THE BOND OF MAGIC (writing now)

CHAPTER XXXII

We'll be counting stars
Yeah, we'll be counting stars

SAPPHIRE

Turns out Lionel had planned a beautiful candlelit dinner for us. The food wasn't anything fancy but still good... just pizza and lasagna. I could say, it was fun. We talked about random things. Life before we met each other, how much Rosa was obsessed with fashion etcetera, etcetera. And I realized, for the first time in life, a date didn't turn out to be boring despite the pick-up lines. I may have even laughed, truly laughed, sometimes. I was at peace. Talking to Lionel felt like I finally had someone, whom I could literally pour out my soul to, and he wouldn't judge me in the slightest. He gave me some deeper insight into his past... and I recognized my own past in his. We were so similar, and at the same time so different. For once, I saw right through his parentage and concentrated on the person he really was. I was falling more and more for this man by the second.

Currently, we both sat chilling on the hood of his car, gazing at the starlit sky, genuinely enjoying each other's presence. To think a month ago I wanted to kill him. The cool night air tingled my skin, but it didn't really feel cold. I just shifted closer to Lionel and set my head against his shoulder. It was a peaceful feeling to have his strong arms around me. I stared at the constellation of Auriga, the charioteer. I wondered why that particular constellation intrigued me so much. It wasn't of that much significance. Most of the time it signified fortune, except for the few occasions when it coincided with solar eclipses. I guess that's what I wanted to be... good until a baddie crossed my path. I didn't know how successful I was at that. I decided to pull myself out of my thoughts before I got too philosophical.

"Hey, Lionel?" I said... I was burning to ask that one question.

"Hmm." he encouraged.

"What's the story about Rosa running away after meeting Michael? She mentioned it, although she didn't give me details."

Lionel thought for some time before answering. He chuckled lightly, "That was so long ago..." he trailed off, "We were just sixteen then. Remember, I told you I was on the run for a long time before I overthrew the former Alpha?"

I nodded.

"Well, I wasn't alone. I had Michael and Juliette and... another friend with me." he continued, "Rosa was an Omega, in a pack whose territory we were crossing. One of us was gravely injured and the pack refused to help us."

"Who was hurt?" I interjected.

"Doesn't really matter anymore..." he fell quiet again as if he was lost in the old memories. I didn't press him, he'd tell me when he wanted to.

"Back to the story. Rosa helped us nurse our friend back to health, but she hadn't really met me or Michael yet. She had this irrational fear of high-ranking wolves. Juliette was the only one she'd talk to. And then one day, she finally saw Mike. Quiet a scene that was." his body vibrated with laughter. "Rosa just stood there, paralyzed, you should have seen the expression on her face... I haven't seen anyone do 'deer in the headlights' better." he threw back his head let out a hearty laugh. I couldn't help but smile.

After some time he continued, "Michael totally lost it. He was so happy, he was almost weeping. Well, he didn't know what was going to happen next. Rosa panicked. She shifted into her wolf right there and ran away... it took us three days to find her. She might not be the most warlike wolf, but she knows how to hide." he chortled. 

"We found her hiding in a random tree, looking like some kind of caveman. Something about not wanting to be whipped." I giggled at his words. 

"Michael had a serious talk with her... and suddenly they were the most lovesick puppies to ever exist. I still don't know what he told her. And it seemed like such a grave situation then." he shook his head.