My Long Lost Mate

The sun had risen for quite some time, almost at the time for it to reach its peak. As the sun soared high and bright, it was finally time for us to leave Gordom. Our unexpected visit to the neighboring land was coming to an end, and this was my last chance to admire the beauty of the manor before leaving. 

We were standing by the front door, waiting for our carriage, when the two vampire siblings joined us. Both Kiel and Kiera came to see us off, wishing for our safe return. 

"How come you are leaving so soon?" the question came from Kiera to Luke, with the vampiress pretending not to notice that I was there beside him. "You should stay for a few more days," said Kiera, a pout on her face. 

Despite her displeasure about the humiliation that she had to endure at the vampire ball, she must have forgiven Luke by the forlorn expression on her face upon hearing the news of our departure—I mean, Luke's departure.

"He is the lord of the largest land here, Kiera, that's why," Kiel helped Luke in answering the query, removing the need for Luke to spend his energy answering the unnecessary question. Luke smiled at the help given. 

"Still, after this, we won't be seeing each other for some time," said Kiera, still pouting, "It's been two years since we last met each other. Shouldn't we spend more time together?" she reached out to hold Luke's hand, but Luke quickly retreated his hands before she could do so.

"Unfortunately, I can't," he coughed out, "I have a lot of works to do."

Hearing it, she sighed, but in a few more seconds, her face lit up with the brilliant idea she had just come up with.

"Ah!" she exclaimed, clapping her hands with glee, "I can always visit you there! How come I haven't thought of this before? Silly me," she giggled.

Her idea caused the two men to exchange glances at each other, not knowing what to say about this matter. Luke gave her a tight-lipped smile, most likely considering how to dismiss her suggestion, but the carriage arrived just in time for him to avoid answering the vampiress.

"Oh, that must be our carriage," he said, sounding a little bit too eager, "We better leave now so we can get home before the sun sets." 

Luke wrapped his arm around my waist and led me to our carriage, leaving the siblings behind. I came to a halt and turned on my back before walking away from them, "Thank you for allowing me to stay here," I said, bowing my head to both.

"It is my pŀėȧsurė," Kiel said, smiling when he said, "Though Luke will owe me one with this." 

My eyes then locked with Kiera's, and I have no other choice but smile at her. She wasn't exactly friendly to me and would sometimes send me a little glare, but I wanted to be remembered as a polite person.

"Then, we will be leaving," Luke said for the one last time before we turned on our heels, stepping out of the manor's gate. The carriage Kiel had lent us was waiting for us right in front of the manor, big and luxurious enough for people to know that it wasn't just any carriage.

Luke, as usual, helped me step inside the carriage first before stepping in himself. The coachman then closed the carriage door, and before long, the journey back home began.

...

"Do you think he is okay?" I asked Luke, who was staring out the window.

The carriage had left the manor, though we had yet to leave Gordom. We were passing the bustling road, and I have had my fun guessing which of the vampires out there were purebloods and which were not. It seemed that the carriage we were riding was quite the attention, judging at how people gawked their eyes as we passed through them.

"You mean, Kiel?" he returned my query as he shifted his attention from the window to me and let out a sigh when he saw me nodding my head.

"Certainly not. He is just putting on an act to make us believe so," he said. 

He did look the same as usual, almost making me believe that nothing had happened just the night before. He made no mention of what happened last night, almost like he was trying to keep it behind him. 

I couldn't imagine what Kiel went through last night if even Luke was so affected by the loss. He must have been a lot closer to Ross than Luke as he lived in the same place and saw each other every day. I just hoped he didn't have to go through this alone. 

"What about Kiera?" I asked. 

"I don't think she is affected by it," he said, massaging his temples. "She was sent to their aunt's home when she was a child, so she and Ross did not have a close relationship as what Kiel had. She only visits the manor a few times in a year before finally settling down for good when she reached ȧduŀthood."

I nodded my head after his explanations, forming my mouth into an O shape. I then decided to ask him one more question as I fiddle with my fingers, "Then... what about you?"

"Hmm?" he smiled, tilting his head, "What about me?"

"Are you okay, or are you just pretending to be okay?"

I could see how his eyes trembled when he heard my question, but he quickly hides them with a chuckle.

"I will be okay because I have you with me," Luke said as he moved from the seat in front of me to the one beside me. He then took my hand and placed it on his cheek, saying, "I feel at ease when I'm with you."

He will be okay... he said. That must mean he was not okay at the moment. I ċȧrėssed his cheek, smiling at him, "I will make sure you feel okay."

"Thank you," he chuckled, placing his head on my shoulder while at the same time locking his fingers with mine, "Can I stay like this for a while?"

I hummed in response, allowing him to do as he pleased. I glanced at him, looking at the man who was closing his eyes with a dashing smile on his face. The sight of him brought a smile to my face. He was acting a lot like the black wolf who always loves to have his head patted. 

"You reminded me of Wolfie when you are like this," I chuckled, ruffling his hair softly. "I miss Wolfie," I said. 

As soon as he heard my confession, he raised his head and stared at me with slanted eyes.

"I have been thinking about this for a long time. Do you like Wolfie better than me?" he asked, and I knew there was only one answer that he would gladly accept. 

Should I tease him a bit? 

"Well..." I brought my forefinger to my chin, looking slightly upwards as if in deep thoughts, "I must say you are second to Wolfie because he is cuter than you. I like cute things."

The expectation he had of me shattered to pieces, and his expression turned sour almost instantly. He then let go of my hand and folded his arms, looking away to the window.

"Oh, is that so?" he asked, a sigh escaping his mouth, "I don't think my wolf is cute, though."

"Really? But I think he is the cutest," I replied to his comment, which made him pout even more. "You see, I really like it when he asked me to pat his head. Oh! And I also really like how soft and fluffy his fur is. Hugging Wolfie is one of my favorite things to do." 

He swallowed the lump in his throat and began to fix his necktie—which didn't need any fixing at all—while remaining silent in response to me. He was sulking like a child, and I couldn't help but laugh at him. 

"Why? Are you jealous of your wolf?" I teased, bumping his shoulder slightly. 

"Me?" he pointed to himself, as if not believing what he had just heard, "Why would I be jealous of him? That's ridiculous."

"Then what happened to your face?" I cupped his cheeks, making him look my way, "You look like a duck."

"I do?" he asked, and his lips quickly returned to normal, but he couldn't hide the disappointment from his face. "You must have seen wrong. Maybe we need to go to a doctor to have your eyes examined," he said before mumbling the next few words, "So you won't confuse what is cute and what is not."

Though he was mumbling, I didn't miss a word he said.

"You are obviously jealous of your wolf," I burst out laughing, enjoying teasing the man. I then pinched his cheeks, just like what he always does to me, "I am just kidding, okay? I like you the most."

"Are you telling the truth?" he asked, raising his eyebrows and again looking at me with slanted eyes, "More than you like Wolfie?" 

"More than I like Wolfie," I confirmed, and soon, the smile returned to his face.

He was just about to pinch my cheeks back but stopped when he heard me say, "But if I see Wolfie again, I might have to rethink my answer."