Bound To You

|Chapter 4|

||Emotion: A strong feeling deriving from one's circumstances, mood, or relationships with others.||

Emotions. Arabella was not sure she had those anymore. After all they had been yanked out of her at such a young age, she never really had a chance to experience it.

That is unless you considered exhaustion an emotion because Arabella had a wide knowledge on that specific topic due to the endless training she had been put through.

Arabella's concern for her family and packs well-being and safety was unadulterated, it was what had been instilled in her.
'Pack before thy self.'

The loyalty and respect that the members offered was enough to satisfy her wolf and herself.

At the sound of the doorbell chiming, Arabella was out of her daze and her head snapped instantly to the door as she rose from the kitchen stool which she had sat thinking for the last thirty minutes and absentmindedly waved off bowing figures that showed their respect as they passed.

Getting up Arabella smoothed down her dress and then sauntered her way to the door as a maid, quite nervously lint rolled dust off her dress whom she thanked after reaching the door.

'Be courteous. Be polite. Be kind. Be accepting. Be respectful. Before you act listen. Before you react, think.'

Thoughts that were elicited by this situation. These were not rules she realized, but the value and beliefs which impacted what she did and how she did them. It was her first time participating in anything social since the incident. Often she remembered various tenets that would match the situation.

Arabella's family gathered by the door and she could feel anxiousness forming within her.
'They will know' her mind pushing her to believe that they could sense that bared the
mark of rejection.

As the door opened, raising her head, she sniffed the air to take in the smell of her unknown guest. On the brink of familiarity and discovery, the doors opened to a familiar face, one she hadn't seen in a very long time.

Wearing an breath taking smile was none other than a friend who knew her before her proclaimed tragic upbringing, before when she was normal. His eyes softly glowed as he took her in, all the while smiling.

As Arabella exhibited one of the rare times she smiled whole-heartedly, he came in for a hug which she absent-mindedly dodged and turned into a handshake. His eyes quickly pooled with amusement as his left eyebrow quirked upwards and he looked at her processing her actions.

"Alex! It's good to see you." Arabella said sincerely as his warm hand engulfed her hand and gently shook it.

"Arabella. It's good to see you too. You really have changed." he said still smiling.

"I can say the same for you too." She replied as she released his hand after he gently squeezed it in his.

Smiling brightly Arabella finally looked happy after the horrible incident. She was well mannered and kind to all. Arabella was protected and cared for by her family and her entire pack.

She laughed wholeheartedly and fervently as She and Alex reminisced about their past adventures as they sat on the sofas in her living room together and they chatted about how horrendous he used to dress when he was in their pack, before he joined the Grey's pack; something which she did not know.

It was lovely break for Arabella to relax and enjoy Alex's company and for her family to see her enjoying herself.

That's all the Gardenias wanted for their daughter but the past months proved difficult for Ara's kind soul.