Chapter 4

“I just wanted to test my soon-to-be bride if she fits my taste,” he murmured between my lips.

            “And what if I’m not?”  I parted my face from his plumpy, kissable lips.

            He smirked. “You will be. I will not save you from your family if you don't fit my taste.”

            I nodded. “My family. They are…”

            “They died a week ago.”

            Sleepiness left my soul. “What did you say?”

            “The people that are with you…they are not people. They are Heart-eaters. They can assume any appearance they like as long as they feed on mortal’s hearts—and werewolves. Most especially werewolves’ hearts.”

            “What?! How? Why?!” Several questions flooded inside my mind. I knew my family was not the kind of family that everyone wished for. 

But being oblivious of their death for over a week is…I can’t. This is so baffling. What’s going on then? What happened to them?

            “Surely it’s not a coincidence that I was brought here?” I asked with braveness relevant in my voice.

            “I’ll explain to you tomorrow. For now, change your clothes and rest.” He placed a kiss on my forehead. I didn’t budge. How could I when he just revealed to me that I no longer have a family? It is utterly devastating, and confusing.

            “Rest, Elaine. I brought you here for sanctuary and for being my bride as well. Surely you have met me once, honey.”

            Honey. That sounds familiar. “Jordan?”

            He nodded and smiled. “Yes, Elaine. I am the man that you met at that night bar in Maine.”

            “So you’re the man that I have a drink with and—”

            I stopped. He smiled. “I am the man whom you have a one-night in bed with.”

            So he’s that man then. “You had a different face at that time.”

            “It’s a glamour,” he answered. “Werewolves can assume any appearance during a full moon only.”

            “And this body you have is not a glamour?”

            He chortled. “No. This is my real body. You will be the judge of that if you will become my wife soon.” Tyler gave me a wink that warmed my cheeks.

            “And that flame back in the wall?”

            “An exclusive gift for White Wolves only. White Wolves are Elementals. Brown Wolves can read, alter, and add memories. Black Wolves can control darkness and light. Those are the gifts from Selena, our Moon Goddess.”

            I just listened to his explanation as he walked me into his front gate. “And did this moon deity also choose me as your bride?”

            He shook his head. “No. Fate is a matter that we, werewolves, can only make. She has gifted us with this ability, with this privilege. But our life, our fate, depends on us based on our decisions alone. Not her.”

            “Well said then,” I uttered. “Your goddess is not a tyrannical one.”

            He laughed. “She is now your goddess. As soon as we are bound together under her light next month, you will understand the life of a werewolf further.”

            He kissed my hand as he stopped me by a bedroom’s door. “For now, enjoy yourself as Elaine Winona Rutherford before you become Mrs. Elaine Winona Moonstorm.”

            My brows rose. “Is that your family name?”

            “Unbelievable isn’t it?”

            Before I could reply, he brushed a kiss on my lips and, in a wave of a hand, the bedroom’s door opened.

            I gaped as soon as I beheld the magnificent view of the bedroom.

***

Gold bathed the whole room, glinting in every corner where my eyes met them.

Gosh, I never saw a house as luxurious and regal and lavish as this. If I had known earlier in my life, I would gladly come by and be the ultimate sacrifice to this werewolf anytime of the year.

            “So…” I turned to him. “This will be our bed, then.”

            He gazed at me from head to toe and said, “I’m at the adjacent room if you need anything. Just ring the bell on your bedside table and I will be there.”

            Then the door slammed shut.

            “Pheww, he’s such a killjoy!” I frowned as I made my way to the king-size bed. Even its covers and blankets are in gold color. “I am just asking if this is our bed.”

            Jason is right—Tyler’s childish. One moment, he’s jovial and delightful. Then in a heartbeat, he’s back to his grumpy self. To be honest, he can pass more of a woman due to his constant mood shifts.

            I laid in this shimmering and shiny bed. As soon as my body felt the comfort of it, I felt like sinking into the heavenly clouds themselves—so soft and cozy and fragrant.

            I then noticed a vase filled with lavender and roses on the left side of the bed. Its colors are my favorite. It seems to welcome me, and smile at me.

            “Hey there, lavender! How’d you doing, rose?” I caressed the flowers and spoke to it, as if it would reply.

            Frustrated, I stood and went by the windows. It was made of glass, from the ceiling up to the floor. I could see widely what’s on the outside.

            I think it’s better not to mention what I’ve seen amidst this time of day—or night, I don’t know. They were so loud that their moans made me cover my ears. I watched them for a few seconds. The man is muscular and the girl was…is she pregnant?

            “It’s not good to peer at other people’s business.” There he is again, suddenly speaking without me even knowing how he entered my room.

            “You better sleep now. I bet you’re tired.” Tyler strode towards me and shut the gold and black curtains. 

He smirked down at me. I grinned at him as if to say, ‘Will we be doing like that soon?’

            “There’s a secret door from my room to yours. The bad thing is that only I can open it.”

            I was about to open my mouth when the people who were doing it outside became very loud. They’re probably having their climax now, I whispered to myself.

            I sneaked into the curtains for a second when he wasn’t looking. They were still outside. Their bodies are still united, as were their lips.

            When I turned around again, Tyler was nowhere to be found. “So unfair of him that he can sneak into my room but I can’t do that to his!”

            My face was still pouting even when I lay down on the heavenly golden bed. The softness of it made me calm a bit but I was still drifting into my thoughts.

“Is it true what he says about my family? Or was it just a ruse so that I will no longer visit them?”

            I noticed I was still wearing that white (it’s brown now) wedding-ish gown given to me by the people who took me in that forest. I decided not to change clothes. Because in the first place, I freaking didn’t bring any clothes with me.

            I suppose he would like to see me naked. But it’s too cold to be just nude.            

So I shut my eyes, with the question about my family still lingering in my mind. 

Sleep eventually visited me and my snore reverberated amidst this one hell of a golden room.