The whole afternoon, I was scrubbing and washing the plates and pans. This is one of the activities I find calming and prevents me from being around children.

Aiden left since he is a busy person and our request. my request, was so sudden but he will be back, I'm quite sure.

"Can I take this?" Theo points at the garbage bag.

"Yes, take this too." I handed him another one but he was in daze.

"Uh... Theo? Theo? Theodore?" His first name is not Theodore.

"Huh? Oh, okay." He took the bags but I noticed his eyes glazing.

"Is something wrong?"

"Uhm. Miss Thena, can I... can I ask you something?"

Theo is a shy boy who started helping out these last 2 weeks, we don't usually talk aside from our usual greetings.

"Of course, what is it? Do you want to change your tasks?" I mean garbage collection is not really appealing.

"Ah... no. My task is fine with me. It's... It's about..."

"About?" I fully faced him, this sounds serious.

"Is it possible to know who someone's mate is before we can first shift (to wolf form)?"

"Normally, after someone can shift to their wolf form, one can sense their mate but it's not impossible to know beforehand." He is 15 years old now. Before this, he was a rogue so, maybe he was not taught about these things.

"Hmm. Then it's possible." He muttered to himself.

"Do you like Riri?"

"Huh? Ah... Uhm. I... uh." His reddish cheeks is enough of an answer.

"Don't worry, I won't tell Riri."

"Tell me what, Neechan?" Both Theo and I turned to our subject: Riri who seemed to have just entered the room.

Theo has his mouth agape, frozen in place, probably panicking.

"Theo wants to thank you for bringing him here."

"Oh. You're most welcome." Her sweet smile made him even redder. "We also have to thank you for helping us."

I think Theo is not breathing.

"Uhmm... Theo?" Riri waved her hand in front of his face.

"Theo?" Unexpectedly, she moved a bit closer so I saw his eyes widen.

"Ah... I better get this out. Bye." He ran off.

"I wonder if he is okay. He looks like he has a fever."

"Perhaps, it counts as sickness, lovesickness."

"Huh?"

"Nothing."

She continued to the cabinets.

"Ri, what do you think of him?"

"Who? Theo? I think he is nice."

"And?"

"He is also reliable."

"And? Do you... feel something else when you first saw him?"

"Huh? Hmm... I think he was... brave and strong. I can't imagine being a rogue for that long."I sighed. Ri is too innocent. But she's not wrong. To be able to survive on your own, not having a home to come back to, it was indeed amazing. But they don't have to stay like that for life. That's why we established the orphanage. Although, it was hardly a pack and they are still technically rogues, the laws protect them from further discrimination.

Headmaster acts as the authoritative figure thus, he is always busy. That is why I chose to move here. Scrap that, it was not exactly my choice. I was convinced. This place is still under the name of the guardian and the King supports it, so, no one dares to attack this place. I'm comfortable enough that someone governs the wolves that if I ever perished, they won't crumble.

Nighttime. Duke poured his sixth glassful of wine before sitting beside me on our patio. Our stock of wine is mainly for him. He probably visited his winery near here.

"You don't get drunk." I whispered. His drinking habit has been going for ages.

"Werewolves get drunk." He retorted before taking a sip.

Right. He was a werewolf. They say, we turn to our most hated enemy and he also did. A werewolf who was cursed to be a guardian of vampires. That is our gruesome fate.

"So, how was your day?"

"He was there."

He scoffed. "Of course, he is there. Cheers to the cursed ones." He raised his glass. "We who protects those that wronged us."

He drinks the whole glass in one gulp. He is always like this whenever someone shows up. I suppose he hasn't moved on.

I caught sight of the label of the wine. It is one of his millenium bottles, the only ones that render him drunk.

"If only I did not." his hoarse voice suggested that the alcohol had taken effect. Is he that desperate to get drunk?

"If only, I was not a fool..." I watched as his grip tightened.

"Hey, you're drunk." I reached for the glass in his hand but as I took it away from his hold, he caught my hand.

"Why aren't you angry?"

"Come on, Duke. You're drunk." I stood up but...

"No." He pulled me closer, his ruby eyes met mine. The whole place is starting to get hot. His eyes glow against the dark night.

"Be angry! Be mad! I did this to you."

"Duke." He did not let go.

"If only," he paused, biting his lip in madness. "If only, I accepted you." The past flashed back as he said those words. A chance, a love, a choice. He was my first soulmate but due to the conflict between wolves and vampires, he had to reject me. That is when my curse started.

"That was a long time ago." I took my hand away as his hold loosens. Now, I held his. "The past will always be the past." It may be bitter, painful and regretful but, no one has to relive it more than once. It is enough to suffer once not to be tortured a thousand times.I let my power radiate to help calm him. He turned away letting go of my hand.The temperature has gone back to normal.

"You should rest." I whispered before letting go.

"I'll stay here for a few." he answered.

I sighed. "Okay." and I went inside.

Whenever my soulmate rejects me, I know I can never blame them. They are also victims of fate. Yes, sometimes I imagine what if someone accepted me, what will be of my life? What will be of my curse? And maybe, I will live in fear that one day, they will suddenly leave me.

But Duke, he hasn't left.