Gaslighted

It took a while for Diana to stand on her feet. Considering the prevailing circumstance, it never crossed her mind to open the door. In fact, she didn't want to open it for anyone. Staring at her reflection on the glass window, she prefered to be this way… alone. Once again and as always, she found tranquility in solitude in the company of her own shadow - out from harm's way with a chance to ponder, and a time to wonder.

She leaned with her ear glued against the door, trying to hear the other side. She waited until the knocking stopped. Hearing footsteps walking away, Diana pursed her lips as she exhale shakily. Then she head onto a chair resting her chin with her palm on a small table, looking out the window. Staring at the sky belonging to the moon and millions of stars, Diana closed her eyes thinking of the man she wished to be there. And for the first time, Diana felt very lonely.

Diana woke up at the sound of the birds singing. Feeling her body ache from sleeping on a chair, she stood up and stretched her arms to ease her tightened mucles. Not wanting to see Roman, she stayed in the room until the sun is at its highest.

Feeling stuffy inside the small shabby room, she tried to open the windows but it won't budge. She sighed in grief, as she look out to see the wonderful sight of the natural scenery where the roots of the trees seems larger than life. She could also hear a bit of water streaming. 'There must be a stream water nearby', she thought. Looking closely, she saw Roman and his friends having a chat under a red tree. She quickly hid away from the window, avoiding to be seen by Roman.

Diana was already thinking of food when she caught a whiff of a delectable aroma, making her empty stomach rumble from hunger. Decided to come out, she opened the door as the aroma of the food became stronger. On her way to the dining table, Kristia popped out of the nook table surprising her.

"You missed breakfast. You must be terribly hungry! Come on, let's eat!", Kristia exclaimed as she pull Diana to sit on a chair. On the table, Diana's eyes feasted on the selections of food Kristia prepared. There were hot cross-buns, pumpkin soup, roasted chicken, grilled fish, stir-fry vegetables and some wild berries.

"Has everyone eaten yet?", Diana asked while being served by Kristia with some food on a plate.

"Don't mind those boys. They can eat later", Kristia's eyes appeared sad and misty despite smiling warmly.

While Diana is eating her first meal of the day, Kristia sat beside her and asked, "How are you feeling, Diana?".

Diana paused or a while as she forced a smile to Kristia without saying any word.

Sipping on a glass of water and clearing her throat, Kristia poured some soup on a bowl for Diana. "He's a good boy, Luna.", she started to explain. "Though, there were instances where he's often misunderstood. Roman is a good boy", Kristia emphasized as he spoke in Roman's defense.

Diana inhaled deeply as she grasp on the spoon she's holding. 'I knew it', she thought Kristia would speak on behalf of Roman at some point soonest.

"Roman is a product of rape. His mother, Oli… was sexually asaulted by Roman's father, Randall, on the night before he imprinted on another wolf..", Kristia clasped her hands on the table as she tell tale. Diana gained her interest as she shifted her gaze at Kristia.

"Randall walked away like nothing happened, and went on his wonderful life with his mate. Despite having an Alpha bloodline, Randall never had the Alpha blood awaken in him. Wolves pay the price of what we do, huh?. " Kristia clicked her tongue as she continued. "So umm.. Roman grew up with no father in a less priviledged life with his mother. He was raised and taught solely by Oli to be self-sufficient, brave and outspoken. He was… taught to become a knight of courage and bravery, to where he brought his roughness until he grew up..", she narrated as Diana listened.

"I, then took care of him after his mother left him during his teenage years.. it was then he started to battle with himself. He started to question his existence. Soonafter, Roman became troublesome and started to connive on relationships with various women.. He sought after his happiness with his friends and explored on his preferred directions in life. He perceived that only when he imprint, that's he would finally be happy at the fullest degree", she added.

"But then again, at the end of the day, Roman is just a boy who needed love and attention. He's someone who wanted to be tucked in at night, maybe some ice cream while watching a movie, and a hug on his bad days… He never forget birthdays, he knows when you feel terrible and still call you beautiful.. sits with you when you feel lonely, and never sleeps when you're sick", she said.

"Did his father knew he had a son with Oli?", Diana asked.

"He did. In fact, he wanted to get Roman. Randall and his wife never bore heirs. After finding out Olivia gave birth to his son, he tried to woo Roman to join him. Randall even rejected his mate for Roman and Oli, but Roman was never interested. So, Randall could just watch his son grow at a distance, until he received the ordain of the moon goddess that he will become a werewolf for rejecting his mate", Kristia explained.

"But.. Roman's an Alpha, does it mean his parents became dominant Alpha wolves?", Diana tried the clear things out about Roman being an Alpha.

"No. Randall never became an Alpha. The bloodline that he passed on to his son gave Roman a chance to be an Alpha. It was indeed very unexpected, knowing Oli is an Omega wolf. The moon goddess has her own tricks on our fate", Kristia said.

"Must be fun to be the Moon Goddess.. I wonder what she was thinking before she invented imprinting", Diana wondered.

"Wolf Imprint is magical. Once we imprint, with a single kiss, and a light touch with our mates, we could hardly control or stop ourselves like magnets attracting opposite poles. The closer you get to your mate, the harder you'll fall", Kristia explained.

In a wolf's point of view, self-control is a struggle with your mate. Diana thought Scott has an incredible self-control during the numerous times they were alone together. Prolly, Scott is an Alpha and a Lycan in one body which are both amazingly strong. Diana assumed that it could be the primary reason why Scott acts that way. He have always had that ambivalent feeling of having two strongest desires of deeply loving her and wanting to kill her.

To think, is the imprint also the reason why the lycan emerged from Scott? Did the imprint triggered the lycan to come out? While Diana is still lost deep in her thoughts, Kristia continued talking.

"You see Diana, the wolf imprint attached Roman to you. Just imagine.. he gets too much pleasure at the whiff of your scent, and then feels pain under his skin and through his veins everytime he stops himself.", Kristia rationalized.

"What he did.. is offfensive.. I understand you are all wolves. And that, what he did is justifiable of his nature but, I am not a wolf", Diana replied.

"We're wolves, Diana. Being an animal is inate to us. I'm not saying what Roman did is right. I'm just telling you that there will be times he wouldn't be able to stop himself from being physical as long as he stays imprinted on you", Kristia explained further.

Diana can't believe she was being gaslighted for an attempt to be almost raped by Roman. But on the contrary, she understands that Kristia is just trying to make a point. Could she find forgiveness and acceptance in any corner of her heart to understand their ways?

"Kristia.. does the names Viktor and Karin Lockwood ring a bell?", Diana suddenly blurted out changing the topic for she have nothing more to say for Roman.

Kristia sliced her finger without wincing hearing the names of certain people that made her heart skip a beat - names that she never thought she'd be hearing. "No..", she answered watching her finger bleed.

"I see.. I thought you were someone who knows them", Diana said.