Chapter 6

"Grey let me go!" I yelled, breaking out of his hold and he turned, his eyes flickering dangerously. A warning that his wolf was just beneath the surface.

I could feel my wolf growl. "You can't let them kill each other."

"They won't kill each other."

"How can you be so sure!"

"Because, Dhalia. They are best friends."

"All the more reason for me to stop them." I turned to go back and he grabbed my wrist stopping me.

"Do you not understand that you being there is not safe. This is an anomaly. This does not happen, Dhalia. If you were to get between them while their wolves are in control. One of them is going to mark you as their mate."

I let out a steady breath. The implications of what he said. "I-" I didnt know what to say. I didn't want any of this. Tears welled in my eyes.

This was all too much. I didn't want this. Seraphina's words echoed in my head. Three bonds. Three paths. But only one true fated mate.

Why me?

Why not someone for the appetite for this kind of drama like Elena. Someone that dreamed and fantasized about a mate.

I never thought about meeting my mate. All I wanted was to go some place after the academy. Some place far where no one knew me as pathetic or weak and start a new life.

And now all of this was happening.

"Do you think she made a mistake?" I placed my hands in my hair, almost tempted to pull it out at how insane this all was.

"Oracle's don't make mistakes," he said, quietly.

"I don't know what to do," I admitted.

"For now. Lets just get you inside. I will go back and check if they are still fighting."

I nodded.

He walked me back to my dormitory and my breath was coming out shallow. Nothing in the world would have prepared me for this.

We stopped outside my dormitory door. "Thank you. For walking me back."

He didn't move immediately. His silver grey eyes searched mine, as though there were a dozen things he wanted to say and none of them were safe enough to speak aloud. "Get some rest Dhalia," he said after a moment. He turned and walked away and I stood outside a second longer watching him until he disappeared around the corner.

I opened the dormitory door to see Elena sitting on her bed, scrolling through her phone. Her expression was as sour as ever. She looked up when I entered. "Oh, there you are."

I closed the door behind me. "Here I am," my voice sounded exhausted.

Elena set her phone aside and glanced towards the door. "That was kind of Grey Valemont to walk you back. He's quite handsome, isn't he?"

I stared at her. After everything that happened tonight, thats what she wanted to talk about. "Why are you talking about Grey?"

She shrugged. "I just notice how comfortable you seem to be around royalty. What are you playing at here, Dahlia?"

"What?" Confused, confounded I was every word of nonsensical understanding in the dictionary.

"Nothing."

"Of course not," she laughed dryly.

I didn't have the energy for another argument, especially not with Elena.

She had barely acknowledged me since the oracle's announcement, and a part of me had hoped she might finally ask how I was feeling.

Instead, she was interested in Grey.

Typical.

I sat down on my bed and just looked at her, mindlessly text on her phone. Like I was not even in the room.

I sighed. After years of growing up togetther did she really not consider my feelings at all.."Elena?" I called in attempt to see if perhaps I had a sister under all of that mass of blonde and vanity.

"Hmm?"

"Can we talk about what happened tonight?"

Her fingers paused over her phone. "What about it?"

I turned to face her.

"About what the oracle said."

Elena's expression remained carefully blank.

"I heard her, Dhalia."

"What about it?"

"I have three mates Daliah and two of them tried to kill each other tonight."

She gave a little shrug. "Perhaps she was confused and the boys were drunk."

I blinked. "Confused?"

"Yes. Seraphina might be an oracle, but that doesn't mean she's infallible. She's still young, and she hasn't been doing this for very long. Perhaps she saw something incorrectly."

"But she was so certain about Lucien and Kieran."

I searched my sister's face, looking for some sign that she was trying to comfort me.

There was none.

"You really think she could have been wrong?"

"Of course." Elena picked up her phone again. "You're overthinking it. These things happen all the time with oracles." Elena was lying everytime she used to lie she would scratch her elbow and besides Grey said oracles never made mistakes.

"Speaking of mates, do you think you have a chance with Grey?" I stared at her in disbelief.

"What?"

"Grey Valemont." She rolled her eyes as though I were being deliberately difficult. "Do you think he likes me?"

I was bewildered ar this point. "I don't know."

"Well, do you think you could perhaps ask him?"

"Elena what about your mate?" I said. She had always wanted to find him.

"No one is going to be better than Grey Valemont. Its clear that he hasn't found a mate as yet and if I get him to fall in love with me bedore then..."

I froze. "I don't really know him that well, Elena."

"Come on, we are sisters. Its what we do for each other."

Sisters...

I spent years remembering that we were sisters. I had remembered it every time I gave up something I wanted so she could have it instead. Every time I took the blame for something she had done. Every time I swallowed my hurt because Father insisted I should be more understanding.

But now when I needed a sister she couldn't be there for me.

Being her sister always seemed to mean that I owed her something.

I said nothing.

Elena returned to her phone, apparently satisfied and as delusional as ever. I changed into my nightclothes and climbed into bed.

I barely slept.

Every time I closed my eyes I could hear seraphina's voice.

The third... the third... who was he?

◇◇◇•••◇◇◇

The next morning, I discovered that being the subject of a supernatural prophecy was considerably worse than being invisible. Elena had acted like last night didn't even happen. But everywhere I walked people would stare and whisper.

"I think I should cut calories for a while," Elena said.

"You look perfect, Elena there is no need for that." It was true but beside from that it was because when Elena cut out calories, carbs and all the good things that made life worth it. She made me cut it out too.

I settled for my normal breakfast of eggs and toast. Elena had decided to take my advice and treated her self to a normal breakfast as well.

"Dahlia! Over here!" Someone called it was the girl from last night that got Seraphina to tell us our futures.

"Let's sit with them," Elena said.

I approached the table cautiously with Elena. "Morning, Katy," she greeted but the girl was still staring at me. Elena sat down in a huff and I scanned the table for Sera. I had so many questions and perhaps she would be able to help. I sat down slowly as every set of eyes at the table turned to me.

"Is Sera coming?" I asked.

"No," Katy looked disturbed, "someone reported to the school board that she was using her abilities as a party trick. They have escorted her to a restricted area on campus for the gifted that don't have control."

"Bummer," Elena said, without an ounce of remorse.

"So quick brief," Katy said in a cheerful tone to change the mood. She looked at the other two girls at the table. "This is Ariana and Mindy."

They both smiled and for a few minutes, the conversation remained pleasantly ordinary. They talked about classes, upcoming assignments, and how terrible the coffee tasted.

Then Ariana leaned forward. "So, are you okay?"

I paused with my fork halfway to my mouth. "I'm fine," I said awkwardly, knowing where this conversation was going to lead.

She gave me a sympathetic smile. "After everything that happened last night." Mindy nodded in agreement.

"Yeah that must have been so overwhelming," Mindy said.

"I don't think anyone has ever heard of anything like it," Katy added.

I put my fork down.

"I haven't really had time to process it."

"Have you decided between them yet?" Mindy asked.

I stared at her. "Decided?"

"Between Lucien and Kieran."

I let out a nervous laugh. "I don't know them at all so I haven't decided anything."

"Well, which one is more your type based on looks," Katy smirked.

"Can we talk about something else please..."

"Thank you," Elena muttered, "I'm starting to get a headache."

The girls exchanged glances."Sorry. We're just curious," Ariana said.

I tried to return to my breakfast but now I was no longer feeling hungry.

"Sorry Dlaiah, but we can't not talk about this," Katy said but she didn't look apologetic at all.

"Lucien is such a gentleman," Mindy suddenly said. "He would make an amazing mate."

"Kieran is more fun," Katy argued. "And did you see him last night? He nearly tore Lucien's head off."

I pushed my tray away now and decided to take a sip of my juice.

"They're both attractive," Ariana admitted. "But that Grey Valemont."

"Will be mine, before the school year is finished," Elena declared marking her territory.

"Girl, keep dreaming," Katy said.

"In fact I'm so determined I'm willing to bet on it."

"How much?" Mindy asked.

"Ten thousand dollars."

"Fine," Katy stuck her hand out to shake hers, "you're on."

The conversation at our table took a different direction after Grey was mentioned and I didnt know if I was thankful or sick to my stomach by the change.

"Dahlia," a familair voice came from behind me and i didn't want to turn. The girls were now smirking and I was starting to feel faint.

I turned to see Lucien. His expression was solemn.Every conversation in the immediate vicinity seemed to fade.

He glanced at the girls, then back at me. "Could I speak to you in private for a moment?"

My stomach tightened. "Now?"

"If you don't mind."

I didn't want to make another scene. I had no idea what Lucien wanted, but refusing him in front of a dining hall full of students would only give everyone something else to discuss.

So I nodded. "All right."

I followed him outside.

Lucien stopped beneath a large oak tree and turned towards me. For a moment, he seemed uncertain about how to begin. Then he sighed. "Have you decided yet?"

I frowned. "Decided what?"

"Between Kieran and me."

I stared at him. "You brought me outside to ask me that?"

His expression tightened. "I thought we should talk about it privately."

"About what, exactly? Whether I've chosen you?"

"That's not what I meant."

"Then what did you mean, Lucien?"

He dragged a hand through his hair."Last night was a lot to take in. I know that. But the bond is real, Dahlia. I felt it the moment I saw you."

I looked away.

"I know you felt something too," he said, stepping closer to me.

I hated that he was right. Because even now I could feel it. Something I couldn't quite understand. A warmth and a sense of familiarity.

But that didn't mean I was ready to choose him.

"I don't know what I feel," I admitted.

Lucien stepped closer. "You don't have to be afraid of me."

"I'm not afraid of you."

"Then why do you look as if you want to run away?"

I looked at him sharply. "Because I don't have the answers you're looking for." My voice came out louder than I intended.

A few students passing nearby glanced in our direction. I lowered my voice. "I'm sorry, but you have to understand. Yesterday, was alot for me to take in."

"And now everyone wants to know who I'm going to choose, as though I'm supposed to make the most important decision of my life before I've even had time to understand what is happening to me."

Lucien was silent.

I swallowed the lump in my throat."There are so many things Sera said that I'm still trying to make sense of. I don't even understand my own wolf. I have spent my entire life believing there was something wrong with me, and now I'm supposed to believe I have some extraordinary destiny?" My eyes stung with tears."I can't give you an answer I don't have."

Something in Lucien's expression softened. "Dahlia..."

"Please don't pressure me." The words came out quietly, but I meant them.

Lucien studied me for a moment. It looked like he was understanding. He took a step back. "You're right," he said after a moment. "I'm sorry."

I hadn't expected that.

He looked down briefly before meeting my gaze again. "I felt the bond, and I was afraid that if I gave you space, you might choose Kieran before I had the chance to show you who I am."

"I understand how overwhelming it is for you or to be at the opposite end of this... having a mate that might not choose you. But I just need some time. I promise I will give you an answer the moment I have it."

He gave me a small, rueful smile. "I'll wait," he said, "but understand this. You are my mate regardless of how many others you have and there is no telling how much of patience my wolf has before he claims you." I swallowed the lump in my throat and Lucien didn't seem to notice how much his words scared me as he turned to leave.