Melody
"Alpha, there's a man at the port asking to see you."
Huh?
I looked from Dorian to the guard. Who would want to see Dorian at the port?
"Are you expecting anyone?" I turned to look at Dorian whose face had a deep frown embedded on it.
"No," he shook his head.
He looked like he was in doubt.
"Could it be someone from the rogue king's army?" I asked aloud.
Dorian sighed in contemplation.
"Did he tell you who he is?" Dorian was as surprised as I was. We couldn't tell who this stranger was. "Did he tell you where he has come from?"
The guard nodded and rubbed his hands against each other, "Yes Alpha, he said he is Derek."
"Derek?" I repeated, almost screaming.
My ear has to be deceiving me. Why would Derek be here?
Why would he leave Mallory to come here?
I exchanged a quizzical gaze with Dorian. We seem to be having the same thought.
"Yes, that's him," The guard nodded. "He said his name is Derek." He confirmed.
I stood without thinking and marched out of the room. If Derek is at the port asking to see Dorian then there is more to his obstinacy.
Every time I think that I'm about to begin a new life leaving my painful past, it keeps catching up with me.
Now I'm left with no other choice.
I will have to go teach Derek a lesson he lives to remember so that he won't mess with me.
"Mel, Wait!"
Dorian came after me and took my hand. "Mel, are you okay?"
"I'm fine," I replied without looking at him.
I wanted to give Derek a piece of my mind. If screaming or hitting him is all it takes to make him steer clear of my case then so be it.
"But, you....."
"Don't worry, Dorian, I'm fine."
I replied with a shrug. My main focus is the man at the port. I could wait no longer. I need to go set him straight.
"Calm down, okay?" He kissed my hand, sending relief through me. "I'm right here." He reminded me.
We went towards the port with the guard leading the way and there I saw Derek and my brother with a strange lady.
"Malcolm!" I exclaimed and ran straight to my brother's open arms.
I had forgotten about my anger for Derek and all I intended to do to him upon setting my eyes on him.
"How are you?" Malcolm hugged me and brushed his hand through my hair.
"I'm fine."
I couldn't stop my tears from rolling. I didn't part with my family as I expected. I wanted to depart after giving them several hugs that would last long in our memories but everything was ruined by Derek.
I felt my blood boil at the thought of all that happened at Mallory.
I turned swiftly, reluctantly leaving Malcom's arms. I saw Derek and dashed toward him but I was stopped as the strange lady suddenly came to hug me.
"You must be melody!"
I stopped and looked at the strange but beautiful lady, wondering how she knew who I was. I've never met her before. How did she know me?
"I've heard a lot about you and....."
The lady paused as she seemed to notice Dorian. She pursed her lips and stepped away from me. She was overly excited and didn't seem to have seen him before.
"Estrella?"
Dorian marched forward as if to see the lady properly.
"Estrella?" He repeated.
"Brother," the lady muttered in a hushed tone.
"It's you."
Dorian looked surprised to see the lady. He looked around as if to be sure of where he was.
I stepped away from the lady and went towards Dorian, leaving Malcom's hand.
"What's wrong?"
I have never seen Dorian so stunned before. Which makes me wonder why he looks so surprised after seeing the lady. He even knew her name.
She called him brother, further confusing me. I mean, I know Stella. She is Dorian's sister. She is the only one I've seen and met, but then I heard of Magrella, Dorian's elder sister who is married to the Alpha King of the south city. Even though I haven't met Magrella, I have heard a lot about her, but this Estrella, I have heard nothing about her.
No one has ever mentioned her since I arrived here in Dark Flame. This got me more confused. Like, if she is Dorian's sister, why doesn't anyone ever talk about her?
Where has she been in all these years?
I had several questions but I knew that now wasn't the right time to ask all that. However, nothing seems to be adding up.
How did Derek meet Dorian's sister and what is he doing here? Is he here for her? Or is he here to bother me?
"Brother, it's me."
Estrella tried to go close to Dorian but she stopped after seeing his dejected face.
"Forgive me, brother."
I looked from Dorian to the lady who was now weeping. I could see that Dorian couldn't stand her tears. He wanted to console her but he was stopping himself. He is probably so mad at her that he is trying not to care.
However, his love for his sister was overriding his anger.
"I'm sorry brother. Please forgive me," she cried and this time, I took her hands and placed them in Dorian's. He stared at the hands for a while before embracing the lady.
"Estrella, it is you."
Dorian's voice was filled with emotions like none that I'd heard before. He brushed his finger through her hair and kissed her hair.
"We looked everywhere for you." Dorian licked his lips and frowned as if his mouth tasted bitter. "Father was so worried. He looked everywhere. He left no stone unturned in search of you."
Listening to Dorian made me see how much his father must have cared for Estrella. I just wish that I had a better father who cared for me.
Isn't Dorian's father dead?
If Estrella doesn't know of their father's death, does this mean that she's been gone before his death?
But why did she leave for so long?