Going Home

RAGNAR P.O.V

The first time I laid eyes on my newly wedded mate, Calista, I could immediately sense that my wolf, Lucas, had become more unstable.

In fact, it had been silent for a long time due to the curse. This was an extremely rare phenomenon.

“I heard you can cure my illness,” I said coldly, sizing up Calista in the darkness. “I’m talking to you.” I leaned in, using my fingers to lift her chin and force her to meet my gaze.

As I looked into her eyes, something passed through my body. This feeling was the same as when I first saw her picture. For a moment, I saw something in Calista’s eyes that reminded me of that specific woman.

In truth, I already had the same feeling when I saw her picture, otherwise I wouldn’t have agreed to my mother’s arrangement to marry her.

Knowing full well that they two were not the same person, I still chose to marry this girl called Calista. Strangely enough, in the first second that I saw her, I felt an unexplainable impulse and desire burning in me.

My vision in the dark was excellent, and I could clearly see her expression. She was now cowering in the corner of the bed, resisting my approach.

“How interesting,” I sneered mockingly. “You really know how to play innocent.” I wasn’t deaf to the rumors about me that circulated outside, and I knew them all too well. This woman’s father, Jamie, led the weakest army here, called the Emerald Army. Despite knowing that his daughter was likely not to survive the wedding night, he still sent her over.

It was an odd sensation, as I had never dreamed of a woman before. All my previous wives’ lives were much more pitiful and tragic than Calista’s.

But I had never dreamed about them. What was going on? Well, Calista indeed resembled that woman a lot, but I doubted that was the reason I dreamed of her.

I wiped the sweat off my forehead and got out of bed to get a glass of water from the dispenser. Then I walked to the French window and gazed out at the pitch-black night sky.

I stood there for a while, feeling the pounding in my head not going away. Clenching the glass in my hand, I made a decision.

I turned around and left the hospital.

Calista lay there in her sleepwear from the night before. Amidst the veil of night, my eyes skimmed over the two faint rows of teeth marks on her left hand.

I couldn’t help pausing for a moment before fixing my gaze upon her finger, which was adorned with a glimmering black ring.

I couldn’t resist bending down to take her delicate hand into mine. But before I could make another move, she suddenly pulled her hand from me. My outstretched hand froze in midair.

It took a moment before I slowly drew it back and stood up straight. She then began to stir, and a few seconds later, she opened her eyes, still groggy from sleep.

“Awake?” I asked her calmly. I didn’t know why I had come all the way back from the hospital to see her.

Well, what would I gain from checking on her? Was it because of the dream I just had? When she saw me, fear filled her eyes.

“I don’t want to go there,” she said.

It seemed that my mother had already told her about it. I was silent for a few seconds before I blurted out, “I have good news for you. I’ve decided to keep you here.”

After a brief pause, I added, “Until the ring is taken off.”

“Didn’t believe me?”

“Is that true?”

“You can choose not to believe me.”

“No, I believe you,” Calista’s voice rose several octaves, her eyes sparkling in the darkness. But in less than a second, they lost their sparkle.

“But I can’t take the ring off.”

Her voice sounded like a deflated balloon. I was reminded of the dream I had not long ago.

“Well then, you should put in some effort,” I said, leaning down and lifting her chin with one hand. I lowered my head and kissed her lips.

“Your father sold you to me, which means you’re mine now. You should feel honored that I even lay a finger on you. Got it?”

My disdainful words cut through the darkness like a razor. She replied to me with silence. Her body was stiff, and though she did not speak, her dissatisfaction was apparent.

My interest in her suddenly vanished. So I relinquished my grasp and stood up.

As I walked away, I realized that my headache had improved considerably. What sort of magic did this woman named Calista possess?

Lola P.O.V

The night passed by peacefully, and in accordance with the army’s protocol, I was to return to my home three days after my marriage, which was this very day.

Agnes had filled the trunk of my car with a myriad of valuable gifts. Turning to me, she said, “Ragnar has not yet been discharged from the hospital, so the driver, Luke, will accompany you on your journey back home.”

Ragnar should be the one taking me.

But clearly, his situation was kind of complicated.

“No worries,” I said. I did not expect him to show up anyway.

Though he was known far and wide, he remained a stranger to me. Our marriage was merely nominal. I simply chose to ignore his existence.

Moreover, I never even intended to return to the Silverfang family, for it would only earn me more scolding and snide remarks from my father and stepmother. But I had an important matter to attend to later.

Hence, I couldn’t wait to hit the road.

Finally leaving the Nightfang family, I instructed Luke to take me directly to the most famous hospital of the Livingstone Army.

I knew my sister, Calista, was now warded in the burn unit of this hospital. Although she never treated me nicely since childhood, she was still my sister.

I didn’t want anything bad to happen to her. I stepped out of the car and rushed into the hospital, eager to find out about her condition. But when I asked the nurse at the front desk about her, I was shocked to hear that there was no record of her admission.

What was going on? My father and stepmother told me that she had serious burns and was being treated in the hospital.

How could her name not be on the admission list?

Filled with doubts, I returned to the Emerald Army and went to the Silverfang family.