The bedazzling bright glow of the moon shone marvelously, lighting up the dull, dark night of Seth Morgan. He hid his disappointment as he pushed the restaurant’s glass door open for Bella. Nonetheless, he looked at her with a smile as he led her to his car.
A white Cadillac was parked on the side of the road. Bella sighed upon seeing it. Everything about tonight’s date was accompanied with white. It was obvious that Seth wanted her to feel special by highlighting Bella’s unique feature – being an albino wolf. Seth wore a white polo to their date, brought a bouquet of white tulips, and even drove a white car. It was not that Bella couldn’t appreciate his gesture; she just thought it was unnecessary.
Seth opened the car door for her like the real gentleman he was. Bella looked up and saw the thousands of stars shining splendidly above her. The stars must be sick of only being seen as white lights from afar, she thought. Perhaps, the stars were sick of only being seen as perfect white glows adorning the skies with their timeless twinkling beauty. If people could only take a closer look at them, they would see that stars were not just white dots in the sky – they burn in yellow, red, and blue, too. She thought that she was those sick stars – sick of being a cold-hearted, perfect white princess. However, if Bella would just allow herself of being seen, perhaps she wouldn’t be sick of being a white wolf. Inside her were colors she was afraid of showing to the world. If she could just get over her fear, perhaps she would be viewed in a different light – a light of burning colors.
Seth got in the car to drive Bella home. He was quiet while driving, but his eyes stole glances at Bella from time to time. He sensed the sadness in her cold appearance, yet he was not daring enough to try piercing it with his warmth. Even if he was, Bella was not bold enough to open her heart to anyone.
Meanwhile, Bella’s eyes caught a familiar figure as the car passed by de Lima’s mansion. “Axel?” Bella muttered to herself, but was loud enough to be heard by the man beside her.
Seth glanced at where Bella was looking at. There, he saw a familiar face coming out of de Lima’s gate. He tried to recall where he first saw that face from. Seth’s brows furrowed grimly as he remembered the exact place and time he saw him. It was the guy he saw Bella with. His hands clenched the steering wheel as he remembered Bella’s smile while talking to that guy. His jaw hardened as he recalled Bella’s amused laugh when that guy tried to be funny by bumping into a pole. Seth saw all of that – all of it while waiting for Bella. Imagine how he felt when he just saw her with another man. Perhaps, only jealous men could relate to him.
“Thanks for tonight, Seth,” Bella said and reached for the handle to open the car door.
“I was hoping to see you out again soon.” Bella stiffened and turned her head to face him. Her eyes were met by Seth’s mellow brown eyes, silently asking her to stay with him for a little longer.
“We see each other every day at school, don’t we?” she quickly replied and avoided his gaze. Clearly, Bella did not want to go on another date with him. She knew that the more she would agree to go on dates with him, the harder it would be for her to pretend. She did not want Seth to be hurt either. The closer she was to him, the closer Seth was to danger. Though her grandfather knew this fact about her, he still insisted to make Bella go on to dates all for the sake of giving men a chance of becoming the next alpha. Bella could not help herself but put the blame on her grandfather.
“Who was that guy?” Seth asked, his grim brown eyes darted at Bella. “I won’t force you to tell me who that was. Just tell me why you don’t want to date me. Just tell me why…” he trailed off, “…why you don’t like me.”
Bella was startled to hear that from him. She was too stunned to speak. However, she had to make everything clear to him. Misunderstandings would only create more problems she was bound to be responsible of fixing. She hated that the most.
“I’m sorry I made you feel that way,” Bella spoke. “It’s not that I don’t like you. I just don’t want you to get hurt because of me. You know I’m cursed, right? Please understand. I cannot let someone suffer because of me.”
“Is that really your reason?” Bella nodded; her eyes sincere. “I’m fine with that. Cursed or not, you’re just you and I accept that. Ever since I laid my eyes on you, I just can’t get you off my head. I’m sure you are my mate and I want to marry you,” Seth confessed; his eyes genuine and full of admiration for Bella.
For the second time, Bella was startled and was speechless. She knew Seth liked her, but not to the extent where he would claim that she was his mate. Marriage alone terrified her.
“But, I can’t marry you. I can’t be alpha if –“
“I marry you. I know that,” Seth cut off. “But, what if I tell you, you can? You can be alpha. I’m not interested with that. What I want is you. You’re my mate and I want to marry you.” Seth’s eyes were burning with desire. His words were concrete and his longing eyes could not deny his feelings for Bella. The man is madly in love with her.
Bella sighed. “Still, I can’t marry you. I’m sorry. Your safety is much more important than becoming the alpha. I have to go.”
“Why, Bella?” Seth grabbed her hand and clutched it, his eyes beginning to water. “You said you don’t want to hurt me. You’re hurting me right now.”
“Because…” Bella pulled her hand away from Seth’s grasp. “I don’t think you’re my mate.” She sighed and quickly got out of the car.
Seth sat there alone, his hands clutched against the cushion of the car seat. His teary eyes landed on the bouquet of white tulips she bought for Bella. In the end, she never got to put it in a vase like what she had promised him. Seth grabbed the bouquet and got out of his car. He made his way to the Nighthowlers’ front porch and rang the doorbell. When no one answered after the third ring, he decided to open the door himself. However, ruffled sounds and muffled noises stopped him. He followed where it came from and it led him to the Nighthowler mansion’s backyard. His eyes widened in surprise. He was startled to see what was before him, yet he managed to hide himself behind a bush.
Bella was pushed against the wall by a tall man whose face was not seen from where Seth hid. Bella’s face was not visible due to the man’s wide back which covered Bella’s figure. However, Seth knew it was Bella. Seth’s brows furrowed and his jaw clenched as he tightly gripped the bouquet in his hand.
“What are you doing here? What if my dad sees you?” Bella hissed at the young man.
He only chuckled. “Well, aren’t we meeting anyway?”
Bella pushed his shoulder with her free hand and the both of them exchanged positions. The man now had his back on the wall and Bella’s hands were holding his shoulders, keeping him still against the hard, cold wall.
“Stop it or else I will…” Bella threatened, her eyes warning him as she pressed his shoulders further on the wall.
“Or else what?” the young man asked, his eyes gleaming in amusement as he flashed Bella a playful grin. “You won’t bail on me, will you?”
Seth could not stand the sight, yet he could not get himself to show up either. So, he stood up and left, his hands curled up in a fist. He harshly opened his car door and threw the bouquet in the back seat. He started the engine and stomped on the accelerator angrily. His car flew fast and disappeared quickly into the night. However, his anger seemed to have stayed when the skies began to darken. Nimbus clouds flooded the night-sky and covered the lonely half-moon. Thunders roared loudly and droplets of water began to pour one by one.
Perhaps, the weather was sympathizing with Seth’s broken heart.