The lycan's bride

As I drove through the town I left seven years years ago I noticed nothing had changed, not the fading fluorescent sign in front of Laura's diner nor the slinging keep-off bill in front of Mrs Douglas home. This was home. Home that I had been forced to leave at eighteen and was back at twenty five to find sanctuary. I know I was being a coward leaving behind the life I hard built for seven years, but I could not stay under the watchful eyes of sympathisers nor the smug looks of others. Maybe this was my punishment for leaving then, for leaving behind a broken soul without guilt. I have had a taste of heartbreak and it didn't taste good. I struggled to pulled the car to a break as a body whizzed past. My hand darted to my frantically beating chest before slumping in my seat. What was that, a dog or something else. This town was never normal to begin with. My heart stilled and stomach churned at the thought of him finding out I was back here, hopefully he had given up after all seven years was a long time even for a man that is not totally human. I tried to curb the trembling of my hands as I placed them back on the wheel before turning on the ignition. I hadn't told my mother that I would be visiting her. I hadn't seen her in seven years nor spoken to her in six. Guilt gnawed at my conscience, eating away the little bit of confidence I had managed to accumulate. As I drove along the familiar street, a feeling of unease settled down my gut. The familiar cottage came in view, I pulled the car along the interlocked path halting some distance away from the small steps leading to the porch. Sweat laced my palms and I wiped it down my jean. As I walked along the steps I caught the familiar sight of mum's carefully tended garden and a ghost of smile graced my lips despite the acid in my stomach threatening to spill. Once more, I wiped my hand on my jean before raising it hesitantly to knock at the wooden door before me. Mum's voice rang across, inquiring about who was at the door, but my throat had closed in and my lips remained pressed tight. The door swung open and the warmth inside brushed past my face. "Mum", I whispered as a gasp left her lips. "My baby", my eyes glistened in tears as her warm body engulfed mine.This was home.The home I was forced to leave behind. Her tears dropped onto the shoulder she buried her face, hot, burning though the chiffon top I was wearing. She pulled away, her hands cupped my face as her loving eyes scanned my face. "Honey, who is at the door? A masculine voice rang out. I raised an inquisitive brow at mum. A chest unclad body showed behind her- long blonde hair pulled to the back of his head and blue electric eyes that looked almost unreal. It was at this moment I noticed mum's flushed face, her swollen lips and untamed black locks. I had interrupted something. His eyes scanned mum quickly and I couldn't dismiss the possessive look in his eyes. Again, I looked at mum inquisitively. "Oh", his masculine voice caught my attention as he noticed my presence. There was something about his face that screamed familiarity. "You have company", he stated. His blue eyes widened imperceptibly before nodding in acknowledgement. He walked back into the living room and came back with his chest shirt-cladded. At this point mum had pulled me in. He bent to place a firm kiss directly on her lips. Mum's gaze met mine and a teasing glint flashed my eyes. Mum flushed red before her eyes darted away. He nodded once more before pulling the door open. Silence stretched for a few seconds after he shut the door after him. "Well" I drawled. "Wasn't that something", her cheeks reddened again My eyes moved down her body, her lower part short cladded- butty short. "I have been scarred", I sighed dramatically. A pulled a stray strand of hair behind my ear as I take in the sight of the living room. The rug wasn't beige anymore, it was now gray, thick and warmly, the display cupboard has been shifted to let more sunshine in and on the tea table was an photo addition of mum and the man I saw earlier. They were traces of me left- subtle but still there. The splash of paint that ruined the flawless wall of one side of the living room, the cup that contained stationary and the picture that displayed the last happiness I had derived from this town- my smile wide, untamed. Glint in my eyes bold like the splash of rainbow top I had wore with pride. I sighed softly, and my eyes glistened. I blinked rapidly to keep the tears at bay. A cup of warm water appeared before me " Have your seat", I had become a stranger in the house that had never felt so foreign. My hands cup the mug and savor the heat it brought my clammy hands. Mum took the seat before me, and silence stretched for a while. Mum looked the same, no sigh of aging. She sighed "The last I heard of you was that text saying you were getting married", her eyes flicked to the empty fingers grasping the mug. My lids lowered to cover up the melancholy that surged in my heart. I lifted the mug to cover up the twitch of my lips. The betrayal hit me once again like a tornado. "How have you been", I swallowed the remnant of water in my mouth before answering "I could be better", I shrugged my shoulders in feigned nonchalance. I could feel her eyes watching me, but it was not judging nor scrutinizing. As I looked up I caught the sight of worry in her eyes. "I'm fine mum", "When you left you were not fine, and now you are back yet unhappy", my back stiffened. I had left hurriedly then, unwilling to allow what I didn't understand write my fate. Maybe, just if I had took a leap of fate would things have been different. It didn't matter, not anymore. I didn't take a different step then, there was no changing of outcome. A shuddering breath escaped my lips before a choked sob followed. I had not allowed myself to feel much after what happened. I stilled the oncoming tears, camouflaging it behind sips of warm water. Mum didn't come closer to comfort me, she watched as I struggled to keep my composure. "Even in front of your mum you refuse to take off the mask", Her voice heavy with emotions. Something cracked in me. I had gotten use to being alone, instinctively I wanted to assure her that I could handle it all on my own- that I had been doing great. At this point I could not hold it anymore. I shattered just like the future I thought we had moulded. I allowed the pain, anger, heartbreak wash over me like a tidal wave. I had been fooled, and at this point I can't tell if it was only because I had allowed myself to be. How could not I had noticed any sign, a lawyer- or maybe I had just refused to see them "Baby", mum called out, her voice anchoring to the present. She moved to the space in the sofa beside me and pulled me into her embrace. My head laid on her lap, and I allowed the feel of her warm fingers on my scalp sooth my chaotic emotions as I retold what happened. Life was going great, barely a month I got promoted at the law firm I work when Luca my fiancee, now an ex proposed to me. He was a calm, good looking cool headed guy, and his financial stability was a plus. I had met him through one of the friends I had made at University, Mateo, who had been my best friend through thick and thin had introduced him to me as his cousin. The feelings between us came easy, no forcing of emotions whatsoever. We were doing great, and our future was set. Two weeks after our engagement, I caught them in bed together. His sexuality was much of a lie as the distant cousin relationship between him and Mateo they made me believe. They had been together way before we had been together. Luca's parents never did agree to his s****l preference. He was to strictly be involved with a woman and not both, their reputation could not afford it. Mateo had been at our engagement party, they had seen him so they knew that he was still with Mateo while being with me. He was into both male and female, but it didn't make the betrayal sting less. Our friendship of two became three when Luca's sister joined us, Alissa- she must have knew too. They all choose to keep me in the dark. "Mum, Mateo introduced him to me- watched us create a relationship based on lies", my tears had subdued by now, but the hiccups stayed. " I'm sorry baby. It's the best you had found out before the wedding", "How long will you be staying", "I don't know", my head shook slightly "If you don't mind I would love to stay for a while", I knew I was trying to escape reality just like I did seven years ago, but I needed this escape or I would not know what to do. "Your room remain untouched", my eyelids grew heavy, and like I did as a kid, my hand clutched mum's hand to my chest as I fell into peaceful sleep I hadn't had in days.