"Nicholas!" Serina was jolted awake from her dream and she found herself reaching for something non-existent - nothing but air. There were tears in her eyes but she couldn't remember what her dream was all about.
She went to her class absentmindedly and even made several mistakes. In the end, she was excused and was sent to the infirmary because she looked pale and weak.
"Nicholas." She muttered his name once again while staring at the white ceiling of the school clinic. "Why am I feeling like this?"
'Like what Rina?' Brittislava asked deep in her mind.
'Today, I woke up feeling a little stuffy. I dreamed of Nicholas last night. I don't remember what it was but now, I felt sad to be away from him. I want to see him. I want to touch him. This isn't normal.'
'It's fine. Your first academic year will end soon. You can see him again.'
'I know. I'm looking forward to see him, too.'
Serina never felt so helpless before. This was the first time that she craved for someone's presence and a man at that. She was nicknamed manhater because she didn't like men before. It's not because he didn't like them but she hated the fact that she can hear their lewd thoughts. So far, the only person she couldn't read was Nicholas.
"Right! Why didn't I think of that?" Serina questioned herself as she sat up right on the bed.
"Think of what?" The nurse asked while looking at Serina with a confused look on her face. "If you are alright, you can go back to class now. Don't waste your time dawdling here."
"Yes, ma'am." Serina jumped off the bed and went back to her class. She felt a little better now while conversing with Brittislava in her mind. She found out that there were people with natural mind barrier and she thought that Nicholas belonged to this group. She never associated him with people who have supernatural powers.
After her class, Serina called Nicholas instantly. At first, Nicholas was taken aback that she initiated the call but the surprise turned to happiness while he listened to her nonstop chattering. She told him what she had been doing and that she has a surprise for him. Her happiness was resonating and even the people around her felt happy as well.
On the other hand, Damon has done his preparation. He will be taking a blindeye to everything while aiding Serina of the things she wants to accomplish. If anything, he will go against his father's order for her. She's the dragon princess and he knew how powerful she is. He wouldn't be stupid to be on her bad side.
Damon tried calling Serina but the phone's automatic message was her busy status. "What's keeping her busy?" Damon questioned himself but found no answer. He pocketed his phone and went to his room, only to find his father standing at the door. "Father, what brings you here?"
"Am I not allowed to see you here?" Retorted the senior and the current master of their home. "Damon, I don't want to be disappointed in you. I only hope to train you in becoming the next master of this home."
"What are you talking about? You are not planning to leave Veronica and I, right?"
"Of course, not."
"So, why make me the master of this home? I don't want that title. I just want to be a free man, someone who can travel the world without upholding to the image of the new leader."
"But you have to?"
"Caesar can do that."
"Do you want our clan to decline? Do you want our image to be ruined? I cannot trust your brother in this."
"It's because you don't trust him that you have these thoughts. You don't know what Caesar is capable of." Damon pushed open the door and closed it behind him, not bother to invite his father in. "Tsk! Being a leader is a tedious task. Caesar is better at it. I should help him become one."
The next day, Serina once again felt the impulse to go back home and find Nicholas. If she wasn't sane enough, she would have done it already. Her heart was becoming restless with the thought of him. Sometimes, she's paranoid to even think that he has found a girlfriend and she didn't even have any romantic relationship with him.
"I'm becoming strange." Serina told herself while waiting for Elder Alina to come and visit her. In order to keep herself busy and to be safe from possible enemies lurking around her, Serina decided to practice using her power at the Dragon's tribe.
"You look horrible." Elder Alina stated the moment she popped up inside Serina's room. "Something's bothering you."
"I don't know. I just wanted to keep myself busy and maybe I'd forget about things and people and whatever it is that occupies my mind."
"Then, let's go. Your practice might keep your mind from wandering elsewhere."
Just like before, Serina was put to sleep and Elder Alina brought her to the village without letting her see the drawn rune for passage. When she opened her eyes again, she was at the village already but then, she felt so empty inside her and couldn't stop herself from crying. She didn't even know why she cried.
"Are you really alright?" The elder asked her again but this time, Serina could only shake her head, not knowing what to say or how to describe what she felt.
'She's feeling the pull of her mate.' Brittislava told Alina using their private mental link, one that Serina didn't knew of.
'Mate? She has a mate? She's very young.' The surprise in Alina's voice couldn't be hidden at all. In their village, most people fall in love at the age of fifty. That's already the youngest age which was why, Alina thought it was too early for Serina.
'Her blood isn't of pure dragon.'
'I know. She's half human but that didn't mean she can fall in love at this age.'
'She's not a normal human. Even without me, she'd still be strong.'
'What do you mean?'
"Alina? Elder Alina?" Serina waved her hands in front of the elder several times to get her attention. "You've been staring into space, are you okay? I don't think we're both okay. Should we just skip our lesson today?"
"Oh. Uh...sure. You can take this moment to rest. Do you want to look around the village?"
"Okay."
It wasn't just Serina who was feeling the pull of their connection but Kiro as well. Kiro felt it stronger than Nicholas. There were times that he'd come out of Nicholas with the goal of finding Serina. The distance between them agitated him and made him even more restless.
"Chill buddy. You've been coming out without warning recently." Nicholas told himself, definitely talking to the wold that reside in him.
'I need to find her. I need to see her.'
"So, are you certain that Serina is our mate?"
'More than a hundred percent sure even though I cannot sense the wolf in her.'
"What do you think hinders her from showing her wolf? At the same time, which of her parents is the wolf? There wasn't any information of her parents that would give us a clue. Do you think she's adopted? If so, who are her real parents?"
'I understand where you're getting at but let's not forget the fact that Serina looked very much like her mother.'
"That's right." Nicholas mumbled as he put the documents down. "I'll check on her information again. Or shall we ask her directly?"
'No, can't do! Are you out of your mind? We have to take things one step at a time.'
"Hahahaha" Nicholas laughed cheerfully upon sensing the worry and anxiousness on Kiro. Between the two of them, ever since Nicholas awaken the wolf in him, he was always at the disadvantage. Kiro never show any weakness which was why Nicholas has few friends. His wolf has a superiority complex and not everyone likes that. Thankfully, people understood that he needed to look strong and act strong in order to safeguard the the whole clan. As he grew older, other children became closer with him. Althoug, no one can compare the camaraderie between him and Gabriel.
"I'll have a video chat with her later. So, do your best to stay low and just observe within me. Don't you dare go hyper and turn me into a wolf in front of the camera."
'Hmp!' Kiro disdainfully sulked and fade from his subconciousness. It was obvious that he didn't want to hide from the chance of seeing his mate.
Serina was playing with the children at the dragon's village while Elder Alina looked after them. She looked calm but the little trail of pyschic power showed that she was conversing with someone. If she trained herself, enough for her to see the traces of power, she would have known that Alina was conversing with Brittislava.
'You said that she's not a normal human and that she'd still be strong without you, why is thay?' Alina questioned, not forgetting the topic at all.
Brittislava sighed and opened up a little information about Serina. 'She's not aware of this and if I guessed it correctly, her mother isn't aware either.. Serina isn't just a daughter of a dragon bearer and a human but of a dragon bearer and a she-wolf.'