Her jaw fell open, silence possessing her very being now.
I saw how her breathing quickened the moment I said those words. It’s true—I love Zarion. Deeply. This is not just some puppy love that I used to have when I was fifteen.
The moment I laid my eyes on him, I knew he’s the one who will take care of my life the way my father took care of my deceased mother. They may not be here with me, but based on the stories my grandmother shared with me, I know my deceased parents lived their life to the fullest.
And I want to live mine with him.
“Mamita, please listen to me—”
“I am not listening to any of these absurd things again, Cassidy!”
“But—”
“You are just eighteen years old!” She bellowed, veins bulging in her forehead.
“And I’m old enough to indulge in these things!”
“Oh yeah? You already knew it? Then, you tell me then—” She heaved a deep sigh and pointed the walking stick at my chest. “What do you know about love, child?” I was taken aback because of the term she had called me. “How much do you know about love?”
My Mamita stepped nearer until I’m a breath away, unknowingly clenching my hands into fists as if they had a life of their own. “You don’t know anything about love,” she studied the painting on the wall, her hands and stick behind her back. “You don’t know the responsibility it has to take, to be loved, and to love someone. It’s risky and cruel and dangerous. Very dangerous. It’s a big word, Cassidy.”
“I know, Grandma.” I whispered genuinely. My arms crossed in between my chest while looking at her. “I know what love is, mamita. I saw it… with Zarion. In Zarion’s eyes.”
She gasped, her eyes widening because of my answer. Licking my lower lip, I tried to talk again but the right words wouldn’t come out of my mouth.
“You knew it was love… the moment you just saw a strange man in the middle of the night?” Mamita is now furious. Though her voice is soft, that’s an indication she can no longer hide the rage in her anymore. Exasperation and unspoken anger—and fear—were brightly painted on her face.
I nodded and bit my lower lip. “Please, mamita. Can’t you just be happy for me?” Grabbing both of her hands, I squeezed them softly. With pleading eyes, I tried my best to convince her. How should I convince her? I really don’t know to be honest. “I’m already eighteen. You’re the one who told me the moment I turned into a lady, I will find the right man for me. I already did, mamita, and it was Zarion!”
She shook her head dismissively and pointed the walking stick at me. Again. “You’re not going anywhere.” She scoffed, amusement dancing in her eyes. “You don’t even know her full name, do you?” Then, as if the conversation we just had never occurred, she shifted on her heel and sauntered away from where I was left frozen. Both of my feet refused to cooperate even for a damn second.
“Mamita!!!” I shouted like a kid whose wishes weren't favored by the elderly. “Please… please… please!” My tears started running down my cheeks, smoothly cascading like how rain streamed down on the window. Walking towards her, I knelt in front of her and clasp my fingers on the hem of her dress. “I want to find him.”
“Imbecile kid!” she cursed, still not looking up at me.
I shook my head and still continued. “Please let me go. If I won’t follow him tonight, I will lost track of him, and I’m afraid to say we’re—”
“Just because you love him doesn’t mean you’re meant to be together, Cassidy! In a relationship, love must be reciprocated. How sure are you that it’s not a one-sided love?”
I was taken aback by what she pointed out, which is somehow true. But my gut feeling is telling me that it’s not a one-sided love. It’s just that…“Zarion was just trying not to show it, grandma—” I know that he knows that there’s a tension between us. That he felt my emotions, too. That he knows there’s a connection, soul to soul and body to body. I just couldn’t explain it to my grandmother.
“How sure are you, Cassidy Salem Blythe?!” my mamita challenged; her glare could have sliced my heart in half.
Heaving a deep sigh, I straightened my back and answered her truthfully, unfeigned emotions glimmering in my eyes.. “I’m sure my love for Zarion will be reciprocated.”
I’m sure of it.
“Oh dear…” she rested her palm on her forehead, looking severely distressed. She was looking down at me and I saw how her eyes flickered with anger and sadness and cruelty. Cruelty that I’ve never seen before. My grandmother grabbed both of my hands and held it, lifting me from the floor. When our eyes met, I saw the dark reflection in my peripheral view again when I glanced at her back.
It was my cue to leave, not from her. But away from her—to look for Zarion.
She was frozen at the moment she realized what I was going to do, what I’m about to do. Inside my head, I cursed myself for making my mamita—the only family I have that I even look up to as my one and only mother—feel this way, hurt this way. But this time, “I will choose my heart this time.”
My heart won over my mind, my emotions took over any rational thoughts swarming within my brain. Nothing can stop me from going out into this castle now. Nothing—not until I find Zarion in the woods.Or in this city. Even if I walk barefoot across the world, I will find him.“Wherever you go, I will go, Zarion,” I whispered, letting the wind carry my words to wherever he is.“One step outside the castle, Cassidy, and you’re gone from our family.” I paused, bones stiffening. It’s as if I felt someone pour a pail of icy cold water amid the harsh winter weather. “If you go out tonight, I will abandon you—leave you. I will forget that I had known a family that goes by the name of Cassidy Salem Blythe.” Bile rose in my throat. Fear, not for myself but for the promise that—for eighteen years—I just broke now. You will take care of your grandmother, Cassidy. My mother once wrote in her journal, directly addressing me. I exhaled, willing the air to enter my lungs again. Pain etched in my ches
“Zarion!” I paused for a heartbeat to let my voice echo. “Zarion! Zarion!”But it was no use. I’ve been walking around the woods with an almost frozen body, a coat made of sheep’s skin is the only thing between me and the cold while shouting Zarion’s name. The snow kept falling, the wind whipping my hair as if it was dragging me back to the castle. It seems Mamita also has power over the wintry weather.There was a blizzard already shoving its here from the western horizon. I couldn’t find the right path anymore. There was no trace of him, his footprints might have faded with the wind’s harshness. Earlier, I caught his scent, a scent of cinnamon and vanilla, so I followed it. I know his scent is very feminine but I don’t even know where he got that too sweet fragrance. But to my dismay and misfortune, even before I could completely follow, it vanished. Just vanished, with no idea how.“Zarion, Please…” I prayed, coughing when a snowflake landed on my tongue. I don’t know why I’m utt
It’s warm and cozy here, my eyes smiling when they found the fireplace. A piping hot bowl of venison stew beckoned me to sit beside the blazing fireplace.I ate half of the food for ten minutes. Noticing the lavish royal blue curtain, I scooted away from the fireplace and pushed aside the curtains. I just realized that it served as the door between—“This place is a village,” I breathed, wiping my mouth clean from eating. From just the look of the surroundings, I’m pretty sure this village is in the middle of the forest. And near a lake, the briny scent could never hide the smell of fresh forest rain. I watch the people who are busy doing their own businesses as I tend to my own business—being busy scanning the surroundings on where the fuck I am. The name of the place, who carried me here, and—“Zarion,” I realized, calling his name as if he’s around. “ Zarion must know where I am, and probably the one who carried my ass here.” My eyes darted to a small cottage in the corner—to wher
“Really? I don’t think so. You seem to be…” her voice sounds suspicious now. She keeps on stepping forward while I step backward. My breathing started to narrow, bile rising up on my throat. This girl in front of me, she may be human in form. But once she finds out I’m not like them, I will be as good as dead. “I really do need to go.” I cleared my throat, and when I get out of the borders, I will look for a safer place from this weird village. I should probably look for Zarion first.But where the hell am I going to look?! Delilah’s suspicions deepen when we hear the crowd fall silent. Looking around, I could feel all eyes on me. The crowd suddenly stopped. On the horizon, I saw a strange man whose body looked exactly like Zarion's. However, looking at his evil smirk, I could sense that they are the complete opposite. Zarion’s was always mocking.The man has a cunning personality, a sarcastic beast, for sure. Zarion’s cold, brutal, and dangerous aura is nothing like this man. He
Brandon wasn’t the one who shifted, that’s a relief at least.But once again, I found myself bellowing and thrashing when Brandon reached for my neck, strangling and knocking the breath out of me. I couldn’t move. I could not even think of a way to escape, to live and leave.I wished there was a hole just beneath my feet that would swallow me in this instant.No… no—help me!” I forced my voice to be louder. “HELP!” “Why are you looking for Zarion? What do you want from him?” Brandon growled. He removed his other hand from my neck and instead unsheathed his huge and sharp claws just a few inches from my face. He had all the chance to crush my neck into pieces, but he didn’t. He just kept choking and strangling me. Maybe he wants something from me, or maybe he wants to relish killing me as slow and unbearable as possible. “I...I... I don't know. There's something about him that I need to do. I feel like I'm obligated to him. I was having these dreams, weird dreams, and I want to stop
If there is anything that I understand in the situation I am in, these are the two things so far that I manage to grasp: 1) I happened to be in Madfur Claws Pack (the name of the pack where I’m fucking in), and 2) I am going to die.Delilah may not tell me all the details, but from what I’ve seen and heard as soon as I tried to put the pieces, I knew what was coming. Zarion is the former Alpha of Madfur Claws Pack but he doesn’t want to take the responsibility, so he ran away. Of course, all the wolves in his pack loathe him so why would he be here, right? Secondly, I am caged in a wooden box. Delilah was nowhere to be seen or heard, so I didn’t know who to cry to for help. Zarion is not here either. And my grandmother—“God, I am going insane!” I cursed myself, loathing myself why I put myself in this freaking shitty situation in the first place. Yet despite the wooden box incapacitating me, I could hear Brandon’s men that we will be going to a place on what they call as the Moon G
And there he was, shirtless and sweating, Zarion lunged from the back of the crowd to where I was.But it was Brandon’s face he grabbed, wrapping his hands tightly around his neck as he choked him to death. The two Alphas were so strong that the energy radiating from them pulsed out and began hitting trees and ground. Powerful, both of them are too powerful to defeat each other. The sediment rocks crumbled to the ground as their fight continued to brew. Zarion pawed Brandon’s wrist and blood started gushing out from, staining the waters of the Moon Goddess’ fountain.Everyone saw it turning from crystal clear white to dark green. Dark, eerie green.“Alpha Brandon and this strange human…they are mates,” Delilah's voice echoed in every corner of the Moon Goddess’ temple. Everyone was completely aghast about that. Faces of disapproval and shock met my gaze.“Me?” I whispered, more to myself than to the wolves. They were completely horrified by the thought. Disgusted, it was what was wr
Alpha Brandon stopped midway the moment a feminine name was mentioned. His face twisted and Zarion’s face contorted as soon as he beheld his brother’s remorse. “Why are you looking for my fiancee?” Wait, was it jealousy that I’ve heard? Hestia must be Alpha Brandon’s girlfriend, and maybe that is why he fears that I am his mate.“Call Hestia,” Zarion commanded. “And let us see if there was a mistake that happened earlier.”“Why would I follow your order?”“I said,” Zarion's husky and steel voice echoed in the room, “call your fiancee and tell her to get her ass. Right. Now.” Alpha Brandon’s head turned upwards and I saw how his jaw clenched. Silence reverberated in the temple for as long as I can remember. I believe he was now calling her fiancee—or let me change that term—he was mind-linking Hestia to come here to the magnificent Moon Goddess’ Temple. It didn’t take any more time because a fairy-looking woman was sauntering towards our front; her glistening skin was as white as Snow