Chapter 14: The Seer Behind the Veil

The Scarlet Pack was way quieter and peaceful than Edwin had expected.

Situated between hills of crimson-streaked rocks and evergreen trees, the settlement felt strangely reverent as if even the wind knew to move carefully.

The Seer’s dwelling was not grand like he had envisioned and thought of it. The old cabin was still as it was, only with a little renovations here and there. Dozens of offerings of flowers, coins, fabrics, and food lined the path.

“She lives alone,” the escort from alpha Zach explained. “but the strange thing is that she takes no visitors unless summoned, but she suddenly agreed to see the Alpha of Dark Moon.”

"Hmm, I see," Edwin replied, observing his environment.

Stopping at the door, the escort insisted that Edwin went ahead. “The Seer’s powers are real, my lord. I think it would be a safer and more accommodating environment for you if you go inside alone. You will be free to discuss your issues with her,” he said with a confident smirk.

Curious as to why the escort suddenly insisted he went inside alone, he knew that his words were true. He would be able to freely discuss things with the seer without a third party.

"If I may ask, do you perhaps know her name? Or do you all just address her as the seer?" Directing his question to the escort.

Edwin made sure to pay so much attention to the escort that he could read the reluctance on his face.

 "Her name is Mira, but we simply call her the seer," the escort told him.

"Thank you, I will keep your words in mind," Edwin said, understanding why the escort had constructed his words that way.

Now, Edwin stood at the entrance, uncertain.

A young girl opened the door and silently gestured for him to enter.

He stepped into a room filled with herbs, incense smoke, and the hum of something…something ancient.

Something about the room was familiar. The room was welcoming and cozy, just like the escort had said, but he was yet to place his hand on what made it so familiar and inviting.

Edwin was still deep in thoughts when, she appeared.

There was so many different things he had expected to see on meeting the seer but to his surprise she was just too normal and ordinary for the title. She did not emerge from behind a curtain or in a cloud of magic.

 She just quietly entered from the back room, with her robes flowing like liquid silver behind her.

“Alpha Edwin,” she greeted. Her voice was calm, clean, unfamiliar… and still it was not.

“I am Mira, the Seer.” she introduced herself, bowing a little to show her respect.

Edwin blinked.

"Mira." It echoed in his head.

The name did not seem to click, but something about her, something just beneath the surface clawed at his memory.

Then he saw it. The curve on her jaw, her hair, and the pendant dangling on her neck.

His gasped out of shock.

“Tiara?” he whispered, barely audible.

Her face remained unreadable. “I beg your pardon?”

He stepped forward. “Is it… Is it really you?”

“I am Mira,” she repeated, meeting his gaze coolly. “You came here for insight, and not for memories.”

"I suggest that you take a seat and let us get down to business," she said as she took her seat.

The air thinned.

“Are you really going to pretend like we have never....?”

She interrupted, smooth as silk. “This session will only last for fifteen minutes. If you wish to speak of dreams, visions, and fate, I will oblige. But if you came for confessions...then I am sorry to break it to you that you wasted your efforts and journey.”

Edwin was stunned. The woman before him, the Tiara right in front of him had drastically changed. She was now stronger, cloaked in mystique and power.

And to make matters worse, she acted like he was just another stranger.

His voice broke. “Why are you pretending like you do not know me?”

She walked past him, lighting a pale blue candle near the window.

“I do not pretend,” she said, not turning around. “I only choose what deserves to be remembered.”

"What deserves to be remembered?" He asked.

"I am your fated mate, Tiara!" He yelled out of frustration.

"Did you just call yourself my fated mate?" She finally turned to him, laughing.

"You really would not cease to amaze me, Edwin," she clapped the invisible dust from her hands away.

"Is that a compliment or sarcasm?" Edwin asked her.

"That is up to you, I really cannot dictate what to believe or see to you." She replied, wearing no emotions.

"The bond has still not been broken, Tiara. Need I remind you of that," he furthered.

"I did not reject you as my mate, and you know that too," 

"Can you please spare me all of these?" She rolled her eyes, adjusting her dress.

"I have no idea what you are talking about and like I earlier said, I would advise that we go straight to business by talking about your predicament," 

"I really do not care about all of that right now," he replied.

"Ohh, really?" She scoffed.

"So what is it that you care about right now, alpha?" 

"I want to know how you became a well-known seer, how and why you left the pack without thinking to inform me, and you managed to walk your way in here," he answered.

"I am sorry but I will not feed your curiosity," she dryly smiled.

"I see you are here for Vanessa,"

"We are not talking about Vanessa!" Edwin frustratedly cried out.

"We are talking about you, about us. Please do not change the topic," he tried to plead with her.

"You just walked in here after how many years and you expect me jump at you and start telling you all that has happened to me amidst tears?" She questioned, painting a pitiful scenario.

"We both know that is not the case, Tiara," he dejectedly sighed.

"Well, that is the case for me," she replied.

" Why are you being this cold and unyielding?" Edwin softly asked.

"Am I cold now?" She asked him, wearing an innocent look.

"Ohh, forgive me for not being the old, stupid and walkover that you used to know," she gasped, placing her hand over her mouth to show a faked surprise.

Edwin intertwined his hands and placed them under his chin. He was frustrated and angry with Tiara's reaction but he knew that she had every right to be that way.

"I do not know how the past years have been for you but I am deeply sorry for any inconvenience that I have made you go through," he apologized, not knowing what else to do.

"You owe me no apologies, Edwin. The last made me stronger," she smiled.

"I seriously will not doubt that but we both know that I owe you so many apologies. I failed you and exposed you to the cruel world," Edwin disagreed.

"Take the Scarlet pack for instance, everyone knows how rude, unaccommodating, and condescending they can be but you still managed to pull through and be someone great,"

"I owe that to you and your lovely Luna," she said, slightly bowing her head.

"Tiara, please," Edwin pleaded.

"What exactly is it that you want from me?" She asked him.

"Are you not here for consultations? Why are we having this back and forth?" 

"Because I do not expect you to even solve my problems when you have grudges about me. Literally everyone knows how much emotions can affect things spiritually too," he confessed.

"I never knew you were one to be interested in spirituals," she mocked.

"And that is because you never....I meant to know because we nevee had the chance to get to know each other," he said, still not giving up.

"Why is he not giving in to my shenanigans? Why does he still keep pressing on forgiveness?" She thought to herself.

Deep on the inside, Tiara was already tired of having to argue and feign ignorance but a part of her still wanted her to continue.

"A chance to know each other?" She chuckled.

"I just thought about something," 

"And what might that be?" He asked her, rays of hope flashing in his eyes.

"I think it is time to break that bond," she dropped the bombshell.

Edwin was taken back by her words, "you want to do that after we have preserved it over the years?" 

"Was that not what I literally just said?" She raised her brows questioningly.

"Edwin, I do not have all day to do this, I will be having more visitors soon, and I cannot delay them or send them away without attending to them, all because of you," 

"And what if I talk to them and convince them to stay another day or come back some other time?" He asked.

Tiara laughed, " and why would you do that?"

"On whose permission are you pulling that stunt off?" She continued.

"Need I remind you that you do not own me! I am not some property that belongs to you or anyone," she half-yelled, showing her displeasure and anger.

The flames on the candles threatened to go off at the sound of her voice. It was evident that she carried so much power than Edwin had thought.

"Please calm down," he tried to appease her.

"I did not mean it that way. All that I was trying to say is that we need to settle this," he tried to explain.

"Settle this? This has been settled years back, Edwin! Do you not get it?" She said.

"Break that bond or I will do it, and I promise you that I will not attend to you no matter what," she threatened.

"I can feel your emotions too, Tiara," Edwin said.

Those words made her a little weak, " I know that you do not mean all that you have said,"

"Your body and spirit says something otherwise. You are pouring out your heart and emotions, which I quite understand but please do not take it too far," 

"Did you just tell me not to take it too far?" She rose right her feet.

"Where were you when I almost died for you? Where were you when I struggled for days and nights without food or water? Where were you when I had nowhere to lay my head? Where were you when I endured pains and hardship?"

"Let me guess, you were with you beloved wife and Luna," she smiled, clicking her tongue.

"You have every rights to be angry but before the Moon goddess, I looked for you. I really did my best," he swore.

"I have not loved another, Tiara.." 

"But you sleep with Vanessa," she interjected.

"I am way past believing whatever comes out of your mouth, Edwin. We will not even be having this talk in the first place if you were not in dire need of a solution to Vanessa's childlessness that keeps threatening your position as alpha," 

"Yes, I am here for that, but I am doing this so as to secure my position and nothing more," he vowed.

"I do not have any interest in the things you say to me," Tiara sighed.

"Do you want us to talk about your problems now?" 

"I want to talk to you, about you. You are the only problem that I am facing right now," 

"You are not giving me the chance to explain myself, you just keep assuming," he said.

"Someone is on their way to see me," she said, looking at her door.

"Can you just leave?" 

Edwin stood still, his heart pounding, caught between guilt and awe. He was really surprised that Tiara was no longer the girl he left behind.

She was something else now.

And she was not his to claim anymore.