03

                    LYRIC 

"I'm sorry, ma'am; but I'm here to pick someone. I can't give you a free ride, if that's what you're asking." I struggled to hold back my laughter as I listened to Rufus, one of my father's oldest guards say, his eyes darting past my shoulder, looking out for the person he had been assigned to pick from the airport. 

"I know. You have been sent to pick Lyric Harper, right? It's me, Rufus."

His eyes narrowed with suspicion. "You still haven't told me how you know my name. And...And how can you be Lyric? It's not possible." He shook his head. "Lyric is—"

"Ugly?" I finished for him, a broad smile on my face. 

He frowned as he shook his head. Back then, Rufus was the only one that had never been able to call me ugly. He was among the very few that had cared about my feelings, and even now, to a stranger, he still couldn't call me ugly. 

I laughed. "Well, would it help if I reminded you that your favorite soup was butternut squash and you and little Lyric used to play chutes and ladders?" 

Recognition beamed in his eyes. His jaw dropped in astonishment. 

"Seraphis have mercy! Lyric, it's really you!" He opened his arms, and I didn't hesitate to fall in for a warm hug. 

Back then, Rufus and I barely had time together, but he always made the few times we met worth it. He was the closest thing I had to a parent. 

"How is this possible?" He inquired after asking how I was. "Your face... My goodness! You look gorgeous! You've only been gone for five years and... I—I can't believe this."

"It's a long story, Rufus. But for now, let's just say fates decided to smile on me."

"Oh, Lyric! You do not know how happy I am to see you. I am sure your father must be delighted seeing you're not...un-beautiful anymore." I laughed at his attempt to not use the word 'ugly' on me. 

Well, as for my father, I rolled my eyes in my head. I felt a little sad that I was forced to return here after five years because of him. My life was perfect in Draconis. 

"Here. I'll take this to the car," Rufus said, taking my luggage. 

"You do that and I'll meet you in the car. I need to pick up an extra luggage. Don't worry, I'll be quick."

I turned around and had barely taken three separate Rufus called my attention, "You dropped something."

Looking at the floor, I found the scanned image. My heart jumped into my throat as I quickly crouched to retrieve it. 

Rufus watched with me with surprise. Obviously, he had seen the X-ray and would be wondering why the hell something of that nature had been in my back pocket. 

Oh, Lyric. You couldn't be a little careful? 

"It's—It's not mine," I cleared my throat, hoping my lie was plausible. I mean, who carried X-ray photos of fetuses in their back pocket? 

Tucking it back into the pocket, I hurried away. 

.....

I had my hands crossed over my chest as I waited at the collecting center. My extra luggage would be brought to me any moment.

As I waited idly, disturbing thoughts ran through my mind. Father wanted me home for two reasons. The first was to completely cut ties with Roderick. 

In our world, when two wolves were getting mated, they tied a ribbon as a sign of their union and have it stored in a temple. So, when they wanted to part ways, there were two steps involved. First, they'd have to denounce themselves as mates with the words of their mouths, and secondly, cut the ribbon together. 

After Roderick denounced me as his mate, we didn't get the chance to see each other again. Circumstances happened that pulled me away. But now, he was desperate to finish the final steps. Apparently, he'd chosen a new mate but couldn't accept her when he was still partially bound to me.  

Well, I'd been looking forward to the day when I get to end things with the asshole. He was my past, and the stupid ribbon was the final thing holding us together.

"Excuse me, Ms. I'd like a moment of your time, please," someone said behind me. 

I turned to see a well-built man in a black suit and dark shades over his eyes. I didn't need anyone to tell me he was a guard. 

"Can I help you?" I furrowed my brows. 

"Kind of. The Alpha over there demands an audience with you."

I looked to where he pointed—a mini bar—but couldn't see the man he was referring to. His face was shielded by a counter. 

I fought the urge to roll my eyes. These days, it was tiring. It was obvious there would never be a day where I'd step out without garnering attention from the opposite gender.

"I'm in a hurry. Tell him I'm sorry." I responded. 

The guard's jaw tightened. "You can't ignore him." I read the unspoken words from his tone: He's a powerful Alpha. You can't simply ignore his request. 

But I really wasn't interested in meeting anyone. "I'm sorry. I really am."

I looked away. It was disrespectful to ignore an Alpha's call. In a world where ranks mattered, he could be one of the powerful ones and could punish me severally, but I really wasn't in the mood to talk to anyone. 

"It's Alpha Roderick of Nightshade." The guard added as if to entice me. But he had no idea, he had just reopened old wounds.

My eyes moved to him, then quickly flicked to the bar where the man was seated. Roderick? As in my ex-mate Roderick? The one I was here to end things with? No way. 

My chest tightened with pain and it was all I could do to keep my emotions intact. 

"More reason not to see him," I mumbled, turning away. 

"Did you say something?"

"I said I am not seeing him." I gritted the words, my nails digging into my palms.

The guard gave me a disapproving stare before walking away, and I released a shaky breath. 

Now, where the hell was my luggage?

I met one of the workers and demanded for an update, and he assured me it'd be here any minute. 

Unfortunately, they were not fast enough as shortly, I saw Roderick approaching me.