Flora’s P.O.V
“There! You look absolutely gorgeous!”
Daphne stepped aside so I could look at myself in the mirror and I had to admit, even I couldn’t recognize the woman staring back at me.
I was dressed in a mint green dress that reached my knees and Daphne had styled my blonde hair into loose curls that hung around my face. The material of the cloth was light and airy and everything was just perfect, but I just didn’t feel the colour. Ezra told me that these clothes were given to me when I first arrived at Lindersay, before I decided to be a Lunar Maiden. But now, after two years of donning white…they seemed out of place.
“It’s so weird seeing myself in color…it’s feels like an eternity since I wore anything like this…” I looked up at Daphne, hoping she could relate.
“That’s why I chose the lightest colour in your clothing pile.” Daphne straightened out the pearl necklace I was wearing. “To be honest…I feel the same. Wearing the Goddesses robes has a certain sense of belonging and security to it. But you’ve found your mate, so…”
“A mate I can’t even recognize.” I sighed, knowing full well that Daphne was the biggest gossip collector, but she has yet to betray me. “I don’t even understand what’s wrong with me.”
“Hey…take it easy.” She wrapped an arm around my shoulder reassuringly. “Everything happens for a reason and once you understand what that reason was, everything else will become easier.”
“Do you really believe all this was for a reason?” I asked her sincerely. “Me losing my memories, the rogue attack, and even Andre’s attack on the rogues?”
“There’s nothing we can do but believe.” Daphne’s smile was a little sad as she combed her hands through my hair one last time. “All you can do now is enjoy the night and get to know your mate better. Maybe once you’ve gotten to know him, the mating bond will snap into place.”
“Maybe you’re right.” I left it at that, knowing full well that I couldn’t share more with anyone for now.
Malachi wanted me to forget everything and move forward. Ezra seemed like she had no clue as to what had happened last night and Daphne too seemed blissfully unaware. Emma, my other friend, was also busy taking care of the new born in the nursery as we had three births in these past two months. The pack and the entire castle were buzzing with life. Only I seemed to be the one person stuck in the past.
“Oh! I almost forgot to tell you!” Daphne exclaimed with her hand in front of her lips before giving me a sheepish look. “Actually…I have some good news and some bad news.”
“Gossiping behind my back again, Daphne?” I gave her a mock glare, but we all knew I couldn’t stay mad at her for long. “One of these days, you’re going to get into a lot of trouble because of this.”
“You know I can’t keep secrets, Flora.” She gave me her best doe-eyes while rubbing her tummy over her pristine white gown. “I get tummy aches.”
“Okay, fine.” I threw up my hands in exasperation. “Gimmi the good first.”
“Shouldn’t it be the other way around?” She gave me a frown. “So that after you hear the bad, the good will cheer you up?”
“Daphne, love, when someone tells you that there’s both good and bad news, usually both news are related and neither of them are all that helpful.” I explained. “Now give me the good first and then the bad.”
“Okay, weird explanation, but here goes the good news.” Daphne clapped her hands together. “Samuel was discharged from the infirmary today and he’s been given permission to join his duties as early as next week!”
“Oh my Goodness!” I had completely forgotten about Samuel! The soldier who had nearly been ripped apart while trying to protect me. “He’s doing okay?”
“Yes!” Daphne’s joy was evident in her eyes. “He wanted to thank you for healing him back from the brink of death, but he’s supposed to be in bed-rest for the next couple days.”
“I’ll go to meet him personally…tomorrow.” I added at the end when I saw her giving me a disapproving look. “I’m glad he’s alright, though. He had lost so much blood that I was afraid my healing wouldn’t even work. But…if this is the good news, what’s the bad news?”
“Well…” Daphne looked hesitant. “It’s…maybe it’s not that important. You should just go and enjoy the night and maybe we can for-”
“Daphne.” I warned in a strict voice, that I usually reserve for the younger teens. “What are you avoiding?”
“I really didn’t want to ruin your mood or hurt you.” She sighed in defeat. “But just know that this is all gossip and stupid speculations from jealous women who haven’t found their mates yet.”
“Tell me!”
“A lot of the pack women as well as the Lunar Maidens had been gossiping lately…about how you said you couldn’t feel the mating bond…” Daphne hesitated once again before giving in. “They think you’re either a defective wolf for not being able to feel such a sacred bond, or…cursed.”
*
*
Honestly, the speculations and rumors about me didn’t hurt as much as listening to the word ‘cursed’. It felt like the word was stuck inside my head and no matter what I did, I just couldn’t shake it off.
I twiddled with the crystal heart pendant around my wrist that I had worn as a bracelet today, instead of it being around my neck because Daphne thought a pearl necklace would go better with my dress. She wasn’t wrong but for some reason, I just couldn’t let go of the pendant.
It was the only connection I had to my previous life aside from Clay, but he was a rogue now and I couldn’t just venture into the forest as I pleased. I would have to be careful from now on, especially now that Malachi knew about my visits. So in the meantime, I used the pendant to get comfort from it.
A knock sounded at my door at exactly seven in the evening and I got up from the chair that I had placed in front of the large windows overlooking the forest and went to open the door to Andre.
“Good evening, my lady.” Andre’s smile was wide and contagious as he held out a bouquet of freshly plucked red roses towards me.
I accepted them with a smile took a whiff of the deliciously sweet fragrance. “Thank you, Lord Andre. I’ll go place them in a vase.”
“Please, just call me Andre.” He laughed. “Lord is reserved only for my subjects.”
“Then you too must only call me Flora.” I returned the humorous banter. “Only the soldiers call me My Lady.”
“We have a deal.” He gave me a salute and I excused myself to quickly place the flowers in a vase and placed them on the vanity where its sweet fragrance could linger in my room.
“Let’s go, shall we?” Andre gave me his elbow as I closed the door behind me. “Our date awaits us.”
“Of course.”
I had my doubts about Andre and this date I was going to, but I couldn’t decide until I at least tried to get to know him.
I didn’t want to be the weirdo who couldn’t feel the mating bond. I didn’t want to be the defective wolf; the odd one out…or cursed.
But then, why did the word cursed get stuck in my head on repeat. Why did I feel like my loss of memory might as well be a curse of some sort? Was I really cursed or was my mind trying to grasp onto any concept it could so I didn’t feel so lost?
I shook my head to get rid of all my doubts and insecurities. Tonight wasn’t the night to think about the negatives. Tonight I promise to spend my time getting to know Andre, the man who was my mate. And maybe once I’ve developed an emotional connection with him, I’ll finally be able to feel the mating bond?