POWERLESS • mikaelson mate

chapter nine

CHAPTER NINE

two years ago

The feeling of the sun radiating down on my body was complete bliss. A small smile lingered on my face as I closed my eyes and basked in the warmth. Although I usually favored colder climates, a relaxing trip to Corfu was exactly what I needed.

This was my first time setting foot on a beach and I was absolutely fascinated by everything. The waves were mesmerizing and I loved the feeling of sand between my toes. I had been rather unsure of how I was supposed to behave so I copied everyone else. When I saw several girls lay their towels down on the ground and lie on them, I did the same.

So far, the day has been absolutely perfect. The only thing that would make it better would be some company.

I let out a sigh as I sat up and removed my sunglasses. For the past several months, loneliness had begun to sleep into me at the most inopportune moments. I would be perfectly happy and then a wave of sadness would rush over me.

I had no friends, no family and no social skills. I did not know how to make friends or start conversations. I was most comfortable on my own because that was all I knew.

I dropped my sunglasses into my bag as I looked at a group of girls laughing as they sipped on drinks. An ugly feeling formed in the pit of my stomach as I watched them. They looked so happy and that made me feel so sad.

Maybe being alone was my punishment?

I stood up and packed away my things. I no longer felt confident or sexy in the bikini I wore. Instead, I was uncomfortable and insecure. It was truly remarkable how your own thoughts could ruin your day.

Intending on going back to my hotel, I slipped my dress over my head and grabbed my bag. I decided to take the scenic route and therefore walked along the beach. The more I walked, the less people there were. I felt my body relax and I smiled slightly as I listened to the waves.

I reached a part of the beach where no other human beings lingered and paused my journey back to the hotel. There were no eyes on me here so I no longer felt like I needed to behave in a certain way.

Over the years, I had noticed that I behaved in a rather different way to most humans. It was partly due to not understanding social etiquette due to being raised away from society but I also found that strange things bothered me. Certain noises, sounds and lights had the ability to render me inconsolable. It was one of the reasons why I hated living in cities.

Now that I was away from the crowds, I felt like I could truly be myself.

Dumping my bag on the sand, I sprinted towards the ocean. It felt so freeing to run without cause. I grinned as the souls of my feet collided with the water. I did not dare go too deep since I was unable to swim, however, I thoroughly enjoyed letting the ocean caress my ankles.

I let out a squeal of excitement as I spun around in a circle before jumping up and down, causing splashes. It was a simple kind of fun that I lacked in my regular life.

I bent down and held onto my thighs as I caught my breath. I was smiling wider than I ever thought was possible. Coming down from the high, I brushed my hair from my face and looked back towards the beach.

That was when I saw her.

My breath hitched as I caught sight of a lone figure watching me. They were standing a good distance from me on the sand and it took me a second to make out their features. My heart began to beat frantically when I recognised who it was.

Rebekah Mikaelson.

The moment she realized that she had been spotted, she hurried away. Despite everything I found myself chasing after her. I felt the bond flare to life in my chest and I realized that my joy moments ago must have been a byproduct of it.