Anastasia's POV
“Hey! A cute girl!” the man on the left said.
They are now near our location enabling me to see their appearances better. The man who just spoke is the shortest among the three. His jet-black hair has splashes of blood. Actually, he has the most bloodied look out of all of them. I already got the gist of what his expression would be with just the tone of his voice but it made it clear that he is the one finding this situation most enjoyable when his mischievous expression became visible.
“What do we do with her?” the man on the right asked. His somewhat slicked light brown hair made him look the most proper among the three. He is also bloodied but definitely lesser than the one on the left. His aura and eyes look gentle despite his now scary appearance.
‘If worse comes to worst, I might try pleading with this guy. He seems to be someone who I can emotionally appeal to’
“She also trespassed so…” said the man with jet-black hair.
“Stupid! Did you seriously think she has a choice being here? She looks like she was abducted or something” stated the man with light brown hair.
“Well true that” the jet black hair answered, nodding. “But hey she is cute! We can spare her no?”
The man with light brown hair simply nodded and looked at the man in the middle – the person who, since earlier, kept staring at me.
The man, the tallest among them and the cleanest – with barely any splatters of blood that can be seen, walks towards my direction. He did not mind the weapons pointed at him and the glares from my father’s subordinates. His every stride exudes confidence and dominance and I, without knowing what may befall me, felt extreme fear and… excitement?
Ever since earlier when they arrived, it became hard for me to breathe. With the exception of the blood and their auras, the stares of the one in the middle took my breaths and composure away.
A gasp escaped my mouth when I heard a gunshot but even before registering the fact that a subordinate actually fired, the subordinate already dropped dead with blood gushing out his neck.
‘What in the monstrous speed was that…’
In a matter of a minute at most, the confident man managed to dodge and counterattack the assailant. It was done with such precise and speedy movement that no one, except the three bloodied men, was able to follow it.
“How annoying,” the man said as he stopped walking and pulled out a handkerchief. He nonchalantly and calmly wiped the blood that got on his hands. He then looked at the circle that the subordinates and my father did and directed his attention to his companions.
“Leave her -” he said as he looked at me briefly. “and the one in the middle” pertaining to my father.
The man with light brown hair just shrugged his shoulder while the one with jet-black hair happily complied.
As the daggers were inches away from the necks of my father’s subordinates, something, or rather someone blocked my sight.
‘When did he…’
“Don’t look” he said as his hands gently covers my eyes. “It is a gruesome scene”
I just took deep breaths in an attempt to calm myself. It is bearable when this guy was away from my spot but him being this near is akin to a torture on my part.
‘This guy is dangerous, Ana! Stop your fantasizing shits’
Even still, after all the rationalizing and reasoning going on in my head, my heart and my body seem to have a different opinion.
A whole party seems to be happening in my heart as it continually produces these loud and fast thumps. I had this strong urge to hold his hand, pull it down, and just get sunk away in his eyes. His breaths hitting my neck and his warm body that I can feel from the close proximity is definitely not helping.
I just sat there in hopes that my heartbeat and the rising heat that my body exudes would not be made known to the man – temporarily forgetting what situation I am at.
---
After who knows how long of a battle between my rational self and my desire-driven self lasted, I felt his hand drop from my face. With his eyes fixated on me, I am able to stare at his appearance better and man, he is gorgeous! – like the drop-dead type of gorgeous. Middle-length curly dark brown hair, thick eyebrows, pointed nose, chiseled jawline, luscious lips, perfectly tanned skin, and those hypnotizing moss-green eyes. He surely looks like the Goddess took a whole decade sculpting him – an epitome of perfection. He is like an angel blessing everyone with his appearance but his aura is of death, like a grim reaper ready to take my soul away.
I am no sucker for faces! I have my fair share of encounters with beautiful people but never felt anything like this. Might be because he is MUCH more handsome than them but – really? Am I seriously fantasizing about a person who merely took seconds to kill someone? For all I know, I can be next!
I frantically calmed myself and like always, put on a strong facade. I can't appear weak in front of these people.
“Are you really a human?” the man asked, voice laden with deep curiosity.
“I am – and you are a werewolf” I answered with certainty.
With the confirmation of my father about the legend, their glowing eyes were already enough evidence but the sudden smirk of the person in front of me just confirmed it more.
“A human huh… how interesting” I heard him mumble as he stood up.
He offered me his hand which I hesitantly took. He lightly pulled me towards him, holding my waist as he helped me regain my balance. It felt sweet – like a scene from a fairytale story which of course would be interrupted by the villain which, in terms of how this short story has been progressing, is being portrayed by my father.
Anastasia's POV “Daughter! My precious daughter!” my father bawled as he tried to go near me. With just a few steps away from me, the werewolf with light brown hair kicked his knee making him fall to the ground. “Do not make the girl uncomfortable, old hag” I heard him threateningly whisper to my father. He then smiled at me brightly, hiding his bloodied hands behind his back. “Oh you would not know how worried I am about you,” he said as fake tears roll down his cheeks ‘Award-winning act’ “Worried… he was being protected by those other guys while the girl is left alone. Dude seriously think we will believe that?” the black-haired werewolf whispered to the light brown-haired one. “Pfft” the man beside me snorted. I redirected my attention to my father who continued to weep in front of me. ‘He might think that staying close to me would let him escape this situation as these wolves have been strangely frien
Anastasia's POV I looked at him, slightly panicking. “Wha – No! Why?” I said, voice rising a little. “I did not intentionally come here! I did not even think of this place when I am planning my escape!” I might have forgotten how scary their strengths and appearances were earlier with my sudden outburst but this is my freedom we are talking about here. “Look, I am sincerely thankful for killing that bastard and letting me live but I really don’t see any reason for you to not release me” I added. My outbursts were not without reason. I am trying out the waters before planning my next actions. If they would still not show hostility towards me even after I shout and cause hysteria, I can try a few more extreme measures to ensure my safety. If they would show any form of hostility, I would tone it down and even try begging. The three of them were whispering with each other, expressions clearly showing that they do not care about
Sebastian's POV “This is the first time I have seen Rozen laugh this much” Dane whispered beside me, scrutinizing the sudden bloom of the Alpha’s positive mood. I simply nodded, also confused. I have known Rozen for over nineteen years but this indeed is the first time that he shows such a sincere smile. That guy has always been cold and have his signature poker face ever since three years old. We’ve been friends for such a long time but I can only recall him giving me mocking grins, sarcastic ones, or those that are forced. This guy has been weird ever since we went inside that temple thing – no actually, he is weird even before that. --- “Dane and I would be the ones patrolling today right?” I asked We are currently inside the conference room having our weekly meeting. “Why the need for the two of you to move together?” asked Roxanne, Dane's mother, one of the elders in our pack. "Just my son's strength a
Sebastian's POV "Okay... Why exactly do you want to go?" I asked Rozen who is currently behind Dane and me. We are now walking into this vast forest as we planned on starting the patrol from the highest point of the mountain range before working our way down. "Precaution" he simply answered "Stop playing, dude! Those elders may not be able to say anything about you but not us! You would not even get out of your chambers even when we beg you to come with our patrols and yet you just impulsively decided to go now???" Dane pries which I silently agree on. Rozen is a hands-on alpha but patrolling has never been part of his responsibilities. He always says that his time would rather be spent in his room doing whatever work he is doing and in the training hall. "I don't know, really. Just had the urge to come" he nonchalantly replied "Shut up, Dane. Your annoying voice is disturbing this peaceful walk" he
Anastasia's POV I woke up in a room unfamiliar to me. Sage green painted walls, a small chandelier in the middle of the room, two large windows making the whole room well lit, multiple plants in every corner and windowsill, and some nature-themed decorations. This whole room is what I expect to see in a room in the middle of the forest. 'The bed is also very soft. When I became rich I would want my room to be this warm, refreshing, and comfortable looking.' "Is it up to your taste?" a sudden voice from the room's entrance uttered Following the source of the voice, my eyes met the beautiful smirking man leaning at the room's door. His chuckle made me realize that my hands were still on my chest from my reaction to his sudden voice earlier which I frantically removed and then glared at him. "You like the room?" he asked again, not dropping the subject. "It is nice..." I replied, my voice fading out. 'Hi
Anastasia's POV The lunch prepared is, with no exaggeration, a feast! There were all kinds of delightfully looking dishes that I don't even know existed. The best dish that I have ever tasted is a piece of chicken given to me by a vendor which I only seasoned and fried, the smell and look? Divine! The taste? Even better... but even that dish can't seem to even compare to the dishes on this long table. All varieties of meat like pork, beef, chicken, fish, and those expensive seashells are served with such enticing scent and look. There are even fresh fruits! "Would this be my last meal?" I unconsciously uttered All of them stopped in their tracks and looked at me, expressions different from one another. Dane looked at me as if he is weirded out by me, Sebastian looked like he is genuinely concerned with my way of thinking, and Rozen looked like he have lots of questions to ask "We already told you we won't kill you right?" said Sebastian
Anastasia's POV That single sentence seems to shake my whole strong facade. I felt how my limbs lost every strength and how my eyes seem to moisten. 'So he has someone...' That single sentence managed to hurt me as much or even worse as knowing that my father wishes for my death. 'I knew trusting and hoping would not do me any good' I heard the voices of both Dane and Sebastian but I can't seem to comprehend anything that they are saying. Nothing is going in my head aside from what I just heard from the people outside. With no more awareness of time, I don't know how long it took for me to regain my composure. I closed my eyes tightly, stabilize my breathing, and unclenched my hands. "Hey! Cutie? Camille is no one okay? It was not even finalized!" Dane frantically said "I don't really care, Dane. Thank you for the explanation though" I answered with a smile assuring him that it does not bother me
Anastasia's POV Rozen seems to be taken aback by my question. He thought briefly and seem to decide that hiding the answer from me would be the best idea. "You might not like the answer," he said with a somewhat sad smile "How sure are you?" I asked, provoking him "Just a thought" he shrugged before standing up. "You know I won't settle for that answer" I pried more "I know" he sighed and went back to sit beside me "Us, wolves, have this concept that a person would be forever bound to someone – a mate." he started explaining "And? There seems to be no problem with that. It actually seems romantic" I uttered "Mates will feel such strong attraction to their other half – what both of us are currently feeling with each other. It is like a predestined event that ignited predestined feelings" he said, calmly observing my reaction. "So we were only forced to be attracted