026: DON’T RESIST IT

DAXTON

There was no attacker in sight. Not even a bullet. Still, I was so sure I'd heard a gunshot. Before I could dwell on this thought for much longer, Sallie rushed out into the garden with a yellow umbrella and a soaked paper in her hand.

She handed it over to me, her brows furrowed deeply with worry.

"Someone placed it by the window in the kitchen. There was no break-in, though," she said, placing the umbrella over my head. Written on the damp paper with black ink were the words: Give up the moonstone or she dies again.

Arya's intense gaze met mine, a frown creasing her brows. "She...as in me?"

"Whoever they are, they must know of your resemblance to Anessa," I pointed out, and her expression darkened.

Threats never got to me. If this person wanted to confront me, why hide behind a wet paper?

"Could it be your visitor, Lucien..." she said, and I shook my head, handing the paper over to Sallie.

"If you were truly Anessa's reincarnation, he would be pleased," I told her and grabbed her hand, pulling her with me back into the house.

She followed after me hesitantly, faltering when we stopped in front of the door to my room.

"I'm not going to bite, unless you want me to," I told her, and she narrowed her eyes at me, tensing when I opened the door.

She stiffly walked into my room as I led her into it. While I grabbed a towel, she awkwardly stood in the corner of my room dripping from her head to her toe.

Something shifted in her eyes when I stopped in front of her and placed the towel on her damp hair. She sucked in a sharp breath, her gaze flicking up to meet mine.

"You could've just let me go to my room. I'm making a mess here," she mumbled as I began to dry her hair.

"If you haven't noticed, I'm also soaking wet," I pointed out with a smile ghosting over my lips. Her cheeks turned pink, and I smirked.

"I'm just trying to say you didn't have to do this," she mumbled.

"I take care of what is mine. That's all you need to know," I told her, and she scoffed.

"You should undress—" I started to say, and her eyes widened, her whole face turning red.

"I was going to ask you to change in the bathroom," I told her, and she lowered her head, biting her lower lip.

"What's going on with you today?" She mumbled as I headed towards my closet and grabbed a shirt.

I handed it to her and led her into the bathroom. Once she was inside, I turned away from the door, unbuttoning my damp shirt.

"Can I have a hot shower?" She called out.

"Suit yourself!"

Running my fingers through my damp hair, I moved towards the window in my room, trying not to think of how she would look without clothes on. To think that we'd almost kissed earlier...

I groaned in frustration, tipping my head back to stare at the ceiling. Deep down, the only reason why I was trying to hold back was because I was still not certain about the truth. The hypnosis session was technically not a total failure, but there was still something I was missing.

...Flashback...

The scent of burning sage clawed at my lungs as I reclined on the couch.

Reina moved around me in slow, deliberate steps, whispering words I didn't recognize. Her magic filled the room, making my skin crawl. I hated it. Not because I didn't trust her... but because I didn't trust what I might see.

"Close your eyes," she said gently.

I hesitated.

"What if I don't like what I see?" My voice was tight and filled with tension.

"You don't have to like it," she replied. "You just have to face it."

I swallowed hard and let my eyes fall shut.

Her voice dropped to a whisper, each word soft and steady. "Breathe in... and out. Good. Again."

I followed, grounding myself in the rhythm. My heartbeat slowed, but my chest ached. The beast in me shifted restlessly, coiling like a vine behind my ribs.

"I'm going to guide you back," Reina murmured. "To the night of the full moon. Let the memory rise. Don't resist it."

I gritted my teeth.

The memory bled in slowly. Broken. Blurred. Like trying to watch something underwater.

The wind was howling.

Trees blurring past me. My claws were out.

I was shifting—no, I already had.

Half-beast. Half-man. Pain roared through my bones as I staggered through the forest.

I could smell blood.

Fresh.

Familiar.

My chest burned. Something was wrong. I couldn't breathe.

And then I saw her.

Arya's mother stood in the clearing, her face pale beneath the moonlight. She was holding something—something that pulsed with light. A pendant? No... a blade.

She said my name.

I think she said my name.

But all I heard was the beast screaming inside me.

Kill. Rip. Tear.

I snarled.

Her lips moved. She looked terrified.

I charged forward.

But then, my vision blurred.

A soft singing reached my ears...

Reina's voice pulled me back. My eyes snapped open, chest heaving. My shirt clung to my back with sweat.

She was watching me with a calm look on her face.

"Did I..." I cleared my throat. "Did I kill her?"

She stared at me in silence.

Then she said, "We're going to need a second session."

My heart sank.

...Back to the present...

"Daxton?"

I turned at the sound of her voice.

It was the first time she'd ever said my name. Not Alpha. Not some sarcastic nickname. My name.

And gods, it did something to me.

She stood there, damp hair falling softly around her face. She wore the white shirt I'd given her—my shirt. It hung loosely over her body, exposing just enough skin to make me lose focus.

"I'm done," she said.

I nodded, my eyes trailing down to her bare thighs.

"You should shower too," she added, her voice gentle.

All I could think about was how easily my name had slipped from her lips.

"Soren mentioned that you went for a hypnotic session. Why would you do that?" She asked, and I blinked, surprised.

Soren was not a blabbermouth. If he told her about that, he'd done it to make her curious.

"I was trying to remember a memory," I said, and she grimaced.

"Must be tough being so old and all," she said and headed towards the door.

Did she just call me old?

It shouldn't have stung. It was the truth after all. But hearing it from her made me feel weird. Did we make any progress today? I wasn't entirely sure.

There was a knock on the door. It creaked open before I could respond. Mason poked his head in with a smile on his face.

"Tomorrow's your birthday," he said, and I rolled my eyes in annoyance. He was just making me aware of how old I was.

"How old will you be tomorrow?" He asked, and I ignored him, storming into the bathroom.

...

The next morning, I was roused by the chime of bells echoing through the house. Sallie and Mason loved making a scene every year, and today was no different.

I'd just stepped out of the bathroom when I smelled Arya's scent. To my surprise, I found her by the window in my room. She wasn't wearing her usual comfy clothes. No, she was wearing a golden silk dress that shimmered even in the dark.

For a moment, all I could do was stare at her in awe. She looked gorgeous. Her hair was pulled up into a high bun, and strands of her hair fell over her forehead. She was wearing a golden necklace too. And her lips were coated with bright red lipstick.

Who was she, and where did my Arya go?

"Master," she bowed briefly with elegant movements. It felt as though I was staring at her doppelgänger. But the fire in her lilac eyes was unmistakably hers.

Gods, she needed to dress like this more often.

Slowly, I moved towards her, drinking her in. My gaze dipped from her face to her neck, lingering on her cleavage. Heat curled in my guts when my gaze rested on a perky bosom. Stunning.

"Arya, what is this?" I asked in a low voice. She smiled at me, and my heart stuttered in my chest.

No, something was off.

Was this her new strategy?

"Happy birthday, Master," she said in a sultry voice.

I arched a brow, amused.

"Arya," I warned, and her smile widened.

"You can feed on me, Master."

I hardened instantly, desire coating my veins. Two can play the game. If this was what she wanted, I was more than willing to oblige. So, I wrapped a hand around her neck. She gasped, her gaze meeting mine.

"You're offering yourself to me, aren't you?" I asked, and she let out a shaky breath. I stared at her, awaiting her response because if we started this, there was no going back.