The Love of a Lycan

"You get what you settle for"

-Louise Sawyer, Thelma & Louise (1991)

************** 

Inside the room, Raine was left alone, while staring blankly at the floor in front of her. She was left there with her complex emotions that she didn't know how to handle it. To be truthful, she felt bad for sending Torak away. It wasn't his fault to begin with, and he also didn't know that Serefina was going to burn her mother's diary.

She just didn't feel like facing anyone now, especially right after what just happened. Her feelings, and emotions were shattered. She didn't want to be with anyone.

Raine didn't mind if she couldn't meet with Aeon ever again, that was one thing. But the brutally harsh way of Serefina actualized it, was another thing that she could not forgive. Another tear was rolling down from her eyes, and she wiped it harshly.

"Still crying?"

As if the situation was toying with Raine, there she was with her inside the room. The last person that Raine wanted to see, and the last voice that she wanted to hear. Serefina the witch. Somehow, the witch managed to enter the room without anyone noticing. But after all, she was a witch. And being recognized with such reputations, this witch should never be underestimated.

The question from the witch was answered with a glare from Raine. She gritted her teeth, and looked at the witch through the mist of her tears. "What do you want?" Raine's voice was colder than she had ever sounded in her entire life. Never had she herself imagined that she would ever talk to someone this way. It almost felt like it was someone else who was talking, not Raine.

It should be considered shocking to receive that kind of attitude from Raine. But the witch didn't seem to be surprised, at all. Instead, there was a hint of amusement that beamed in her eyes, the moment she received Raine's cold treatment. Serefina was standing at the other side of the bed, being all stunning in her white dress that contrasted her short fiery red hair. Her slightly red lips curled into a smile.

"What do I want? Oh, you know what I want." Serefina sat down on the same bed that Raine was sitting. "No matter how much you hate me, remember what I'm about to say, darling. Someday, you will thank me for teaching you how to survive this cruel world."

Raine's lips trembled because of the anger that was raging in her veins. Her chest was burning in resentment for the witch. She had never felt this way before. But then, she tried to pull herself together that the moment when she talked, her voice was steady, and firm. "You didn't teach me how to survive in this world. You just taught me how to be even crueler in this cruel world."

Serefina's eyebrows shot up the moment when she heard that. "What is the difference?" She asked apathetically. "Do you think, just because Torak is here protecting you, then there will be no harm come upon you, anymore? Do you think that you are safe now? You are too naïve, and you must change that innocent thought of you."

"What do you mean with any harm will come to me?" Raine turned her body, so that she could face the witch properly. She was now ready to hear whatever it was the witch would have to say. Because everything around her never even once made sense anyway.

Serefina scoffed. "How do you think you could see all these supernatural creatures? How do you think you ended up being the Alpha's mate, and how do you think you travelled through time? Some dumb luck? They just happened? Oh, I don't think so! Because EVERYTHING had purpose behind it. Reason. And once you're off-guard, it'll be your life at the stake."

"What is this all about?" Raine frowned. She was already, and still angry, and now confusion was added to it. "Are you trying to say that there is someone who wants me dead?"

Was there someone in particular, who wanted to kill me?—she thought.

"Someone?" Serefina smirked, as if that question was actually amusing to her. "Oh no, no, no. Not only one, dear. Here's the thing, aside from the lycanthropes, and the werewolves, any other creatures want you dead. You must've found out the value of a guardian angel, and why would other creatures want to sap your energy?"

Raine knew the answer to it. The first she discovered it was during that time when she was trapped in the Village of Angel. But what she didn't know about was that, this peculiar cruel practice of sapping a guardian angel's energy, still actually applied until this modern day.

"And oh how fortunate you are that Torak is one of those who carries the strongest Alpha blood in his veins, thus all the lycanthropes, and werewolves would bow down to his feet. With all that, you must be thinking that your life will be safe, just because you are his precious mate? If so then, you are stupid." Serefina said it all harshly. Nothing would be as pricking as the truth that was being told by this witch.

She didn't stop there, the witch continued shooting her painful words to the girl before her. "But sadly, no one could predict the future. No one could guarantee that your mate would always be in control. Perhaps, there will come a time when someone out there managed to knock him down. Nobody knows. And when that time really comes, what would you do? Crying in bed just like what you're doing now?"

Raine bit her lower lips. Serefina was not only a powerful witch, she was also a silver tongue. What she just said unfailingly managed to make Raine felt bad for her reaction over the diary. In her eyes, still, what the witch did was wrong. Instead of apologizing for what she had done, Serefina turned her words, justifying what she did and making it sound like Raine was the one who overreacted.

Her resentment towards the witch was getting worse because of it. Raine found herself speechless, she was lost for words. She couldn't find the right words to argue the witch. Serefina was way too experienced for Raine to defeat her words. 

"If something bad happens to Torak, what will you do?" Serefina repeated her question because Raine seemed to be still, not answering her. "With the amount of enemies who want him to go down, do you know what this will make you? That will make you be his only weakness. Your being…" Serefina said while waving her hand up and down towards Raine, gesturing as if she wasn't something worthy.

On the other hand, no matter how much Raine hated to admit it herself, but Serefina's harsh words were all true. After all, one thing was clear to all that Raine was Torak's mate. In other words, she was Torak's weakness.

"You are an easy target for Torak's enemies to get to him. Striking you means striking him too. Since you are his mate, he will do anything to make sure that you are safe." Serefina shrugged her shoulder nonchalantly. "All thanks to the mate-bond between you two." The way she talked about it, sounded to be more like an insult, than a praise of gratitude.

Raine didn't say anything at all for a few moments. She just stared at Serefina who was smiling sardonically. But then, she finally opened her lips and said so coldly. "Something had happened between you, and the lycanthropes, right?"

There was a fleeting surprise that passed Serefina's eyes for a split second. And then, the witch composed herself quickly, and resumed her smiling face. "Well, well, well. Me, and the lycanthropes?"

"To be specific, it is between you and Torak's brother. Am I right?" Raine asked with the same monotonous tone.

"Don't even break your sweat to bring about something that you don't even know, upon our discussion." Serefina made a gesture to belittle the topic.

Ignoring her reply, Raine continued. "I saw you. You were dead in the village. And he cried for you."