Sebastián

t w o

The kitchen matched the overall white aesthetic that the palace was. It was so pristine and clean. It was beautiful.

"You know how to cook?" Sebastián asks, making me come out of my daze. He leans against the white marble countertop. We were all alone.

You know what that means! My wolf hollers in my head.

Shut up. I reply, hearing her chuckle in response.

"You know what, nevermind," Sebastián says, turning around and opening several cupboards. I watch as he pulls out a large mason jar full of penne pasta. So organized. He fills a pot full of water, placing it on the stove and turning some knobs before finally turning on the right burner. Placing a clear lid on the pot, he turns around to face me. "Pasta it is" I appreciatively smile at him.

"Sebastián!" A voice calls from somewhere outside the kitchen. A few seconds later a middle-aged man walks in. He looks a bit like Sebastián, but not really. "Oh! Hello!" The man exclaims upon seeing me. He has a hungry glint in his eyes that makes me squirm. "And who might you be?" He talks to me as if I'm a child, walking over to me and patting my cheek. What in the world...

The wrinkles on his forehead scrunch as he smiles at me. He has those old person teeth, glossy white, a bit discolored.

"Cristine Lacey," I say quietly, slowly trying to back away from him without him noticing.

"She's my mate Dmitri," Sebastián says, sounding as if he's challenging him. I see something unidentifiable flash in his eyes happiness? Anger? I have no clue.

"Well, that's amazing!" He cries, finally backing away from me. "I'm Dmitri, Sebastián's Uncle" He clarifies. An Uncle. So he does still have a bit of family...

"Hi," I say awkwardly, watching as Sebastián turns around to the pot of now boiling water.

"Marvelous, my nephew has found a beautiful mate and Queen" He takes my hand and kisses it. I try my best not to grimace at the saliva on my hand. "A bit frail though" He measures my forearm with his hand, looking pained when his pinky and thumb meet around my arm without any difficulty. I wiggle my arm out of his grasp, feeling self-conscious. Um hi ok I don't know you please don't touch me.

"I've been packless since age thirteen, a bit hard for me to get in my daily nutrients," I say, not able to control the bitterness in my voice. It's not like it was his place to judge, I barely knew the dude.

"How old are you child?" He asks. Child? Um...

It was in this moment I realized I had no idea how old I was.

"What year is it?" I ask. I've been completely disconnected from the world for a long time. Hell, when I was thirteen I didn't even have a cell phone yet. Dmitri tells me the year and I attempt to do the math on my fingers. "Twenty, I'm twenty" I announce. I'm twenty. Holy crap. I still feel like a thirteen-year-old.

"Well, you are very brave" He pats my shoulder, feeling bad for me. "My mate is mind-linking me, I have to go!" He gives a small wave before finally leaving the kitchen. Sebastián then walks over with two bowls of pasta and sets them down on the kitchen island.

"Thanks," I say, taking a seat on one of the bar stools and pulling the bowl closer to me. Sebastián just stands across from me, leaning into the hand that rested on the marble island counter.

We eat in silence.

I felt so antsy I could pee my pants- no shorts.

After I finish my bowl I clear my throat. I'm not used to really eating properly so I felt full to the point I was just a little bit nauseous. I say nothing, neither does Sebastián.