Crossroads

Time is a Fickle Thing

 Song: Of Monsters and Men – Wolves Without Teeth  

The gala turned out to be a huge success as it was every year. Students, graduates, their parents, friends and almost the whole of the teaching faculty were there. Everyone moving around the Great Hall, making small conversation, reuniting with old friends, making new ones, expressing their well wishes for the future and exchanging farewells and hopes to meet again.

My father was also mingling amongst the crowd, dressed in a fine dark suit that brought out his dark blonde hair and blue eyes. I didn't look like my father. My brothers were an almost exact copy of him. I looked like my mother in such an eerie way that sometimes I caught them all gazing at me with a haze in their eyes that clearly suggested that their minds were taking them back to a loving memory of hers. Her absence from our lives was never forgotten.

I was standing near the walls where my photos  as well of those of the other graduates were exhibited, dressed in a dark blue, retro-styled dress with white butterflies, coming just above my knees. I was feeling happy and beautiful, surrounded by classmates for what well might be the last time I saw any of them. It wasn't just that our roads would take us in different parts of the country, it was the fact that I wasn't like them. I could never keep a lasting friendship with them after I returned to my home. The risks were too high, here I was alone, I was the minority. Back home was a different matter altogether.

One of my classmates, a cheerful sweet southern blonde named Madison dragged me from my group and rushed me to her part of the photos for the project. My theme was "People and the city», catching strangers in my lense while they walked around the city-campus, going about their daily lives. Madison picked to do portraits.

"I 'm absolutely sure that you forgot you posed for me, darling", she said in a heavy southern accent "Come, look at how beautiful you are!!" Her voice was filled with her excitement.

We stopped in front of my picture and I was amazed at the elegance that was portrayed. My face looked back at me. My dark hair was flowing loosely down my shoulders, my eyes were painted in a way that made their hazel colour shine and a black sheet covered my breasts. The background was black, making me the only object that lighted the whole photo. She really did a very good job with the lightning. I turned towards her and I saw that she was already talking with one of our professors.

Suddenly my wolf moved like a chill had went down her spine. My attention turned to her to see what was wrong but my nose caught the scent of pine tree mixed with what could only be described as frost or snow, as if those two effects of the elements could have a smell at all. He was here and he was close. I returned my attention to my portrait. I would not seek him out like a love sicked puppy in a crowd full of humans. If I could smell him so could he. He left me without even a name in the woods, if he wanted to speak, he should come to me.

Not a minute passed and I felt him standing behind me, so close that I could almost feel the exhale of his breath on my neck, my senses overloaded by his presence. He leaned close to my ear, inhaling my neck but not letting his body touch mine.

"Hallo Ms. Hamilton", his voice was as heavy as I remembered.

I turned and faced him. He looked different, dressed in a dark grey suit with a black shirt and a tie, in the middle of a crowded room but then again the last and first time I saw him, we were in our natural habitat where our natural instincts prevailed our human notions.

''I would greet you by your name but you seemed to be in a hurry the last time. Something must have needed your immediate attention, I suppose." I replied feeling, satisfied by my response.

He smiled and I cursed myself. I was trying to be proper and smug and gave away that I was annoyed by his disappearing act.

He didn't give me an answer and turned to look at my portrait. Embarrassed by my unsuccessful attempt to corner him, I looked at it with him.

"Beautiful and inciting, what a delightful combination», his words gave my cheeks a little flash.

"My classmate needed a model at the last minute, she did a fine job with the lighting and contrast" my answer came sounding a little defending. He nodded and I got the impression he was pleased it was a female classmate.

He turned and looked me in the eyes, capturing my whole attention, not that he lost it at any point.

"I won't keep you from the rest of your friends, you might as well say your goodbyes, seeing this is the closing event. I will see you at dinner" with that, he turned and walked towards the opposite side of the hall, leaving me totally confounded once again. What did he mean dinner? My vision followed him and I decided that I had enough of this peculiar wolf, whose name I still didn't know. My wolf was annoyed as well but I got the feeling she wanted to follow him. Her response was less uninhibited than mine, her nature naturally called her towards this strong and strange male.

I searched for my father and found him with two other wolves, conversing near the exit of the Grand Hall. I approached them and I recognized the younger one as the Alpha of the resident pack, The Ghosts as they were more widely known due to their stealth nature and light features. I bowed my head discreetly towards him and my father pulled me to him with his hand.

"I believe you have met my daughter, Vivian when she first came to live here Anderson" there was always a proud tone in my father's voice when he was talking about me. The Alpha's title was dropped by his name for obvious reasons.

''Yes, I did and now I see her once again before she leaves. You have grown over the years, you certainly capture the eyes of any available suitors" said the Alpha with a knowing look in his eyes.

"None who have come to my door as of yet but there is plenty of time" I responded, feeling a little uneasy. The Alpha seemed to know more than he hinted.

"Time is a fickle thing, sometimes there is never enough of it. And time is of the essence and we are all expected at the house for dinner" said the Alpha with a sudden carefree tone that didn't match his statement.

I looked to my father and he explained "We are invited to join them Vivian and seeing this is my last night here, I can't miss on the opportunity to see his father, it has been way to long. I hope you don't mind."

I minded but I couldn't say no when he put it this way. So I agreed and told him to wait for me at the exit while I said my goodbyes. I now understood what he meant when he said that he would see me at diner. I walked out and I called to my father before he entered the Alpha's car. I had to tell him before we got there. He might not even talk to me but in the off chance that he did, I didn't want my father to be surprised in front of strangers.

"I 'm going to tell you something and we can discuss it later when we are alone. Three weeks ago I met my mate, a possibility of one is more correct. I don't know his name but I think that he might be there tonight. He was here earlier and he said something about it. I just wanted you to know before we get there." I breathed out, a little relieved but more anxious at the same time.

My father looked at me with an equally shocked and angry look. He turned and opened the door to the car and ushered me in. I went to get inside and he asked me "You don't know his name?"

I shook my head, embarrassed at the situation. My father's eyes softened and he said "Don't worry Vivian, he will be there and so will I. I will always be there when you need me".