Tamed by the Lycan Prince

7- BACK PORCH

CHAPTER TWO

-WILHELMINA-

After the dinner was finished and satisfied sighs echoed around the room, Severa and I slipped away. Raina shot me a knowing look as we quietly excused ourselves. The night was alive with starlight, painting the earth in hushed tones of silver and shadows. We began our nocturnal adventure into the forest, guided by the familiar paths that were carved into our memory.

The moon, in its haunting beauty, bathed the pathway in an ethereal glow. Its light danced on the leaves, and made the dew drops twinkle like a thousand tiny stars.

We meandered along the trodden trail, our steps quiet against the rustle of leaves beneath our feet. The forest was a symphony of sounds, where the occasional hoot of an owl could be heard harmonizing with the soft cadence of crickets, and each rustle of the trees was an interlude that added depth to the melody.

Our destination was the Old Willow – a generous giant of a tree – older than anyone could remember. Its bark was thick and gnarled, a testament to the centuries it had witnessed, and its branches arched towards the sky like the arms of a seasoned storyteller, ready to weave a tale of the ages. Illuminated by the glowing orb of moonlight, the Old Willow stood majestically, a timeless sentinel against the backdrop of our mortal lives.

We settled on the lush carpet of grass beneath it, surrendering ourselves to the comforting embrace of Mother Nature. Silence fell between us, but it was a comfortable quietude that asked for no words. We sat shoulder to shoulder, legs stretched out in front of us as our bodies leaned against the sturdy trunk of the Old Willow. The cool bark was a pleasant contrast against the lingering warmth of our bodies, remnants of the hearth fire that we had left behind.

We gazed skywards, our eyes tracing constellations that spread out like spilled sugar against the dark canvas of the sky. The majestic Orion's Belt, Cassiopeia's throne, and the Big Dipper were within sight, as if offering their celestial glow for our night-time tryst.

Severa broke the silence first, her voice barely more than a whisper against the nocturnal symphony around us. "I missed this," she said.

I turned to look at her, finding her gaze focused on the stars above, a soft smile playing on her lips. Her eyes reflected the heavenly gleam, carrying within them their own little universe that pulled me in with an irresistible force.

"As did I," I confessed quietly, my gaze unwavering from her. "I haven't been here since you went off to college."

Severa's eyes finally met mine, a soft sadness shadowing their starlit depths. "College," she sighed, as if the word left a bitter taste on her tongue. "Perhaps leaving was a mistake."

"You're not happy there?"

It was more of a statement than a question, yet she shook her head nevertheless.

"No," Severa confessed with a heavy sigh, looking back at the nebula-dusted expanse above us, "I'm not."

I reached out to take her hand in mine, gently squeezing it in silent understanding. The silence stretched between us once again, but this time it bore the weight of unspoken words and unsaid truths.

I had hoped that going to college would bring me peace and a sense of belonging," Severa whispered, barely audible over the sound of leaves rustling. "After Boris cheated on me with that girl, I just wanted to run away from this town and everything in it. But even there, he still manages to haunt me by becoming the d*mn Alpha."

The mention of Boris brought a bitter taste to my mouth. "He never deserved you," I murmured, the words spilling from my lips unbidden. The night air seemed to stiffen at my statement, as if it held its breath, waiting for Severa's reply.