For the Taking ✅

37 • Listen

Seraphina POV

Fifty-two. Fifty-two planks of wood made up the small square ceiling of my bedroom.

The countless swirls offered a distraction from the unruly turmoil that roared inside of me. My chest hurt after every thought I had of him and I hated it even more.

But I didn't hate him. I couldn't hate him. Every less than happy thought send nauseating waves to the pit of my stomach. The sensation made it nearly impossible for me to be angry for longer than a couple seconds.

It was like I was literally unable to be enraged by this alpha and it unnerved me. It unnerved me because I was coming to realize that he might indeed have more control over my emotions and thoughts than I thought prior.

Was it because I knew him to be my mate now? Or was it because I didn't have the will power to stay furious for very long?

"Remember when I told you that Osiris and Desmond didn't have it easy growing up." Ivy started.

I lazily turned my head to the side from where I laid on my bed. Ivy was stood leaning against the edge of the windowsill. She was staring over at me but instead gazed outside. It was snowing once again.

"Yes, I remember."

"Have you ever asked Desmond more about their childhood?" She wondered peering over at me, a sullen look on her face.

I shook my head no. How was I ever able to ask him anything? It wasn't like Desmond spent much time with me and now I know why.

"Well... there's a lot more to the story than many people know."

Was there always hidden secrets? Every family had their own hand full of family secrets and shame. My parents loved me but they still saw me as an oddity. I wasn't necessarily a secret but no one could argue I was a shameful daughter.

Ivy sighed. Lost in thought my face must have twisted into a cocktail of humiliation. Nothing could or would ever erase that feeling I had grown to accept as ordinary.

"Desmond and Osiris had an older sister." She started once again focusing her attention outside. "Osiris is the oldest son not the oldest sibling."

I propped myself up on my elbows fixating my gaze onto her.

Osiris had an older sister... how... jarring. And here I thought Osiris was this overbearing, self entitled elder brother. All this time I hadn't see him as a middle child.

"Are middle children supposed be, I don't know... weird?" I pondered lost in thought.

Ivy chuckled at my comment. "Have you met the man?"

I couldn't help the sarcastic tone that escaped. "Have I?" What I wouldn't do to have ran the opposite direction that day after the pack gathering.

"Osiris is closed off and stubborn. He keeps to himself most times and rightfully so. After his sister had shifted her wolf discovered her mate nearly instantly. It was their alpha at the time. His family was so excited and grateful their only daughter wouldn't be leaving the pack but in fact their Luna now."

I expected Ivy's smile to glow as she spoke but her mouth only fell with every word.

"You'd think it was a time to rejoice and celebrate but it wasn't, not after Ileana came running to their house in the middle of the night. Osiris had just so happen to be the only one awake at two in the morning. The poor eleven year old lost in his world of Nintendo DS."

She shook her head an image undoubtably forming of a juvenile Osiris. My mind wandered off too as he tried to form a picture of a light hearted, innocent, and unintimitating Osiris.