Alpha Dhampir~ On Hold

Chapter 18

Rose Hathaway

My father sat next to me as he told the story. I hated hearing it, much less telling it so it was a relief that Baba told it in my stead. Ivan and Christian's parents hadn't returned to their seats, preferring to stay by my side. I hated the fact that they felt as if they owed me after saving their lives, they didn't owe me anything, it could have just easily have been Adrian, or if we had been in Russia, Oksana could have staked them. But if I was being honest, I did enjoy their company. Moira had quickly become an aunt figure for me, and in a way she was. Lucas was the uncle who acted more like an older brother, especially with his pranks and playful attitude; whereas Ivan was riding between brother/best friend just as Mason and Eddie were, and someone I had grown to love, just as I had once felt about Dmitri.

Speaking of Dmitri, he had barely looked away from where Ivan and I sat, me still on Ivan's lap. His big brown eyes watched our every movement, but he wasn't the only one. Ever since Baba said I was an Alpha Dhampir, and I had to display some of my powers, my friends hadn't taken their eyes off of me either. I avoided looking at them, my heart wouldn't take another hit if I saw terror and fear from them like I had with Pavel. It had taken my uncle months to show me that he wasn't in fact scared of me but rather scared for me. Did I believe him, some days, other days I fear he truly was scared of me.

As Baba's story continued, there were gasps from around the room, gasps that made me flinch with dread. Every time I made a movement, Ivan would just hug me tighter and Lucas and Moira would whisper calming words to me, their movements in sync. They had received a lot of practice over the last two years; my nightmares always seemed to wake them up. I had always thought that the job of a protective friend was my job, especially after figuring out the bond with Lissa, but here I was being the one who was comforted by others. It was a foreign feeling, a good feeling but still unusual.

In Ivan's arms, I listened to his heartbeat rather than the questions that were being thrown around. I had lost track of the conversation when Ivan pinched my side. Looking up with a frown, I realised that everyone was staring at me, waiting for the answer to whatever question had been asked.

Oops. "Sorry, what was that?"

Lissa and Mia giggled softly while Eddie just smiled exasperatingly. "Still the same old Rose." He murmured. "Mia asked you why, didn't you return to Court once the purge happened?"

I sighed, "Like I told Lissa, I didn't want to harm any of you. I didn't know how to control my magic, I thought it was going to be difficult to learn how to, considering I had never had any experience," I arched a brow at all the Moroi in the room who shrugged while Eddie and Dmitri nodded understandingly. "But it seemed as if my body knew how to, as if it was an instinct that was buried deep down in my soul."

I watched as Christian stared at his parents with longing. Poking Lucas, I jerked my head in the direction of his son, and he nodded pulling Moira with him and they re-joined Christian on the sofa. Sparky looked at me, gratitude that ran deep, plastered all over his face. Ivan still stayed with me, no matter how gutted Dmitri appeared to be, and I knew Ivan had seen. Internally growling at his silly behaviour, I nudged the man but received a shaking head.

Ignoring the obvious tension between the two men, my eyes wandered over my other friends. Lissa was staring at me, her face pinched in slight pain. Rose, are you happy?

I gritted my teeth at the pain that the bond caused. Not having used the thing in two years, besides the occasional time I was pulled into her head. I guess so. I am back at Court, but I could have done without the pain that I was caused.

From the corner of my eye, I saw Dmitri watching us. Sighing, I refocused all my attention on my best friend since the age of five. You aren't mad at me for being the next queen?