His hand roamed on the other side of the bed and felt it cold and empty. Lazily opening his sleepy eyes, Astraea was no longer beside him. Grunting, he pushed himself off the bed and got up. His feet swayed a little as the blood rushed to his head.Then he walked to a corner of the room, where Astraea laid on the floor, curled up into a ball and shivering. The silk top and shorts exposed more of her skin. He sighed then squatted right next to her and placed a hand on her forehead to check her temperature. He wouldn’t want her to end up sick because of the cold.His palm was warm, but her forehead was icy, and so was the rest of her skin. Her pale lips trembled, while her eyebrows knitted. His heart ached to see her like this but he had to endure, it was part of the process.The mate bond should’ve made things easier but so far, it

 The delicious smell of freshly cooked gourmet filled the room. Anyone would lick their lips while their eyes gleam in anticipation, but Astraea sat quietly, looking down, uninterested with the food being served.Caelum kept a placid expression, but inside he was once again disappointed with himself. He was yet to elicit a response from her when it came to food. Anything, whatever reaction she might give – push away her plate if she didn’t like it or smile when she takes a bite and find it tasty.For dinner, they were served steak. Using only the finest quality of ingredients – from the protein to the butter used. He placed the glass of red on his lips and slowly took a sip as he watched her slice into the meat and take a mouthful.Nothing. She ate it like it was nothing.“How is it, love?&rdqu

 Astraea groaned in her wake; she ached all over, particularly in her wrists and thighs.“Good morning, love,” she heard Caelum say and turned on her side to face him.He had his jet-black hair neatly combed to the back and he smelled pleasantly of soap and cologne, his smile stirring an uneasy feeling in her stomach.“Stay here,” he said getting up and leaving the room.She pushed the sheets aside and headed to the bathroom. Her throat felt scratchy, she badly needed water. Rubbing her hands on her wrists, she tried to recall what happened last night but as always, nothing came up.Caelum told her she’d been having nightmares, but he never divulged what it was about. All she knew was that when she slipped off the bed in the middle of the night to sleep on the f

 Clusters of blood red tiny roses thoroughly covered the arches that lead to the roses portion of the garden. Nina and Astraea walked under them, stepping on the bright petals, scattered along the footpath decorated with rounded white stones to a white bench that overlooked the scenery.Roses of different varieties bloomed all around them, a beautiful sight to behold. Red, white, yellow amidst the thick foliage. There were other flowers added in between, most of which Astraea couldn’t name, but found them beautiful nonetheless. It was her favorite spot in the wide garden, the area provided a sense of privacy and serenity.Astraea sat beside her grandmother, and rested her head on her shoulder. She held her wrinkled hand, slipping her fingers between her Nana’s.They gazed at the roses in comfortable silence, each lost in their own t

 Caelum hugged her sleeping figure close to him, resting her head on his chest. She cried herself to sleep and all he could do was watch her. He caressed her tear-streaked cheek, rolling his thumb over the supple flesh, and closed his eyes.She was mourning, and he had to leave for a mission. Having accepted Clarissa’s proposal, he had an obligation to fulfill. His thoughts drifted to the new information gathered during the meeting and he couldn’t help the anger that rose within him.“Wolfsbane poisoning,” Clarissa said. “Wolfsbane can harm us physically if it touches our skin. In worse cases, we could get burns. In ancient practices, it was also used as a means of assassination.”Caelum nodded to indicate that he was listening.“We tend to avoid it, as w