Recrudescence

“Stupid! You’re just stupid, I was right to not want to help you. Look what you've done, we're all in trouble now, and open that door already !”

Istona was pissed, and she didn't hold back to show how angry she was, but Sonia couldn't move. She didn't want to go inside.

Cursing, Istona reached to open the door. The warrior—who escorted Sonia to the alpha’s study—beat her to it. He was like a living stone. Cold and emotionless. He seemed unaffected by her friends’ heated argument as they tagged along. ”They didn’t want her to take the blame alone,” Lana said, but Sonia doubted her other friends agreed with her.

Istona, still angry, said, “There, the door is open, Princess. Should we carry you inside, Your Highness?”

“Istona, shut up!” Lana intervened.

“Don't you see we’re all disappointed that it didn't work? Look at her. She’s the most upset about it.”

“That was a bad idea.” Zinn said, fear clear in her voice. “You shouldn't have done that.”

Sonia looked at her incredulously. It was her idea!

They entered at last. Sitting at his desk, a very angry alpha looked at them. Despite the distance, his eyes burned like blue flames.

“I think he’s pissed,” Zinn said, peeking from behind Lana, “He’s not blinking,” she added.

“Of course, he’d burn his eyelids if he did.” That was Istona's poor attempt to be funny.

Werewolves were supposed to have heightened hearing, but he didn't tear his unblinking eyes from Sonia, as if he didn't hear them.

Lana whispered, “Just say you're sorry.”

Sonia squared her shoulders and looked him in the eyes. “I told you I want to go home.”

Her friends face-palmed behind her, but she had no regrets.

He should have respected her wish. She wanted to go home, simple. She needed the familiarity of it. She needed its safety, her routine. She wanted to water her plants and eat the damn chocolate cake!

“That was childish, Sonia,” He reprimanded angrily. “You were supposed to be under supervision. What is twenty-four hours? Why can't you wait ‘til you are safe, then you'll go as I promised?”

He was fuming, but she was angry too, and in her eyes, her anger was more justified than his. She was the one who was held against her will. She was the one whose wishes were denied like a five year old child who didn't know what was best for them. She was the one drugged. She was the one who almost got killed. She was the one who would pay the price of other people’s decisions when the bad comes, and she knew it would come.

She looked at her shaking hands—because she didn’t take her pills this morning—and thought, maybe it would come sooner than I wished.

She looked pointedly at him. The calmness of her voice concealed her fear, but displayed her anger.

“A concussion is the least of my worries. Why can't you just listen to me? Maybe I have my reasons. A concussion?” She scoffed. "You think that's the worst that could happen to me?”

She thought back to the hell she went through to finally have her condition under control. Now he threw everything out of the window because he thought he could make decisions for her. Because he wanted to protect her.

Her anger rose, threatening to tear her control into pieces. But as usual, Lana was at her side, rubbing her back, and mumbling sweet nothings in her ears.

Sonia relaxed in her arms.

Lana was always there for her. She was this little ray of reassurance that pushed her fears and insecurities to the darker corners of her mind. Even when she was at her lowest, after her mother's death, she was there. No matter how angry Sonia was, how hurt and sad, no matter how much she tried to push her away, Lana didn't leave.

Just like a mother wouldn't leave her child.

Even afterword, when circumstances tore their friendship apart, and they became more like unwanted acquaintance than friends, when Sonia decided to ignore their presence all together, in hope that they will leave, Lana, the good heart that she was, never reacted badly. She kept her distance but gave her support.

Looking at her now, Sonia regretted everything. The decisions she once thought were right and the heartache she caused her friends and herself.

For the first time in a year, she looked at her friend not through her, and for the first time after a year, she saw her.

Sonia couldn't remember why she pushed her away in the first place.

She regretted giving up, when she should have been stronger.

She regretted choosing a somewhat peaceful life at the cost of the persons who cared about her.

She wanted to say that and more to Lana, but the few tears she saw in her eyes and the sad smile on her lips told her that she knew it all, and she was grateful for her understanding.

Omar continued arguing, unaware of the brief moment that mended a lost friendship.

“I can't see what's so wrong with offering you a bed to sleep on, when you needed one. You are a guest here, not a prisoner.”

Sonia tore her eyes away from her friend to answer the unworthy person in front of her.

“The problem is that my choice didn't matter. I don't want to be here and I don't want to be with you.” She seethed.

The moment these words left her lips, the room's atmosphere changed. His eyes shone brighter, his features stoned, a look of resolve filled his eyes.

“I knew it is not about staying here for forty eight hours. You are not fair with me Sonia. You didn't give me a chance to prove myself to you. I may not mean anything to you, but you are it for me, and I am not letting you go. Listen to me and listen carefully. You are mine. You can take all the time you need to understand this, and accept it, but don't waste your time thinking about leaving me because I won't allow it."

With every word he said, he took a step towards her until she found herself trapped between him and the book-shelves behind her.

His frame blocked her friends from view, but she could hear Zinn saying, “Is this the part where he will start throwing the furniture with one hand, and digging holes on the walls with the other?”

“What are you talking about?” Lana asked confused.

“That's what happen in the werewolves books Sonia is secretly reading, like the overgrown teenager that she is.” Istona's judgemental voice reached her, making her blush profusely, or maybe it was the alpha's proximity.

A sudden movement and a sharp pain on her neck brought her back to reality.

Omar's large body pinned her in place, and his canines sunk deep in her flesh.

Before she could react, he retracted his teeth and pulled away slightly. He looked at her intensely. “I can't let you go Sonia. I'm sorry.” He said, no trace of regret in his voice.

His words brought her out of her trance. He marked her! He bonded her to him for life!

Red rage blinded her, “You are sorry!” She shouted as loud as she could. “No you are not. You are too selfish to be sorry. Didn't you hear anything I said? I.DON'T. WANT. YOU!”

She touched her punctured neck and continued her rant. “That was a big mistake, and I’ll make sure you will pay for it. Mark my word, you don't know who my father is, but soon enough you will know and you will pay for this.”

Her threat didn't affect him. It didn't affect his calmness nor the calculating look he has.

“Sonia, take a seat. Maybe you should talk to your father. He can explain things to you.”

That took her of guard. “What do you mean? How do you know my father?”

Without looking at her, he dialled a number on his phone, then said, “I know more than you think Sonia, and I am more patient and considerate than what you give me credit for.”

His answer added more questions to her mind than she already had.

He handed her the phone. The voice of her father reached her, happy and carefree.

“Alpha Omar, I’m happy you called, I was about to call you to ask about Sonia —”

“Dad!”