my mouth a bit slacked still amazed at the realistic features of her work.

“This is amazing, Morana. You’re really good.” The compliment was heartfelt even.

“Thank you.” She shyly mused, then I saw her hand hovering towards me, “Can I show you something?”

“Sure.” I let her be, and watched as her hands waved over the paper. She does that for a while, her hand going in circles and I could see her tense up again. Eyebrows almost crossing, as if focusing hard.

When I was about to ask her, my eye caught something from the painting. Blinking a few times, I thought I was seeing things.

“Sorry, I still haven’t gotten a hang of it yet.” She confesses.

Practically gaping, I watch how the white rose in the paper starts moving, swaying like a breeze had passed by it. As if it was alive.

Her ability.

The favor fate had given.

“Creation. That’s what my teacher told me what my gift was.” She added to answer my piqued curiosity.

“Wow.” It was amazement.

Both amazement and foreboding.

The realization finally dawns on me and confirms that the little girl next to me was really a blessed fate.

Just like me.

I really am one of her fated.

Holy s**t. She has three others.

Four of us.

She was already fated to four guys. Who I read on the file were all older than her, only one being the same age as her.

Oh my f*****g god.

She was still a kid.

For crying out loud!

“T—thank you!” I quickly say, seeing her worry about my internal conflict, “Really. Thank you. I really didn’t get you anything more special, just a bunch of regular boring flowers.” Sheepishly, I rubbed the back of my neck.

“Thanks. My mother likes them.” She admits, a bitter tone hidden in her voice.

We both look back at our parents, talking from a distance. I see her mother clutching the bouquet rather lovingly as if they were meant for her.

I hold back the urge to cringe.

“I’ll get you a better one next time.” I say, kinda feeling bad now.

“Next time?” She muses, and I could tell the dread as she spoke. I catch her darting her eyes between me and her parents. This only verifies she wasn’t so much as looking forward to similar meetings yet.

“Keep the jacket, it’s getting kind of cold.” Rising up, I intended to keep this introduction short. Not wanting her to feel more unease than she already was.

Tugging my jacket close to her, she asks, “Really?”

I nod assuringly. Still pissed at how they basically presented her like this. Hopefully, her mother gets the message with how Morana’s fully covered with my jacket, almost reaching to her knees.

She was so tiny. So innocent.

She was still thirteen.

The average age of blessed maidens who start showing signs were between sixteen and eighteen.

It was too early for her.

Fate or not. It was too f*****g cruel.

I can’t do much for her now.

But I’ve already decided. I wanted to protect her. Not just because I was her bond and it was my obligation — who else could when her own parents already were willingly inviting the man she had no choice but to be tied to for the rest of her life.

They’re going to bring her to meet the rest as well, I’m sure of it.

And I pray, more like f*****g beg, to the heaven’s that they won’t hurt her.

○○○

“Doctor Ambrose, I’ve already arranged for another doctor, a resident as well, to handle your patients for the week. The director also asked if you still need more than a week off.”

I picked up my calendar, scribbling the new appointments.

“It’s alright. I’ll be back in the clinic next Monday morning. That is all.” I managed to end the call before the door was rudely kicked open.

My brows crossed, eyes shifted to a glare at the person who so casually barges in my room.

“Why the hell are you kicking my door?”

Ignoring the vexation in my tone, he simply passed by me and threw himself on the couch.

“I think it’s a bad idea.” Calix begins and I roll my eyes. Not this again.

Shaking my head, I pick up where I left my book and settle down on the other side of the couch.

“Figures the muffled shouting earlier were you and Hael. He’s going to eventually snap if you keep at it.” I warn, flipping through pages, “Not to mention I’m still too tired to break up another brawl.”

“No one’s brawling,” yawned Calix, “what are we kids? Comparing d**k sizes is what it is called.”

As usual, I dismiss the juvenile comments.

“Don’t make things harder than it is—drop the immature p***s jokes.” I cut him off before he could, his mouth slack before pressing it to a firm line.

I then proceed with the lecture, “Everyone’s stressed, Cal. Hael hasn’t been sleeping since, despite him blatantly lying that he is. I had to go pick up Kylo earlier from his run because his legs gave out, given he ran the entire distance of the Capital two times.” Feeling my eyes strain, I pinch the bridge of my nose to massage it, “And you already broke the living room TV, not to mention the number of holes in your room from you using your fists to redecorate it.”

Not looking away from the page that I left off, I see from the corner of my eye how he picks on the bandages around his knuckles.

“I already have someone patching my walls right now.” Confessing, he kicked off his shoes and positioned himself to fully lay on the sofa, feet even kicking me.

The move made me raise a brow. If he came into my room and willingly made himself comfortable, that only meant one thing.

He wants to talk. Express.

Giving him one last look to confirm, he doesn’t shake his head so I took it as a yes. I transfer to the armchair adjacent to the occupied sofa, switch my book to one of my notebooks and click my pen.

“You can start.” Offering him a nod, I wait patiently.

Almost five minutes in of him fidgeting his bandages, and when I was about to tell him to stop messing with his cracked knuckles, he finally starts.

“As I was saying,” Calix says, “It’s definitely a bad idea.”

“Cal—”

“In fact, the whole idea of her is what is bad.”

Her.

She’s been causing all sorts of stress — the past years and how she is currently setting us up into an internal mayhem.

I gesture for him to continue, “Sure, let her talk her way with her truckload of reasons. I’ll listen. Maybe—no, definitely will argue with her in between, but then what?” He questions, eyes shifting to me to answer.

Closing the notebook, there wasn’t much I could write about this that I didn't already know.

“We will have to go through the conversation with her first, then decide on what action to take.”

“Jesus f**k, Luca,” Calix rubs his face, “she’s staying in the room full of stuff accumulated over the years intentionally bought for her, even after she was on the run. You even picked out the girly furniture there.”

I cross my arms at the indication, one of my brows arching upwards. Like he was one to talk.

“Might I remind you of being responsible for the mountain of shoes in the closet?” He graces me with a glare which I politely threw back at him.

“f**k the shoes, that was a long time ago—just! Get my point! Hael deeming it as a ‘guest room’ is full of s**t. We all know he got that room built for the intention of her using it when we eventually find her.”

True.

Despite even after her absence, the objects we thought and hoped she would like and need continued to pile high. Embarrassingly, none of us could put a stop at the unnecessary hoarding. Just last month, I had helped Hael install a new rug we had bought from our small trip to Egypt.

The room and everything in it was one of our ways to cope with her lack of presence.

Then we found her. Calix doesn’t have to say it.

“Her having a room here shouldn’t be an issue.”

“She’s not going to stay.” He retorts.

“Assuming early?” Was my reply.

“She doesn’t want to stay.” He corrects. “Wasn’t the whole bridge jumping disaster a clear message? Hell, why not even pressure her more by letting her stay in the room full of her stuff. Ten bucks she’s in there trying to pop the window open.”

I shook my head, feeling another migraine settle back in.

“She’s still asleep. I checked earlier.”

“Is there a possibility she might be dead on that bed? It’s been almost 24-hours.”

She was just tired. Not surprising.

While she slept away. Hael was the opposite, having been awake for the same amount of time.

None of us were able to convince him to even nap. Offering to take watch — because that’s what he has been doing. Staying awake just because he was afraid she might pull off another one of her stunts. He didn’t want to take a risk. In fact all of us were on the same boat on that, yet he took it borderline obsessed with how he situated himself in the living room, one of the chairs pushed to where he could see just enough of the hallway leading to her room.

I even caught him four times already, standing outside the door, peeking in if she was still there or what she was up to. Afraid that she would just vanish into thin air.

It was unnatural to see him like that — distressed and restless.

It freaked out Kylo when he saw him pacing the hallway at three in the morning. So much that it triggered his own nerves and impulsively made him want to take a run and venture the empty streets of the Capital in the wee hours.

Despite all that crazy, Calix was the worst — well, more like the loudest.

He got so fed up he threw the remote to the TV after Hael repeatedly asked him to turn the volume down so we all would be able to hear any sound of movement in the once unoccupied yet highly maintained room.

Kylo and I watched the whole argument from the kitchen, my eyes darting from them and to him, shoveling protein powder in the blender.

I had to stop him when the amount reached eight times the recommended scoops. It basically wasn’t even a drink anymore and more like congee. He still ate it. Not drink, but ate it. Jesus.

“Everyone’s just stressed.” I reiterated, more to myself.

“Yeah, I could tell.” Calix said, eyeing the flask on the table in front of us.

I couldn’t help but grimace, assuring him immediately, “I just had a little bit. You know, for the nerves.” I lied. This was my third refill.

He can basically see through my deception, taking the container and emptying the contents himself.

“Jesus, Luca. That’s straight up vodka.” He hisses, resisting the urge to gag at the unexpected burn in his throat.

I know. I’m ashamed of myself too.

I should also cancel the on coming order of restocking the alcohol rack in the kitchen.

“We need you sober when she eventually rises from the dead. Seeing how she reacts, there might really be brawling involved.”

Frowning at that idea, I pray that no blood will be shed — or vomit.

“Give her a chance, okay? Then we will all decide what to do next. Hael doesn’t have the right to make a decision by himself on this.”

Calix rolls to his side, fully facing me now, “Hael wants her to come back.”

I then say, “Well, she is back.”

“Come back to us, I meant.” He flinches at the word. “You know, the initial plan was to find her, get our bonds completed, get some awesome abilities and live our merry lives happily ever after.” Voice filled with sarcasm, he mockingly waves his hand, “You know all that fated fairytale bullshit.”

“I doubt it would get that corny, man.” I comment, cackling dryly.

“Of course. We’re not happy about the whole running away. She’s not happy with us running after like bloodhounds. Our lives are going to be hell.”

“Don’t think of it that wa—”

“Oh, I’ll make sure of it.”

A low exhale slips past my lips, seeing the bitter look he has on his face.

“She’s not going to stay. So let’s just let her…..go?” The word trailed, hesitant as he glanced over at me, then added, “After we get her to complete the bonds, of course.” It wasn’t the first time that suggestion was up in the air.

If things could’ve been easy, I’d probably second that motion.

“You know gaining favor with fate and bonding won’t be as simple.”

“Then let’s just go the easy route and f**k her.”

A deep growl resonates in my throat, loud enough for him to hear.

“Sorry.” He then quotes, “Consummate.”

The sugarcoating doesn’t make it better.

I feel something in my stomach churn and I take a deep breath before talking through gritted teeth.

“Easy?” I scoff, “Did you not see how she almost clawed Kylo’s entire face off for even getting a glimpse of the skin under her shirt? And you expect her to do anything relatively close to s****l with any of us? She’s not one of your flag girls you can pull to the side for a quick f**k, Calix.”

Watching how he rolls his eyes, I barely hold on to the impulse to throw my pen at him.

“Of course she’s not.” He spats, his temper starting to ignite, “She’s more special than that.” Throwing up the words like bile, his knuckles shake from the resentment he always felt towards her.

“Might as well treat her like one. Quick and gone.”

Irritation peaks and I snap at him.

“Watch your words Calix. She’s still my fated — our fated.” I warned, narrowing my eyes at him, feeling my face burn up, “You don’t get to decide how I deal with her. But be my guest, and do suggest that to her later. Well, if you still want your testicles attached to your body, that is.”

Physically, I stood my ground, mentally I was already jumpy at how I became awarely defensive about it.

Calix already sees it, “You’re protecting her again.” He clicks his tongue in disappointment. He was getting too annoying already.

I try to justify myself, “I’m not. I’m just not an asshole like you.”

He looks at me like wants to start this brawl we have been talking about. He had already sat up. I see how his shoulder squares up.

“Maybe, I am.” He admits, before fully giving his truth, “Or I’m just tired of chasing her around.”

Taking a sharp inhale, Calix basically deflates back into the sofa, hand already getting busy scratching at his bruised knuckles.

I instantly get up and make my way over to him.

“Hey.” I sat next to him, making him halt any movements, “I’m not defending her. I’m protecting us. We’ve been….through a lot. Ups, downs, even more downs,” I try to joke to lighten the mood, “Morana, hell, she has her own issues as well—“

He cuts me off, quickly adding, “Tell me about. Unhinged little thing.”

When sees one of my brows climb, he waves a dismissive hand, “Yeah, yeah, rich coming from me, right? Continue.”

I do so, “As I was saying. We’re finally getting the closure we were all desperate about. I want to hear her first, before we start demanding things from her and end up scaring her away into another run. I’m pretty sure it’s going to hurt more than the last time.” I pat his back, soothing him and probably myself included.

Calix just angrily rubs his face with his palm, “f**k. She’s gonna rip us to f*****g shreds.”

Oh, she definitely will.

And I’m not really looking forward to it either.

“Annihilate us.” I included a tragic laugh, throwing my head back to the couch, “Then you’ll get angry. Raging even. I’ll be pissed but be less verbally threatening. Hael’s blood pressure will be off the roof. And Kylo will snap, either at her or start planking on the kitchen counter. s**t, the penthouse won’t be able to survive the cataclysm.”

We both break into a sour chuckle at our tragedy — our own hell on earth. Wonderful. Really looking forward to it.

Suddenly, someone invites himself into the room.

Hael was able to do one good knock before the door just gave away with little effort, and I could tell that the lockset was broken. I whirl to glare at Calix who simply shrugs.

“What up?” Calix tries to redirect the topic, “Is your little caged bird awake?” He asks Hael, who enters my room with a scowl. That’s not good.

“What’s wrong?” I asked, alarmed as he crossed his arms and I could hear his teeth loudly grit.

His only answer was, “Kylo.”

I tilt my head, scrunching my face, “Is he planking on the kitchen counter already?”

Hael looks like he would rather have that and shakes his head, “He went to her room.”

“What?” Both of us on the couch were in unison — looking at each other then back to Hael. He sees the way we wait for him to elaborate more.

“He went in to see if she was breathing when I already told him she was only just still sleeping,” he paused to sigh, calming himself, “He hasn’t left. Kylo’s in there doing some kind of yoga meditation. I’ve tried to get him out but I’m so close to having an aneurysm already.” Hael looked like he was already halfway there.

“Yoga? Meditation?” Calix sounded concerned, albeit a bit terrified, “Couldn’t he have done it in his room or just any area that wasn’t in her room.”

Hael already had an answer prepared, “Face your enemies head on — is what he whispered to me. And I swear to god you better get him before I strangle his face.” He snarled, turning to strut out of the door.

The two of us jolt out of the sofa and race out, passing Hael down the stairs to beat him from getting to Kylo first.

I guess he decided to make a pit stop in the kitchen as curses sharply, “Who the hell drank all the vodka?”

By pure reflex, I duck away from his radar, pretty sure I’ll be getting the brunt of that later.

I quickened my pace towards the supposed guest room. Calix had already pushed the door open.

“What in hell is he doing?” He barks in confusion and I elbow him to keep it down.

Someone was still asleep here.

And someone else was in a weird yoga pose next to the bed.

Man, suggesting meditation to Kylo to cope with his nerves really backfired, huh?

With light steps, I make my way towards him, shoving a finger to his shoulder.

He refuses to open his eyes, continuing to do breathing exercises.

“Kylo,” I hissed, “get out. Get your ass out of here, before we make you.”

He doesn’t budge.

Calix went next, “Do your stupid s**t outside, you creep. What are you doing watching her sleep?”

Yet, nothing from him.

Even Hael joins in, “We will physically move you out of here, kid. And I’ll make sure to not mind hurting you in the process.”

Kylo ignores it, really deep into his meditation.

We try a few more times, our voices starting to rise from vexation.

Calix's patience runs out first, “That’s it.” and I wasn’t able to stop the kick in time.

“Ow!” Kylo yelps as he stumbles forward, a hand bracing him from the smacking to the floor, the other flying to his hurting back.

We hushed him violently. I scan the bed nervously.

I would rather not be in here when she wakes up. And with how things were going to unfold, it wouldn’t be a surprise if she does.

“He kicked me.” Kylo fizzles, “That hurt!”

“Shut the f**k up before I shove my foot in your mouth.”

“f**k you and your foot.”

“What did you say, brat? Come here—”

I watch with a slight open mouth as they wrestle on the floor.

This was not a good idea to start the brawl next to her bed with her still snoozing on it.

“Both of you quit it or so help me.” Hael tries to break them up, his hands slapped to their faces as he shoves them apart. He struggles before deciding to aid Calix with his idea of just dragging Kylo out.

They made a fuss, and I swore I saw movement on the bed.

“Shh!” I press my finger to my lips, glaring at all three of them, “What the hell are we all doing? She’s going to wake up.”

They froze.

At first, I thought it was because of my warning but I feel my gut drop when I see how their eyes widened, horrified.

I felt my body stiffen, and willed myself to swallow the mass in my throat, dislodging it so I could breathe properly. Slowly, I turned my body, hoping she was flat on her back, still softly mewling in her sleep.

Well.

Not anymore.

Instead, I watch her slowly rise up from the thick covers.

The early morning sun passes through the windows, illuminating the bed making her look golden. Bright. Stunning.

Long gone was the little girl I had swore to myself to protect with all my life. Not even the young lady I last saw four years ago who had blossomed to be the most beautiful person I’ve ever seen. Now, she was an adult — someone who finally had a choice to do whatever she wanted with her life and her body — no longer her mother’s prized possession.

Blonde messy hair half covering her face, and she uses one of her hands to brush it away. The duvet wrapped around her slips off her shoulders when she rubs the grogginess off her half closed eyes, and I swore my heart jumps out of my chest.

I see her skin. Too much of it.

My eyes couldn’t help but run all over, noting down all the beautiful art designed all over her pale skin.

She was bare under the covers.

She was sleeping naked.

Holy f*****g hel—

I whirl around, already feeling my face heat up.

A thousand things were running through my head and none I could decipher. I glanced over the others and I could see how Hael slaps his hand over Kylo’s eyes. His own head to the side as he was quick to look away.

Calix didn’t even bother. Eyes wide and I could see the curious flare lit up in them. A low whistle blows out his lips.

“Damn, the ink’s everywhere.”

The protective urge was instinctual, and I was about to reprimand him, that was before someone beat me to it first.

With how high and loud the screech sliced through the air, I guess she was coherent enough to finally analyze the situation in the room.

“What in the f**k!?”

I shut my eyes in pure agony.

This was not how I planned to spend our first morning together.