MaNan- Only Mine ✔

8• Stay with me

N A N D I N I

I felt a warm presence beside me and I slowly opened my eyes. It took me a few seconds to adjust my vision with the light. I saw a blurry image of someone laying down beside me. I blinked my eyes a few times to clear my vision.

And I saw Manik sleeping soundly beside me. His one hand was on my cheek while the other was wound around my back.

He was sleeping peacefully with his lips slightly parted. No doubt he looked too adorable and I couldn't help but stare at him. I raised my hand slightly to touch the mole that was just below his lips but I stopped in midway, realizing what I was just about to do. I withdrew my hand back almost immediately.

I must be going crazy. I gently removed his hand from my cheek and I slowly sat upright on the bed. My body hurt, especially my back. Side effects of using my healing power. Sigh!

"But did my powers work? Is he al-" My words were replaced by a gasp when I was suddenly pulled down on. I looked at him and he slowly opened his captivating eyes as he wrapped his arms around me, caging my in his arms.

"Manik." I unconsciously called his name and I saw his lips curve into a small smile.

"Thank you." His soothing voice hit my ears, making my heart jump. "And I am sorry." His voice softened and even his expression.

"Don't be. I did nothing. It was you who held on." I said. It was true. If he hadn't held on and stayed strong when I had used my healing powers on him, it could have had serious consequences.

He gently pulled me towards him and I suddenly felt conscious. My body stiffened a bit under his touch. "Just stay like this for a moment." He said in a low tone before embracing me tightly.

I could feel my heart beat thumping against my chest and moreover his embrace felt so warm. What is happening to me?

"Are you okay now?" I asked.

"I am okay." He said with his eyes closed. I let him hold me in his embrace but not even for a second I closed my eyes. I kept staring at his face and to my surprise the more I looked at him, the more I felt attracted.

This mate thing sure is strong. I forcefully shifted my gaze to the ceiling.
"Nandini. I am sorry." He whispered.

"For what?" I asked, confused.

"For being a monster. For not hiding you in my embrace when you had been crying. For not being able to let you go. I am really sorry but stay with me. Please." His voice softened with each word he said and my heart skipped bit by bit.

"Manik we two belong to two different worlds." I turned my head towards him, to look at him. "We aren't meant to be and I am the daughter of your dad's killer." My heart felt heavy.

"For me you are just you." He opened his eyes to look at me and when our eyes met, something felt different. "I mean it. You are just you for me. So stay with me."

"But you don't love me and neither do I love you." I tried reasoning. There was no point in staying together without any love in between.

"If that's what you need then from today onwards I, Manik Malhotra, will love you Nandini Murthy." He said and I was left in shock.

"Love can't be forced Manik. It just happens. Just by saying that you love me won't change the fact that you don't love me." I said, looking at him.

"Nandini I know what I am saying. If you want love I will give you that. But stay with me. Be mine forever." His voice was so intense that I could feel the chill run down my spine.

I was speechless for a moment. I didn't know what exactly to say. "But I don't love you."

"Will you stay if you fall for me?"

I nodded my head slowly. "Then I will make you fall for me." He said, firmly.

"But-" I was cut in middle.

"The day I laid my eyes on you, you were mine Nandini, only mine." His eyes suddenly had changed to venom red and it only made me want to stare in those red pair of orbs even more. I knew it was his wolf but something about it was so attractive and it interested me.

"Nandini." He gently stroked my cheek while I continued looking into those red pair of orbs.

"Your eyes are beautiful." I said in an inaudible tone but I knew he heard it. I saw him smile.

But the very next moment his eyes were back to his normal color. "I am sorry for a second, I lost control over my wolf." He apologized.

"Your eyes changed into venom red. Isn't red generally the color of vampires?" I asked, curiousity building up inside me.

"It sure is and I am not a normal werewolf. I am an experiment." He let out a chuckle although in pain.

"Experiment?" I was confused.

"The reason of my existence isn't so simple Nandini." He said with hurt clearly evident in his eyes. This made me even more confused. What did he mean by he was an experiment?

But at the same time I regretted thinking that I hit the most sensitive part of his life.