Chapter 3 Isabella
I have no idea who this man is and why he’s rescued me. I have never been held by anyone like this before, not since I was a young girl.
I’m utterly and wonderfully shocked. His scent dazzles me, but I feel a disconcerting uneasiness, as if a glittering butterfly is fluttering in my stomach. I think he’s carrying me outside. My hands are both clammy as I wrap my arms around his neck. I am afraid to slip down, so I wrap around his muscled neck even tighter. I put my face on his warm chest and bury my face in my hair. I am too nervous to open my eyes and cannot bare the thought of directly looking at him, into his striking eyes. I may just die from nervousness.
It feels like my entire body is burning hot from my ears to the tip of my toes. I’m desperate for some fresh air. But I am too afraid to look up. I feel disoriented, but I can guess that we are still in the hallway. I think I hear someone shouting my name in the background as the people around us are murmuring about who this gorgeous man is, and why he is rescuing me, holding me. My world is spinning. It’s all happening too fast.
How can feel all these intoxicating sensations simply based on someone’s scent? I hope he doesn’t notice my overwhelming feelings towards him. But is he feeling the same as me? Why is he rescuing me? My heart is beating too fast, as if it will jump out of my throat any second. I can even hear a fast thumping sound very clearly… Wait, is the sound of his heartbeat, or mine?
I bite down on my lower lip hard without thinking, and the pain causes some of my normal senses to return. I crack my eyes open slowly and steadily. I tilt my head upwards a bit, at an unnoticeable angle, and peek at him in secret. I cannot see his face, only his squared jawline and prominent chin. His dark and short hair is neatly trimmed, with faded buzz on the side. A faint scent of mint and cucumber shampoo is radiating from his hair. Added to the smell of morning ocean salt, I feel winded from this strange sensation, fascinated by the pure attraction.
I have always been sensitive to scents and odors. It’s a normal werewolf trait. But I have had a sharper sense of smell from an early age. For this reason, I am aware of any surrounding people or beings, even from a mile away. I can accurately distinguish a broad variety of scents from wildlife and flora to chemicals, greenery, and a mix of perfumes. But I have never found myself so deeply attracted to any particular scent, not to mention being totally captivated by it. His scent conjures a feeling of familiarity, and different from any other humans. It seems like I have come across it somewhere before, but I cannot remember where exactly. I’m not sure whether it’s from a dream or reality, from this life or a past one.
Could it be? But how is it possible?
I am fully aware of the special connection among werewolves. A mating connection is sacred and its holiness is inviolable. Fifteen years had passed, and not a single mating bond had been successfully established in our world. This phenomenon simply disappeared along with the death of my father. Without mates, werewolves experience physical pain and become weak in the mind. It is highly unlikely for werewolves to find a mate after such a long time. And to be mated with a human is even rarer, which has never happened before in any recorded history. Werewolves have been living in pain for fifteen years now.
As the princess of my race, I can feel that every one of them is suffering an apocalyptic pain. I can relate to their feelings both in a tangible and profound way. I was born for this purpose, to carry a gene of healing, as if my whole being was designed to absorb their emotional turmoil and to heal the hurt from their unrelenting wounds. It’s my fate to be their princess. And I accept it all, willingly. Bearing their burden is the only way I can feel some connection to my beloved father. By going through the insufferable, I feel like I am doing exactly what a royal princess should be doing. By withstanding this agonizing torture, I can still recall what my father used to teach me about being a good leader, which in turn soothes me, and allows me to remember that my father’s existence was actually here before, real and vivid, instead of a delusion. But it pains me, that there is nothing I can do now to heal the whole race and make them feel alive again.
A breeze of fresh air chills me. The cold light of the sun shines in my eyes. We are outside and finally break away from the smothering air inside. He has carried me all the way here, yet he shows no signs of putting me down. Instead he holds me even tighter and pulls me closer to his chest. His skin warms my entire shivering body. The warmth comforts me. My nerves are gradually calming into a state of peaceful tranquility while my body melts against his. It is the first time that I forget about my pain; the ache embedded in my bones strangely begins to disappear. I realize that I have forgotten what serenity feels like. Feeling pain is my everyday experience and has become my normality.
The crisp air has cleared my mind. I move my focus from him to my surroundings. There are just a few students outside, and they seem to not notice us. What a relief to be ignored. I can no longer take any unfriendly, or even friendly, stares. If only time could be stopped, I just want to feel his presence next to me and this peacefulness that it brings. In this cruel world, only him and me. I do not care where I am, I do not care what my fate is. I just want this mere second with him, the intimate closeness of his hold.
He is still walking ahead without saying a single word. I just let him be. I am a snowflake fallen on his chest, his flesh soaking me in. Under the bright winter sun, his skin was glowing with a dark shimmer. Never have I encountered any humans or werewolves that have such a beautiful skin color. I’m wondering what he’s thinking about me. I consider myself too thin and too weak. Will he hate me after he learns more about me? Will he discard me like rubbish, like anyone else would? I don’t think I want to know the answer. I may not possess the courage to handle his rejection. It is the only pain that I cannot imagine putting myself through. I’m afraid to see the disdainful look on his face when he becomes aware of my true identity.
I can feel him stop, and we have arrived in front of a big black car. My heart beats faster. What happens now? Is he going talk with me, or put me down? I guess this must be his car, and he’s planning on taking me away from the school. Where he will take me? I am too weak to think straight or to fight. Is he dangerous? But I am sure that I do not want to leave. The eagerness of staying near him anchors me. All I want is to be by his side. I do not want to be apart from him any longer.
The back door of the car opens, and the car is empty. The inside of the car is huge and is big enough for ten people to sit in. The seats are made of black leather. The scent of fresh morning ocean salt wafts out from inside. Just like him. He gently puts me down on one of the seats. He takes the seatbelt and wraps it around my waist. Then, he suddenly looks up, stares at me, his gaze fixes on my eyes.
My mind goes blank. The pressure is enough to make me faint. My face must be burning with redness, my cheeks blossoming under his minty breath. Our faces are extremely close. He pauses there, as if time has frozen at this moment. I am too embarrassed. No one has ever looked at me this close before. My rational mind wants me to run away from his gaze, but I’m melting under his stare at the same time. I simply cannot take my eyes off of his.
I am utterly, completely drowning in his beautiful dark eyes. But he is reserved. I cannot tell what he is thinking right now. I peer deeper into his gaze, into the abyss of his pupils, but I’m still incapable of recognizing his true thoughts. The tight tension in the air almost makes me forget to breath. Suddenly, I’m electrified, as if I’ve been hit by a bolt of lightning, and thunder rises up inside me. I feel the blood in my veins racing rapidly from my heart down to my core. For the first time, I feel my breasts getting fuller, my nipples hardening. My breathing gets faster, and I can feel my clitoris swelling. I’m aroused. I want his lips to be pressed on mine. I want to breathe his breath, taste the sweetness of the tip of his tongue. I desire him.
He is my mate. I am sure of it.