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Maybe you shouldn’t have come.
You were saying that like a mantra all the way to the castle or large manor whatever these rich people liked to call it these days. You only came because your friend Shelley lived for going to mating parties. She loves the idea of being a rich person’s soulmate. You however don’t care for these things you were a lover girl at heart though you would never tell anyone that. You wanted to meet your soulmate naturally and fall head over heels in love with someone that loves you with everything they have, not this way. These wealthy families make a mockery out of real love. A while ago some rich guy discovered an enhancement drug that would make you find your soulmate quicker. So naturally the drug cost a fortune and the elite families of this world started hosting mating parties optimizing your chances ten fold. The super wealthy made sport of something you held dear to your heart. They wanted to find their mates quickly hoping it was someone of the ‘right’ family name, which you decidedly weren’t. Shelley wasn’t rich but she wasn’t poor either so she got several invites to mating parties and she always made you her plus one which was nice of her, really but you hated this rich people crap. The way they treated people made your skin crawl. You have been dragged to enough of these to know the kind. But nevertheless you loved your friend so you put on a black satin dress that showed off your curves and made your ass look fantastic. You paired it with some subtle jewelry and smoky sultry makeup that made you feel like a goddess. Just because you hated these people didn’t mean you were going to miss the opportunity to look good.
You walked up the large staircase arms linked with Shelley. You knew the likelihood of you finding your soulmate at this party was very slim. You weren’t totally opposed to finding your soulmate tonight you just knew a rich snooty man wasn’t going to be the one your soul would choose.
As you walked through the large wide open doors you followed the other guests to the dance hall where the very sizable crowd all dressed to the nines and wayyyy richer than you. Shelley smiles at you encouragingly before charging in. You watch as she surveys the crowd searching for the one that would be hers.
“I am gonna go get us some drinks, you go meet some handsome rich men” you say wagging your eyebrows suggestively at her before heading for the drink stand.
It takes way longer than necessary to get a drink, they could probably smell the poor on you, you finally get the drinks and start to go to meet back up with Shelley when you get jostled and drop one of the drinks on your dress the loud shattering of glass catching a lot of attention from the room. The woman that shoved you throws a barely believable apology and she turns back to laugh with her friends. You shake your head rolling your eyes before unceremoniously throwing the other glass of champagne onto the girl that pushed you. She shouts and her friends gape at you mouths all dropped to the floor
“There now we are a matching set. I was beginning to worry my new fashion statement wasn’t going to catch on! have a nice night ladies” you say smiling innocently before turning away and power walking it back to Shelley without looking back. You learned your lesson ages ago about the women at these functions. This was a competitive game to them and you weren’t one of them. You knew you needed to stand your ground and show them that you weren’t to be messed with.
When you finally spot Shelley she's talking to some guy flirtatiously and you get the hint and beeline for the doors to the large garden. You figure you could use the fresh air to cool down from the altercation. You walk around admiring the flowers and the beautiful marble statues. The moonlight on your skin makes you feel so calm like everything was where it was meant to be. Your life wasn’t as difficult as some people’s but it definitely had its draw backs. No parents, living with your grandma, the people in your town making fun of you for being different, apparently being in your late 20’s with no intent on finding your soulmate was ‘strange’ whatever other people’s opinions don’t matter to you. You’ve always been an ‘other’, an outsider, that’s why you’ve been secretly looking forward to meeting your mate, then maybe the loneliness in your bones would finally shake off of you and you can be wrapped with the love you’ve always craved.
It takes you a long time to realize you are being watched. You don’t know how long they’ve been there and you don’t want to know.
“Are you going to watch me all night or are you just that interested in flowers?” You say glancing in the direction you heard rustling just a few minutes prior. You are smelling a rose as you watch a man dressed in a beautiful black suit move closer to you now visible in the moonlight. You can see his suit embroidered with gems and intricate details. His dark brown curly locks look almost black in this light. He is gentle in his strides to you like he is scared of breaking your tranquility. His gaze is piercing you, trapping you in place and you feel like you couldn’t run if you wanted to.
“Well the flowers are pretty” his smooth voice says he looks slightly bashful when he says the word pretty like it had a secret meaning.
“That they are, these gardens are so beautiful I almost don’t understand why everyone here stays in there” you say gesturing to the dancehall you both seemingly abandoned.
“It’s that why you’re out here?” He asks, his gaze has an intense lit to it like you are the most interesting thing in the universe and it confuses you.
“Yes and no I do love nature but I must admit I don’t like the people here they tend to be a bit…..”
“Vile?” He offers
“I was going to say superficial” you laugh
“I saw Lady Stephanie push you earlier” he nods at the stain on your dress “I’m sorry you had to go through that”
“Oh don’t worry it’s just a stain I can wash it out and if it doesn’t it’s just a dress” you say absentmindedly if anything this way a good excuse to get a new one you’ve worn this one out too many times by now. It seems your response only made his gaze even more intense.
“You gave quite a show. It was a joy to see Lady Stephanie and her horrible friends get told off they are far too rude to people who don’t deserve it” he says subtly shuffling closer to you as you both walk to a gazebo covered in roses. You silently lean on a wooden post and he leans opposite you but still remains close to you. “Well I am glad I could provide the entertainment and to give her a lesson in treating people right I’ve been to far too many of these things to know these rich families don’t really care for strong mate bond they only care about getting their mates quick, not the real stuff” you say shuffling at little under his ever present gaze. He stills at your words and his jaw works like he is straining over something.
“You” his throat bobs “you think soulmates are supposed to be more?” He asks you raise an eyebrow at him
“It’s your soulmate, they are supposed to be your everything. The one person that your heart knows, that your heart trusts. Why would anyone waste their time with anything less than perfect for your mate?” You say looking up to meet his dark gaze.
“I wholeheartedly agree” he says voice now gravelly for some reason
There is a moment where you both don’t speak, seemingly taking each other in. There is something about him that is making your skin buzz and you have a strange itch to reach out and touch him.
“I don’t…I don’t think I got your name” you say a little breathless and he immediately gets up and grabs your hand “you can call me Bob” he says leaning to kiss your knuckles and lingering for a tad too long. You blush at his unwavering gaze and the warmth on your hand from his kiss.
“I am y/n” you say softly and apparently utterly entranced by him.
The two of you talk for hours. You're not really sure how long but you’ve never met anyone like him. He is so smart and so intuitive he seems like he gets you before you even say anything. He hates the snooty rich people more than you do. You spend most of the hours talking about your different experiences with these rude people. His experiences are mostly rich mothers and fathers trying to shove their daughters on him like they could magically make his heart beat for these random uptight women. He doesn’t say it but he doesn’t really need to tell you but you can tell he is from a rich family. You aren’t sure which one though, there aren’t a lot of names you remember apart from the really really big ones but none of those would be here tonight.
What surprises you the most about your long talk is how much he genuinely listens to you. He just stares at you and listens. It feels so bizarre. A rich man isn’t supposed to care about your opinions on flowers. You aren’t sure when it happened but he is now very close to you. Your knees are touching and it’s almost like he wants to reach for your hand at some points. You tell him about your family, your friends, your job and your interests. He follows all of it with ease, seemingly memorizing every detail. He doesn’t talk about himself a lot, just that he hates his family and you don’t think he has any friends. The only thing you really know about him is that he loves reading.
You laugh at one of his jokes before hearing Shelley call for you. You look at Bob and there is a slight panic in his eyes “sorry I think that’s my time” you say as you get up leaving the private bubble you guys created. He scrambled after you, seemingly desperate to stay in this moment. “W-wait y/n please” he puts his hand on your wrist stopping your movements “I want to see you again, can I?” He asks you look down at his hand on you his warmth seeps into your skin “I- I not sure your family would like that” you say he scoffs “I don’t care about my family trust me they are all evil horrible people that no nothing about love” he rushes like he will never have the chance again. “Y/n?” Shelley shouts having finally found you in the garden you watch as Bob closes his eyes and steels himself, his guard slowly going up and he lets go of you.
“I’ll be right there Shelley” you say looking back to Bob “I had a great time Bob truly thank you for a great night I look forward to seeing you again sometime” you say softly like it’s just for him to hear.
He smiles widely looking suspiciously like a puppy and grabs your hands to kiss both of your knuckles, gaze never wavering on yours.
“Thank you miss y/n I look forward to seeing you again” he says firmly and it’s not a question this time. You leave walking towards your friend looking confused at her shocked expression. You grab her and pull her away and head towards the exit. Feeling a weird ache in your chest the further you walk away from Bob.
“Y/n do you know who that is?! Tell me you aren’t that stupid?!” She whisper shouts at you
“What? I get that he is rich but he can’t be that rich” you say feeling defensive for a man you just met. Shelley stops you abruptly at the steps towards your car “y/n that’s the Sentry! He is only the most powerful and psychotic person on this planet.” You look at her in shock “surely you’ve heard of the Reynolds’s family?” She says and the colour drains from your face because you have heard that family before. The head of the family was abusive and unbelievably vile. The whole family was known for being cruel; their prodigal son was no different, allegedly. The Sentry is the name he was given after he killed his father and took over the family business.
You and Shelley get to the car and go home. You think about him the entire car ride home. You are running over everything you too spoke about and he really didn’t seem like he could kill someone he seemed so….so wonderful and so goddamn pretty. Your heart ached with the possibility of never seeing him again.
You finish your night time routine, i.e. getting out of your dress and makeup, thinking about him the entire time and you try to go to sleep dreaming of what it would be like to kiss those lips of his.
This time you don’t notice the watchful gaze on you.
The next morning you are awoken by talking and you get up and walk to the front door. You see your grandma angrier than you have ever seen her and she is staring down Bob in all his glory. This time he is wearing his golden suit with his family crest his eyes meet yours over your grandmas shoulders his blue eyes soften at the corners
“Hello my love” he says and you look at him shocked at the nickname
“Bob, what are you doing here?” You ask
“I’ve come to take you home” he says simple like it was obvious
“Like hell you are, you demon!” Your grandma shouts
“Like I said before I am not asking” and the last thing you see is bright golden eyes.