Never Be Tamed

Chapter 53: Family

Chapter 53: Family

I woke up, squinting my eyes from the sunlight coming from the window. Nakasandal ang ulo ko sa matigas na unan. Pero nang tuluyan akong maalimpungatan, napagtanto kong yakap ako ni Zackary sa kanyang bisig, and my head wasn't against a hard pillow but his bare chest.

Nanlaki ang mga mata ko at tumingala sa kanyang mukha. He was still asleep. Sinubukan kong umatras palayo. But he had his strong arms wrapped around my waist habang pareho kaming nakahiga sa kama. His breathing was calm, his face tranquil.

Dahan-dahan kong linibot ang tingin sa paligid. Nandito parin ako sa kanyang kwarto. Pero hindi tulad ng huli kong natatandaan, ang malakas na buhos ng ulan sa labas ay napalitan na ng maliwanag na sikat ng araw sa umaga.

Marahan kong hinawakan ang marka sa aking leeg. I winced upon touching the swollen part on my neck. Zackary's mark. I remembered every detail of last night... clearly. But I didn't expect to spend the night here.

Nagdalawang isip akong gisingin si Zackary. Napakahimbing ng tulog niya habang yakap ako. Sinubungan kong maingat na alisin ang kanyang braso sa aking beywang. Ngunit naramdaman ko ang marahan niyang paghila sa'kin.

He leaned down and dug his face on the crook of my neck. Gising na ba siya?

"Zack?" I mumbled.

"Hmm?" he breathed on my skin with his eyes still closed.

"I need to head back to the apothecary." I wasn't supposed to spend the night in the mansion. Hindi ako nakapagpaalam nang maayos and Anabeth must be worried.

"Stay longer," he whispered, his morning voice low and husky.

"It's already morning, Zack."

It took him a moment before he raised his head and once again, I had to stare up at his face. On the bed, I realized how small my body was compared to him. His eyes... under the stream of sunlight reaching the bed, it was as if a pool of translucent gold.

"Ginising mo sana ako," I mumbled.

"You were sound asleep last night," he whispered with a slight tone of playfulness. "You look like an angel and I had my best sleep beside you."

My eyelashes fluttered. "Pero-"

"And you need the rest too," he added. "You were too drained from last night."

Kinagat ko ang ibabang labi ko at sinubukang itago ang pamumula ng aking mukha. Hindi parin ako sanay na nakakarinig ng mga ganitong salita mula sa kanya.

Marahang hinawakan ni Zackary ang gilid ng aking mukha at iniharap sa kanya.

"Let me do that for you."

My eyes, narrowed and confused, slowly widen when his head leaned closer to my face. Zackary's lips captured mine. His teeth nipped my lower lip, gently sucking and pulling it, before closing in to a warm pleasant kiss.

"Zack..."

Again, the consuming feeling of Zackary's skin on mine. This time... it was more raw, more palpable. Like I was being lit on flames. I grasped his hair, tangled on messy from the night before. I couldn't help but want more.

A sudden knock on the door brought me back to my senses. I backed away, startled, nearly falling out of the bed if not for Zackary's arms securing my back. I sat up straight on the bed, face flushed like I did something embarrassing.

Zackary sat beside me, chuckling. "Ah, my innocent mate."

"Sir Zackary," came the voice from behind the closed door. It was from the elderly lady who greeted me yesterday when I arrived in the mansion. "Breakfast is prepared. The family is waiting at the dining room."