Rosalina's Hope by D.D. Dass (free novel 24 .txt) 📕

Damn it.

Without a pause, I followed her out, catching up easily. She looked over at me and jumped, gasping as I held my hands up in surrender. Hadn’t she caught the car doors?

“Where do you think you’re going?”

I grinned with false optimism.  “To meet the in laws, where else?” At that, her face paled in a horrified mask. But the porch lit up and I smiled widely as Rosa stomped towards the already opening doors.

“Where have you been, young lady? And who is that?!” Her mothers’ irritated shout made my temples throb, but I pushed my hand out as I closed the space, pasting a polite smile on my lips. The older radiated disapproval, but I hardly noticed. She took my hand in a hard grip –one she didn’t seem capable of–then quickly released me with a skewed smile.

“Sebastian, Mrs. Payne,” How fitting for a woman who, in all aspects of my life, was a pain. Just to rub it in a bit, I added, “It’s nice to finally be introduced. Rosa has told me so much.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I caught Rosa’s flushed face, eyes narrowing and jaw working.

Don’t laugh, don’t laugh, God Seb, don’t you fucking laugh! I continued to chant, my mouth twitching despite my efforts.

“Indeed?” Ouch, Mother In Law already hates me. Just my luck. I coughed, stifling a chuckle.  Suddenly, another male, presence sharp and authoritative stepped out, a wide smile on his lips.

Finally, someone who might actually like me out of the trio we’d formed.

“Son, I don’t believe we’ve met. You a friend of my little girl?” I despised the term friend. Mine, mine, mine. Tell them, I willed Rosa with my eyes, tell them you’re mine.

However, I kept my mouth shut, aware that it wouldn’t be appropriate to inform the young girl’s parents that she belonged to me. Not to mention Rosa’s inevitable abhorrence to being termed as an object…though to me, it was an expression of worship.

“Dad, um, this is Bastien.” So I was Bastien again.

With a nod, I took his hand in a firm grip.

“Pleasure. Please, come in.” He opened the door wider, towing his narrow-eyed wife in with him. Rosa walked through first, her steps practically stomps ahead of mine.

When her father gestured for me to sit, I did so, but grudgingly. I wasn’t comfortable with the look of Rosa alone.

“So where did you take my girl tonight, Bastien?”

“We were studying, sir,” I lied smoothly. Rosa gaped and inwardly I winced, hoping the expression would go unnoticed.

“Studying what?” Dieu, this entire family was unbelievably…inquisitive, or meddlesome. Well, this is their daughter; they ought to have the right.

“French, actually. We have French together and well…you see, Rosa has been really struggling,” I goaded, smiling at her.

“Is that right?” In question, her father glanced at Rosa, who frowned as blue blaze met blue mellow.

“It’s French two. I’ve only had Spanish,” she muttered defensively.

“Sir?” I asked, instantly relieved when his attention was on me instead of Rosa who breathed an obvious sigh of relief. She was feeling better and with that, so was I. “Would it be alright if I studied with Rosa a while longer? Her French is that terrible.” Which it was. I glanced at Rosa–who, for once, looked quite like her mother–eyes narrowed, mouth pursed.

“I’m sure an hour longer would be fine, right honey?” Her mother looked reluctant, but nonetheless nodded.

Slyly, I smiled before gesturing for Rosa to proceed to her bedroom, which she did in stomping footsteps. When she opened her door and closed it in my face, I cursed.

“Let the punishment fit the crime,” I recited. But that went both ways.

***

Marilyn Payne’s POV:

Marilyn Payne watched her daughter ascend the stairs, the young Alpha trailing her –the same Alpha that had been kicked from Laden’s pack in France for the murder of a young Omega. Always a watchful mother, Mari wanted him out of her home before she called on Luis and demanded he be rerouted.

She had lost her daughter once before and was not about to again, especially when she was just getting her back. Her mate and husband, Marcus, had another mindset.  

“Sweetheart, I love it when you’re angry, just not with me,” he murmured, please-don’t-be-mad written on his face. She only glared.

“Why would you allow him into our home? Around our daughter?” she whisper-shouted, aware that the wolf above could hear. Marcus sighed.

“You allow Iris to be with Josh,” he pointed stubbornly. Why, she wondered. Why were all Alpha’s so damned tenacious?

She clenched her jaw. Iris and Josh were an entire different matter. Josh was an Omega, whom hadn’t mated Iris and who would not be forever. Iris wasn’t even aware of what her boyfriend was…what her parents were.

“Do not bring Joshua into this! He is an Omega, who can’t mate a half-breed. Lacriox, being an Alpha, can! I want him nowhere near my daughter. S-She can’t handle that,” Mari breathed, the anger ousted my exhaustion. Marcus was already there, supporting her and lifting her bridal-style to carry her to the sofa, where she huddled in his warm lap, head resting on his shoulder.

“You know it’s too late, Mari. Can’t you see it? The way he watches her, protects her. It’s already begun,” he paused, running his fingers through her hair in that soothing manner. “Rosa is stronger than she looks, Marilyn…She has to be.” The blood drained from her face. She loved her husband like no other, had from the very beginning, Alpha or not, she would’ve always been his.

But this was Rosalina, her daughter, her little girl…How could she be so sure of herself?

“H-How can you be okay with him as an heir? How can you be okay with any of this?” Marcus opened his mouth to reply but she continued. “Rosa is so…fragile…ever since…”

“Mari, stop. Rosa will know what she wants soon enough. We will have to wait and see how honorable the Alpha is concerning her decision. And don’t go off to Luis and tell him to reroute.” Mari glared as he kept on. “If Lacriox is Rosalina’s choice, than my heir he will be. It’s not easy for me to let this happen…but I will not ruin her chances of happiness. Haven’t you seen it? Haven’t you noticed how much happier she is since they met? Don’t lie.”

She sighed. How could she? He read her thoughts most of the time anyway.

“I’ll not make any promises. She is my daughter and I will not see her hurt again.” She shut her eyes against that ache in her chest. “I can’t lose another baby, Marcus…I can’t take that risk.” Despair saturated her heart whenever she saw her other baby girl on the faces of her two equals…Her lost baby.

“Nor can I, Mari. But this is Rosalina’s choice…” his voice was a deep, broken whisper.

For the first time, in a long time, the two were finally in accord.

Fuming, I slammed my bedroom door in Sebastien’s face, emotions a fierce storm within. It wasn’t even seconds later that the door opened –I wanted to fight him–I wanted to kiss him.

God, I didn’t know, I just wanted to do something.

Love does this too a girl, I thought with an unladylike snort, sullenly plunking onto my bed (having already kicked off my shoes –which regrettably were too far to retrieve and throw without Sebastien preventing me first). I hated that I was aware of his eyes on my body; that my heart sped with anticipation.

“You, Rosalina Payne, are a mystifying creature,” his voice was soft –cold. Inwardly, I flinched, squeezing my eyes shut –I confused myself as well, but I wasn’t about to say that.

“Why?” I whispered.

He laughed without humor.

“You’re…unlike the others. Frustrating and fascinating and intriguing…There aren’t enough adjectives to even begin to describe you…You want the truth, yet you never give it. How do you expect that to possibly work? You want me to open myself up without the same from you? Hypocrite,” he muttered, shoving his tattooed hand through his hair.

I bit into my bottom lip, absorbing his words and realizing–despising the fact that it was all true. It was wrong, I was…but it was…terrifying, bearing myself that way. I feared, with every molecule of my being, that if I dared speak of Him…He’d come back.

But…the haunted glint in Sebastien’s eyes when I brought up his father told me it was just as hard for him…

Oh God…Swallowing passed the lump in my throat, I stood and shuffled over to him. Lacing our fingers, I sighed, finding so much strength in his firm hold as I towed him over to my bed, pushing lightly at his chest until with a complaint hum, he sat.

Satisfied, I went over to the door, locking it and switching the lights off. I couldn’t do this…not with the sight of the disgust on his face when I –Oh God…No.

Needing the comfort, I cuddled up beside him, inhaling the fresh scent of peppermints.

“W-When I was fifteen…I was everything I’d hope to be,” I began quietly. “Netty used to tease me about it, being a perfectionist and the likes…With the perfect boyfriend, captain of the cheer team, excellent grades…Just everything.” He remained still, so I forced myself to continue. “I-I remember I used to tease her too…because she was quiet. A reserved girl who took comfort in the isolation…She was so smart and lovely…but a lot of people thought she was weird…God, she wasn’t…Not Netty…She was the best of the triplets."

The time that seemed so long ago was a crystal clear memory in my head. I could see Netty, dressed in all back with her cropped blonde hair. Back then I’d worn my cheer outfits, the same blue and white with flawless makeup and my hair mussed back at the crown of my head.

Quickly, I shoved the images away and forced myself to continue. “It was just a stupid bet…” I breathed, squeezing my eyes tighter. “Talk to the creepiest stranger around.”

All my fault. Should’ve been me. The tears began to slide soundlessly down my cheeks, my lips trembling and my lungs working to breathe evenly. It was her last day…Oh God. “S-School had just been released and the streets were clearing out…Only a few students lingered and Iris was at s-swimming practice…She was so…good at swimming…But she doesn’t s-swim anymore…But something…in the shadows had caught my eye and I looked over my shoulder and…I s-saw Him.” The monster–my nightmare.

“He was just standing there–by the trees so I couldn’t make him out but…I pointed. I pointed…and said, ‘Him, go talk to that one,’…At first, she refused to….but I goaded until she finally walked over to Him. I could see how scared she was…but I still made her go anyway…”

Sebastien was still beside me…I didn’t dare glance at him as the rest of the horror story fell passed my lips.

“I watched her cross over to Him and begin talking, pointing at me as I waved…Then, she left. She looked so scared and pale…I’d been excited to know how it went, hopeful she’d made like a friend…but I was wrong. When she reached me again, she couldn’t even form coherent sentences. She said…he would