Chapter 3. Ensuring

Enne froze even as Altair approached her. Enne remained still even when she could feel Altair's breath brushing against her neck. The girl was so shocked that she couldn't move.

What Enne couldn't clearly see was Altair's struggle with the wolf inside him. Cygnus was truly exerting all his abilities to take over Altair's body, but the man was still trying to defend himself from being taken over.

"I don't smell anything." Altair informed him.

"You don't know anything, I can clearly see her tempting brown tail swaying." Cygnus insisted.

"She's not the girl we're looking for." Altair continued to resist.

"I don't care, I want her." Cygnus was consumed by his desire.

Altair's face at the intersection of Enne's neck prevented the girl from seeing Altair's eyes changing several times from brown to golden and back to human eyes again, continuously like that until Enne regained control of herself and took a step back from Altair, automatically releasing his hand.

"What are you doing?" Enne dared to ask after she freed herself from the previously restraining feeling.

This time Enne could see Altair's eyes completely brown.

"I apologize, it seems I'm very clumsy at dancing, I don't even know how to start," Altair said, not entirely lying. After Altair managed to subdue Cygnus, he intended to distance himself from Enne.

Altair's late father had once said that Altair's partner was determined in an ancient inscription, a partner who would lead him and his people to peace. Altair couldn't just sleep with someone just because Cygnus desired her so much.

Honestly, Enne was confused. First, she couldn't read Altair's mind, and second, she had glimpsed the change in Altair's eyes earlier, though not very clearly. Enne was becoming more curious about the man in front of her.

"Did I make you uncomfortable?" Enne dared to ask.

Yes, Altair wanted to answer 'yes' to Enne's question. But her next words made Altair have to swallow his words.

"To be honest, it's not strange at all. I came to this village because my friends in my previous home were uncomfortable with me," Enne said.

"What made them uncomfortable?" Altair asked curiously. Enne did make him uncomfortable because Cygnus insisted on having her, but what made ordinary humans feel uncomfortable with a beautiful girl like Enne?

Enne hesitated before finally speaking up. "I can read someone's mind."

"I understand, they were uncomfortable because they saw you as intruding on their privacy by knowing what they were thinking, yes, it can be disturbing," Altair replied.

Enne didn't expect Altair to react like that, as if he immediately believed her confession.

"I was just kidding," Enne lied with a stiff expression.

"I was kidding too," Altair casually replied.

Enne started to smile faintly. She didn't know what kind of man Altair was, but the conversation they had so far made Enne quite comfortable, although sometimes she felt intimidated. At least he didn't see her as a strange girl and distance himself like her other friends.

"I should go back now, my grandmother must be looking for me," Enne said.

Altair nodded, he had cleared the way for Enne. "Please go this way, Miss Etienne."

Enne smiled slightly. "Enne, just call me Enne."

**

Enne opened her eyes, the first thing she saw was the wooden ceiling of her room. Enne's memories immediately wandered to last night, when Altair escorted her home and she had to sneak into her room without being noticed by her grandmother.

"Did you have a good time?"

Enne was startled to hear the voice, her drowsiness disappeared instantly. When she turned, Enne could see Lady Lyra standing at the doorway of her room, folding her hands.

"Grandma...." Enne spoke with a groggy voice typical of waking up, slowly she sat up, her eyes still fixed on her grandmother.

"I know you disappeared last night, you naughty girl," Lady Lyra teased as she walked closer and sat on the edge of Enne's bed.

"Aren't you mad?" Enne made sure.

"I'll forgive you this time, but I won't forgive you if it happens again," Lady Lyra said.

Enne smiled, she hugged her grandmother. Lady Lyra smiled back, patting Enne's shoulder and returning the embrace.

"So, what did you do last night?"

Enne should have known, her grandmother wouldn't forget her interrogation. Enne slowly released her embrace.

"I took a walk to the Southern area, the residents there were having a party. Why don't you join them?"

Lady Lyra furrowed her brow upon hearing Enne's explanation. "How do you know that I never joined? Did someone tell you?"

Unbeknownst to Enne, her lips formed a smile upon hearing her grandmother's question. She was reminded of Altair.

"Somebody invited me to go around," Enne replied, nodding.

Lady Lyra's eyes widened. "You talked to him? Did you do anything with him? Does he look strange?" Lady Lyra bombarded Enne with questions.

Enne blinked her eyes a few times, confused by her grandmother's change in behavior. "He's just like you," said Enne.

Immediately, Lady Lyra was taken aback.

"I can't read his mind, just like I can't read yours."

Enne's confession relieved Lady Lyra. "See? I was right. You'll fit in well here," she said.

"Grandma... are there many wild wolves here?" Enne suddenly asked.

Lady Lyra almost choked on her own saliva, but she quickly composed herself. "Why are you asking that?"

"Yesterday, I saw a wolf near the forest border. It was very large, with white fur like snow. There were several corpses lying around the wolf, but when I shifted my focus and James came to pick me up, the wolf had disappeared, along with the corpses. There were only traces of blood. I read James' thoughts, he said it was the wolf's doing. Then, realizing that you live in this remote area, I became worried. Why don't you move to the Southern area with the others?" Enne asked at the end of her story.

Lady Lyra was about to speak, but the sound of a knock on her house's door interrupted her.

"Looks like someone is looking for me, get ready for breakfast," Lady Lyra said, standing up from her seat and walking out of Enne's room.

Enne could only stare at her grandmother's disappearing back at the doorway, and she began to get up from her bed. With curiosity in her heart, Enne approached the window of her room, peering to see who was visiting at this early hour.

A middle-aged man could be seen talking with Lady Lyra. Enne didn't know what they were saying, but judging by her grandmother's facial expression, it didn't seem like good news.

"He's very sexy."

Enne was startled when she could hear the voice again. It was the same voice she heard when she saw the white wolf yesterday, the voice that came from her mind.