Haunted

Two

"If you didn't want to get in trouble you should've just sucked it up and met Liam instead of zapping yourself out of there." Kore rolls his eyes as he speaks to me; my hand unconsciously coming up to rub the new burns on my chest from the pendant I'm forced to wear at the mention of last weeks debacle over the almost forced encounter with the man meant to spend his life with me.

The unfortunate ankle monitor to match now clasped around my good ankle for the next three weeks while I'm on house arrest. There would be nothing but going from home to work and back again for me for what feels like an entirely separate eternity than the one I'm already bound to.

One gut reaction...

One simple transportation spell and the council thinks I'm trying to escape the geographic area currently approved for me to currently exist in without permission... Ever so afraid that all of us war-torn witches will get together and execute a plot for revenge for turning us into the monsters we walk around like today.

"Maybe it was an overreaction on my part, but I'm just not ready..." I'm not ready and I never will be, and my never is going to last a longer than Liam's never so waiting him out shouldn't be a difficulty.  He just needs to understand that I won't be introducing myself... That he would be better off finding someone nice... Someone respectable and perfect and pretty like he is, "I'm not a good match for him I don't think."

"What do you mean?" Kore chuckles, picking up one of the heavier buckets of filler flower for me to move it into the fridge while we clean up for the night, "Grandma Anne always used to tell us how you used to croon over how you wanted a lover... Some great outdated romance, and Liam's perfect for that. He's one of the sappiest people I know, he'd woo you and take you on all sorts of dorky dates... And he's important around town you know."

As if being important around town or in his pack would be something that would fall on the list of things I would look for in a soul mate, "What does that have to do with anything?"

My tone is sharp and takes even me aback, my nephew straightening up from grabbing some clippings off the ground, tossing them in the trash before tucking his hair behind his ears, crossing his arms with a trepidacious look on his face.

It's easy to realize the thoughtful look on his face is due to him trying to pick out his next words carefully, "I just thought... Well. A lot of us think, actually... Maybe people around town will warm up to you once you're tucked under his arm... Do you know? People will just see you as his mate instead of a- Let's just say maybe everyone will be a little nicer."

I cringe with understanding, the reference no less uncomfortable for either one of us. Maybe if all the shifters in town saw me as just Liam's mate instead of just a warlock they would stop being so uneasy in my presence.

No one was ever outright spiteful when I was around, and everyone liked and treated my descendants well enough...

But many of the town's inhabitants aren't happy with someone with such unstable tainted magic taking up residence smack dab in the middle of their territory surrounded by a vein of witches who's magic tends to amplify my own.

No...

No, they were not happy.

My presence had affected everything, from the amount of business here at the shop all the way to my home being egged at night by disgruntled teenagers poisoned by their parent's bias.

It's not exactly as if I was able to choose my fate, but they wouldn't know that and I suspect very few of them would be willing to sit long enough for me to explain. At this point, it doesn't bother me because it's the same everywhere I go, and that's good because at the moment I can't leave.

For all of the reasons I should just excuse myself, I can't apply for another transfer for at least another year has been completed from the move here...

And so I'm stuck n the middle of a beautiful flower shop surround by family and unhappy faces, being hunted by a blond god who apparently can't seem to understand subtle rejection when it slaps him in the face.

"Look... I'm just saying it would be easier for you to just meet him. Get to know him a little before you make any decisions. Liam's a nice guy and he deserves a chance before you throw the Goddess's gift back in her face."

My nephew unfolds himself with another sigh, running his palms over his face and letting them tug on his cheeks for a moment, looking out into the lobby for a moment before walking towards the counter and tearing a page out of our order book is sure to leave the carbon copy still attached to its spiral, "Also, there's an order for delivery tomorrow. It's my day off so you'll have to do it yourself- before you say anything I already called in and checked. As long as its part of your normal work duties you can go ahead and do it so it's fine. It's still in town so it shouldn't be too hard."

Kore doesn't meet my eyes again, just shoves the page into my hand and makes his way to the back office to grab his coat, tossing a quick goodbye over his shoulder before abandoning me to finish the clean up by myself.

As much as he and I get along together, he was never one who was able to discuss the hard subjects, and he tends to jump ship as soon as he's uncomfortable in a conversation.

I don't blame him, the topic of what I am is a sore spot for the entire family, their generational shame still not washed clean... At least in Kore's case, I know its only because he actually feels bad for what happened. He's gotten to know me and about me and he's angrier on my behalf than he probably should be, that sensitive nephew of mine. 

Looking down at the note written in Kore's perfect script I recognize the address as one that isn't far away at all, but I'm unable to dwell on it... My thoughts all swirling around thoughts of Liam and Kore and how they seem more suited for each other than Liam and myself... If only that handsome wolf could see sense and choose someone like Kore instead of someone like me. He deserves someone cute and sensitive and clean...

He deserves the world... Not someone who was involved in the war that almost tore it apart.