3. Mine

Aria's POV

Light gradually illuminated the darkness that had engulfed me. And soon, my eyes sprang open, welcoming the heat from the sun that had taken over half of the room. I look around and notice the unfamiliar setting.

Where am I? Is this the afterlife?

While checking the place, I suddenly felt a sting on my head, followed by a wave of heat in my abdomen and spinal cords. It throbs like hell as if a spiky blade was inside it. Amid my suffering, the door opened, and a woman in her white uniform entered. I could tell she was a doctor based on her clothes.

"Do you feel any discomfort?" she asked.

I nodded — pointing my head and my stomach. She instantly pulled a tool from a small bag and examined my condition.

"May I ask where I am?" I inquired in between her check-up.

The place I am currently in is still a mystery, though I am sure this is not the afterlife. Neither does it feel like our hospital since this room is cozier than ours. 

"You're in Rojo La...Red Moon, Miss," she replied shortly.

The name rang a bell. But I can't recall where I heard it.

Eventually, a lot of questions flooded my head, but I didn't have the courage to voice them all out. Not when the physician is busy, and particularly not when she doesn't look approachable. She hasn't even introduced herself, which is a sign.

"Do you feel a lot better now?" she inquired.

After she blurted out those words, the current situation gradually dawned on me, and, like her query, I didn't feel any more pain. My head no longer ached, and my body felt much better than it had before. 

"Yes," I responded with a smile. 

I was so preoccupied with my thoughts that I didn't notice the previous magic she performed or the medicine she administered to me.

"Rest for a while and let the medicine do its thing," she ordered.

I acknowledge her words with a nod. "Thank you."

She smiled at me and walked out of the room without saying anything further. It seems like I misjudged her character; she wasn't wholly hostile at all, just a bit cold.

As I closed my eyes and pondered things, a specific scene flashed into my mind, leading me to get up from bed. And, like a bomb detonating, memories began popping through my head like a CD on repeat. The fight. The gray wolf. And the black wolf who saves us. Each of them has raced one by one.

'Kaia,' I whispered, trying to connect with my wolf.

Every forgotten memory progressively revealed itself. And all of the fight's occurrences were collected and became clear to me all at once. It's like pages in a book, sequentially revealing the details till I reached the part of me losing consciousness, and perhaps that's what got me here.

I double-checked myself and realized we had made it out alive. Kaia and I survived!

'I have met him,' my wolf spoke upon her appearance.

There is a sparkle in her eyes as she tells me that. Ironically, her countenance is opposite to her condition; she gave me a warm smile despite all the wounds she's received, and I think I know why. 

'He's handsome, Aria,' she wiggled her tail fondly.

Jeez! 

Kaia has time for everything romantic, yet she never asks how I am or tells me what happened after I passed out. 

‘Was he the one who saved us?’

Kaia nodded her head absentmindedly. I asked Kaia a couple of questions to ease my confusion, but she was too occupied to respond. This is the first time I've seen her lose her sanity for some romantic excitement. She has a world of her own. 

When I couldn't obtain even a smidgeon of an answer, I gave up, and Kaia eventually disappeared. I decided to lie back on the bed and try to settle down my racing thoughts.

The sun's light is already exiting the room, suggesting it is about noon. And as my gaze fell on the whirling curtain blown away by the wind — my stomach grumbled. 

I get out of bed and untangle every medical strand that was wrapped around my hand. Clad in a white medical gown with a face as pale as snow enough to pass for a ghost. But I couldn't care more. I am hungry.

I reached for the doorknob, ready to escape, but the door opened before I could, and a man was birthed from it. My emerald eyes instantly widened in dread as I froze on my post.

"Where are you going?"

Words hesitated to cross my mouth as a particular thought lingered in my mind.

I need to escape.

His hazel eyes remained fixed on mine, waiting for an answer, but I stood still. Eventually, a little smile crept up the side of his lips as he dropped the contact.

"You're probably wondering who I am," he speculated.

He lifted his arms, drawing my attention, and it was only then that I realized he had bandages on his right arm. And a platter of food on his left arm. 

"I am Matthew Sainthood," he said. "The one you saved in Agara."

My brow furrowed, "the gray wolf?" I wondered, unsure.

He nodded with a smile. "Yes, that's me."

My face undoubtedly reflected an astonished expression as Matthew chuckled at me. It's comforting to see that he survived. At least, our help was not in vain.

"How did I get here?" I wondered.

"Hm," he acted, considering. "I'll respond later; you must eat for now."

That I wouldn't refuse.

Matthew stays with me as I eat the food he brings. And for some reason, it didn't bother me to devour everything while he was gazing at me. Perhaps because I was hungry or because his presence was light and reassuring.

"I'm finished," I declared after wiping my face. "Can you tell me now?"

He sat straight and nodded with an amused grin on his face. "My brother brought you here," he stated.

Before I could ask another question, another man entered, and his vibe was quite different from Matthew's. He exudes a powerful hold and a domineering aura that demands respect and attention.

"Speaking of," Matthew continued. "This is my brother."

My wolf grows frisky, and her tingles shoot thrills from my head to my toe. Kaia is aroused. Suppressing my wolf's heat was hard, and it became even more complicated when I felt a knot in my stomach as the man got closer and closer.

His amber eyes are fixed on me, and an intense desire shoots through them. But what piqued my interest was the familiar scent that now lingered in the air. It's too strong, tempting me to give in to my wolf desires.

"Can't wait, huh?" Matthew quips, looking at his brother.

The man only glared at him. "Go back to your room. You're still injured." His voice was so authoritative that Matthew didn't have a chance to object.

"Keep it easy, Nikko," Matt said as he walked away.

My insides were utterly disorganized, and my emotion was overwhelming. The fact that it was just the two of us in the room didn't help the situation.

"Hey," Nikko uttered as he gently held my chin, enabling our gazes to lock.

I gasp for air as my flesh trembles beneath his little touch. My wolf was on cloud nine, whereas I felt the opposite.

Nikko's stare saturated the deeps of my soul. And no man has ever made me feel this way before.

"May I ask your name?" he said, wetting his lips.

My gaze was drawn to them subconsciously. His lips are plump and juicy. Perhaps distracted, I failed to respond to him and was only reminded of his question when I heard him chuckle. Out of shame, I averted my sight and pinched myself to death.

I wonder how many girls has he kissed? 

"You wanna know?" 

I stared at him, perplexed. "Huh?" My conviction that the question had just existed in my head fades.

Did I say it out loud?

"My name?" he stated slyly.

I breathed a sigh of relief and nodded. He almost got me there.

I naively thought I had asked the question. It would be another humiliation, if ever. And just as I thought he was about to give me his name, his lips crashed on mine without warning. I stiffened up, and my eyes widened in surprise as he inserted his tongue into my mouth, sucking my lips.

It felt good...but at the same, I felt harassed and disrespected. Despite my sexual urge, I shoved him out and slapped him in the face. He can't kiss me without consent. 

"What the heck is wrong with you?" 

Guilt flashes in his amber eyes for a split second before being masked by an unbothered one. He smugly stared at me and licked his lips once more.

"Nicholas Sainthood," he stated flatly. "You complete the counts...you are the 100th girl I've kissed, there, I answer you." 

I was stunned, disgusted at his confession. I wiped my lips aggressively to the point that they became numb. I wanted to puke so bad. 

"Don't worry, your lips taste the sweetest among them all," he added, unfazed by my reaction.

My palm was poised to smack him again, but he was able to catch it in time, leveling his face at me with a blank expression. My insides were on fire with wrath, and the once-strong need had faded.

"Fuck you!" I blurted out.

Nicholas smirked and closed our distance. I took a step back to free up space between us, but he grabbed my waist, dragged me closer to him, and pressed his face toward mine.

"I'd gladly fuck you, be it hard or gentle," he whispered in my ears. "You're mine...mine to own...mine to fuck."