The Candles Will Protect You

Chapter 9

They failed.

Their little girl was gone, taken by that monster.

Mr and Mrs Vancura were devastated. Rhea's father held his wife the morning they found her bedroom empty, but even she knew she couldn't cry forever. They needed to do something.

They were sitting in their living room in the company of their neighbours, Mr Brown and his son, Drake.

"I don't understand," Mr Brown said. "This shouldn't have happened."

"Maybe it wouldn't have if we actually did something, other than giving her those useless candles of yours," Mr Vancura raised his voice at him, which earned an upset glare back from his friend.

"Fun fact: they only work if you actually light them."

He snapped his had to his wife who had an innocent look on her face.

"I told her to do it! She said she was going to, I don't know what happened..."

Drake was standing on the other side of the room, leaning against the wall with his hands crossed on his chest. If you looked at him, you could tell that his eyes were full of sympathy towards the couple, but if you took a closer look...

"Wait a minute," Mrs Vancura looked up. "She was with Drake the night before she was taken!"

They all turned to him, Mr Brown having a questioning look on his face.

"Son, do you know anything?"

Drake managed to keep a serious face, but there was a tiny smirk threatening to show up on his lips.

He was quiet for a few seconds, then he raised his eyebrows at them.

"You're aware of the fact that she was taken by the Alpha, right?"

"Drake Brown," His father clenched his jaw. "Answer the question. Do you know anything?"

That was the moment when that smirk appeared on his face.

"If you really thought that you would be able to keep him away from her, you were wrong," Drake said, looking at the adults. "Even if he wasn't who he is, he still would've been able to take her. You know why?"

They just looked at him, none of them saying a word.

"Because love is stronger than anything. They were meant for each other, did you seriously think a few magic candles would be enough to keep him away from his mate? His one and only?"

"You still didn't answer my question," Hart stood up slowly, his angry eyes never leaving his son's face.

Drake let out a low chuckle, shaking his head.

"Yes, dad, I do know some things. Actually, it was me who helped him take her away," he said, enjoying the reactions he was getting. "And you know why? Because I couldn't live with the thought of Rhea living that same, miserable life that I do, because that's what your life is like when you have to live without your mate! Miserable!"

Mr Brown was staring at his fuming son with furrowed eyebrows.

"What do you mean?"

"Oh please, don't act like you don't know," he frowned.

"So, is... is she really-"

"Yes, dad! Tiffany is a werewolf, I'm her mate, and I love her! The only reason I'm still here, even after helping Rhea, is because I didn't want to leave you!"

A normal parent would be touched by those words, right? They would probably start crying too, grateful that their child was there for them.

Well, not Hart Brown.

"I knew there was something wrong with her," he said with an almost disgusted voice.

"Oh, other than the fact that she's white?" Drake smiled sarcastically.

"Yes, other than that! I don't understand you, you could be with Shamone instead!"

"She is a really nice girl and all, but even if I did want to be with her, I don't think she would see me that way."

"Why wouldn't she? You're a great guy."

"That's kind of the problem. Maybe she would consider it if I was a great girl, though."

Hart never looked this mad before, but Drake just laughed at him.

"Please, you act like there's something wrong with that! We live in the 21st century, come on!"

Mr Brown just shook his head, looking down at the floor.

Mr Vancura cleared his throat, staring at Rhea's best friend.

"I'm extremely disappointed in you. I can't believe you actually helped a stranger, a real-life monster, to take our precious child away. You-"

"You don't understand!" Drake took a step closer to them. "Yes, I'm sure she will be a little scared at first, but they are mates. It won't take much time for her to get comfortable around him. It just makes me sad that you would keep your daughter away from happiness."

He started walking towards the front door, but he looked back, for one last time.

"Only a fool would try to stand in the way of love."

With that said, he walked out of the house.

Before going into the forest, he quickly grabbed the suitcase full of Rhea's stuff that he managed to throw out of her window earlier, his own bag's strap resting on his shoulder.

Remembering where Ares' house was, he started walking in that direction, his thoughts being only on one person.

He was finally doing it. He was going to be with his mate.