He stands firm, staring at me without budging.
“Why are you stopping me from going in?” I ask, watching his jaw tighten and loosen as he silently wrestles with something.
He doesn’t respond. Instead, he turns and heads inside. The silence stings, and without thinking, I follow. I care about her too–he doesn’t get to decide that I don’t. I step forward, but he shoves me back, harder than I’d ever expect from him.
“I told you–don’t get close to her!” he growls, barely holding himself together. I blink, stunned by what just happened.
“Wh… how…” I stammer, unable to form complete words.
“I want you nowhere near her. This is all because of your so–called fate,” he snaps, frustration flaring in his eyes. “It should’ve been you. You were the one the cake was meant for. You should be the one lying in there!”
Tears well up in my eyes at his words. “How could you say that?” I whisper, afraid that if I speak any louder, I’ll break down. “How can you say something so cruel?”
“Don’t get close to her,” he repeats, with zero remorse in his voice. “It should’ve been you.” His eyes blaze with fury. I stay frozen, watching him disappear inside and slam the door behind him. That’s when the tears finally fall.
I’m exhausted, wounded, but most of all–I feel like I’m just a backup option. Maybe he’s right. Maybe it is my fault. But the way he said it–like he wouldn’t have thought twice if it had been me instead of her -cuts deeper than anything else.
I swallow hard and sink to the floor. The weight of it all crashes down on me. I feel suffocated.
No one wants me here. But I can’t leave. I inhale slowly, trying to calm the storm inside me. The walls feel like they’re pressing in. Breathing becomes harder. I try again. And again-
I snap my eyes open. A scent hits me.
I smell him.
I glance around. No one’s here. Peppermint, orange, rosemary–it’s unmistakable. I scan the room one
more time.
Then I see it a faint trail, like a breeze drifting from somewhere else. Drawn by the scent, I rise to my feet and follow it.
Someone tries to stop me, but I swiftly step aside and avoid them. It feels like something beyond my control is pulling me forward–I can’t resist it.
Before I realize it, I’m heading toward the pond, my pace quicker than it’s ever been.
I come to a halt at a safe distance. The pull is much stronger around the figure near the water.
From where I stand, I watch as the person submerges himself in the river and rises again with a grace I didn’t think anyone could possess. I move toward him cautiously, like one would approach a wild
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animal, careful not to startle it.
As I close the gap, the person begins to look familiar, though I can’t quite remember where I’ve seen
them before.
Step by step, I get closer–just enough to observe without appearing like someone spying on a stranger bathing.
“The water feels great. You’re welcome to join, you know?” the voice calls out. It’s a man–I can tell by the tone–but there’s a striking blend of softness and strength in his appearance. His jawline is sharp, almost unreal, yet his eyes carry a gentleness that’s hard to look away from. Every feature on his face is exquisitely defined.
I’m sure I’ve seen him somewhere in the past, yet I can’t recall when or where.
“You’re not from this pack, are you?” I ask, moving a bit closer but still keeping enough distance to avoid seeming inappropriate.
“Neither are you,” he replies, his gaze sharpening as if he’s analyzing me, like one might examine something unfamiliar and otherworldly.
I narrow my eyes, unsure what he means. “You’re right–I’m not local,” I admit. And that voice–his voice–it’s mesmerizing. I could listen to it endlessly.
“You look familiar,” I say after a moment.
He lets out a short breath, saying nothing more, now simply toying with the water instead of washing himself.
“It’s just water,” I ask, puzzled by his fascination. “What’s so interesting about it?”
“Are you lost?” I ask again, eager to understand who he is. There’s something about him that feels bot h known and unknown, and it’s driving me mad. “Do you live nearby? Your scent–it’s strangely familia
г.”
I’m now standing at the edge of the pond, my toes just touching the smooth stones that line it.
I can’t stop myself–it’s like an invisible force is urging me toward him.
“You ask too many questions, Aurelia,” he says, and I freeze. My name–he knows it. But I never told him.
“How do you know my name?” I ask, stepping back, suddenly guarded.
“The same way you know mine,” he replies, as if it’s the most natural thing in the world.
“But I don’t,” I insist, fear beginning to creep in. What if he’s the one who poisoned me–or at least tried
to?
What if…
I look at him, trying to make sense of it all.
He doesn’t appear that way. Still, for some inexplicable reason, I sense he is someone I can rely on.
He approaches me with a gentle smile. “Are you certain?” he asks. I turn my full attention toward him, really examining his face. That smile–it is strangely recognizable.
10.19
< Chapter 19
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I crouch down to get a better view of his features. Somehow, we lock gazes, neither of us willing to break eye contact.
“Thalric,” I whisper under my breath. His smile widens as he slowly steps back. “But… this isn’t possible. I swear it is just a dream. I’m sure of it.”
He moves in closer, stepping well into my personal bubble, though I barely notice. His appearance has a captivating quality, the kind that makes everything else fade away.
“Dreams can sometimes mirror reality, my queen,” he says with such tenderness that it makes my hea
rt flutter.
I try to suppress the heat rising to my cheeks; the way he says that title–it just feels so right.
“The water’s pleasant,” he murmurs, “and it looks like there’s a storm of thoughts inside you.
I give my head a slight shake, trying to clear the fog. Something about him isn’t ordinary, and I can feel it in my bones.
“I’m here if you ever feel like talking,” he assures me, his gaze drifting from my eyes to the exact spot on my neck where the mark lies.
He lifts his hand towards that very place. Instinctively, I cover it with mine, shielding it from view.
He meets my eyes again, flashing a soft smile. “Forgive me. I am only curious,” he says. I give a slight nod, doing my best to look anywhere but at him. “I wish I could stay longer,” he adds, “but I can’t.” A strange sadness settles over me–I don’t want him to go.
“Oh… alright,” I reply. I hear the sound of footsteps behind me and turn quickly in alarm. But when I look, no one is there. “Wait, what about-” I turn back to him, but he has vanished. He is gone.
I stand frozen, stunned. There is no sign he has ever been here–no sound, no movement… nothing.
Joy’s POV
My eyes blink open, greeted by a plain white ceiling. A steady beeping noise echoes at my side, constant and annoying.
Turning my head, I try to locate the source of the sound. It’s harder than expected–my entire body aches.
A few groans slip out as the pain begins to fully settle in. “You’re awake! Are you in pain? Where does it hurt?” I shift my gaze to the other side and find Callum sitting close, clearly worried. Under different circumstances, I might have found his concern adorable, but right now I feel like I’ve been crushed by a
semi–truck.
“What… happened?” My voice comes out hoarse, as though I’ve swallowed dust.
He seems to notice immediately and hurries to the water dispenser in the corner, quickly pouring me a
cup.
I drink it down greedily, like I haven’t had water in days.
“Slow down–you’ll choke,” he warns gently. He looks utterly exhausted, like sleep hasn’t touched him in days.
“You seem tense,” I say, gently placing my hand on his cheek since it’s so close to mine.
“You scared me,” he replies, pressing a kiss into my palm. The flutter in my stomach erupts wildly, catching me off guard. He places a soft kiss on my forehead. “Promise me you’ll never do that again. Please. I can’t lose you–not another time.” I find myself confused for a moment.
“Another time?” I repeat, but he doesn’t answer. Instead, he continues planting kisses all over my face -everywhere except my lips.
“I’m begging you, don’t put me through that again,” he pleads. I realize he’s not actually talking about me, but I choose silence. He’s here, he’s close, and for now, I let myself pretend that I’m the one he
means.
