To Put A Leash On The Master

The Other Side Of The Moon

When my eyes flutter open, I find I'm staring at the polished ceiling in a familiar room before turning my head to the side when I hear a slurping noise.

My migraine persists, but even more when I see Saturn sitting cross-legged on the couch across from the bed, casually sipping nothing from an empty glass of smoothie.

She's looking at me with a shit-eating grin on her face that makes me roll my eyes and look away with a sigh. "Gods, I just had the weirdest dream. But waking up to you, I think I'd rather go back."

Saturn giggles. "Fair enough. Did you make out with my brother in your dream?" She emphasizes the words 'my brother', and her eyes sparkle with mischief as she says it.

I blink at her speechlessly, unable to comprehend how the girl's mind works; I mean—that's the first thing she can think of amongst others.

But then again, she isn't far from the truth. Hunter did kiss me twice in the dream, which is strange given his recent behavior. And... was he fucking crying?

"Gosh, my head hurts like hell," I groan.

"You were out for a long time," Saturn utters, earning a questioning look from me. How long is a long time? "Four hours," she adds before I glance at the clock on the table, noting that it's past one in the morning.

I sit up and palm my face, feeling a brief stinging sensation on my forehead.

"Is there something on my forehead?" I ask when my fingers brush something.

"Yep! A bandage." A bandage?

"What happened?" I can't remember how I got here. Last I can recall, I was― was... Shit, my brain's muddled.

"Apparently, you hit your head and Hunter brought you here, to his room. You're one lucky bitch, you know."

I glance around the room. It looks like the one I saw in my dream. The bed, couch, table, and mirror all match too well, resurfacing the memory of my dream.

Ever since we came here for the holidays, Dad Griffin gave us strict orders not to touch this room for any reason. Now I know why. Yet, even though I've pieced together that puzzle, the mystery of how I ended up here, with a fucking wound on my forehead, remains unsolved.

The pain in my head isn't helping matters either.

I look at the toddler's photos on the table for a while. I don't see any resemblance to Hunter except for the eye patch, which is the only common thing. But I can't ignore the ache in my heart as I gaze at the photos, nor the nervousness gripping me.

It feels like I'm going for a job interview, for some unknown reason, with my instincts naturally expecting the worst.

I beat a fist on my chest. "Why do I feel so anxious?"

The unease feels like an invisible substance filling my lungs and knotting in my gut, making me want to puke and unable to breathe properly.

Saturn raises a brow while reaching to place the smoothie glass on the table. "Like?"

"I don't know." I shake my head. "I just have this... it feels like I'm suffocating. I find myself holding my breath without realizing it."

Saturn and I exchange stares before her lips curl into a smirk. "You're scared, aren't you?"

I frown. "Of what?"

"Me, obviously." She thrusts her chin, and a scoff escapes my lips.

"Nah... I've never been scared of you." I shake my head dismissively, staring the girl in the eye and watching her smirk falter at the truth of my words. "Hard pill to swallow, isn't it?" I snicker before pushing myself from the bed.