Chapter 3

NINA WAS SLAPPED by her father so hard that if she hadn't been prepared, she might have fallen. Soleil and Argus try to protect her but she just looks at them with a warning.

Her mother, on the other hand, was on the side, just watching them. She's already wearing a nightgown covered with her red robe.

"What can I expect from you? I have high hopes for tonight, Nina Celestine but you let me down again. You even embarrassed me to the guests. What will they think of me now?" He shouted, his fists clenched while his face was red with rage.

She could also smell the alcohol on his breath, his eyes were wide and it was also a little red, a sign that he was drunk.

"How can I leave the company and foundation with you if at a simple party I can't count on you?" He took a deep breath. "So fix the mess you two have with Diether, I warn you, Nina Celestine. He's the only one I can count on."

He looked at her disappointedly then walked upstairs. Her mother approached her, holding her hands not to greet or hug her but just to reprimand her.

"If you had just listened to me back then, Nina, it wouldn't have all ended like this. If you had just chosen to marry Diether and not to study again, you wouldn't have had any more trouble with the company and foundation. When will you listen to us? "

She stroked her cheek while shaking her head then she looked at Soleil and Argus who were behind her before she followed her husband.

Nina exhaled deeply while clenching her fists but she didn't cry. She doesn't want to cry. She won't cry.

"Miss Nina—"

"Don't," she coldly restrained them. "I'm fine. You can rest now."

Even with weakening and trembling knees she still chose to walk. The pain in her heart makes her emotionless already and her parent's heartless words make her stronger. That’s just nothing for her. That’s not even half of what she had experienced while growing up.

When the door of her room was closed she leaned over and felt her cheek where her father slapped her. It was numb and she felt like she was deafened by the slap until now. It's painful, yes, but it hurts more to know that she doesn’t matter to them. Her parents didn't even ask what happened to her if she was hurt or at least ask her why she came home late.

Thinking about it, who was the guy at the party earlier? The man who helped her suddenly disappeared. She knew all the guests but she was just unfamiliar with him.

AT THE DARK of the night, while the rain won't stop, a monster was trying to hide at the narrow corner of the streets. Trying to avoid those passing mortals and vehicles. He was in great pain and confusion about what was happening in him as he stared at his monster reflection in the mirrors of the building across the alley.

His eyes are glowing like the color of the sun at noon. He was bigger than the streetlights, his claws in his feet and hands are sharp and long while he has dark brown fur. Everyone who sees him will get scared and run.

As he stared at his reflection, little by little he remembered what had happened and he howled loudly as he finally remembered everything.

That woman!

Hawthorne remembers leaving the woman earlier because he was slowly changing his appearance. For a long time, it happened again. He is weak but he will admit, he missed this feeling. He missed the feeling of transforming into his werewolf form. The feeling of extreme power, the adrenaline rush. Everything!

And he was being greedy again.

"Hayes!"

He growled when he turned around and saw Safiya with Draco and Kyon. Constantine was also among them. Of all the four, only Safiya was surprised but that also included amazement as she stared at him. She seems unsure if he is Hawthorne Salvatrix.

"Do you still remember us?" Safiya continued.

Kyon was holding a crossbow pointing at him. Draco, on the other hand, prepares himself to attack, his eyes are red and his fangs are exposed. While Constantine seems to be just enjoying what is happening.

When Hawthorne moved, the three of them stepped back.

"When was the last time I saw you in this form, Hawthorne Salvatrix?" Constantine asked while smirking evilly.

And Hawthorne knew, Constantine planned everything. He knew that this would happen. That after he saw the reincarnation of Rosemarie, he will transform into his werewolf form.

"When Rosemarie died, right?"

He tried to attack him but his knees trembled, he was overwhelmed by the power he was experiencing again. He was no longer used to such power. He knelt, shouted, and returned to his human form.

"I will kill you, Constantine Wilderheist." He growled, gritting his teeth.

"I know you will but that's the only proof I have, Hawthorne Salvatrix, for you to believe me that Nina Gabriel is your Rosemarie."

Safiya immediately attended him as she put Draco's coat on him. While Draco and Kyon helped him to get up.

"You're always being cunning, Constantine. Nothing changes."

"I told you, I did it because of you. You need to taste the real power for you to be strong again, Hawthorne. You've already transformed, next time you'll find the desire to taste blood. You also can't resist the urge. The lust. And if you can't control yourself now, you might hurt her again. "

"I will fxxking kill you!"

"I'm helping you, Hawthorne. If this happened and you didn't restrain yourself while that woman was in front of you, what do you think would happen?"

WHEN HAWTHORNE SAW Constantine, he punched him in the face but that did not even hurt him. He even grinned while massaging his jaw. He woke up in that unfamiliar place and he knew it belonged to Constantine because he could smell him everywhere.

His strength returned. He felt even stronger, as did his sense of smell and hearing.

"How sweet of you to greet me a good morning like that, Hawthorne." He sarcastically said. "And by the way, you are welcome."

In a hurry and confused mind, he could no longer get dressed. He was wearing only white drawstring pants that had not been properly tied.

He frowned. "Where are they?"

"They're waiting for you at the dining area. As a good host to my beloved visitors, of course, I prepared a grand and delicious breakfast for you all."

He turned his back on him and followed Draco's voice and he wasn't surprised to find that they were already eating. He sat down as well and began to eat, not caring what Constantine was saying.

"So what are your plans now that you finally found her?" Kyon asked while they were all eating.

"Actually," Constantine raised his right hand. "I was the one who found her."

But no one paid attention to him. It's as if they can't see him.

"Yep! Thank you, Constantine." He added and shook hands with himself.

"Will you tell him what you are? Or who she is?" Draco asked as well.

Back then, he just wanted to be with her for the rest of her life. To spend every second with her, to enjoy their life together. He promised then that when he saw her again he would never let her go again so that's what he would do.

FOR NINA, SHE was sure that the man was not just a figment of her imagination but how could she explain that he had not been seen by any CCTV at the hotel where the party took place.

She has been trying to find him for three days now but so far she always fails.

"Good morning, Nina. What's with the face?"

That Friday, she was at her animal clinic. And she could not hide the shock of seeing Titus Asa with his dog.

"Good morning too, Mister Asa."

His face turned sour when she called him by that name but he didn't say anything about that.

"I named her Kiki." He said, talking about his Doberman.

"What a nice and weird name, Mister Asa." She then called Darby for assistance.

"Are you busy, Nina? Can I ask you to go out? Like a date." He asked when they were left there.

She doesn't know if he was serious or what but the playfulness in his eyes wants her to doubt him. But his straightforwardness is something she adores from him.

"I'm sorry, Mister Asa but I'm getting married soon. So no, but still, thank you."

That's her always excuse when someone tries to ask her out. But Titus was probably the first man to ask her without hesitation and fear. Though she's sure that he was not attracted to her.

It was afternoon when Argus picked them up but instead of going straight home, he ordered Argus to go to the hotel first.

"We have been here for how many days, miss Nina. Do you still expect to see the man who helped you that night?"

She doesn't know what to say to Soleil, they know her very well and for sure they are wondering why she is acting like this because this is the first time she has had an interest in a man.

"Good evening, ma'am." The female receptionist greeted her with a smile that surprised her and then handed her a folded paper.

With curiosity she took it. She opened the paper and that's how her chest throbbed wildly when she read it.

If you want to see me. Stay away from those with you. — Xavier

"What's that, miss Nina?"

She tried to keep the paper but they saw it already.

"Can you read that, miss Nina? What did it say?" Soleil asked.

"Why? You can't read it?" She asked too, staring at them weirdly.

Soleil just stared at her as if she was a strange creature.

"Old language. No one has used that in a long time since Psicadiasis has ruined, Nina." Argus informed them as he stared at the paper she was holding.

"Then how can you read that, miss Nina?"

She shook her head, put the paper in her pocket as well.

"Please just wait for me in the car. I will just go somewhere."

She did not wait for them to answer and quickly turned away. She walks straight to the function hall of the hotel. When she entered, only silence greeted her. Everything is neat and clean.

She looked around and tried to find him. She stopped in the middle of the function hall then turned around as she remembered what happened that night but she stopped, terrified when he took a glimpse of a man. She looked at it but no one was standing there.

She gasped, her eyes widening and shivers crawled along her spine. She felt immense fear.

"I know you're here. Why don't you show up yourself?"

She waited for someone to answer but nothing, a few minutes later there was still nothing so she laughed heartily. You're a fool, Nina Celestine Gabriel.

"And why do you want to see me?"

She sighed as her heart beat faster. She clenched her fist to suppress any feelings that were slowly enslaving her.

"You shouldn't trust me."

She was paralyzed. She knew that the man was just behind her, she could feel its strong stare sinking into her soul and she didn't want to look back because he might disappear again.

Her hand was shaking and she felt this again like she was having trouble breathing. Just like what happened in the car when they almost had an accident and what happened at the party. It's happening again.

"You saved my life,"

Nina said matter-of-fact but she knew that's not the reason why she wants to see him.

"I just want to say thank you." She continued.

Trying to fight the pain that causes her vision to darken.

"You already did."

She puffed a breath, she wanted to turn around and see him. Now she has proven that she can endure anything and she has a lot of patience.

"Why did you leave that night? Who are you?" She asked, lightly punching her chest.

"Do you want to know?"

She was slightly taken aback by the thunder but she ignored it.

"Of course." She almost screamed at him.

Because she wants to know who he was and why he sounds so familiar. She also wants to know why she feels this way.

She almost shut her eyes as she felt the warm presence behind her. His breath hitting her nape transports electricity to her entire body.

"Who are you?" She asked again but this time, it was so weak like she was already surrendering to him.

The pain slowly faded away and was replaced by the feeling she had just felt for the first time in her life. He made her shudder and she felt her feminine throbbed. She never expected that she would feel that for the first time with someone she didn't know. The heat and lust are blinding her and wants to curse herself at the same time.

His hand went to her hip and Nina knew that he wanted to touch her so she was so shocked to hear his angry growl then he ran out. And she didn’t know whether to be grateful or angry.

But maybe she's really stupid because she still followed him until she got to the hotel garden and there he finally disappeared. Nina gasped when she stopped, gasping for air as he tried to see into the darkness.

The rain was so heavy which made her wonder. The weather was so beautiful this morning and afternoon, the sky was so bright so she was really surprised that it was raining again.

"You should have run when you got the chance."

She faced the source of the voice and five steps away from her there stood the man she was looking for. He became even more frightening because of the darkness of the night but for her, she knew he would not hurt her and that was what she also wondered to herself. She didn't trust that easily but she feels differently about this man.

"Why are you so eager to see me?" He wondered, slowly walking towards her.

He already knew that she was looking for him but he was still hiding from her. What a jerk!

"Funny isn't it? It's only been a few days but I can't resist you while you, a thousand years."

What he said confuses her.

She backed away as he stopped in front of her, unable to meet the intensity of his eyes. She's already wearing heels but she's still up to his shoulders. His shoulders are broad, his body is large and sturdy but not too massive, his limbs are long and strong. He has a look that you would rather stare at for the rest of your life. His face is gentle and his eyes are associated with darkness in its depths.

"Who are you?" She murmured as her heart pounded violently, her knees shaking too.

Why does she feel this way? This weakness and pain? And she knew it was not because of the rain. She doesn't even care if she's shaking because of the cold while her body and clothes are already wet.

When Nina looked up at him, she was so shocked when she saw how different the color of his eyes was. He was also breathing violently. Her eyes widened as he suddenly transformed into a large and frightening creature. In extreme fear and shock, she felt like she was unable to scream even if she tried to.

She slowly backed away. His torn clothes were scattered at his feet. He was howling loudly too like he wanted everyone to know how powerful he was.

When he gazes at her, she runs fast until there are arms that stop her. She tried to shout but someone covered her mouth. She tried to fight but a syringe was injected into her neck that slowly made her weak.

The monster was surrounded by a woman and two men. She could still see them turning to her before she lost consciousness.