RAINBOW

“Mika, calm down. Everything is okay. There’s still a long time before the wedding.” Julien said trying to calm down our friend who was having an anxiety attack over how the flowers he wanted for his ceremony were not in season by the time the wedding was happening. “We can look for other ideas or alternatives.”

Mikaela had dragged both Julien and me to his house to continue with the wedding planning. Even if the wedding was bound to take place in a few months, Mika was a perfectionist and everything had to be perfect for their day. He said something about some of his aunts were criticizing and judging old women and how he didn’t want to be ridiculed by them so his wedding had to be perfect. 

“We can try using magic to preserve them, I know a good wizard elf that can help us. His magic is really strong.” I suggested and both of my friends turned to look at me.

“Oh~ You do?” Mikaela asked.

“Yes, he lives here in Bramville. I can give him a call or text him to ask.” I smiled softly taking out my phone.

“Okay, yes. Text him, because I NEED those flowers.” My friend said, emphasizing the 'need'. I looked through the chats on my phone and sent a text to my elf friend asking him for help, he didn’t take much time to answer back and I smiled.

“Okay, he said he can do it.” I looked up at Mikaela who was standing in front of me. 

“Perfect! I love you so much Rainy!” My friend threw himself at me, hugging me and giving me kisses all over my face. Once he moved away I noticed Julien looking at me. 

“How do you know this wizard?” Julien curiously asked and I unconsciously looked down at my bracelet.

“I’ve known him for a long time, we went to school together and I used to part-time at his parents’ shop when I was a teen,” I said, I didn’t want to lie to my best friends but I was not going to tell them the whole story. 

~oOoOo~ 

It was my last day working at Wynfir Antiques, I was leaving for college in a few days and I was nervous. I never had trouble traveling before but this time I was going alone and the fear took over me. What if they find me? What if the story repeats? I was scared of not being able to protect myself, not being able to protect Vivi. A lot of anxiety built up inside me at the simple thought that Vivi could be in danger, but I still wanted to go to college and get my major in photography.

“Hey Vic! I have a present for you.” Elyon’s cheery voice broke me away from my thoughts, I turned to look at him and he was holding a small box wrapped in colorful wrap paper. 

“Oh, El. You didn’t have to.” I took the box in my hands. It was wrapped so nicely and it had a card that said “Good luck at college Vic. I’ll miss you❤️”

“It’s a thank you gift for helping us with the shop.”

“No, it was all thanks to you that I got the job,” I said with a soft smile and gave him a hug. Once we parted from the hug, I took another look at the box.

“Come on, open it!” Elyon said excitedly and I did it, when I opened the box a colorful thread bracelet was there. 

“It’s so beautiful. Thank you, El.” I took the bracelet in my hands, admiring it. I knew he was the one who made it, he was always creative and skillful with his hands. He even gifted me a cute kneaded shirt for my birthday. 

“I know you have been worried about going to college and about your animal self, so I wanted to give this present to you.” My friend started saying with a big smile. “There’s a spell in the bracelet that once you wear it, your true animal self will be covered. People will know you are a cat but not which one.”

“What?” That is all I could say. I was shocked and processing what my friend said. I looked down at the bracelet. A spell that could hide my animal self? Was that really possible? 

“And don’t worry Vivi won’t be affected. It’s like a disguise, even in your animal self they’ll see you as just a regular black cat when you wear it.” My friend explained. This could help with my problem but I didn’t know if I could take something like this.

“I’m not sure if I can take this, El.” I sighed, biting my lips and putting the bracelet back again in the box.

‘You can.’ Vivi said in my mind.

‘Vivi…’

‘If it makes you feel better you can take it. You heard El, it only has an effect when you wear and it won’t harm me.’ 

‘But Vivi…’

‘I’ll be okay, you can take it off anytime you want.’ ‘I want both of us to be happy and I know college is important to you, Victor. So take it.’

I nodded with teary eyes and I took the bracelet out of the box, putting it around my wrist with the help of Elyon. It didn’t feel like anything changed, I was the same and so was Vivi, so I decided to keep it. 

~oOoOo~

Since then I have never taken my bracelet off and only Elyon knew about it, I hadn’t told my other friends or family. It was a secret and I didn’t have the energy to be judged by them. I knew my scent was always strong due to my exotic nature and that attracted bad people to me. I had to protect Vivi and myself, it pained me every time he wanted to run freely in the wild but he always reassured me that it was all okay and that he would wait until I was ready.

“So we have to start arranging the invitations. Rainbow I hope you are bringing someone with you because I’m putting two spots in yours.” Mikaela’s voice brought me back from my thoughts, he wrote something down on his tablet. The image of Kang Dae came to me and I smiled.

In a few hours, I was going to see him again, we decided to have a picnic in the park for our date, we would both prepare snacks that we could eat while we chatted. I was excited to see him. So excited that I didn't realize I was showing it on my face.

“Why are you grinning so big like that?” Mika asked, looking at me with a raised brow.

“Do you have something to tell us?” Julien asked, curious too as to why I was so happy.

“I do actually. A lot of things.” I said, it was a good opportunity to tell them about the stalker incident.

“I’m ready. Spill the tea.” Mikaela said sitting down, putting his tablet away, and directing all his attention to me.

“Remember when we were going around town a few days ago looking for wedding decorations?” They both nodded and I sighed. “I told you I had a weird sensation in me that I was being watched and you two told me I was just being paranoiac?”

“Yes, I remember that,” Julien nodded.

“You see I wasn’t, there was someone stalking me and last night when I was walking back home, he attacked me. It was some weird alpha that was saying I was his fated mate, he tried to kidnap me.” Both of my friends gasped at my words and I kept talking. “But Kang Dae showed up just in time and arrested him. I had to go to the station, did all the paperwork and the guy ended up being a stalker. He had a lot of pictures of me and Kang Dae said he saw him following us that day too.”

“Rainy, I’m so sorry we didn’t believe you,” Julien said giving me a hug, Mikaela joined.

“Are you okay?” Mika asked and I nodded. They broke the hug and sat in both of my sides again. Julien took my hand and Mika placed his hand on my shoulder, both of them comforting me.

“He didn’t hurt me, Kang Dae arrived just in time,” I said with a soft smile. 

“I like this Kang Dae guy. Is everything going well with him?” Mikaela asked giving me a curious look and when I turned to look at Julien he was looking at me the same way. I giggled and nodded.

“Yes, that’s also what I was going to tell you. We have a date today, in a few hours and I think I’m going to confess to him.” I said and my friends happily squealed. Mika jumped out of the sofa and did a small celebratory dance.

“I’m so happy you finally decided to confess.” Julien said, softly squeezing my hand and giving me a big smile.

“I was scared at first but I really want to be with him.” I said. Last night I realized how deeply in love I am with Kang Dae and he probably felt the same way as me. It was a good chance to ask him about the bond too.

“Okay okay, I’ve been waiting so long for this. Wait here!” Mikaela said and ran upstairs, he came back and gave me a box. When I looked at the label my face started to burn. “Remember to always use protection.”

“What? Mika! It’s not like we are going to do it right away!” I scolded him, blushing hard while looking at him and squeezing with my free hand the box of XL condoms he gave me.

“Better safe than sorry. Sex with fated mates is another level. Pregnancy success is higher when it’s your fated one.” Mikaela said giving me his version of ‘the talk’ parents usually give their kids. “Keep in mind that you need to put those hips to work, don’t let him do all the work. Cowboy is a good position.”

“OH. MY. GOD. Stop it!” I screamed completely embarrassed at Mikaela’s perverted statements. I turned to look at Julien. “Help me! Make him stop.”

“I have nothing to comment on this because he is right,” Julien said with a flirty smile. “You are going to have a lot of fun riding him, Rainy.”

“OH MY GOD/DESS!”