[FLASHBACK: 15 Years Ago]
Zordan’s POV:
While I tried to boast my strength before her, after I carried her up on my back shoulder and started strolling out of the woods, I realized that it was a reckless decision.
Even though she looked delicate and fragile, I forgot the important fact that even I was only a mere 10 years old kid too! I retained an aloof expression even though my legs were already trembling and felt weak.
But, no matter what choice I had made with my Alpha instinct, I wanted to take her safely out of the woods without letting her get a single scratch anymore. Even I was surprised at myself, that for the very first time in my life, I was feeling such overprotectiveness towards a complete stranger. She was wrapping her frail white arms around my neck and buried her teary face on my shoulder.
“Am I too heavy for you?” After a heavy silence between us, she was the first one to initiate a conversation. Her tone sounded a bit concerned as I presumed she must have sensed my heavy breaths of exhaustion.
“No, you are light as a feather.” As expected from a proud alpha, I showed no sign to let her know how much I was struggling in this little body as a kid.
But surprisingly, after hearing my answer she let out a small chuckle and clutched her wrap tight around my neck, snuggling close to me.
Damn it! What’s wrong with my heart? Why is it pounding so fast today? I questioned myself over and over since I was too naive to feel these overwhelming emotions for the first time.
As she willingly drew herself close, I could evidently feel her sweet scent. I assumed that she must be an omega, but her peculiar scent was strangely enchanting to me. Somehow I realized, it acted as a sedative to numb the void of despair I was carrying in my heart all along.
“You are pretending to be strong, but I know…you must be struggling to carry me. But…thank you for not leaving me alone. I…I was really scared.”
Burying her small face on my back shoulder she mumbled her innocent confession which startled me a little. Even though I was trying to pretend all fine, how did she saw through me so well? Everything about her was special which made me even want to know her better.
“Why did you go inside the forest in the first place when you didn’t even know the way back outside?” With a small cough, I tossed my query.
She rather stayed silent for a brief moment and leaned her head down. Her eyes seemed a bit dim as she muttered, “I was asked to bring a rhododendron flower from deep inside the forest, or I won’t be allowed to sit with the rest of the class.”
“Huh?” Her unexpected response confused me quite badly as I rolled my orbs in wonder as I promptly asked, “Rhododendron? How would you even get such a flower in this season? And who asked you to do such a thing?”
But this time, she stayed quiet for a while and didn’t bother to answer my question. She had a timid look on her oval face and I didn’t fail to notice some old, small scratch marks on both her hands, which seemed more like claw scratches.
“Hey,” I frowned my brows deep as I turned my gaze aside to look at her, “Do you get bullied by the other noble kids?”
Suddenly, hearing my blunt query she shifted her gaze towards me quickly, meeting my round big eyes. I could see a sorrowful glint in her eyes and even though she couldn’t answer me immediately, I understood my hunch was correct.
“You mistook me for a bully too at first. So, you really get bullied, huh?”
Her numb reaction strangely irked me, especially when I glanced at the scratch marks on her hands. I was the kind of kid who never bothered to meddle in other’s business, but all of my logic failed to work in front of her.
Hearing my heavy voice, I could sense the grip of her arms getting tight around my neck and I felt she was shivering a bit. Before I glanced at her properly, she was already tearing up. “I don’t have a mother…she died while giving birth to me. T-That’s why…everyone thinks of me as a jinx. I guess that’s the reason they are mean towards me—”
“Who the heck dared to make you feel like that in the royal castle?”
All of a sudden, I lost my self-restraint and grumbled my frustration aloud, which startled her a bit. I was already mad to find out such a fragile girl like her was getting treated badly here when I was the Crown Prince of this royal castle. Before she could utter a word, I continued, “Don’t think lowly about yourself! Even though I don’t have a mother anymore, no one would dare to accuse me of a jinx if they don’t have a death wish!”
“You…too?” Her voice crooked a little as she curiously rolled her eyes in surprise.
Watching her puppy eyes wadded at me, I tried to console her, “To be honest, I was in a shitty mood today but after meeting you, I am feeling much better. Even if you are quite heavy to carry, but, I don’t hate you. Neither…I will be mean towards you. And I won’t allow anyone either to bully you from now onwards.”
When I uttered those words with a flustered look for the first time I tried to comfort a girl, suddenly she burst out into a soft peal of laughter while gazing at me all along. This time, I saw a relieved smile on her face which locked my gaze upon her.
Her smile was insanely beautiful and the way her eyes curved into a crescent moon when she smiled at me, I suddenly started to feel uneasy inside. I didn’t know what these emotions were known as, but I just didn’t want to let go of her.
“Because of you, I am feeling much better too. I couldn’t share these things with anyone but now I feel much at ease after telling you about it.
You…are my first friend ever. Thank you…” She rested her head down on my shoulder and mumbled with a soft whisper.
At that, I realized I had already walked outside the forest and soon enough, both of us will have to part ways. I felt the uneasy sensation growing inside me again as I murmured to her, “Hey…w-what’s your name?”
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