Ch. 27：A part of me wants her

She was a witch. I can swear to god, she was one.
And even if she was not a witch, she was no normal lantern. It's like, there is some invisible kind of bond between us that I cannot exactly pinpoint but has us connected.
I don't know what magic and spell she was performing, but she already has me hooked and wrapped around her little fingers even when she doesn’t try to have me around her. If anything, I have always found her ignoring any confrontation with me and even changing ways so that she won’t have to talk to me or see me. Which I am hoping will change that we are friends now.
However, I don’t know will I be able to control my feelings around her. She has this strange power over me, and no matter how hard I try to act normal in front of her, it’s like a soft side of me is awakened whenever she is near me.
When I saw her exiting the canteen yesterday with tears brimming her eyes, I had thought that she had fought with some human.
However, when I entered the canteen and heard that guy, that usually sits with her, talking about how they shouldn't have mentioned her parents, I knew something wasn't right. And thus, without even caring for the lunch even when I was hungry as hell, I followed her until she stopped in the secluded corner behind the building.
How did she even find this secluded place was beyond me. But that wasn’t the matter of my concern right now. My main concern was her shaking form, which was a clear indication that she was still crying.
Feeling a foreign pang in my heart, I was about to go there and confront her, or maybe console her when I heard her say,
‘To hell with this wolf thing! Am I not a person? Don’t I deserve to be loved? What the hell in the world did I do to deserve this? All of this just because I didn’t change into the wolf on my 14th birthday?
My parents abandoned me, and I suffered the hatred of the whole pack because I was a lantern. I didn’t get to meet the love of my life, I had to leave the pack, hide, live alone in dangerous places all alone, and now have the strongest alpha investigating my case. All of this is because I am a lantern, ain’t it?’
Hearing her words, my steps paused as I looked at her with widened eyes, my heart breaking into million shards when I heard her heartbroken voice that was filled with nothing but sadness and loneliness.
I could see that she was hurting. Maybe hurting beyond repair. However, there was something inside me that was screaming at me to go there and hug her. Telling me to go there and tell her that everything will be okay and that I will protect her no matter what.
I was no sucker for tears. I have watched packs being wrecked. Have killed rogues that I have even lost the count of. Have committed sins that are beyond forgivable. Have become the reason for the tears of countless she-wolves, whose mates were killed by me for trespassing. I was no innocent person who will get soft-hearted just because of some girl's crying.
But I don't know why, every time I see her sad, I feel like my mind will go berserk if I don't see her happy again. Like her sadness and my mental health has found a new connection, and her happiness is the only key to keep me sane.
She has grown onto me just like that. I am sure she was a witch. I can approve of it just by her charms. Even her wailing felt like a piece of sad music to my ears.
I have grown on people’s heartbreaks, and it was nothing new to me.
A big part of me wanted to claim her right here and tell her that she is mine and that I will protect her in all the conditions.
Her trembling form right now was breaking my heart, and I was feeling like the biggest jerk, standing there like this, watching her cry when I know that I was also a major part of her breakdown.
'You know, if you feel like helping her, then you should go for it. Maybe the moon goddess is giving you second chance at love? You never know. Even I feel a deep connection to her, which doesn't make sense, given how there is nothing like a second chance mate in our world. Honestly, I think you are falling in love, and your emotions are affecting mine.' My wolf said, putting all the blame on me, and I couldn't help but roll my eyes at him.
So much for helping me in sorting out my feelings. I thought before stepping closer to her.
“All of this is not happening with you because you are a lantern. It is happening to you because you didn’t meet the right kind of people. The people who had the guts to stand for you and care for you despite all your differences."
I said, genuinely meaning every word that I uttered.
'Yeah, the right kind of people like you.' My wolf howled, making fun of me again, and rather than having a heated discussion with him, I chose to ignore him, knowing that I have many important matters pressing at the moment.
‘You can choose to ignore me, but you can’t ignore your inner feelings, Sebastian.’ My wolf, whistled, making me smile at him.
He and his so-called remarks were beyond me.
Pulling her hand, I hugged her from behind, and I must say that it was one of the best feelings that I have ever felt after finding my mate.
It felt like this was where she belonged. That she belonged in my arms, and I didn’t want to let her go. I know it was stupid of me to think such an unreasonable thing, but that’s what I felt at that moment.
Like how great it would've been if she truly belonged to me. She was beautiful, quick-witted, strong, and had a brilliant personality.
More than that, she was heartbroken and lonely, just like me.