Chapter 5 Please let this be a nightmare

Hmm... that dream was a mess. Dad. The beast. The black wolf. It was a nightmare. The bed cradled me like clouds-too soft, too warm. Suspiciously perfect. My fingers curled against the sheets. I didn't want to open my eyes. I just wanted to sleep forever. The comfort. I didn't want to wake up and see my tiny room with that pathetic excuse for a window barely letting in any light and air.

The smell of cookies. Drinks. Food... people. It hit me. My mouth watered at the scent. I inhaled deeply. But there was something else-something I couldn't place. It was faint.

I stretched, slow and lazy, like my body hadn't decided if it was awake yet. I wiggled my toes. One minute more, I told myself. Two minutes more, as I turned to the other side. A minute more... oh shit! It occurred to me. Aunt.

I jerked out of bed. It was only a matter of seconds before she came and dragged my miserable ass out of bed and into my shitty reality.

Nothing prepared me for what I saw. My jaw nearly hit the floor, and my mouth stayed open longer than it should have. I stared at the unfamiliar people, all wearing the same black dress that hugged their waists, with white aprons tied neatly at the back. They were dressed like... maids. They bowed their heads gently and in sync. A table with all kinds of food and drinks stood nearby-cookies, juice, everything.

What are they doing? What is this...?

I glanced around. Somehow, my cubicle had gotten bigger-completely transformed overnight. It was large enough to fit five maids, a queen-sized bed, and a massive wardrobe. The walls were painted beautifully, a mixture of gold and white, with paintings hung on every side. It was magnificent.

"Where is this place? Where am I?" I asked.

Silence.

"Where am I?" Louder this time.

Still no response.

I released a burst of nervous laughter into the dead silence.

"It's a dream," I said out loud, loud enough for them to hear. They were like robots. Didn't move, didn't speak, didn't respond. Just stood there, bowing.

This dream wasn't like the others. It was peaceful. Not like the weird, scary ones-the wolves, the shadow, Aunt's corpse, Dad, the black beast, the car accident, and lastly... the voice. The golden-yellow eyes that hypnotized you at a glance.

Everything was a dream...

A dream? I wished. I knew it was real. Too real. The pair of arms that caught me. The black wolf. It sent chills down my spine-the kind you feel when you see a ghost.

Where was I? I already knew the answer. The black wolf had kidnapped me. Was I in a pack of wolves waiting to tear me apart like the brown beast did to Dad?

Dad... I had no idea if he was alive or not.

I glanced at the maids again. Still bowing.

The stories Dad used to tell me about werewolves-they were shapeshifters. They could turn into humans and back into wolves. The black wolf was no exception.

My heartbeat spiked. I could literally hear it echo in my ears. Is this my end?

"Dad, Dad... Da-d"

Tears spilled down my cheeks. I bawled like a little kid who'd lost her candy. I sniffled.

"What's-this happening-to me?

I just want-ed to li-ve a nor-mal life. Is that too mu–ch to ask for? Why am I being punished for nothing? Why am I going to get killed?"

I bursted into tears. I just wanted it all to be over. My nose was stuffed with mucus, and something was definitely coming out of it. I sniffed again.

The door opened. King Alpha Crimson Stark, the maids said in unison, with their heads still bowed. He raised his hands and they quickly left his sight.

I raised my tear-stained face-and I saw him.

The eyes. Not just any eyes-his eyes. Golden-brown. They locked onto mine, and the world stopped spinning. My breath caught. I couldn't look away. I was hypnotized.

He stood there, silent. A face carved from danger and desire. Sharp jaw, lips that looked like they'd never smiled, and eyes that saw too much. Devilishly handsome. He looked majestic in a black suit and gray trousers. His godlike presence overshadowed the menacing, devilish aura he carried.

One glance. Just one look into his eyes, and I couldn't look away. He walked toward me. Every step sent mad shivers of fear through me but at the same time, tiny sparks. My fingers clenched the bedsheets tightly, damp with sweat.

He stood closer, which forced me to look up. He was tall and muscular, like he'd trained all his life. His muscles bulged through the shirt. Every part of him screamed danger. He was the devil incarnate, I could tell. His hand reached for my chin and gently lifted it. His touch was warm and rough, but I didn't mind. His gaze locked on mine, and I just stared into his beautiful eyes that exuded a bottomless darkness. His perfect lips moved, words were said but I couldn't make them out. I didn't hear a thing. His expression made it even harder to read.

"How old are you?" he repeated flatly. I sensed a hint of annoyance. His eyes narrowed.

"Wh-at?" Something was stuck in my throat. Probably from the crying. And why was he asking me that?

"What do you mean?" I murmured. I pulled my head away from his grip, wiping the tears that had dried on my cheeks.

"Your nose. Wipe it." Direct. Cold.

As soon as the words left his lips, I felt like I'd been slammed into a door. Embarrassment. I nearly collapsed. I wish the earth would swallow me up whole.

"My nose..." I smiled sheepishly. I wiped it with my thumb. I stole a glimpse at him that I regretted instantly. His gaze gave me the look people give to broken things. He was expressionless, so for him to show that-he was disgusted to the core. I sniffed.

Fully embarrassed. But for a moment, I forgot I was supposed to be scared. I didn't even know where I was or why I was here.

"What are you going to do to me? Are you going to kill me?

Is my dad alive?" I finally found my voice, just as he was about to leave.

"Kill you? Did Nuel not tell you?

Trisha, we've been waiting for you.

I have been waiting for you, mate."

His voice, low, full of concern-but it didn't match his nonchalant facial expression.

"What?" What do you mean? I don't understand...

"Eat up and rest this evening. Tomorrow, we wed."

What?!! A wedding? There must be some kind of misunderstanding. I'm not your-

The word didn't escape my mouth. His hand went over it-first tightly, then he slowly released his grip and sat on the bed, very close to me. Our gaze locked. Damn those eyes again. He shook his head slightly. "Don't say it."

He pushed closer. I could feel his breath. His vanilla, sweet perfume clouding my senses. His hand brushed my hair back, and he whispered gently in my ear:

"Tomorrow, you will be my Luna."

His hands trailed my face slowly and intentionally. His gaze fell on my lips, and I swallowed hard. People say eyes are a window to the soul, but right now it was impossible to tell what he was thinking. My heart was beating so fast. My palms, still sweaty, tightened their grip on the blankets. I lost all sense of thought. I was in a place I barely knew-a dangerous place, and this devilishly, hot, black wolf man could easily kill me in an instant. And a wedding? This was absurd. This was far more than absurd.

So tell me why, all I was thinking at that moment was his perfect lips melting softly into mine-despite the intense, sharp pain in my chest that started when he came in.

I think he noticed, as I saw a smirk tug at the corner of his lips. He pulled away slightly, and I felt a jolt of disappointment.

"Tomorrow will be a long day. And your dad-don't worry. He's fine. You'll see him tomorrow."

With this, he stood up and left. Leaving me disoriented, caught between two worlds. A world I barely knew. I still had so many questions that needed to be answered. But amidst my confusion, deep down, I couldn't deny what he said. That I was his mate. There was something about him. I just couldn't put my fingers on it. I needed to talk to my dad. I didn't want to get married.

I shut my eyes tightly and desperately wished this was a nightmare I'd eventually wake up from. But at the same time, a very small part of me wished it wasn't.