Night&gale

CHAPTER 10 - MIRAGE

I rush towards my room. The lower part of my dress is in my hands, thankfully I remember the path Kazume had led me through.

The way we glided on the dance floor, acknowledging our first meet between ourselves.

The ballroom had erupted in murmurs of the girl who had the pleasure of dancing with the King.

The entire feast was a blur of introductions of people from the Pride.

By the end of the feast, the King offered to show me his garden, after knowing that I had keen interest in the bloom flowers.

The bloom flowers are usually known as 'Blue Morpho' due it's striking resemblance to the wings of the blue butterfly, known for their beauty as they bloomed once in twelve years, but my interest, rooted in their specialty to make potions of either a highly valued medicine or a deadly poison with no aroma or color.

"I didn't know that wolves had a keen curiosity in bloom flowers." King Jeremiah says while I bend down to take a whiff of the amazing creatures.

"How much do you know about wolves at all??" I ask straightening my back and looking at those gray orbs.

"Fair enough, but I do claim to know a little bit about you." He says lending me his arm, for a stroll around the said garden.

"And what might that be?" we continue walking. The stars cover the night sky, dazzling like I have never seen before. The wind howls rebelliously.

"You were orphaned at a young age..." he says while turning his head towards me.

"Is that a question or a statement?" I say looking forward.

"Neither, it's just something we both have in common."

"I am sorry to hear that. It's the last thing I wish to have commonality in, with someone." The King stops, while he takes my hand that rested on his arm into both his palms.

"It's cruelly common for destiny to snatch the things we long for the most, from between our fingers to mould the person we are today." His gaze is so certain when he looks at me." We have more things in common than you know, Lylah."

"I-um—I need to get out of here." I say pulling my hand from his.

I need to get away from his presence. I can't think straight. I start to run with every ounce of fiber in my body, just away from him.

I enter my room and slam the door, my back leaning against it.

It's not possible.

I am a wolf. He is a Lion and a pride Lion to be exact!! but how would I explain his touch, his gaze, his pulse, his scent, his presence.

I am still seventeen, which means I still have a year till my senses of mate awaken.

I keep my hands on my beating heart which feels like it's going to explode. I look into the mirror from where I stand to see my reflection and I am reminded for the reason I am here.

No time for the matters of the heart.

I change into my pajamas and climb into the bed. I don't need myself worrying about anything else except the murders, once I find the culprit, my work here is done.

***

It's pitch dark in the woods, where I stand. The leaves crunch beneath my bare feet.. I hear someone....but I can't seem to recognize.

I look around in a haste to find the voice.

I look up at the moon and see smoke at a distance, I follow it. Yes I know this person....I can hear better as I draw closer to...I feel someone following me...I start running, faster towards the direction of the smoke...I hear a panicked scream crying out for help.