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91: NOTHING BUT DARKNESS
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The Mate Agreement 92: IN THE COMPANY OF FRIENDS
I slowly open my eyes, the room coming into focus around me. It's as if I'm emerging from a deep, heavy fog. The world seems still, peaceful. I blink a few times, adjusting to the soft morning light filtering through the curtains. I realize I'm lying in my bed, the somewhat familiar surroundings a comfort to my weary body. My head throbs gently, a dull reminder of the exhaustion that had finally taken its toll. And of last night. Memories rush back to me in unpleasant waves. All that blood, all that violence, that had happened just last night feels like a nightmare, like a recollection of events that have happened ages ago. But with it comes relief. A soft groan escapes my lips as I attempt to sit up, my head throbbing slightly as I move. Movement to my side catches my attention, and I turn my head to see Mila and... wait, my eyes widen in disbelief, is that really Bibah? My heart skips a beat as I take in the sight of her, in the flesh, sitting on the edge of the bed with a wide sm
The Mate Agreement 93: HEARTS INTERTWINED
By the time I’m done brushing my teeth and my hair in the bathroom, the dull pain in my head is gone. However, my limbs still feel heavy, and a stinging sensation continues to radiate up my arm. I wouldn’t mind a few more hours of sleep -in fact I feel like I actually need it- but I don’t think I can rest easy without checking up on William.The ruckus of renovation invades my senses the second I open the door and step outside my room. Each hammer strike resonates through the walls, jarring my headache, stoking it’s dying coals back to life. The relentless drilling seems to pierce the air, disrupting any semblance of tranquility the bedroom walls had offered me.Mila was right.It’s definitely not an ideal place of ambiance.I close my eyes and attempt to block out the cacophony as I make my way upstairs to the third floor. My footsteps are swallowed by the soft carpet in the hallway, and as it stretched ahead, bathed in a soft, dim light that cast delicate shadows on the walls, I pay
The Mate Agreement 94: NOT GOODBYE
After spending one more night in the Ravenstone estate, Bibah leaves for Sohdan the following morning, after extracting a promise out of me that I will visit her as soon as I can.As I watch the limousine arranged by Mila to take her to the airport pull out of the double gates of the pack estate, my mind returns to William, and a gnawing worry settles within me.The doctors have been placing him on heavy sedatives and monitoring his brain activity, all in preparation for the surgery. Since the last time he’d told me about his decision to go through with it, I haven’t had much chance to be by his side.At least not when he’s awake.I sigh and pull the cardigan around me tighter against the slightly chilly morning air. Although all the renovations are done, I don’t exactly feel like going back to my room, so I take a path through the gardens, checking my phone to take note of the time when Mom and Wilma will be leaving for our pack house in Deveras. Without me.More than anything, I wan
The Mate Agreement 95: TRANQUIL
Three days pass me by in a blur, engulfed in anxiety, uneasiness, and anticipation of what is to come. When I can’t stay glued to William’s sleeping form, I go on long walks to clear my head and try to envision everything going smoothly.Most of the time, I’m out of luck.On the morning of the surgery, I wake up early and get ready, throwing on a black cardigan and a white maxi skirt. The weather here is starting to get colder.Soon, winter will roll in.I move to the large windows and gaze out to the view, sighing.Outside the window, the serene garden unfolds like a painter's masterpiece. Lush emerald grass stretches like a velvety carpet, adorned with an array of vibrant flowers that dance in harmony with the gentle breeze. Sunlight filters through the leaves of ancient trees nestled into far corners of the estate buildings, casting intricate patterns of dappled shade upon the scene.The closer I look, the more beautiful it gets.I try to allow it to clear my mind of its worries.A
The Mate Agreement 96: TRANQUIL II
He doesn’t remember.He can’t remember.The world continues to spin for me as I try to come to terms with the possibility of the situation. Each passing second that William continues to stare at me like I am a stranger feels like my heart is being dashed against a rock.It’s been three minutes since the doctor came in, and I stand anxiously by the bedside, fidgeting with the ring William gave me. The ring he doesn’t remember giving me.In my head, I am pacing, but my body physically stays rigid, unable to move an inch, listening only to the hammering of my heart and the mechanical humming of the machines.I take in a shaky breath as the doctor straightens from flashing a light in William’s eye. He’d asked him a series of questions to understand the extent of his memory loss. "Ms. Caillou," he begins with a sigh, his tone gentle, "I understand that this is an incredibly difficult time for you. William’s surgery was complex, and the brain is a delicate organ. Memory loss can sometimes o
The Mate Agreement 97: MEMORY BY MEMORY
I rise from my stupor with a throbbing deep in my head and heavy eyelids. Memories and reality try to coax me out of the blissfulness of oblivion, but I keep my eyes closed, hoping if I did so long enough; if I don’t open them, I will not have to be confronted by the truth of the events that have unfolded in the near past. But the nightmare of reality follows me behind my closed eyes, and I find myself imaging William’s face; his eyes staring back at me blankly with no tender emotion except confusion and pity.Still with my eyes closed, I scrunch up my face, the impact of a mere imagination like physical pain inflicted on me. “No…” I groan, trying to bury my head deeper into the softness of the pillows and the sheets beneath me.“You’re awake.”My eyes fly open at the sound of William’s voice, and his face looming above me. There is a beat of silence as I dared to hope, tracing the contours and angles of his face with my gaze while he watches me back curiously. He’s in the bed with me
The Mate Agreement 98: SPARK SOMETHING
I sigh as I shut the doors behind me.With a lingering sense of the charged moment upstairs, I manage to steady my breath and emotions before venturing downstairs. The warm aroma of dinner wafts through the air, mingling with the faint light of the sunset filtering through the gleaming windows of the living room. The pack house feels familiar yet strangely distant, as if every corner holds fragments of a life that's both known and elusive.And I guess that pretty much sums up my whole experience here.As I reach the dining area, Mila is already there, sitting at the table with a thoughtful expression, tapping away on her phone. She glances up, her eyes meeting mine, and a small, knowing smile tugs at her lips. It's that kind of unspoken connection we've seemed to develop in such a short time, just before this chaotic storm of forgotten memories."You're awake," she says softly, pocketing back her phone, and I nod as I take a seat across from her.The table is adorned with a feast that
The Mate Agreement 99: LOOK AT ME
In the quiet of the evening, as the house settles into a serene hush, I find myself standing before William’s door, heart pounding with a mixture of anticipation and nerves. With a soft exhale, I knock gently again and wait, the weight of my thoughts heavy in the stillness.When an answer doesn’t come, I try the knob.The door creaks open, revealing the space beyond, dimly lit by the soft glow of the bedside lamp. He stands there, a black shirt balled up in his hands. The sight is both familiar and intimate, his back muscles flexing as he returns the shirt into a drawer.He begins to unbutton the shirt he’s wearing, movements slow and deliberate, as if lost in thought. Unbeknownst to him, I step back, retreating into the shadows. An involuntary blush warms my cheeks as my gaze lingers, a mixture of curiosity and vulnerability mingling within me.It’s not like I’ve never seen him shirtless, but still…He turns slightly, catching a flicker of movement, and freezes. Caught in the act, I
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