Untouchable by Marii Solaria

Chapter 26 – The Birthday Boy

“The seeds of evil blooms in the fields of negligence.“– Mladen Dordevic

Kiyn

Neron and I hightailed it out of the mall.

There’s no reason for Osiris to show his true form unless he’s secure in his plans. That begs the question of who’s truly in control. Him or me? Circumambient mystery embraces that man like a second skin, and it’s difficult to decipher who he truly is. Slippery like a snake, Osiris picks the picture–perfect moments to strike, and I’m left with the burning self–guilt from my shortcomings.

The car ride back home is tense with an amalgamation of emotions perfusing from Neron and me. But two stood out from the rest: anger from the Alpha and confusion from me. While the trees and people whiz past in colorful miasmas, my mind works to understand what happened in the bathroom.

His appearance brought forth a salvo of recollections I’ve long forgotten about.

I’ve met Osiris in passing when I was with my friends shopping for bathing suits. The day before I was poisoned. Callously bumping into him, we went spilling to the ground. We made small talk and departed ways like normal strangers. However, Osiris used a pseudonym, Octavius. What was his reason? His face was forgettable, but the sensations I felt from his touch were not.

His touches were not out of love and lust like the mate bond augments, but out of submission. They wanted me to bend to surrender under his power. It terrified me. Those were the same feelings I felt when he trapped me in the run–down asylum; similar to how a tyrant refuses to take anything less than blind loyalty. Osiris is the tyrant and I’m the lowly peasant. Could those emotions I felt have been a precursor to the chaos today? Could I have prevented this somehow?

And I blame this f*cking mark on my neck. It’s doubling as a GPS. I feel no better than an imprisoned, leashed dog. It tails me wherever I go, like a shadow. And I don’t know how much more I can take of this.

Is it so f*cking hard to get some peace of mind? Why am I constantly fighting against the bullshit the universe loves to sling at me? For once, I want to breathe without the pain!

My mind spun. I leaned my head on the headrest to eliminate vertigo as the car rumbled softly.

“You aren’t to leave the territory without someone accompanying you.”

And just like that, I’m cured! My head shot up, and I glared at Neron. For obvious reasons, he didn’t look back.

“Excuse me?”

“You heard me, Kiya.” He retorts. “You’re not to go anywhere alone until we get this situation handled.”

“Now I need a babysitter? Are you kidding me, Neron?”

He shrugs his shoulder. “It’s that, or I forbid you from leaving territory grounds. You’re under my protection and I’m committing to my side of the deal with your brother. It can be with your friends or anyone else you trust. We can’t afford any risks with your safety, Kiya.”

“I can protect myself.”

1/5

Chapter 26 – The Birthday Boy

“I know you can.” We rolled closer to the territory. “We have no clear–cut way of defeating Osiris. He’s playing the both of us like a damn fiddle–stressing us out and laying cryptic messages of our demise. Until we can figure out how to rid him for good, we need to take precautions to lessen the chance of Osiris catching us off guard, and that means you cannot go anywhere alone.”

I hate to admit it, but Neron’s right. There’s an obvious target on my back, and if I let my guard down, Osiris will take advantage of me. He needs me for his plans. He needs me intact. Walking in public alone is the same as handing myself to him on a silver platter.

I like this new rule.

tired. My energy is completely zapped and

the trunk and walked towards

what’s in the

around to see little Adonis standing three feet from us with arms crossed. From the glint in his eyes, he knows

you be with your Mom and Dad?” I asked, arching an eyebrow.

and Mommy is giving

the grossest things about boys. The childhood

we call it mononucleosis.

about your

doing adult stuff.”

to know much

“Busy.”

homework to

“…It’s summer!”

whispers to

he supposed to cover me from a soon–to–be six–year–old boy? Neron’s so–called brilliant mind thought of a plan to make Adonis play hide–and–seek with us, and if he found

is smarter than we think. “Hey! No

of his feet mixed with our laughter as my nephew bolted after us with the determination of

– The Birthday

spite of a toddler. Luckily for Neron and me, we’re taller and have

I settled the bags on my bed and began sorting my new clothes and bath supplies in their respective places. A smile crept up on

is the most precious gift

forgot the most important

set next to my vanity. Where does this pack keep their craft supplies? Making it over the threshold of

victoriously. “I want to see my

laughing at my nephew’s scowl. “Nope!

waiting is boring!”

giggled when I poked his nose. “Do

green; I like

for the birthday

Third Person POV

cake became wisps of smoke from the blow of the birthday boy. Behind him, the crowd fell into wild applause as the Beta child officially turned six years old. Adonis felt rejuvenated and loved by his friends and family surrounding him.

Silently, they hoped that Valerian’s parents were watching down on this joyful occasion ever since they passed away several years prior. Adonis‘ young friends surrounded him with impatience as the large chocolate cake decorated with his name and superhero designs beckoned them for a taste. Behind them, Kiya had a faint smile as she observed the scene from the distant

to busy her hands. As much as she wanted to join the festivities, the awkwardness distanced her from the action. Kiya felt out of place. The trouble–free smiles, boisterous laughter, and loving touches reminded her of the

for her to dwell on

we cut the cake.” Raina pinched her son’s

26 The

proclaimed, hopping in his seat. The young woman rubbed the back of her neck sheepishly, blushing. Ignoring the obvious stares, she pulled the large green present from behind her legs and walked

had a feeling you wanted to open mine first.” She giggled, kneeling, and handing him the present with a big red

because Adonis began ripping away the green paper faster than a hungry cheetah. His gift was revealed, and shrieks of joy echoed through the dining hall. A brand new toy set equipped with his favorite superheroes; more to