Miastella

Chapter 7

The sky was the color of ash, the air was thin and cool to the point Mia had grab a thin sweater as she sat on the thick, green grass. Mia hugged her knees to her chest, unusual eyes peering into the calm waters of the lake. The water so still not even a ripple could be heard nor seen. It was early evening, the sky just beginning to darken, she knew Agata or Cerzia would come looking for her soon.

Mia knew why she was here, she knew that today was the day the Alfa would come for his monthly visit. Her legs unconsciously taking her to this spot, knowing she couldn't stand to see the intolerable odious Alfa. She was not one of them, she never would be, so why should she be there? She felt more like something sitting here, with the quiet lake and cool grass. She felt more at home outside than she ever has in that house, though she loved her siblings, sometimes she just wanted to be alone.

She knew he was here, he had been since this morning, before the sun even awoken. Mia expertly avoided confrontation all day, not that it was exactly hard. She was an orphan yes, but she was no Lupo, the laws did not apply to her. She did her research, reading every book in the library in order to learn things about their kind that Agata was unwilling to teach mortal Mia. Mia wanted to learn, know everything about the world that existed around her.

Mia scooted closer in the grass till she was at the very edge of the lake, looking into the clear reflection of the water. Seeing a little girl that was too mature for her age, experienced things that she should not have, lived a life that was meant for fairytales. Though Mia was thrown unwillingly into this world she felt a sense of belonging, though not to the Lupo, but to something other. Something that she fears she will never know or discover for herself.

She missed her family terribly, Mama, Papa, Marcell. When she looked in the water she saw a little peace of them in her reflection, Papa's nose, Mama's hair, Marcell's lips. A tear fell into the water as she thought about her famiglia, eyes of the moon and ocean wide and sad. She hadn't thought about them in quit a while, only because every time she thought of them she would remember her last memory of them. Her brother's bravery that eventually ended in his disappearance, never knowing if he was alive or dead. Her papa's unmoving body, flesh shredded apart, blood covering the kitchen floor. Her mama's frightened eyes, knowing death was coming for her, the love she poured into Mia's before she was murdered by the same monster that killed her papa and Marcell. She remembered everything that happened like it was a fresh wound that would never heal.

She wanted her family back, her forest, her normality. But she knew that she would never have that and she excepted that a long time ago.

"Mia, you can't hide here all day." She heard the voice of Nosha behind her, his tone teasing, trying to hide the sadness he felt for her.

Mia turned around to see her two best friends approaching her, both dressed in there nicest clothes, skin bare of any dirt, hair polished. "I haven't been here long." She turned back around to face the lake again, blowing out a dragged breath.

They both sat on either side of her and mimicked her position. Nosha laughed, Mia could feel him staring at her. "You've been sitting here nearly half the day, ignoring Agata's calls, the poor woman looks like she's stuck between a rock and a hard place not knowing whether to keep kissing the Alfa's ass or come drag you back to the house."

Mia giggled and looked up at Nosha with a crooked smile. "I'm sure her lips are practically glued to his bum by now if she hasn't come for me yet." They all laughed in unison at Mia's remark, her glum mood was slowly diminishing just having them here with her.

After they settled down everything was silent again for a minute, the wind began to pick up, causing Mia's unruly hair to glide across her face. The sun was set now, the moon had risen to it's highest peak, reflecting off of the water and illuminating the trio as they sat side by side looking out into the quiet night.