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𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐞𝐫 𝟐𝟐

 -ˋˏ 𝘔𝘪𝘴𝘴 𝘔𝘺𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘍𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘴 ˎˊ-

˚ 　 ✫ 　　　 ˚ . 　　　 ⋆

. · 　　 +

✧

╰┈˚ · ° .  NYX WAS KNOWN TO BE  the goddess of the night, the personification of it. That was why I thought it was the perfect name to give Raden's bat-familiar.

The Púca had not been happy about it. Quoting his words, I was training his familiars to be house pets. And my response, it wasn't my fault that they loved me more then him and wanted to show it.

Nyx was a relatively calm animal. Unlike Bastet, she didn't require much pets, but at the same time, she loved to perch on my hair, and observe the world from there. I had received more than a few preoccupied glances from my family when I would totally forget about her in my head and climb down the stairs.

The one thing that I had been more worried about, hadn't been my relationship with Raden— which as of now consisted in continuous banter and his incessant flirting— but the one between both my mates.

I was surprised, in a very good way, when Zyran accepted his presence without a second thought. Raden fits in our dynamics like a glove. I could only hope that in the future, when the rest of my mates were going to show up, that they would get along just fine too.

The Founder's Hall was already filled with the town folk to assist the Miss Mystic Fall pageant. Everyone was dressed in their formal attire, from long elegant dresses to perfectly ironed suits.

The sage green satin dress flowed down my body in a very comfortable way, it wasn't restricting and I could easily move around to help Caroline with her hair and makeup.

The gown that she wore was of a gorgeous emerald green. It was strapless with a heart shaped neckline that was adorned with a drape of fabric. The bodice had a corset and the skirt flowed down to the floor and with a slit on the side.

Her hair, we had together decided to just make some soft waves and pin one side up to have a better view of her features that were enhanced with a natural makeup with glossy lips.

"You look gorgeous." I complimented the girl as I helped her stand up.

"I feel gorgeous." She beamed back, eyes locked on the mirror in front of her.

"Now it's time to get your crown." I grinned, squeezing her hand for a couple of seconds before retiring the touch. "I'm going to look for Elena, but trust that I will cheer for you."

Elena was already dressed when I entered the room where she had prepared. She was wearing a gorgeous electric blue dress and her hair were styled in curls and the front strands pinned at the back.

My sister was adjusting the little touches to her make up when she saw me reflected in the mirror, "Meda."

"If mom was here she would be very proud of you." I told her truthfully hiding behind a smile the sadness of that statement.

"I really hope so."

"I know it is." Talking with my sibling felt harder than opening up with Carolie or Zyran. With both Jeremy and Elena I always found a wall there, not permitting me to speak freely. I wish I could be a better sister for both, I tried to be.

But this, a few words were the only thing that I could let myself say.

"You look beautiful, by the way." I gave her a last smile before walking out with a heavy heart.

Grief didn't pass after a couple of months, and the awareness that I was the exact opposite of what my parents would have ever wanted in a daughter was like a stab at the heart.

I knew that unlike Elena, they would not be very proud of me.

I closed the door of the bathroom just in time for the first tear to fall that I was quick to brush away. But it was useless, they continued to stream down.

I didn't know why I was crying. The grief for their death, for the anger that was there even if they were not here anymore? Or because I still felt like I wasn't enough?

Elena was the perfect example of the daughter that my mother had always wanted. It was a shared feeling between Jeremy and I, feeling like we were always the one in the wrong.

I carefully adjusted my make up before I exited the bathroom when I was sure that I wasn't going to burst into tears again, but not even a step outside the room, I found myself face to face— or more face to chest with the height difference— with Raden.

"Yes?" I said confused when the male made no attempt to move.

Seconds passed where his eyes only stared into mine not straying away even for a moment, "You were crying."

"I wasn't." I denied it.

"You were crying." he stated again, not believing my words. His blue and brown eyes narrowed down as he took my chin in his hand. "Why were you crying?"

I opened my mouth to reply in some sarcastic way or insisting that I was fine but before I began to say anything, he lowered his head until we were closer, only a breath devding our nose to brush against each other, "And don't fucking lie to me again."

"I didn't lie." I gritted my teeth, squaring my shoulders. The awareness of his closeness threatened to cloud my mind rendering me helpless other than just stare and wish for his lips to meet mine. But I wasn't like that— not with him. I liked the way I could stand up to him, sometimes for nothing at all but to spite— even if he made my knees weak and my heart weaker.

"The truth, princess." He said, glance lowering to my lips for a fraction of a second, "I'm not going to back down from it. You were crying, so tell me why you were lying."

"No." The way the muscle in his jaw twitched in annoyance as he clenched his teeth hard, made the my reply worth it. But it was the look in his eyes of an animal following its prey that made me doubt about my decision before I started to like it even more.

Raden let go of my jaw, nodding to the side, and it was only when another body was pressed against me— this time from the back—- caging me between the two of them.

A hand warmer than the previous one— I knew it was Zyran's— sneaked around my neck until it commanded my head towards the side.

My green eyes met the hazel of Zyran that were lightened with mirth, "Come on Darlin', tell us the truth."

"I'm really going to hate you both if you'll start ganging up on me." I spat through clenched teeth. I didn't know if it was better to just give in or continue. I kinda liked where all of this was going.

Tsking, Zyran playfully shook his head, "That's not what we asked you."

My breath started to get heavier as soon as I felt fingers trail down my spine, focusing the feathers-like touches around the area in the middle on the shoulder blades.

I squeezed my eyes shut for a second, clamping my mouth close not letting out the shaky moan that builded in my chest. "That's not fucking fair."

"Everything is fair in love and war, princess." The words were delivered through an arrogant smile. His hand left my back with a last stroke before reading alongside the other on my waist.

My head fell against Zyran's shoulder once his grip on my neck loosened, "I had a little moment when I remembered that my mother never even asked me to join this stupid pageant like she did with my sister." I rolled my eyes at the negative thoughts, "Not that I would have participated anyways but she really cared about this bullshit." I let out a sigh, locking eyes with only the ceiling, "I don't think she was proud of me before she died, and I don't think she would have been now."

"You and your mother had two very different personalities, but that does not mean that you are wrong in the way you are," Zy said with soft eyes.

But it was alongside the kiss that Raden left on my temple, whispering the words in my ear that I finally could take the first deep breath after the first tear fell, "You are good enough."

───── ⋆˖⁺‧ ☽◯☾ ‧⁺˖⋆ ─────

╰┈˚ · ° .  Caroline was crowned Miss Mystic Falls, and the smile that she beamed at the crowd was worth the hours spent dancing and practicing the speech or the one shopping for the perfect dress.

She looked radiant, so happy that she outshined everyone there, but the night ended in a dark turn when Stefan Salvatore almost killed Amber Bridely, but before he could do more damage, the vampire was stopped by Bonnie. The witch's power had increased, I was sure that she had practiced more while she was away.

Damon and Elena tried to talk some sense into the ripper vampire, trying to get closer to him as if they were approaching a rabid animal, but Stefan— mouth and chin still dripping with blood— couldn't hear any reason or feel anything other than hunger and shame for his actions.

Bonnie had her eyes fogged by tears for what she had witnessed, Elena same as her, but worry for her boyfriend was at the utmost front of her face.

"Well, that was dramatic." I deadpanned, earning chuckles from the two males on my sides.

We had watched the entire scene happening further away hidden away by a glamour casted on us.

We were supernatural like them, but we were not in any shape or form part of their group.

It was just us. Just us three, for now. Our mate group.

✎

˗ˏˋ 𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫'𝐬 𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞 ˊˎ˗

Hello everyone!!

Well, that was hot. Raden and Zyran definitely knew what to do to make her talk. (More of it later on?)

I want to clarify something, Meda and her mate group will always think about them more, but who knows in the future what will happen. Maybe they will find their place with another group?

I have a confession to make. I'm addicted to pet names.

Thank you for reading this chapter, I'll see you on Saturday!

˚ · ° . 𝐔𝐩𝐝𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐥𝐞 . ° · ˚

𝐖𝐞𝐝𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐝𝐚𝐲

𝐒𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐝𝐚𝐲

𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐲 𝐬𝐚𝐟𝐞 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐨𝐧𝐞!

– 𝐋𝐨𝐥𝐚 ☾