Hiding Atlantis

Chapter 18

"Shewolves goes in heat after three days upon meeting their mate. It is the Moon Goddess' blessing so that they could mate and reproduce." Elaine explains to me while on the phone.

Elaine is an early-riser so when she called me at 1:00 in the afternoon, I couldn't help but to worry upon hearing her still sleepy voice.

I mentally nodded my head at what she said. I didn't know about this thing. Liliani and I were too young when our parents died so we haven't had the chance to talk about mates and the process of mating.

"How did you deal with your heat, Elaine. I felt like I'm dying, then resurrected to only die again." I told her, a bit exaggerating.

I heard the line went silent.

"Laine, still there?" I asked.

I heard her clearing her throat before speaking. "I-I... didn't experience it Liliana."

Her answer took me by surprise. "W-why?" I asked in disbelief.

"Do you know how to stop the heat?" She asked me instead..

My mind went blank as I thought of the possible answer.

"How?" I finally asked when I realized that I can't figure it out.

"Complete the mating process with your mate." She said, causing my jaw to drop in shock. Realization dawned on me.

She ended the call after saying that she had other things to do. As a result, I was silent as I stared at the unfamiliar walls of the room where Atlas brought me hours ago.

He told me that he'll bring me home so I thought we would go to the pack house which is the home of the pack, but I was wrong. He brought me here. On his own property. In his house.

I tried to stand up to go to the balcony of this room, and Atlas' scent from the shirt I'm wearing lingers inside the room. I must admit. I'm grateful that he came to help me but I'm also reserved. I know he's only good to me because he promised his brother he won't do anything bad to me and because I'm in heat.

Speaking of heat. Elaine's words haven't left my mind ever since.

"Complete the mating process with your mate"

I shook my head as I felt my body heating up again.

I wish it's that easy. I wish I could just go to him and tell him to mark me now so that my suffering will end but I'm afraid that he'll offer me another option to stop my heat. And that's to reject me.

I don't want to risk it. I must be content with what he could give now. Even just a little care. Just a little attention. Just a little love.

I let out a sight as I felt tears threatening to fall from my eyes. Ever since I was young, I've been asking for even just a little love from him. I can't believe that after all these years, I would still be begging for it again.

I wiped the tears that escaped and walked towards the bed. He told me not to leave the room. He probably doesn't want to see my face so bad that he didn't want me to roam around his house.

With that thought, I felt a cold shattering feeling in my heart again, contrary to the fire that my body is starting to feel again.

I woke up in the middle of the night as I felt my whole body burning from an invisible fire. It seems like the pain from last night doubled today as my body kept on tossing on my bed trying to fight the extreme pain I'm feeling. When my move was in vain, I gripped on Atlas shirt that I'm still wearing and held it up to my nose. I felt the heat lessen for a bit but it's not enough.

Atlas.

I called his name in my head. I continued chanting his name in my head trying to find comfort as I visualized his handsome face. I am always like this. Ever since I was young, whenever I'm sick, or I'm in pain, I would always call his name on my head as if he's my cure. As if he's gonna be magically transferred in front of me to save me even though I've proven a million times that he won't.

I sobbed. Both from the bitter memories of my hopeless love and the extreme pain that I'm feeling right now. I curled in my bed as my tears continued to flow.

I know he won't be here. How many times do I have to remind myself that he doesn't care. I should stop thinking of him as my hero. The prince who'll save me from the dragon or free me from the tall tower. He will not be the one to kiss me when I fell in a cursed sleep, because he is my poison. My love for him will hurt me. My love for him will kill my heart.

"Liliana." Someone said as I heard the door of the room open.

I didn't dare open my eyes. In front of me is my poison, carefully caressing my face as if he will not be the death of me soon.

"Liliana, are you okay?" Atlas asked after scooping me from the bed and enveloping me in his tight embrace.

I didn't dare talk as I inhaled his scent. I felt the fire within me weakening as I felt another heat in my system. The kind of heat that is not painful. The kind of heat that seeks for pleasure.

"Fuck, Liliana! Open your eyes!" He shouted, voice filled with worry.

Worry? I can't believe that even after all the pain I can still lie to myself just to satisfy that part of me that has been longing for his love and attention.

Suddenly, I felt a pair of lips against my soft ones and my eyes immediately opened in surprise. Just like in fairy tales, the princess woke up from her true love's kiss.

But Atlas doesn't love me. He can't be my true love. After all, fairy tales aren't true.