an Everlasting Pursuit

fifteen

Mya stayed with me until dinner time, going as far as to skip lunch with me. I quite enjoyed her presence. I found her easier to talk to than her sister. Where Eve was strict and old-fashioned, Mya wasn't afraid to curse and talk about things Eve would class as taboo.

"I understand your reluctance about us all." She commented, relaxing on my bed. "If they threw me into your world, and told I was stuck with some guy who I never met, then I too would be pretty peeved. But you're not as innocent as you look, are you?"

"Innocent?" I quirked an eyebrow. "Sexually?"

She laughed. "Goddess, I wasn't talking about that but we can go down that route if you want!"

I laughed with her, shaking my head. "Your sister nearly had a meltdown when she found out I was engaged to a man."

"I bet she did." Mya grinned. "How long were you with this guy?"

I hesitated, chewing my cheek as I debated my answer. Deciding Mya was friendly enough, I shrugged, dropping my eyes to the torn skin on my leg. I often traced the harsh lines with my fingers; they had become rather red from the intense get-away I tried to accomplish earlier.

"I was with him since I was sixteen." I explained. "We were supposed to get married when I turned eighteen, but I prolonged it until the summer..."

"Prolong it?" She barked a laugh. "Could it be that bad? A man you were with for what, three years nearly, finally to be as one?"

I remained silent and her amusement died down as the seriousness of my face hit her. A small whisper of a curse left her lips, followed by an apology.

"It was an arranged marriage." I began. "My mother..."

"What?" She cocked her head, her nose flaring. "You smell... mournful."

My laugh was lacking in amusement as I shook my head at her. "My mother arranged it. She was not a good parent. After my father died, she became a shell of herself. My marriage was to a man of money, a man whose parents ran the village. In the marriage, it would secure her a future. My little sister... I just hope she doesn't have to live how I did."

"I'm sorry." Mya frowned, her hand coming to rest on my shoulder.

I gave her a faint smile, and we stayed silent as my mind ran with the memory of my mother changing my life, controlling my life. Mya's hand traced gentle circles on my shoulder, her thumb brushing my jaw and ear. It tickled, causing goosebumps to raise on my arms.

Levelling my gaze with hers, I saw her staring down at me with rather dilated pupils. "Mya, are you okay?"

She blinked a few times, her hand stopping the patterns on my skin. It took a few moments for her normal brown to be blinking back at me, but when they did, she appeared sheepish.

"Sorry, my wolf... She was studying you. She can smell a lot better than I can and she was just reacting to your changes." She flashed a toothy grin.

"Is that why your eyes turned black?" I wondered.

She nodded. "The pupils dilate when wolves try to take over, so you can still see some colour."

"Is that why Asra's are always black?"

She twitched slightly at the drop of her Alpha's title but didn't react otherwise. "His wolf is strong. We are one soul, wolf and human; one entity. We have human eyes and our wolves' eyes, and Alpha just so has a powerful wolf's instinct. It is why he is such a good Alpha."

"They say the eyes are the window to the soul." I commented. "So his are always black because he is always a moody wolf?"

She laughed, her body vibrating the bed. "I suppose you are right. He has a higher prey drive, bigger instinct... bigger sex drive."