CHAPTER 5 – MEETING

CHAPTER 5 – MEETING

Luna had finished cutting my hair, swimming her hands through my hair strands until they sat perfectly below my shoulder, it was short and right, grooming me into the girls I once fantasized about, but now they held no meaning, not when all I had was revenge.

‘Do you have any preferred hair color’ she asked, going through the variety of bottles she had picked up. They always say Luna’s are perfect in anything, and I couldn’t have agreed more.

‘White….’ I murmured. ‘what?’

‘I would like it to be white,’ I replied.

White, the color of the sky, some say, or the color of the moon, some appreciate, but for me it’s the snow, the beautiful feather-like petals that drop from the sky, vanishing at the touch of your skin. I always loved winters because of the snowman I built with my father.

My childhood memory keeps becoming dimmer and greyer as I grow, and I want to remember the happiness I shared with my dad. A moment of white, I can never go back to.

‘Are you sure?’ she questioned. Yes, it was a rare color to have, but I wanted it, even if it stood out.

‘Yes,’ I firmly respond.  6 hours pass by and I’m finally done. I don’t think anybody would believe I was the same girl a year back, but now, my entire persona had changed. I took the contact lenses and looked at myself.

With white hair and pale green eyes, not even my father could recognize me. It merged with the pale skin and cherry lips; I was born with. I am Seraphina Green; I confirmed myself because now; the battle had just begun.

‘All done’ I patted myself an approval, looking at the reflection. A pink dress which flowed till my knees, frills evident as they reached my toe, and a small red bow to make the perfect picture image of an innocent girl, although I was far from it, who cares as long as this make-belief facade works.

We both are using each other, anyway.

The Luna and Alpha had mentioned I would meet their kids and pack members, and god forbid any hatred, I had already dealt too much pain to welcome more. I would be staying with them from now, and just hoped I got onto their good sides.

I knew there might be a spark of jealousy, but through the years, I hoped it would die down.

I hadn’t shown my parents this new image since Luna said she wanted to give them a surprise. For the past week, it was only me and her, talking about various fun stuff. She was never the boring type, to begin with, so time passed by quickly.

‘Think positive’ I brought up my hands, slapping my cheek. I need to be the best out there so no one can look down on me.

‘Sera’ the Alpha opened the door with a bang, a little more strength and the hinges couldn’t have held the door anymore.

‘yes Alpha’ I bowed, pulling the hem of my skirt sideways. I placed my right behind and bent, the way ladies do when they go to a ball. A tradition of welcome commonly practiced by the ladies with wealth and power.

‘hmm’ he stood silent for a second, ‘you look beautiful’ he remarked, before bringing out his hand, escort? I questioned myself. It would be my privilege to be escorted by a man, an Alpha to boot.

 ‘Thank you, Alpha,’ I neatly locked my hands with his as he led me down. A black Mercedes stood at the entrance with a chauffeur. He was dressed in a black suit.

‘Is there a party?’ I hopped into the car with the help of Alpha. ‘yes’.

‘Why?’ I fumbled adjusting my frock, no-frills next time, I made a mental note. ‘Because of you’ he said, and I looked at him, astonished. A welcome party for me. Why the hell was this pack so generous. What will do there comes a day where I have to betray them or if they get hurt, all because they saved a girl who wailed in agony, seeking help and protection?

‘before that, there are some ground rules you need to know’ he straightened his blue tie, one which matched his dark grey suit.

‘You will go to school, just like the other kids, you will attend the pack training and activities, and..’ he paused. ‘If you want to be an Alpha warrior for this pack, then you have to excel in everything, you have the time to change your decision until you turn 18’.

‘I remain strong on my resolve’ I spoke. Sometimes I knew I sounded more like a woman than a girl.

‘good to know,’ he smiled.

 The 15-minute journey ended as the vehicle parked near the entrance of packhouse. It was a freaking enormous hall, constructed to celebrate joy. Alpha led me inside, guiding me towards the dais and damn were people celebrating to their heart’s content, popping out wines, clashing glasses, laughing. It was a sight to behold.

‘ahhmmm’ Alpha corrected his voice, and the hall silenced down in a second, all their gazes directed towards me, I felt like a specimen for some reason.

‘She is Seraphina Green, daughter of Mark Green and Sophia Green, all of you will treat her with love and respect if I see any misbehavior,’ he growled. ‘I will see to it you won’t have a pack to go’. 

My eyes fished out, mom and dad, they were coming towards me with full force, tears in their eyes as both of them enveloped me into a hug.

‘Sara you look so lovely, like an angel’ Mom remarked, although that was an exaggeration, who cares, I was living the moment. I just wanted to be loved. My small hands wrapped around them as we shed happy tears.

‘sorry that we made you cry’ dad replied, I pulled his pants asking him to come close, he furrowed his expressions bending down.

‘I love you dad’ I kissed him, and he stood there stunned at what I just did. ‘daddy is going to make you happy’ he kissed me back, overjoyed. Yes, this is what I want, I want them to smile. Even if a day comes where I might leave them, I still want them to be happy.

‘Hi Sera’ Luna came in, tagging behind her were 2 kids. She did mention she was going to introduce me to her children.

‘Introduce yourselves dears’ Luna said.

‘HI, I’m Lyra Green, I’m 7 years old’ the girl wearing a Cinderella dress approached me. She was just like her mother, dark green eyes and jet-black hair, reflecting the night sky. Her high pony swayed whenever she took a step.

‘Hi Lyra, I’m Seraphina Green, you can call me Sera, I just turned 10,’ I smiled back, she was a cute girl. ‘I wish I had a short name like yours,’ she puffed her cheek.

‘How about L?’

‘L’ she repeated, ‘sounds good’ she appreciated. My gaze turned to the boy who was still hiding behind Luna’s dress, shy and scared I predicted. ‘umm’ his voice wavered, stealing sly glances at me. With these kids, it’s better to be the one to take charge.

‘I’m Sera’ I pushed my hand forward, and it nearly freaked him out, but he regained his composure. He hesitated, fiddling his fingers, looking down, I thought it was a lost cause when ‘I’m Cason Green, I’m 9’ he spoke.

He was paired with a beautiful set of green eyes, ‘Cason has a crush on you’ L announced loudly, enough for most of them to look our way. ‘No way’ I laughed, looking back at Cason as he flushed red. Don’t tell me, he has a crush on me, the one he met a minute ago.

‘I’m sure it’s not serious’ I said looking at him, laughing it off as a joke, but I guess it triggered him because the next thing he did was run. He ran until his blonde hair vanished behind the main door, even when his parents called out to him. He was quick on his feet. 

‘I’m going to catch up with him’ I spoke to L who passed me a knowing nod. I picked up my dress and went behind him, into the woods. He had a cinnamon smell, which was easy to detect. He was huddled up behind a tree, wrapping his arms around his bent legs. All why, crying, alone.

This kid was too sensitive. I never knew how to converse with kids my age, rather than couldn’t. It was always a one-sided conversation with, half of the time, throwing punches at my face. There wasn’t even a day when I would return home without bruises.

‘The scenery is beautiful, isn’t it?’ I took a step closer, noticing my presence, he turned his gaze to me. ‘It’s even more beautiful by the fall’ he replied, wiping away his tear marks.

‘ahh..the fall’ I remembered quenching my thirst. ‘It is indeed’.

‘You have been there?’ he looked at me, astonished. ‘yes’ I replied as a matter of fact. Was it a holy place? Was that why the wolves were angry.

‘wow, you’re amazing, only the pack warriors can enter the premises, it’s a sacred place, and you have been there’ His eyes glowed green as he looked at me with a halo. ‘Your eyes are glowing green!!!’ I cupped his face, pushing it towards my sight.

‘umm..I know they are weird’ he shrugged, disappointed at his appearance. But the glow of eyes only comes to those who hold supreme power, so I wondered why he was saddened by it.

‘they are not weird, they are anything but weird, they are beautiful, they suit you,’ I smiled back, and tears flooded down his cheeks.

‘you’re the first one to say’ he cried, how hopeless was he to be shunned because his eyes glowed, it was not a common trait seen amongst the Green Blair Pack but pack in Crimson Knight it was a symbol of strength and status. My father had it, some say, but I dint and that is why they shunned me. They make up ridiculous reasons just to prove their actions. Idiots.

‘Let me tell you a secret and you should let no one know,’ I placed my finger on my mouth, signifying its importance. He nodded, brimming with joy inching closer. ‘If your eyes glow, then it means you have the power of moon goodness,’ I said.

‘real’ he stretched his eyebrows. I’m not sure how much of it holds the truth, but well, this kid needed to be consoled.

‘yes, and that is why people are jealous, so don’t you think you are weird, you are different and when they know your merits, they will understand,’ I patted his head.

‘you are beautiful too’ he replied. His cheeks were so pinchable that I had to resist myself from committing any indecent acts. ‘umm thanks’ I replied.

‘What are you guys giggling about, let me in too’ L appeared, realizing a gush of air as she finally made it near us? ‘deep breaths’ I coerced.  ‘in…..out……in’

‘thanks, Sera, I would have been hyperventilating by now, if you weren’t here,’ She breathed a sigh of relief. ‘you shouldn’t have rushed here. Mom and dad told you not to go outside,’ Cason warned.

‘I can’t live cooped up throughout my life, I want to experience new things’ she widened her hands explaining her grand plan to travel all over the world. Kids sure have dreams, After all, we were still kids.