Castellanos: A Flame That Never Dies

Christopher Constantinou I watched her as she cried, holding his face. It broke my heart already, knowing that she was in pain. I knew that Eliana Tessa Castellano was my mate.

I cannot forget that day when I returned to the palace after hearing about the incident that took place here. I was grateful for the princess who saved the palace and lost her life in the process. At the same time, it somehow made me sad that I wasn’t able to meet this great warrior princess.

Regardless, I went to Philip’s office because I was unable to give my condolences to the King himself as they grieved the princess once again. And I also had to report back.

I was officially back to palace duty now that we had found the princess, only to lose her again. It was my utmost priority to tighten the security here so that incidents like this never happened. Not on my watch.

I knew my mate was right outside the door when I offered my apologies for not being present at the palace when they needed me the most. I literally smelled the flames that seeped off her. Her scent was very strong. It was driving me crazy.

The Lycan in me was fighting for control. It wanted to go to her and hold her in his arms. In my arms. She ignited a flame in my heart. I wanted her. She was mine.

After I left Philip’s office, I stood outside as I inhaled the air that still smelled of her. But it confused me as to why she didn’t wait for me to be done. She should have been able to feel me too. My brows furrowed as I wondered who she was.

I inhaled deeply once more and followed her scent across the hallway, determined to find her. I stood frozen as I looked at the door in front of me. How was this possible?

The door that I was standing in front of—this room belonged to none other than Eliana Tessa Castellanos, Philip’s niece, almost royalty. I inhaled sharply as I turned on my heels and walked away.

No wonder she ran away. Maybe she didn’t want me as a mate. I mean, she was like a princess, and who was I?

Just a loyal servant of the palace. But who knew that I had just made the biggest mistake of my life by walking away from that door? Walking away from her.

I should have burst that door open and held her tight. I should have showered her with kisses. I should have held her tight and never let go. I should have…

That evening, when my heart got the best of me and my body acted on its own, I stood in front of her bedroom door once again. I knocked and waited.

And waited.

But I got nothing, not even a “go away,” which would have been much better. My heart drummed as I thought of the possibilities. I grabbed the handle, and it clicked open to a dark room.

A dark empty room. As I stepped inside, the cold wind swept over my body, sending chills throughout.

I turned my head towards the tall window which was wide open. The wind wafted her scent that lingered there. No. My heart sunk as I took slow steps towards it. I watched the pouring rain in the dark night as raw pain took over my heart.

I let out a loud growl as I realized what she had done. She had truly left me. And I let her. I fell on my knees in front of the window as the rain poured down heavily, a replica of my feelings right now.

Few sprinkles of rain passed through the open window and fell upon my body as I leaned back on my heels, shoulders slouched, hands on either side and head facing up to the dark sky. I felt defeated for the first time in my life. I gave up without even trying.

She was truly gone.

Heartbroken was not a feeling I was used to. My heart just shattered in a matter of seconds. It just took one female to break it. My mate who I have longed to find all these centuries.

I just sat wondering how I never saw her before as sadness seeped through my mind and my body. I had been the head of palace security for over a century. How was it that we never crossed one another’s path? But it was a fact that for the past fifty years, I had been assigned to search the lost princess.

When I finally came to my senses, I was determined to find her. No. I would not let her go so easily. I wanted to know why she left without a word. I wouldn’t allow her to leave without a reason.

I wouldn’t allow her to leave at all.

More determined than ever, I hauled myself up and out the room. I marched my way across the hallway and out the palace door where my car was. I jogged in the rain, not bothered by the heavy downcast as it poured on me, drowning me.

I started the engine and dialed the number of the airport security. I was in charge of the security of the whole kingdom that was located in an island, far away from other creatures. Safe and unknown to all.

“Hello, airport—” They picked up on the second ring, but I didn’t let them finish. “It’s Christopher. Has Elianna Castellanos booked a flight?” I asked them impatiently, already making my way out the palace walls.

“Yes, sir. Miss Castellanos had a flight scheduled for Paris that took off a few hours ago,” he replied quickly without a delay. The car skidded to a halt on the empty road as my breathing stopped. My hands on the steering wheel tightened as I felt my eyes go dark. “Sir?”

“Inform the security in Paris to notify us as soon as Eliana Castellanos lands.” With that, I ended the call. Before my anger got the best of me, I got out of the car and let the cold rain cool off my hot head and now my raging heart. But it did nothing to calm the Lycan inside me.

That night, my mate shattered my heart as she left me without even giving me a reason as to why she left. I howled up to the dark night as I shifted into my Lycan and went on a madness which lasted for two days. When I came about, I heard that they lost her as soon as the plane landed on Paris.

Later, I found out she was in Amsterdam. I wanted to jump on a flight and head over to her, but I held my ground. My responsibility here at the palace didn’t allow me the freedom to travel across the world right now. Not when Lucas’ Lycan was becoming so unstable with each passing day.

It was a matter of days until he would go berserk. This time, I wanted to be here to protect everyone. So, my pledge to the palace held me back.

But she would not be able to run away from me once I got my hands on her. So, I waited for the day when she would eventually return, or I was free from my responsibility. Then I would chase her till the end of the earth. Through heaven and hell. I promised myself that I would make her mine.

Now that she was in front of me, I couldn’t move. I was awestruck by her beauty and her elegance. Her scent was driving me crazy, this mate of mine that seemed to run off at every possible opportunity. I wanted to hold her tight.

But she looked so broken. Those blue eyes of hers looked so dull. Her wet blonde hair stuck to her face as the little droplets fell down every part of her body. I growled in hunger as a desire to have her wrecked my brain. I wanted her.

She was the most beautiful woman that I have ever laid eyes on. I have heard of her beauty throughout the palace but never really got to see her. But now that I was standing in front of her, she took my breath away.

I watch the scene unfold as the princess appeared from the ground beneath. Seems like the princess had been sleeping deep inside the earth. Recovering. Healing.

I watched as she took off her jacket to place it on top of the princess, leaving her own body exposed. Her long slender legs were very bare as she glided across the hall, towards me. But her eyes were never on me.

Even though those eyes were swollen and the whites of her eyes now red, she still looked stunning. But my heart clenched tightly as she never once gave me a glance.

I growled, frustrated at the fact that my own mate refused to turn my way and also because every one of these Lycans were eyeing what was mine. That seemed to have stopped them as they looked down to the floor. But not her.

She just elegantly strode over the hallway. Away from me.

But this time, I let her. I gave her time to breathe, even though my Lycan suggested otherwise.

Like before, I should have listened to it. I should have.

It had already been twenty years since then, but I had no clue on her whereabouts. I couldn’t seem to find her no matter where I looked or how much I tried. It was like she disappeared from the face of the Earth.

But that wasn’t possible. Right?

Anyway, I wasn’t going to give up so easily. I would find her even if it meant that I had to give up everything. Even if I have to sell my soul. I would find her. She was mine and only mine.

Eliana Tessa Castellanos From America to the Middle East to Asia, I had travelled across the world, never staying too long in one place. I never crossed over a month in a city or the country. For my heart feared that if, just if, they were to find me again.

No. I would not be found. I had promised myself never to return to that place again. I walked away from everything and everyone that I had ever known in this eternity of life I had been living.

Even though I faced a lot of struggles during these past twenty years, I refused to break down. All the money that I had was back in Amsterdam where I could never return to. That would be the first place they would sniff around.

And they would know if I did return, so my only option was to sneak on a ship to get away from there. For the longest time, I was no less than a beggar.

A person without a home. I became a stray Lycan until I met her, one other person that lived in hiding. She was constantly changing her identity—more like erasing it or herself from the world. So, when I found her, I stuck by her. It had been ten years since I had been with her.

Like me, she too stayed away from the palace, the one place that reminded us of what we had done. But mine couldn’t be compared to hers. I could never fathom what she was going through.

Deep down, I knew she couldn’t even look at herself without hating her own reflection. She despised the people that birthed her. She despised her life. So, she lived as she erased herself.

But it came in handy, though, the gift of hers.

Now I didn’t have to constantly keep moving. Her gift allowed me to live for a while without having to run away. She owned a house here and ran a café on the first floor. It was small, but it was warm and cozy.

During the day, I helped her out with the café, and at night, we both hit the club. Drinking, dancing, wasting our eternity away. Just a perfect getaway and a brilliant distraction.

We had a lot to forget, but nothing once left our minds, not even for a second. The inferno in me burned. Deep.

We didn’t talk about the palace anymore. She didn’t ask me why I left as I didn’t pester her on hers, but I clearly knew why though. And I did feel for her, but I was in no position to console anyone else when I couldn’t even stop blaming myself.

“Tess. Will you give this to table five please,” Harmony called out, breaking me out of my thoughts. I stand up from the sofa in the corner with the sunlight directly upon it.

“Sure,” I called out and took the tray of coffees and croissants, heading towards the only couple that occupied the cafe.

“Here you are. Enjoy.” I placed the tray on the table with a smile on my face.

“Thank you,” the couple replied. I nodded my head and left them to enjoy their food. I headed back to the counter where Harmony was looking outside the window towards the beach. She leaned her elbows on the counter and put her head on her hands as she sighed loudly.

“It’s a shame; it’s so nice outside.” She exhaled loudly.

I stood on the other side of the counter as I shook my head and chuckled. “You say that every day. And the weather here hardly changes anyways.”

She breathed out loudly and turned her head to look at me. “I know. But still. It would be nice if I were out there in the sea.” She stood up straight. “I can already feel the cool sea water. It’s so hot in here.” She complained.

“You know you can close the café anytime you want. It’s not like you need any more money.” I looked around the café. “And there’s hardly anyone in here anyways.”

I shrugged my shoulders as I looked back to Harmony who now had her hands on her hips with a slight pout on her lips. “Now, that is not very nice, Tess. You—”

“Are you up for tonight?” I cut her off. Her still open mouth closed to form a smirk. “You bet, I am.” I chuckled at her, heading back to lounge on the sofa which was heavily flooded with the warmth of the sun. I sighed and sank myself into the sofa, closing my eyes.

“There you go again.” I heard Harmony’s voice, but I just smiled.

No matter how much I travelled or where I travelled, there was no better place than a warm summer sky and the soft breeze of the ocean. Maybe it was because I was born in a land that was surrounded by water or maybe it just calmed the fire that raged inside of me.

It felt good, regardless.

Then I heard the couple move to the counter to pay. “It was so good. This place is amazing,” the girl said. I opened an eye and turned my head slightly to look at them. “We will be definitely recommending this place to everyone we know.” The girl smiled as the man nodded his head.

I saw Harmony smile at them. “Really?”

She grabbed both their hands as she leaned on the counter, shocking them both. They tried to take their hands off her awkwardly, but she just held on tight. “You wouldn’t do that now, would you?”

Her brown eyes went dark as she stared into their soul. I knew what she was doing as the couple both replied together, “No.”

“Thank you for coming here today. Please forget that you ever came here.” Harmony smiled sweetly at them. The couple both nodded their heads as they made their way out the door, forgetting that they ever came to this café.

I turned my head back up and closed my eyes again, feeling the sun in my face. This was how she managed to stay in this place for so long. This was how she lived. Erased from the memories of people. And now me along with her.

The strong smell of alcohol, sweat, and hormones filled the air as we walked into the club. Loud music swallowed my being as I stepped through the crowd of almost naked bodies, slammed against one another, male and female alike. I finally reached the bar and slid on the empty stool in front of it.

It was a little past midnight when we finally decided to hit the club, so most of these humans were already drunk and grooving on the dance floor, sucking on whoever they could. Not the best part of the night. But it made me drown into their world even if it was just for the night.

“Give me something strong.” I looked at the bartender that had been eying me since I sat down. “Anything for you, beautiful.” He chuckled, trying to flirt, and moved to get me a drink. I rolled my eyes at him and looked around the floor.

My eyes landed in the middle of the dance floor, where Harmony was losing herself to the music. Even though we chose to stand down, she stood out like a goddess amongst these humans. Her dark brown hair flipped around with her hips which were swaying to the beat.

I saw hunger in the eyes of humans. Some even tried to dance along with her, putting their arms around her waist. But as soon as her hand was in contact with theirs, they would just walk away from her. I knew what she was doing.

Her gift didn’t just allow erasing memories. She could manipulate their very thoughts. What did they see? What did she want them to see?

That was how she survived as a rogue in this world full of savages. She knew how to. She had left the comfort of the palace far before I did. She knew what she was doing.

“Here you are, beautiful.”

The bartender placed a glass in front of me as I turned around. I held the glass and saw him lean on the counter with playful eyes and a sexy grin on his lips. He was one good-looking human, but his looks didn’t appeal me nor did the liquid that now went down my throat in one shot.

It wasn’t enough. Nothing was.

“Woah.” He whistled, his grin getting wider.

“Stronger.” I demanded as I placed the glass on the counter, not looking satisfied. “Right away.” He turned around to grab a bottle and pour it down. I quickly grabbed it and chugged it down my throat. The liquid that intoxicated these humans didn’t even burn the back of my throat.

I sighed, yet again, disappointed by the human drug. No matter how many different clubs or bars that I went to, they all had the same lousy stuff. I needed something stronger.

Something to forget that smell. To forget that I was ever in his presence. And the promise that I made with the goddess.

Every night, I wondered if I didn’t make that promise to the goddess, would I have stayed? Would I have been in his arms right now?

I chugged another glass down. This was not enough to clench this thirst nor subside any of my pain. It only made me feel more sober.

Night was the only time when I let myself be, drinking my pain away. It made me forget just for a moment. I slammed the glass down on the counter and shut my eyes close, but all I see was her.

The raw, ghastly, open wound on her neck. She almost died because of me. She had been dead for a year.

I opened my eyes wide, making the image vanish.

“More.” I clenched my hands around the glass as he poured the drink, but his eyes were somehow worried. “Are you going to be alright? I mean, it’s none of my business, but you had quite a lot of drinks already.”

I rolled my eyes at him and took the glass, swirling it in my hand. “It shouldn’t concern you.” I gulped down the drink and placed it down. I opened my wallet and took out some cash, more than enough for all the drinks that I had. “Keep the change.”

Before he could say anything, I got off the stool and turned around. I took two steps before Harmony grabbed my arms and pulled me towards the large crowd. “What is it?” I hissed, not liking where we were heading.

Harmony turned around with a hard glare in her eyes. “Shh.” She put her forefinger on her lips as she kept dragging me until we are amidst them. Her brown eyes flickered on the first floor as she bent lower, tugging me with her.

“First floor, right corner, the male in a black t-shirt,” she whispered as the loud music drowned her voice. I flicked my eyes around casually, dancing along to the music. One glance at him and I knew what he was.

A Lycan.