CHAPTER FOUR: They Meet, At Last!

Then, with a sudden burst of spontaneity, I change my mind.

"Actually, Hugh," I say, my voice tinged with excitement, "I would love a ride home."

Hugh's smile widens, a spark of delight igniting in his eyes as he holds open the passenger door for me. With a graceful movement, I slip into the luxurious interior of the car, the scent of leather and fine cologne enveloping me.

“Where do you live?” Hugh asks.

“Watercress Village. You can just drop me at the gates,” I reply.

As we speed through the city streets, the night air rushing past us in a blur of lights and shadows, and a thrill unlike any I have experienced before writhes through me. Warmth rushes through my neck and cheeks, my heart thrums with a heady mix of excitement and apprehension, my fingers fidgeting nervously in my lap. And with every stolen glance, I find my eyes drawn to Hugh—his chiseled features illuminated by the soft glow of the dashboard lights, his hands steady on the wheel as he navigates the winding roads with effortless grace. But it isn’t just his good looks; there’s something deeper, something primal lurking behind his piercing gaze that sends shivers down my spine.

As we drive on in silence, I can't shake the feeling that Hugh is watching me, studying my every move with a keen intensity that makes my pulse quicken. And then, as if sensing my curiousity, Hugh speaks, his voice breaking through the silence.

"Is something on your mind,...?" he asks, his tone soft. “I’m sorry, but I forgot to ask for your name.”

Caught off guard, I blink, the warmth of my cheeks intensifying as I struggle to find the words. But before I could respond, our eyes meet again in a charged moment of connection that leaves me breathless. And that's when I see it—the flicker of something wild and untamed lurking behind Hugh's steely gaze. It’s only a fleeting glimpse, but it’s enough to send a jolt of shock coursing through my body.

A wolf - a big gray wolf!

My mind races as I try to make sense of what I’ve seen.

How can all these be possible? He really is Hugh Montemayor of Bonded, the Alpha of the Highvalley Pack! 

Unable to contain my confusion and curiosity any longer, I finally speak, my voice trembling slightly with nerves.

“Anastasia. That’s my name,” I pause to collect myself, before allowing my curiousity and disbelief to glide out of my lips. "So, werewolves do exist, uh?”

For a moment, Hugh looks surprised, his brows furrow in confusion. But then, he chuckles—in a deep rich sound.

"Where are you from?" he asks, his tone laced with amusement. "If this is your first time seeing a werewolf, then you're not from around here."

I blink, taken aback by his response. He speaks with certainty and confidence as if werewolves are everywhere.

"I'm from this city. I was born and raised here." I pause to clear my throat, but before I could add anything else, Hugh interrupts,

"You're wolfless.”

I shake my head. "No, I'm human."

Unexpectedly, Hugh reaches out and gently takes my hand in his, his touch sending a jolt of electricity coursing through me.

"Stay calm, I don't eat humans," he says softly, his eyes softening. "You're safe with me."

I adjust myself in the passenger seat, my mind doesn't wanna shy away from being a whirlwind of conflicting thoughts. Another thing that's distressing me is the pull I’m feeling towards Hugh—the way his presence seems to fill the air with a sense of warmth and security. 

However, when he removes his hand from mine and places it back to the wheel, like a sudden bolt of lightning, reality comes crashing back to me. My main goal sprouts in my head— I’m supposed to help him and Yvanna get back together, to mend their broken relationship and bring them the happiness they both deserve! Somehow I must broach the subject of Yvanna, but the words stuck in my throat like a lump of lead.

With each passing moment, the silence between us grows heavier, suffocating me with its oppressive weight. I steal another nervous glance at Hugh, but he seems lost in his own thoughts, his expression unreadable.

Summoning all my courage, I finally break my silence, my voice barely above a whisper. "Hugh... do you still miss Yvanna?"

For a moment, Hugh says nothing, his jaw suddenly clenching with tension. But when he finally speaks, his voice is tight, his gaze fixed on the road ahead, "Why would I?”

A pang of disappointment mixed with guilt gnaws at me. "I'm sorry. I shouldn't have asked."

"It's okay," he says. "I'm used to being asked a lot of questions. It's the price I have to pay for growing up in the public's eyes."

My heart aches at the resignation in his voice, the burden of his fame weighing heavily upon him. 

Wait! Fame?! What fame?! Sure, he’s a famous character in the ebook, but even I, an avid fan, just found out that he really does exist! 

Hugh silences my thoughts when he adds, “It’s been two years since Yvanna and I unanimously and respectfully agreed to call off our engagement. We haven’t contacted each other since then.”

My breath hitches in my throat as Hugh's words sink in, sending a shockwave of disbelief and more confusion through me. 

Two years!? 

And then, an assumption strikes me—an assumption so profound, it leaves me reeling.

What if Bonded is more than just a work of fiction? What if Author Agness was privy to the intimate details of Hugh and Yvanna's love story, and had chosen to immortalize it in the virtual pages of her novel? Could it be possible? Could the story of Hugh and Yvanna's romance have inspired the creation of Bonded? 

But as I ponder the implications of this assumption, a nagging sense of confusion creeps over me again. Why, all of a sudden, after meeting with Author Agness, did I suddenly encounter Hugh Montemayor? Apart from that, Hugh is a real werewolf too and he speaks as if there are many more werewolves like him that exist which I've never known before! Urg! This is all too much to process!

“Are you okay?” Hugh disturbs my thoughts.

“Uh?” I swallow, before spitting a lie, “Yeah.”

He nods, though it’s obvious in the way he gazes at me that he’s not believing me. 

Then, his Lamborghini suddenly purrs to a stop, the low rumble of the engine fading into the quiet of the night. Startled from my reverie, I blink, momentarily disoriented as I realize we’ve arrived at the gates of the subdivision where I live.

"Thank you, Hugh," I say. "I appreciate the ride."

Hugh smiles warmly, his eyes alight with a flicker of something indefinable.

"Sure," he replies, his voice soft with sincerity. "Take care."

With a nod of farewell, I climb down from his car, my mind still buzzing with the whirlwind of thoughts and emotions that have consumed me since meeting Author Agness.

When I finally step inside my home, another kind of confusion whacks me in the face as I find myself faced with an unexpected sight. The house is dark and silent, devoid of the comforting warmth and familiarity of my parents' presence. Instead, there are unfamiliar tenants milling about, their voices hushed as they gawk at me.

Where's mama and papa?! And who are these strangers occupying our home?!

I stand frozen in the doorway, my heart pounding in my chest as I survey the scene before me. I look at the door over my shoulder and our address, ‘100 C. Garcia’ is attached to it. The air crackles with an otherworldly energy, sending shivers down my entire body as I struggle to make sense of my surroundings for the third time today.

“E-Excuse me,” I say, my voice trembling. “Who are you? And what are you doing inside our house?”

The strangers exchange amused glances, their laughter echoing through the living area like mocking echoes of my own disbelief. One of them, a middle-aged man with a graying beard, steps forward, his expression one of amusement tinged with pity.

"Your house?" he repeats, a wry smile playing at the corners of his lips. "I'm afraid you're mistaken, young lady. We've been living in this place for fifteen years now."

A cold chill settles over me like a shroud.

How could this be possible?! How could my home—the place where I’ve grown up, where I’ve resided for twenty-two years—now belong to strangers?!

I try to make sense of the situation once again, to grasp onto some semblance of logic in the midst of the chaos that keeps surrounding me. But try as I might, the pieces refuse to fit together, leaving me feeling adrift in a sea of uncertainty.

A surge of frustration building within me. And deep down, in the quiet recesses of my mind, a nagging, unsettling thought that whispers of truths too terrible to contemplate remains. What the hell did Author Agness have done to me?! All these crazy things started happening after we met!