Episode 12: A Riddle

“What happened, General?”

“She still demands it. And if I agreed, we will suffer the greatest loss. What did Felipe say?”

“Nothing important, General. He just asked how your conversation with Lieutenant Samara was going,” Mayari answered as she walks beside me. Exits were blocked under my command and that Samara just chuckled and walked away.

“We’re now here, General. I’ll take my leave now,” Mayari again smiled and puts on her mask as she again dashed away. Someone ordered her to take me to this place. And even if I don’t ask, this scent highlights who this someone is.

“What do you want from me?” I incited as I paced towards the direction of a topless man sitting on a huge rock by the river.

“What else could it be?”

                     He stretched out his hand, gesturing me to climb up which I reluctantly seize back. But the second he turned his head facing me, my hand seems like to have its own mind that it automatically grabbed his. I can feel how my face heats up and my heart turns insanely striking every time this meter decreases to only inches between us.

“Knowing my location is also part of the mate-link?” I asked, diverting my steamy mind from thinking of another kind of thing.

“Partly yes, but it is a no,” Diego answered as his warm arms slowly wrapped around me. “How is my little daredevil these few days without me?”

“Still fine.”

“I know you’re not.” He gently pulled me closer to his broad muscular chest, so compact that I can feel his heartbeat thumping.

“Is it?”

                He nodded and leaned over to brush his lips onto my forehead. “The looks in your face define it, Darling.” My eyes then closed the moment those sapphire pair of orbs met mine. His spearmint breath was felt but as soon as his lips strolled down, I gushed opened my eyes, and found my body swamped down the raging river. So dazed when he did instantly threw me off his lap.

“You’re expecting something, don’t you?” Diego teased, laughing hard as he then jumped down the rock and dropped himself in the cool running water. “Oh? Is that your new expression? Lips tied up and your eyes staring like you’re on a deep shaft,” He again voiced, referring to the emotion on my face that his sudden action had made.

“You consider this fun?” I asked in my frigid tone.

“Yeah, why? Don’t you not? Or are you really expecting… a kiss?” His sly smile formed on his lips that he suddenly walked slowly towards me. “Then I’ll grant it to you.”

                      My face twitched when his lips poke out like a goose initiating a peck. “Hey, stop!” I protested. But his steps accelerated making me walk away as a response and my hands waddled on the waters, splashing his face.

“Then try to run away from me. But if I caught you, don’t you ever escape, Darling.”

“Like you can catch me.” I flipped the water roughly that drenched all over his body and run away from him across the strong current.

“Why not? With your clumsy running like a duck, you are such an easy prey.”

                       He lifted his legs and attempted a jump from under the water which I quickly dived and glide to avoid him. But to my surprise, his hands still managed to grip my foot and dragged me up whimpering.

“Got ‘ya!”

                        Diego’s wide smile laughed out when he locked me in his arms and sloped down, droplets of water running down his soggy dark-pitched hair. And there I found myself blithely laughing again. This man dragged me in fantasy that my guileless laughter appeared after years of forgetting how.

“Seems like I succeeded.”

                       My forehead creased to his phrase, “On what?”

“Your smile, Darling. They’re so captivating that I don’t want you to lose them again.” His lips crashed onto mine which I didn’t suppose, making my eyes widen. It didn’t last for only a second, but for minutes. And unlike the past, this kiss seems so gentle and sincere. Hard to admit, but I am now madly in love with this guy.

“I am deeply enchanted by you, Diego. So deep that I don’t even know how to get up,” words that slip out of my head to his, making his eyes expand in disbelief. He quickly parted and clamped on my shoulders.

“What did you say?”

“I-I uh, nothing. I said the water is cold.”

“No, it’s not, you mentioned a word you can’t deny.”

                 I quickly swiveled my head, avoiding eye contact with him. Oh damn, it slipped! And he is a wolf, he clearly heard every word for sure! How would I even get away with this? What should I do? Can I make the ground open up wide and gobble me up? Wait… if it does, I would still be with him since he is now clutching me. Arrgghhh! He’s driving me crazy again!

“Repeat it, come on. I want to hear you say it,” he protruded with his lips pouting at me. I can’t explain why but… he looks cute at this state. But he’s intentionally doing it just to bewitch me!

“The water is freezing cold. What else do you want to hear from me?” my lips again denied.

“It’s not that, Adira.” He acts childishly, moving his grip back and forth spontaneously which I exclaimed in protest.

“Then stop wagging me around, I’m not even your tail!”

                    With that, he stopped. Diego passively withdraw his arms and stared at me, waiting for that response. I let out a deep sigh before my stares realigned with those azure pair of eyes. “I-I am d-deeply en-enchanted b-by…” My heartbeat rapidly bangs again, and I couldn’t utter those words. Like it’s so hard to talk to him, really hard. “By my ass!”

                    Taking advantage of his grasp, I quickly leaped away from him and run the fastest I can. My left-hand sneaks its way to my chest, feeling how accelerated and unusual its beating is. Even my face heats like a hard-boiled egg and is colored in crimson red.

“Hey! You’re being unfair, Adira!” Diego groaned and dashed through, chasing after me. Then giggling just came out of me unconsciously. Having fun teasing this guy who is now not like the same Diego I first met. Not the Alpha who only knows how to scold and let out a sly smile.

“I promise, I’ll repeat those words right in front of you but you need to answer my riddle first,” I replied, keeping my feet still gushing and skipping across the woods.

“What riddle?”

                     The smile on my face didn’t vanish as I spoke out the riddle, I wanted him to answer. “Why did the girl ask a guy for a map?”

“Eh?” Silence blocked the gap between us for which I paused and landed on a tall tree’s branch, focusing my eyes on his now confused face. He stood still with his forehead creased and his eyes narrowing.

“Because he was fooled and he couldn’t find her way back home?” he then answered in an asking tone after his silence.

“Are you narrating a plot? I didn’t even say she was fooled by someone.”

“Then why is she asking for a map? It’s just so easy to ask for the way instead of the map. Or just walk and navigate with the stars. Let’s just say she’s naïve.” And here goes again this easily irritated Diego. I chuckled and jumped down to his side.

“Don’t you want to hear me say those words again? Then answer my riddle,” I challenged with my soft voice.

                         Diego rolled his eyes and crossed over both of his hands. “Your riddle is ridiculous. Just state the answer.”

“Hey, you’re the one who’s being unfair right now,” I protested but no words ever came out of his lips, and just walked away. My jaw falls, he’s being unreasonable again! “Diego! Diego, stop right there!” I yelled but he didn’t stop nor turn around. Damn, is this how he acts when sullen?

                          My legs bolted ahead of him and elevated a meter away from him. Without warning, I jumped and clamped my arms at his neck. Pinning him down the ground, he roared at the sudden move that he knocks off the tiny rocks beneath the grass. “Move away, Adira!”

“Stop acting, Diego. Don’t you want to know the answer?” I muttered close to his ear, keeping my body topped on his back, still pinning him down the ground.

“Tell it,” he plainly answered.

“Because she got so lost in this guy’s eyes.”

                          I suppose he’ll just get silent again but Diego laughed out loud like what he just heard was a very funny joke. My face flashed back to the glacier as I stood up and stepped away, not cutting off my ghastly glares towards him.

“Hey, it’s not what you think, Adira,” he blocked when he noticed the look on my face. Diego stood up and uttered another set of words, “It’s just that—” But he again laughed, making me move and walk away which he again caught my arm. “Sorry, it’s just that I didn’t expect that would be the answer and it would come out from you. Especially because I know you’re not that kind of woman that will—”

“Oh really? Well, it’s another trivia from me to you. Now, get lost.” I brushed off his hand and walked away but in a click of a second, I found myself buried on his chest. He’s clutching me tightly into his arms and a cuddly smack pecked on my head.

“And the guy fell so deeply in love with the girl. So deep that he doesn’t even know how to get up.”