The Chosen One •

16

✨ Isabel ✨

I turned my head slightly, glancing at Kun beside me, his eyes closed. He looked so calm now, his breath slow and even. I wasn't ready to confront his questions, or the weight of our conversation. So instead, I took a deep breath and whispered, "Let's take a nap. We've been up all night."

Kun didn't argue. He simply gestured for me to lay next to him. I hesitated, unsure of how this would feel, how close it would bring us. But the pull of exhaustion was strong, and I wanted comfort. So, I shifted and laid down beside him, trying to ignore the nervous flutter in my chest.

Without a word, Kun pulled me into his chest, his muscular arm curling around my waist. I rested my head against him, his heartbeat steady beneath my ear. The warmth of his body, the solidness of him, slowly soothed the tension I hadn't even realized I was carrying. My body relaxed, and without thinking, I began tracing the tattoos on his chest with the tips of my nails.

I could feel his body shudder under my touch, and I smiled against his skin. I continued, fascinated by the intricate designs, the lines that curved and flowed. It was almost like I was mapping him out, learning him in a way that was entirely new and intimate. His breath hitched, and I felt him settle more deeply into the bed, the tension in his body slowly fading as he drifted into sleep.

I shifted slightly, unable to ignore the question that had been on my mind since we started this strange, new phase of our relationship. With a soft voice, I asked, "Kun, would you ever complete the mate process with me?"

He smiled, the sound of his voice a lazy, contented hum. "I want to," he murmured, his words still laced with sleep.

My heart skipped in surprise. "You... want to?" I asked, my voice barely above a whisper.

"Yeah," he replied, his hand tightening around me briefly. "It's your fault, you know?"

I raised an eyebrow, suddenly awake. "What? Am I... cursed or something?"

Kun chuckled sleepily, the sound rumbling in his chest. "No... it's your fault for being so damn..."

Before he could finish, he mumbled, "Just go to sleep, Isabel," his voice already trailing off into a content sigh.

I couldn't help but laugh softly at the absurdity of it all. His words swirled in my head as I closed my eyes, drifting into sleep, my body melting into his warmth.

But then, everything around me shifted.

I didn't know when it happened—when the heavy weight of sleep suddenly became a strange lightness, when my body felt both present and not, but I realized something had changed. My thoughts went hazy, and for a split second, I felt like I was floating.

I was no longer in my room, no longer wrapped in the comfort of his arms. The place I found myself in felt... vast. The sky above was painted in soft shades of twilight, blending dark blues and purples. The ground beneath my feet was soft, almost like velvet, and I felt a strange pull toward something. A voice. A presence.

I followed the sound of that voice, like a thread drawing me in. It was deep, warm, and comforting, like it belonged to someone I should know. As I walked closer, the figure of a tall, muscular man came into view, his silhouette sharp against the fading sky. His skin was a deep, rich brown, and his long locs cascaded down his back. He turned slowly, and as soon as his face came into view, I froze.

It was him. The man from the picture in Kun's family hallway—the man who had been standing beside Kun's dad, smiling with him. Kun's father's best friend.