SUITORS

It was then when her mind drifted back to Mr Wolf and she recalled all the moments with him, how rude he was to her, how he stole her first kiss and then.... she remembered how she abusively shouted at him. Oh God, she shouldn't have called him a monster!

"Damn it all! Why did I have to ruin everything for myself. I hope he won't stop loving me after all this." Wait, How sure was she that he loved her?

She hoped she could see him one more time and apologise.

Thinking of how to reach out to him, she remembered his last words, "whisper my name if you miss me."

Was she missing him already? She hoped she wasn't after remembering the Shadow's warning.

Maybe she was ready for anything because she stubbornly whispered his name, Alpha.

She impatiently waited for him to appear in her room but in vain.

Maybe he lied to her or it was just a joke.

She didn't know why but she found herself crying. "Why did he like to me. How dare he do that to me!"she was cursing. "I'm such a fool. How did I even fall for him in just hours. He doesn't care about me after all he has many ex-girl friends. I hate him. I hate you Wolf."

Was she talking to thin air?

Of course she was.

Wolf was aware of everything that was happening at Maya's house. He knew how sensitive Zalvin was at the moment. Perhaps that's why he didn't show up after she whispered his name.

The only possible way he could comfort her was by sending her some words- after all he was magical.

"I'm very sorry Maya. I've heard your whisper but I can't come over there even if I want to. You may not know or see what I'm seeing - your father is being overprotective at the moment. He might detect my presence and things would get out of hand. I promise I will never let you down, trust me when I say that. Stop crying for my sake please.

Good night."

Maya was still cursing herself for allowing her heart to get stolen by that man when she heard Wolf's voice whispering those fine words to her ears. "I knew you wouldn't turn me down. Thank you so much. From today onwards..... I'm going to teach myself to trust you completely. I love you."she was bobbing on her bed looking so excited.

"What's the matter dear. Why do you look very happy all of a sudden?"

She was so happy that she didn't notice when her father entered her room.

"Father! You're here."she quickly bounced back to her senses.

"Yes dear, I felt I should come check on you. It's like I've come at the right time."he said with a smile.

This left Maya overwhelmed as she wondered whether her father heard everything right from the start or not.

"F-father!"she stuttered.

"I've heard everything."he smiled.

Maya responded with a barely noticeable smile.

"Thanks for loving me dear. I've overheard you bobbing that you love me.... I really love you too my darling child."he planted a slight kiss on her forehead, "good night dear. Now go to sleep, eeh?"

"Okay Dad."

"Uuuph! That was so close."she breathed with relief. "He was right, dad is keeping a close eye on me."she mumbled in realization.

As usual she was woken up by the light of dawn that seeped into her room and the dawn chorus of melodic birdsong that drifted in.

The rising sun that cast a rosy hue across the morning sky.

Running out to enjoy the cool breeze, she noticed that the sky was already bright.

"Father didn't wake me up! I hope everything's fine."she breathed thoughtfully.

Was he angry with her? She hoped he wasn't.

A week later, as Maya was cleaning his dad's room she saw lots of envelopes on his table.

She never liked checking her dad's belongings but that time she felt a need to.

She thought that maybe Wolf had sent them for her since it's been long she heard from him.

She was very eager and filled with excitements ad she imagined what he could've sent for her.

To her surprise she realized they were letters from different men who were asking for her hand in marriage.

"I can't believe my dad has been receiving wedding proposals behind my back. Who even told him that I want to get married?"

She wondered with a deadly tone. I need to talk to him before he approves any of these proposals.

Feeling both shocked and sad, she ran back to her room and started crying.

Her father was someone who used to sharing his mind with her before taking any decision.

What changed him now? She couldn't remember annoying and maybe breaking his trust that could've brought all that.

"What made you change like this father?

Why are you willing to give me off just like an animal?"

She was hurt by his current change.

All day she kept training herself how to bring that issue to her dad's table.

She was afraid she would yell at her but at least she needed to try and see.

She was setting the dinning table when a knock echoed behind the closed door. "Dad's here."she breathed before walking to get the door.

As she walked closer to the door, she heard a woman's voice coming from outside.

"A woman with Dad at this hour? Who's she?"she talked furiously.

Since childhood she never wished sharing her dad's love with anyone and maybe that's what her father did after reading her mind several times.

It was also obvious that demons always loved once.

Perhaps that's what happened with her dad.

But this time she wasn't sure who that woman was, with her father at night.

"Could it be my mother. Was Wolf lying?"she panicked in both confusion and excitement.

"How can she be my mother. Wolf told me that she never left. Then how can she..."

She found herself unable to think straight anymore.

She was wondering whom she should trust between her father and Wolf.

With an exhausted and confused mind, she opened the door but the woman was still with her dad as they parked the car. She didn't wait for them to get in - she ran straight to her room. She needed to be alone for a moment.

"Maya dear, come see who's here."it was the same voice she heard outside. Thinking for a moment, she realized she once heard that voice. It was familiar. "Aunt Nora?"she couldn't help it but to ran back downstairs.

"It's really you!"a gasp escaped her lips.

"Yes darling. It's me. How are you."she was putting on that heavy smile.

"I'm so happy to see you again aunt Nora."Maya was killing her with hugs.

"I'm so happy too. It's been a while.."

"It seems someone's presence isn't recognized today."Zalvin chuckled interrupting those two when he saw that Maya wasn't greeting him as her mind was all focused on her aunt.

"Haha... how can I not recognize you.."she hugged him as well.

"Hope no one disturbed you today."he told her cunningly as if he expected her to say something back.

Wait, what was he trying to say to her?

Maya's mind drifted back to Wolf. She was wondering why wasn't he coming to check on her as he had promised. She would whisper his name and nothing like his shadow showed up.

She was getting nervous about the situation.

"Did father find out about him and maybe killed him. Did something bad happen to him? No, it's not possible. Dad doesn't know anything."she thought.

"I see you've already set the dinner table but unfortunately we are fine. We've eaten at the restaurant. You can enjoy your meal while I have some talk with my sister."

"I'm not hungry either. You two carry on... I'm going to sleep now."

"Wait dear. I almost forgot to give you your pre-wedding gift."Nora said. She looked like she wanted to add on but later paused after seeing that Zalvin too wanted to say something.

"I think you'll give it to her tomorrow. Remember as her aunt you'll need to prepare her for her marriage before the wedding, won't you?"

Hiding her inne anger Maya smiled slightly when she saw others smiling.

Her heart had stopped functioning the moment she found out that even Nora knew about her dad's plan and she... she didn't know anything.

"Good night to both of you."she said before walking to her room feeling heartbroken.

Tears were rolling down her face.

That wasn't how she wished to get married.

She always dreamt of getting married to a man of her choice under her own consent. She dreamt of getting married to somebody who loves her with much respect for her but all that was almost turning into unfulfilled dream. Her father was ready to give her off to some stranger.

"Why did you run away and leave me here mother?" Maybe she didn't want to believe that she was dead.

She was crying so much when she felt a strong muscular hand caressing her hair gently from behind.

"You don't have to be scared. I'm here now. I won't let anyone hurt you anymore. You've cried enough and I'm sorry for that."it was Wolf. She was feeling his warm breathe penetrating through her skin.

She was forced to turn to him and soon their eyes locked.

She felt lost in his eyes before embracing him in a very tight long hug.

"Don't rub your tears love. Let them flow instead because I'm here to make them pay for every drop of your tears. Just let them flow... moreso, as much as they flow, they would wash away all your pain."

"Thanks for coming at the right time. I don't know what I would've done with this betrayal depression.

Where were you this whole time. You don't know how worried I was for you. I even thought that maybe father did something to you." Her eyes were scanning his body looking for wounds or something.

"I'm fine dear. Nothing happened to me. I'm really sorry for staying away from you for this long. I know you've missed me cos I missed you too."

Wait! Is what I'm hearing true? Did he really miss her or it was part of his plan?

Maya's heart was melting for his warm words.

"A... are you serious Sir?"

"Of course my love."he whispered.

"Love!"Maya's heart almost jumped out of her chest.

"What should I do Maya...the fact is that I don't want to love you but there's this feeling that I can't control... I'm falling in love with you!"he mumbled.

Indeed it wasn't part of his plan to fall for this girl but what he was feeling for her was getting out of control and he might confess anytime from now.

"You have to sleep dear. I will be right here."he said putting her to bed.

The next time she opened her eyes, she couldn't believe what was really happening. Their compound was all crowded.

"These people must be crazy. Anyway, what else can we do if we have a beautiful daughter who's adorable and admired by everyone.

What do you think, uhh?"Nora spoke from behind.

Hearing her voice, Maya rubbed off her tears before turning to face her aunt.

"Wow. I expected this... I knew my sweet little niece would get a little nervous on seeing that crowd outside.. and here she's crying already. Don't worry my dear, your father and I... we'll choose only one man for you and I'm sure you'll like our choice. It's the reason we've called them all here today."she was talking with excitements yet Maya was in tears.

"This isn't right.. how would I get out of this mess. Where did Wolf disappear to also?"she wondered. She had read it from Nora's excitement that they were indeed ready to send her away.