Mate

RAYNA

“So you aren’t coming for thanksgiving?” Lysandra asked me with wide eyes. She stepped away from the path as she let someone else into the elevator.

“I have to come, how else would I explain things to mom and dad?” I asked, shifting my laptop so I could see her better.

“But Rayna, are you sure you want to divorce Cassian? I know you know how much you loved him.” She said calmly, her eyes showing all the care in the world. She…was the only one who truly cared.

“The love started diminishing the moment he changed after the wedding. It got slower, but when Cassian found out I was pregnant, he was over the moon. I thought he had come back to his right senses, but all of that ended when Ryan died. I had blamed him all that time, but if I had known that the reason for him leaving the house in the first place was Tahlia, I would never have forgiven him.”

“You need to find peace. And peace is not found in holding grudges against them.” She said,

That’s how Lysandra was. Ever since we were kids, growing up together, she stayed away from anything called trouble. Me? I always ran straight into it, eyes wide open.

“And just so you know, you are not at fault. Don’t overthink it, okay? It’s Cassian who is the asshole and not you” she said, like she was giving a therapy session to me.

“Yes, sis. I know that. I’m not going to overthink anything.” I replied with a small smile.

“Yeah, I have to get back to work now…before my boss starts yelling.” She whispered the last part.

“Ses you at Thanksgiving!” She said sharply and the call ended, before I could say anything else.

I had the best sister in the world, but that was it. Nothing other than that was working in my life.

THANKSGIVING DAY

I stole a deep breath from the air, staring at the house. It’s been three years since I celebrated thanksgiving here at home.

My fingers tightened on my box as I walked into the house, but at that moment, my phone buzzed.

“Where are you?” Cassian gritted the moment I picked up.

“It’s been three days since I left and you just noticed I'm gone?”

“Rayna, don’t play tricks with me. Tell me where you are and I would come get you immediately.”

“N..O. “ I spelled out loudly. “Spend thanksgiving with your side chick and don’t call me. Just so you know, the only reason why I’ll ever step foot in that house is to come for the divorce papers. Sign them.”

I hung up and immediately blocked his number. The only one who had a right to call him whenever is me.

Stepping into the house, I pushed all thoughts of Cassian and Tahlia to the back of my head and focused on enjoying thanksgiving with my family.

Mom and Dad looked up at me for a split second, then away.

“What are you doing here?” Dad asked.

“Dad–“

“Just go back. I already made it clear to you that I didn’t want to see you.” He said flatly.

“You are already married, why are you still coming back here?” Mom asked, running her eyes over my slim form.

“We are a family.” I said firmly, emphasis on are.

“Yeah, until you got married. Form your family somewhere else, okay?” She snapped.

I bit my lips, blinking back my tears. They hadn’t even asked what’s wrong. They hadn’t wondered what happened in the last three years, they were just–

“Rayna!!!”

Lysandra’s voice sliced through the atmosphere and she rushed down the stairs, grabbing me into a choke hold. Behind her, mom and dad shot me with laser glances, but I didn't flinch. I’ve gotten used to them in the past years–though, that still doesn’t make the feeling of rejection better– so I don’t shy away from the harsh looks.

“I missed you so much. Calling me on video calls wasn't enough to fill the void in my heart.”

“You both kept in touch?” Aveline couldn’t believe her ears. She warned me already never to call her daughter for any single reason, except I was dying.

Which was weird. I didn’t ask for them to adopt me.

But they did, and the moment they had a baby, they cut me off. Sometimes, I wondered what would have happened if I’d lived with my real parents and once in a while I wondered if family would be better if there was no Lysandra. But still, I’m grateful for her the most.

“Of course, we kept in touch. Have you ever seen siblings who don't? Come, I’ll take your stuff in.” She said, grabbing my bags up the stairs.

“She’s not sleeping here, Lysa!” Dad shot.

“She is!!” Lysandra shot back down.

“Why do you have so many bags by the way? Are you planning on staying here for long? If you are, then sorry for you, because by tomorrow you should be out of here.” Mom said, following her up the stairs.

“I divorced.” It slipped out before I planned to say it.

She froze. “What…did you just say?”

I gulped. Hard. “I and Cassian are going to divorce each other. I…initiated it.”

Dinner was cold.

No one said anything until Lysa turned to look at me, “How long are you staying?”

“Friday to Sunday. I have to resume back on Monday at work.”

“What job?” Dad looked at me.

I paused eating. “My job as a detective.”

“I thought you were off about that when you married Cassian, why exactly do you want to be a detective and involve yourself in such dirty work?”

“It’s not dirty.” I muttered, “It’s what I want to do. I’m helping my country the best way I can.”

“You always find a way to annoy us, Rayna. First, you go ahead to marry that guy and now you want to go back to the force? That’s ridiculous. How sure are we that you are not going to opt out anytime soon? Just like you did with your marriage?”

I froze. How did that have anything to do with the marriage? Tears pricked my eyes as I dropped my fork.

“Didn’t you hear me?” I whispered. “I said it’s what I want to do. I stopped it because of the marriage and now that it is gone, I want to do this. Is it so hard for you to just support me? Why do you always focus on the worst sides of me?”

“Because you are unstable! You always act on an impulse. If only you were just like–“

“Don’t compare me to Lysandra!” I shouted. The world tilted for a second after my scream. “I am not her. I’m Rayna. We are different.”

I pushed the chair backwards, grabbed my coat from the living room and walked out into the cold.

My shoes hit the ground, scattered with light brown leaves at every single interval. The street is silent and mostly cold, so cold that I had to dig my hands deep into my coat pockets.

No one is listening to me.

They didn’t even ask what went wrong. It seemed like they didn’t want to know. All they were after are the very unreasonable choices I made. But it’s my life and I have the right to live it the way I want.

A broken marriage and a life without purpose. That isn’t what I want.

I want something I could call mine, something mine alone.

My phone buzzed. Lysandra. I silenced it.

I just want to be alone.

And then, the snow dropped.

The first snow.

My lips curved into a small smile as I placed my hands under the sky, watching one of the flakes dropped into my palms.

It’s thanksgiving and I’m meant to be grateful for my life. But right now, the worst things seemed to happen to me.

I prayed. A really short desperate prayer.

“By next year, help me to have things to be grateful for.” I whispered, blowing the flakes off my skin.

“Ahh!” I screamed as someone bumped into me, pushing me so hard onto the floor. My palms scraped, my ankle twisting so hard.

The culprit glanced at me, mask and all black coat, before sprinting away. While I’m left there, trying to figure out what on earth just happened.

“Rayna!”

I turned.

It’s Lysa. She’s running towards me.

“What are you doing on the floor?” She asked, her breath forming vapour in the cold night. “We have to leave.”

“What’s wrong?”

“There was a murder here two days ago. Everyone’s scared. No one walks late at night.”

“Murder?” My heart raced, “Where is the site?”

“Not now, Ray! This is not the time for that. I really want to celebrate Christmas with my whole family alive. Let’s go.” She hurried.

I stood, wincing as pain shot up my twisted ankle.

“Who are you?” Lysandra suddenly asked, her fingers trembling on my skin.

I looked up.

A man stood there. Tall, broad, ridiculously handsome in a rugged dangerous way. His Amber eyes shone like something not human, only seen in fantasy scenes.

His lips parted with a slow sound, I swear it’s a growl, the kind we hear in only wildlife shows.

“Who are you?!” Lysandra shot again.

He took a step closer.

Instinct made me push Lysandra behind me sharply. “Don’t you dare–!”

Another growl cut me off. Then, words left his lips.

“Found you at last,” he said. “Mate.”

Mate?

What?