Almira fidgeted slightly when she spoke about her grandfather, making Talia squeeze her hand on the table as the tension lingered. I may not have seen the old man at my wedding, or if I did, we haven't talked personally.
"Sounds terrible," I commented softly, finishing my lunch.
Almira sighed again, her worried voice hinting at an experience she wished to avoid repeating. "Not much when he was talking, but when he started moving, that's when the terror could happen," she answered as she looked worriedly at me, but if her grandfather was someone I had to face to get my diploma, then I didn't care. Then she sincerely asked. "Can you face him? I mean, his terrorizing darkness?"
"If your definition of darkness is grave and gruesome, then my answer is yes. I've been through worse." I answered honestly, making Talia and Agilus' looks soften.
"What do you mean by worse?" Clayne, Agilus' simple but sophisticated kind mate asked.
Nobody was speaking until her eyes landed on him. Agilus clenched his jaw as he squeezed her hand on the table. Then he regretfully answered. "She's been used by someone and almost got killed."
Clayne studied his agitation before smiling tenderly. "The one you told me about?" She asked gently, and he nodded. She chuckled over Agilus' worried expression and kissed his cheek before saying, "I know she's the one you hurt and took care of from your past. And that doesn't change the fact that if you haven't gone through with it, I think you'll still be a douchebag like those jerks, and I would reject you in the spot."
Agilus pouted, but the table erupted with laughter. But Almira shifted the mood, but remained on the topic as she asked something bluntly, "Did you leave a scar on her?"
Agilus looked at me, hoping I would help him, but I grinned mischievously. Then he grumpily reacted. "I'm being gang up on by women." He sighed, shaking his head before answering Almira, "The scar I left is something we both decided to keep. That's why I asked my mate's parents to let me join her, not only to be with her, but secure Bernila after I learned from Talia about it." He became serious and looked at me before informing me, "I heard from Clayne, they're here too, and I clarified it. Two of them were here, serving a Marasigan and a Blackrose."
I went stiff, clenching my hand on the table when Talia placed her hands above it. Then she reassured me firmly. "We won't let anything bad happen to you. We won't let you be alone."
"But you're not all with me all the time." I reminded them softly before smiling. Then I reassured them, saying, "Don't worry, I won't fight them until it's needed."
"Are you sure you can handle them alone?" Allison asked worriedly.
I grinned before answering, "Who says I'm alone? I've got Reaper."
"Reaper?" Agilus and Clayne asked in unison.
"Her Knightrose guardian," Almira answered, grinning. Then she turned to me, saying, "If something goes wrong, don't stop your guardian from doing its job as your guardian. Are we clear?"
"Yes, Mom." I sarcastically replied, and the rest laughed.
"I mean it, Berns." Almira firmly said, and I get it.
"I know..." I nodded, but my smile turned mischievous, and I asked, "So, what's the score between you and Talia?"
Both instantly blushed, and that alone answers it. I am happy for them, but thinking what Agilus said earlier, I know it won't be long before I have to face my past. I didn't expect that the time is already here. With determination beneath my sigh, I thought, "Let them come. I'm changing anyway."
***
As we head separately to our classes, I was guided by Allison to my next class, which was still the Strategies Class, but they informed me it would be different this time. By the time Allison left, I was about to knock when I smelled an unfamiliar scent coming my way. I was slightly stunned meeting a woman with good looks like my wife, even though this woman wasn't a vampire.
"Are you in my class?" the woman asked with her dashing smile.
"What's your class?" I asked curiously. I wasn't aware what class she was teaching.
"Strategies: History and Security," She answered with friendliness.
I nodded. "Oh yeah, I'm in your class," I answered, smiling genuinely before introducing myself. "I'm Bernila Knightrose."
Her expression faltered slightly, and I was not sure if it was about my name or my surname. But she recovered quickly, and with familiarity, she smiled as she invited me in. "Bernila...okay, let's get inside."
I learned the woman's name as soon as she started the class with six students, including me. Her name is Lunaria Thorns. The class was about the typical history that has been passed down throughout generations. It includes the old feud among creatures, wars, treaties, and plagues, which I've read all before. But she caught my attention when she started continuing the discussion about the two realms, the Mystra Netherwyn and the Nocturnal Haven.
"As everyone knows, the Nocturnal Haven consists of supernatural creatures, but three beings are well-known to everyone, such as shapeshifters like werewolves, magical beings like witches, and blood hunters like vampires." Lunaria proceeded with the discussion with a follow-up question: "Question, among the three races I've mentioned, who are the selected nobles who visited Mystra Netherwyn alongside their kings and queens?"
I've read it, and I know the answers. But I noticed that the rest of the class with me were either not interested or didn't know the answer. To them, this was a boring class, but to someone who loved to read more than doing any physical activities, it wasn't. I participated.
I didn't raise my hand; I answered her question instead. "The selected nobles were the Addams for Witches and Alchemist, the Marasigan for werewolves, and the Knightrose for vampires."
"Very good, Mrs. Bernila." She smiled, praising my knowledge about it before proceeding, "They were chosen to travel to the Mystra Netherwyn for a celebration of the ascension of the soon-to-be young leader, a maiden of the Fenrir tribe from the Silver Bluemoon Woods. Can any of you guess who it is?"
"Sage," I answered quickly since nobody dared to answer that, making our professor sigh.
"It seems to me that I only had one student, and it's the new transferred student, a scholar." She firmly said, making the others flinch, but still none of them tried to listen.
I sighed. "Ma'am, let's just continue whether they want to listen or not." I was calm, but I was eager to hear more about it because Miklye once advised me to learn more about Fenrirs. And maybe through this class, it could help me understand my dreams and conversations with the midnight blue-furred Fenrir. With a steady voice, I added, "Don't worry, if they do care about passing your class, they'll listen."
"Hey, don't be full of yourself because you're here as a scholar." One of my classmates spat, not liking how my words hit them.
Before Lunaria could say something, I raised my hand to stop her as I shook my head. She narrowed her eyes, but she understood what I didn't want anyone to know. I don't want them to learn who I was behind the scholarship.
Whenever I was in my zone, I became a completely different person and wouldn't allow anyone to ruin where my mind excelled. Instead, I spat back firmly, "I'm not being full of myself, I'm just stating the fact, and if you don't want to listen anymore, the door is open, you can leave to explore other classes and see where you fit. But in here, don't interrupt who's willing to learn."
I may not be facing the person I'm talking to, but I could tell from the voice that it was a woman, a smug Delta from the same pack where Jerome came. I knew it because, being in the same pack, there was always a hint of similarity in their scent. But what I didn't expect was that she would use force to make me face her.
The same unknown woman who had grabbed my collar furiously, exclaiming, "WHY YOU?!"
Some snickered, but there was one voice, a familiar voice, from a man who spoke to her calmly. "Don't touch the lady if I were you." Jerome's voice rang in the room. Everyone looked at the only man at the very back, glaring at the person who was clenching my collar. "Let her go before someone reports this incident to the vampire queen of this land."
The woman, Jerome's delta, scoffed in disbelief. She didn't let go; she tightened her hold around my collar before growling her jealousy, "You're being arrogant because the Knightrose got your back…"
"I don't see anything I said made you this jealous." I refuted flatly, maddening the woman more. She was ready to rip my head off, but I was not giving her satisfaction. I held my seat, looking at her emptily.
Then a slam echoed in the room, and it came from Jerome, growling in warning, "Enough, Lucilla."
"But Alpha, she's…" She tried to reason, but Jerome growled with authority, making her cower.
"Know your place. She's stronger than you think." Jerome, being in his alpha tone, warned her. When she let go of my collar reluctantly, Jerome reminded her, "And being a delta, learning history again and security measures is not bad, unless you want the pack to fail." The woman nodded and went back to her seat, more pissed at me. But Jerome turned to me apologetically, "Sorry about the class's delay."
"None taken, Alpha." I smiled, shaking my head,
Jerome chuckled and decided to sit beside me, reminding me, "Didn't I tell you to call me Jerome?" I playfully think, making him nudge my side, giggling. Then he reasoned, almost sounding like a whisper, "Just call me Jerome. Once my mate and I announce our marriage, I won't be a member of our pack. And besides, you're a Knightrose."
"I see, okay, Jerome," I responded, agreeing to his reasons.
But he leaned closer, whispering, "I didn't know you would be taking this class."
"I just learned earlier," I responded, shrugging my shoulders, and we both focused on the class.
As the calls proceeded, I learned that Fenrir's abilities showed in their fur's color, or if not in their fur, it would be in their tattoos. It reminded me of my dream about Sage, but there was something different around Sage. From my dreams, Sage's Fenrir form was not only reflecting both faces of darkness, but it also spoke about the serenity of the night. Her tribal tattoos were simple shapes and lines with different thicknesses and sharpness reflecting light and darkness, danger and peace. But more importantly, all were balanced well as it embodied the core of hope, love, spirit, and power.
But something else bothered me.
"But Ma'am, from what I've learned about Sage's bloody mark on her temple was a half-serch bythol and if she had found her mate then, why half?" I interrupted, asking what had been bothering me throughout the discussion.
Lunaria smiled. "I see you're doing your research. But let me correct you on something, it's not a serch bythol, Mrs. Bernila, it's triquetra." She corrected me before adding Sage's true position in her tribe. "Meaning she's blessed with spirits and more importantly, not only by birthright, she's chosen to be the protector of her tribe."
"That made sense, her aura in my dream speaks of it." I thought carefully before I responded. "I thought it was only for the people who practice magic,"
Lunaria's smile didn't falter; it was filled with fascination at how eager I was on learning about Fenrirs, especially her, Sage. Then she began explaining about the triquetra symbol. "Is it because the witches mostly use the symbol that means already magic? No. If you're going to study the symbol, it was used for protection; some exorcists used the triquetra to ward off evil or negative energies. But also, it serves a divine connection for support, guidance, and protection, and some people use this as their talisman for spiritual growth and hope." Her voice was still steady, but when she met my eyes, they became soft and familiar before adding her own thoughts on using it, "There's nothing wrong with believing it as long as it's for the greater good and your own improvement. Not for the evil one."