~Cody~ It felt like a dream, or perhaps it was just my imagination because it couldn't possibly be real. Rain and I stood before a crowd, professing our love and exchanging rings."I promise to be with you forever," Rain whispered as he slid the ring onto my middle finger."Together forever," I replied, slipping the ring onto his finger. The crowd cheered with joy, and even my father was applauding as he watched the ceremony. They all eagerly awaited our kiss. As I leaned in to kiss Rain, a sudden gust of wind roared, and one by one, everyone at the wedding began to vanish."Cody," my mother called out."Watch out for the wind," my father warned before disappearing right in front of me. I looked around, and everyone had disappeared, leaving only Rain and me. As the wind approached, I grabbed Rain's hand and pulled him closer, but he, too, disappeared as the wind reached us."Rain!" I cried out as I was left alone in a now-deserted scene. "Take me!" I screamed at the wind, raising my

~CODY~I sighed for the umpteenth time as I unzipped my bag, hoping not to return to the room and find another warning letter in the mirror. Rain had wanted to inform my parents about it, but I had stopped him because it would only make them more worried about us potentially being forced to separate. Until I found a way to save Rain from his peril, I had no intention of telling my parents."Are you alright?" Rain's voice sounded beside me as he stood by the bed, holding his luggage. "Are you all packed?"I nodded in response. "Yes, I am."He stretched his hand out for me to take. "Let's go; the others are waiting."I grabbed his hand, and we both headed out of the room. Just as he was about to lock the door, I stopped him. "Wait, I want to take another look around."He frowned at me before nodding in response, letting me reenter the room. I looked around, noticing how everything was neatly arranged. If someone had broken into our room, I believed it might have been someone we knew, an

~CODY~My phone buzzed with a message from Rain, sending my heart into a sudden race. I scanned the table for any sign of him, but he was nowhere in sight.The message on my screen illuminated with anticipation: "Meet me inside the forest - Rain." Excitement and curiosity ignited within me. Without hesitation, I pocketed my phone and headed towards the edge of the woods."Rain," I called out when I couldn't spot him."Here" A whisper reached me from behind, and before I could react, strong arms wrapped around me. Rain's lips pressed against my neck, and laughter escaped me—a delightful surprise."Rain, you sure know how to make an entrance," I chuckled, turning to face him."I wanted to surprise you," he grinned, kissing the top of my head."Well, mission accomplished," I replied, reciprocating the embrace. "I missed not having you close to me last night. It makes me hate this whole trip thing.""Me too," he whispered. Our eyes met, and without words, I leaned in, capturing Rain's li

~Cody~My screams and Rain's cries echoed through the rain as we plunged into the ocean depths. Anticipating a collision, I was surprised to find ourselves submerged in another body of water, entering a realm I never thought possible. The cool embrace of the water calmed my spirit, and the haunting melody of birds in flight made me question if I had stumbled into a fantastical world.Rowing his boat, Kao joined in the bird's chorus as we followed our younger selves. Nearing a colossal black gate flanked by towering walls, it swung open, revealing a somber, dark expanse on the other side.Kao halted, directing our attention to our younger counterparts engaged in conversation. "What are you saying?" Rain inquired."Listen," Kao murmured. I closed my eyes, shutting out the sounds of rushing water and birdsong, focusing on what lay ahead."My name is Rain, and I'm grateful to have a friend like you here," my younger self expressed."I'm Cody," I heard my past self introduce, shaking hands

~Rain~ "The council of elders is already aware of the situation, and they've started asking questions," Cara paused, lifting her gaze from her phone. "That's not all. Numerous unfavorable comments are circulating about both of you." she paused and then Continued. "I will..." "Now is not the time to announce the comments. We already know they won't be positive, so there's no reason for you to say anything," I interjected. I rubbed my hands together anxiously, lowering my head, wondering how we had been discovered despite being extra careful. My parents would undoubtedly be disappointed, and the alpha king would be furious that I had betrayed his trust and failed to protect the prince, as he had ordered. Why couldn't we just be open about who we were and show that we, too, were individuals with feelings? It was infuriating to know that the world wouldn't accept us. With everything exposed, there was a high chance the alpha king would order Cody and me to be separated. The thought of