CHAPTER FIVE
989 Words
ARIEL’S POV
Lucia's hand was looped around his as they walked through the red carpet. Camera lights blurred my vision even more.
He was fitted into a dark blue tux, the same one I had picked since she thought I had the better fashion sense. His dark chocolate hair was styled backwards, stopping at his neck. He didn't look any different than six years ago.
His emotionless expression was still there, the scars. His face had only become more chiseled and he was taller.
“ Mummy! My hair,” Lily snapped me back to reality.
I flinched, looking at her. The ribbon had fallen off and her hair was ruined.
“ Come here,” I managed to say, tapping my lap.
Zade was here after six years. As my best friend's boyfriend and his— my daughter is here.
I trembled, tying Lily's hair back. I shouldn't panic. I'd be a coward to run away. I've been running away my whole life, I can't tonight.
So what if he's here? We owe each other nothing. As far as I'm concerned, the old Ariel died the moment she left that pack.
Now, I only know him as Lucia's boyfriend, nothing more.
I glance over at them again. The beta is talking to them but Lucia's eyes are searching around. When it lands on me, she squirms.
I hold my daughter tighter. My daughter. Not his.
She excuses herself, whispers something to Zade and then his head turns in my direction. My breath catches but I force a smile.
He just looks away like he didn't know me, then they start walking towards me.
“ Auntie Lucia!” Lily jumps out of my grip and hugs her.
My pulse races. Zade's eyes drop to her, his frown deepening, his brows knitting together like he was confused.
“ My little muffin puff,” she picked her up and kissed her face.
Zade's eyes then moved to mine. I looked away. I was acutely aware of his eyes on me, like he was trying to remember who I was. Of course he'd forget me.
“ You look familiar, do I know you before?” He asked, his voice deep and rough.
I swallowed my fear and looked at him. “ I doubt I've seen you before.”
“ Uh,” Lucia intruded. “ Ari this is the guy I told you about. Zade, she's Ari my best friend and this is the muffin puff that saved my father.”
Zade looked at Lily again. It was like he was staring at the female version of himself.
“ Hi, Zade,” Lily greeted shyly.
Zade smiled. Actually smiled, a small smile that brought his face to life.
“ What's your name, kitty?”
My bones froze. Kitty.
“ I'm Lilian but people call me Lily.”
“ Uh, Zade why don't you talk with the guests while I have a minute with my friend.”
He nodded, unbothered, and passed me one more confused glance before leaving.
I heaved a sigh of relief while Lucia smiled like the sun.
“ What do you think about my boyfriend?”
“ He's fine.”
“ Just… fine? Come on, he's a dream. And yep, I need a tiny favor from you.”
I frowned knowing it won't be good.
“ No—”
“ Ari please. Zade's father is woefully sick. He needs help and muffin puff here can help him, right?”
“ Yes!”
“ No, hell no. Have you lost your mind Lucia. What about other healers, why Lily?”
“ Because every other healer has tried but couldn't save him. If Lily could save my father she could for him too.”
“ That's im—”
The rest of the words get silenced at the sounds of bullets and glass shattering. Screams erupt from everywhere and people begin running. I grab Lily immediately and drop to the ground with her under me. People step on me as they run for their lives.
More bullets. Screams. Things breaking.
Lily screams under me. I breathe hard, pain welling through my body. I try to stand, to run but the moment I turn I see a glass flying straight for my face.
But someone steps in, Zade, and the glass shatters against his back. In a split second he throws Lily and I over his shoulder and starts running, skipping bullets and flying glass. The people in masks who had intruded were chasing after us, some being taken down by the guards and enforcers.
I keep praying nothing happens to Lily. Soon we are out of risk and inside the palace room. Zade drops us on the bed breathing hard, his face exactly how it was that night he'd saved me.
He looks at me, scared and warm. “ Your scent. Ariel. It's you, Ariel.”
I ignore him and look at the blood dripping to the ground. He had two bullets in his back and glass pieces on his head. He staggers, nearly collapsing.
I stand on instinct and grab him.
“ Ari… Ariel,” he breathes. “ It's you.”
“ Zade you are bleeding.”
“ Blood! Blood!” Lily panics.
I guide him to the bed and he collapses on it, struggling to keep his eyes open. My heart slams against my ribcage. I shouldn't care, I should let him die but something… something in me doesn't want him to go.
He touches Lily with his bloody hands, wheezing.
“ Is… is she my daughter?” He cries and laughs at the same time. “ She… she looks just like me.”
I stare at their hands, mortified. I feel the urge to pull it away, to tell him Lily isn't his but instead Lily rests down, running a hand through his hair, whispering it'd be okay.
Slowly his eyes close.
And I know things would never be okay again.
- Writer
