Chapter four

Tessa’s POV;

Would I truly ever be able to take control of my own life and choose something for myself without having to bother how it would affect other people? 

All my life I’ve always had to surrender to fate, believing that whatever happened to me was the universe's will so there was no use fighting it. When my own father never showed me an ounce of care, I surrendered to fate. When he remarried and I thought that would give me a second chance at a family but instead his wife maltreated me just like everyone else in my life, I surrendered to fate. Even now, as I was in the car of the man who I was sold off too because I had to choose my father over my freedom, I surrendered to fate again. I tried to run away from my fate and this was the consequence.

I heard the car come to a halt. “We've arrived at your new home.” Lucian broke the tense silence that had encompassed us throughout the whole drive. I still couldn’t believe that I was sitting beside Lucian Moonstone, he was one of the most feared and richest men in California but no one really knew exactly what he did. Still, everyone knew not to mess with him.

He helped me out of the car and the first thing I noticed was how fresh the air smelled which told me that we were in his estate that was up in the mountains. “Let’s go in,” he held my hand and led me into the building.

“We have a lot to do.” He added and I was suddenly reminded of one strange thing. Why did Lucian Moonstone, one of the most feared men in California, decide to buy a blind girl? What usefulness could I provide for him?

I thought about it, I couldn’t be a maid because I was blind. In my house I could do house chores because I was familiar with the environment but this was a place I had never been before, it would take me at least six months to familiarize myself with the area. Why go through that hassle when he could just get a normal maid?

I tried to think of another reason why he would want me but nothing else came to mind. It all just seemed suspicious and absurd.

We stepped into the house, someone greeted, “Welcome Master,” and I could already feel that this place was much larger than my house from how the voices bounced off the high walls.

“Yes. Take her for a shower and get her a change of clothes. Then we can begin the preparations.” He instructed the woman who almost immediately grabbed my hand.

Preparations for what? What was he talking about? 

That was when an idea of why this man might want me flashed in my head. A man who everyone feared, whose job no one knew and who paid a huge amount for a blind girl. The only possible reason why he could want me was to harvest my organs and sell them on the black market?

“Okay Ma’am, I’d be leading you to the bathroom,” the woman said as she took me deeper into the house. She opened a door, and led me into a room. “The bathroom is to your right, everything you’d need is in the bathtub stand.”

“I’d go and bring you a change of clothes.” With that she walked out the door. My heart was still beating frantically with fear at the hypothesis I had concluded in my mind. If these people were organ harvesters, then I was in real danger. 

But I couldn’t escape. My literal blindness in this new environment was a disadvantage for me, I wouldn’t be able to make it out the front door before getting caught. 

As I stood confused on what to do, I couldn’t help but think about Benjamin now who must have been waiting for me outside the fence. If he was here he would waste no time in helping me find a means of escape. I wondered if he saw me leaving in Lucian’s car.

How would things have turned out if I chose to run away with Benjamin instead?

I shook my head, trying to dispel the imagination of how things would have been if I made another choice. There was no use thinking about that now, I had made a choice and I had to see it through. No matter what. 

I walked into the bathroom and the sweet smell of lavender filled the air. The maid must have prepared a bathtub for me. I was about to take off my clothes when a spiral of light flashed through the familiar darkness I’ve known all my life.

My eyes began to twitch and blurry images of my surroundings began to form around me. The empty darkness began to disappear slowly as spheres of lights took the shape of objects. I could see the white bathtub, the tile floor, the creamish towel on the hanger and even the bathroom mirror in front of me.

What on earth was happening? I could see!?? 

My reflection stared back at me in the mirror. I saw my long dark brownish hair cascading down my face to my shoulder level, my round hazel eyes looking at me in confusion and my pink plump lips, trembling with fear. This was the first time in my life I was ever seeing myself. The first time I was ever seeing anything at all.

Then in an instant, my image disappeared from the mirror and a wolf with white and brown fur appeared in its place. Shocked, I fell to the ground in fear.

“Do not be afraid Tessa,” she howled at me, her tone sweet and calm. “I’m your wolf.”

I stared at her dumbfounded. My wolf? What does that mean? Nothing made sense to me at all and I was beginning to panic.

“You are a hybrid. A child born from a werewolf and a witch.” She explained but I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. My dad was a high school teacher and my mum died when I was one, they were very much ordinary humans. I was very much an ordinary human. What was this wolf talking about, saying my parents were werewolves and witches, things that only existed in fairy tales and novels.

“The reason you’ve been blind your whole life and haven’t ever felt a connection with me was because your powers were locked and could only be accessed on your 18th birthday, which is today,” the wolf continued. “You are very special Tessa. As a hybrid, your wolf side allows you to shift forms while your witch side allows you to be able to read people’s mind.” 

Shift form! Read minds!! Witches and werewolves!!! All the information poured out at once like an overload, overwhelming me and the only thing I wanted to do at that moment was run.

To run away from whatever that thing was in the mirror and get out of this haunted house.

I stood up and took to my heels. I dashed out the bathroom and out of the room only for me to see the huge space I was in. The large house loomed around me like an outstretched city, wide with statues of werewolves at each corner and huge chandeliers hanging from the ceiling that reflected off the glass walls. Everything screamed elegance and regalia.

I didn’t have time to gawk at the incredible structure I was in, I had to escape. I ran down the stairs and past a few maids who looked alarmed to see me. Then I came to a crossroad with two openings, I wasn’t sure what path to take so I made an arbitrary decision to follow the right. 

“How can a house be this huge?” I wondered as I made my way towards where I hoped was the front door. 

As I got closer to the door, it swung, revealing a tall, handsome man with long, smooth brown hair who was clad in a fitted suit that outlined his biceps. His aura was powerful and intimidating, a stark contrast to his soft facial features with a sharp jawline that made him look like he escaped from a renaissance painting.

He eyed me suspiciously as I came to an abrupt stop in front of him. “You…can see?” His deep voice sounded familiar.

Something about him was pulling me to him, like there was an invincible string connecting us. I took a few steps back, actively trying to fight against that pull.

“Who are you? Looks just let me go okay. I don’t know what you guys do here but that… mirror… wolf,” my words came out all jumbled and incoherent due to the increased trepidation that was building in my chest. 

“Calm down Tessa,” he called my name with such ease like we’ve been married for years. “No one here is going to harm you.”

How could I believe him after seeing a wolf in the bathroom?

“I don’t believe you and I don’t want to calm down. All I want is to leave here.” I fired back in annoyance.

He stared at with new intensity, the softness on his face morphing into an intimidating coldness. “You want to leave?” The air was palpable with the intensity of his voice which now had a sinister hint to it. “Incase you forgot, I bought you, so you belong to me.”

In a flash he was already in front of me, our face almost touching. He grabbed my waist and pulled me in, pressing my body close to his, the warmth from our touch sending a sizzling sensation through my body. 

“You’re mine Tessa Howling,” he declared, brushing away a few strands of hair from my face. “and I am yours.” The finality in his words left no room for argument. 

I felt hot standing so close to this man like this. Our faces were mere inches apart and his bright red orbs were sparkling with a kind of glow that made my wolf growl from inside.

In a bid to break free from his touch, I tried to remove his hand which now cupped my face, but immediately my hand touched his, I felt a magical flash and then I heard his inner wolf shouting, “Mate! Mate!! Mate!!!” It was like I could read his mind, just like the powers my wolf said I had.

I looked up at him, the heat of his touch burying deeply into me like a marking, I needed him to kiss me. I desperately wanted to tell him to slam me against the wall and take me here but instead all I asked was, “who are you?”

A mischievous smile tugged at his lips and instantly he crashed his lip into mine. Rubbing them passionately around mine, he used his tongue to open my mouth and I gasped from the action. Using that chance he shoved his tongue in my mouth and quickly dominated mine. I melted from the ecstasy this man’s touch was carving into my very being.

The feeling was like water, quenching a thirst I have had for the longest time. One I didn’t even know I had.

I wanted him to go on but then he broke the kiss way too soon leaving me breathless and starving for more. 

He looked me in the eyes, his red orbs still glowing. “Let me reintroduce myself. I am Lucian Moonstone, The lycan king of the Bloodmoon pack; one of the deadliest packs in the world and you Tessa Howling, is my mate.”